Tuesday, November 3, 2020

Building Your Tournament Committee

The blog post: Building Your Tournament Committee is available on http://eventcaddy.com/blog/

Planning a tournament fundraiser is a big undertaking, and it certainly helps to have a dream team on your side! In order for your event to go off without a hitch, you’ll want the right people with the right skills in the right committee role.

 

With all this in mind, we suggest considering the following:

  • Choose people who are just as passionate about your fundraiser as you are. Planning a tournament takes hard work! So, fill your team with people who are truly motivated to make an impact for your charity of choice.
  • Stick to about 6-9 people total. Too many cooks in the kitchen can make your planning process more difficult in the long-run.
  • Seek people who are well-connected. Great connections could mean more sponsorship, prize and attendee opportunities.

 

A guide to organizing your committee:

Once you’ve chosen the best members for your committee, it’s time to assign them their roles. Assigning specific responsibilities catered to your team’s strengths is the best way to get the most out of everyone’s efforts. Here are some key committee roles to consider, so your team can have ownership and start taking action!

  • Tournament Chairman: This is the CEO of your tournament, offering direction to and accountability for your team.
  • PR / Marketing Chairman: Marketing your tournament well is key to getting more golfers and raising more dollars for your charity. If you want to get the word out, you need someone with the sole responsibility of promoting your charity tournament. Arm your marketing chairman with golf tournament software to market more effectively. Learn about Event Caddy’s marketing & communication features here.
  • Honorary Chairman: Fill this role with someone well-known in your community, who offers more credibility to your tournament. This person’s sole responsibility is to make your tournament noteworthy through their strong connections.
  • Sponsorship Chairman: The sponsor chairman helps attract and activate sponsors to improve revenue and experience for your event.
  • Golfer’s Chair: Your golfer’s chair will oversee all aspects pertaining to attendees come tournament day.
  • Operations Chairman: This highly important position involves working closely with the golf course and making sure tournament operations run smoothly.

 

Being an effective committee leader:

As the head of this dream team, be sure to take steps to keep everyone feeling motivated and excited to continue doing their part. Lead by example by demonstrating your passion and hard work towards reaching your goal. And, inspire your team even further with regular recognition, acts of appreciation and celebration of wins! Stay in contact and touch base regularly to keep everyone on-track and accountable.

 

And the ultimate secret sauce to success… don’t go at it alone! Never forget that Event Caddy Tournament Management Software is also an extended part of your team!!



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Monday, October 19, 2020

Charity Tournament Fundraising: Everything You May Not Know About In-Kind Sponsorships

The information on: Charity Tournament Fundraising: Everything You May Not Know About In-Kind Sponsorships is brought to you by Event Caddy’s Blog

While 2020 has been a challenging year for tournament planners alike – it’s also brought light to how much we can accomplish when communities come together to support one another.

And in that same giving spirit, in-kind sponsorships are a great option for your fundraising efforts as you approach businesses and individuals in support of your charity tournament. 

Although very different from direct cash donations, in-kind sponsorships have potential to make your tournament more attractive to golfers, open a wider range of fundraising opportunities and so much more. 

Read on to discover everything you need to know about in-kind sponsorships, and how they can add serious value to your upcoming charity tournament. 

 

 

What are in-kind sponsorships?

Put simply, in-kind sponsorships provide value in the form of goods and services instead of direct monetary donations.

A handshake between two drawn green hands about in-kind sponsorship for a fundraising golf tournament

 

 

What’s the biggest misconception about in-kind donations?

Many tournament organizers hold the misconception that in-kind sponsorships are less valuable than monetary sponsorships. However, when you find the right in-kind sponsors, and utilize their donations the right way, they can make a huge difference in the overall experience for your participants and success of your tournament. 

 

 

How can in-kind sponsorships provide value for my charity golf tournament?

In-kind sponsors will not only provide goods that can be gifted to your golfers, but potential services designed to add value to your overall event, such as media advertising, printing services, entertainment or even hotel and car rental accommodations for out of town VIP guests! 

Three fundraising golf clubs tied with a golden bowtie laying on hardwood floor.

 

 

How can I find in-kind sponsors? 

Great news! Due to the flexibility non-monetary donations can bring, in-kind sponsorships are easier to find, which can mean less time spent soliciting potential prospects.

Click here to read our blog about how to attract sponsors to your golf tournament fundraiser for tips to get started. 



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Wednesday, October 7, 2020

3 Reasons You Should Choose Golf for Your 2021 Charity Fundraiser

This blog article: 3 Reasons You Should Choose Golf for Your 2021 Charity Fundraiser was available on Visit Source

Concerts and galas and bake sales, oh my!

There’s no doubt that with physical distancing recommendations in place, certain fundraising formats simply aren’t as feasible as they once were.

…But that doesn’t mean your important cause can (or should!) go on without fundraising events in 2021.

When you still need to get your community together to raise funds for your charity amidst this new normal, the key is to find a social distancing-friendly event format that guests can enjoy while staying as safe as possible.

One of the best kinds that’s sure to fit the bill?

Here are the key reasons why you should consider golf for your upcoming fundraising event (and why so many already have).

It can naturally adhere to social distancing.

Unlike indoor events that often involve close proximity, if appropriate safety measures are followed, golf is a natural fit for social distancing recommendations. Because of the outdoor format, the ability to spread out tee-off times and limit communal surfaces or areas, golf can prove a much safer option for your fundraiser.

Plus, a golf tournament format provides a lot of flexibility – and depending on local laws and recommendations – you can adjust your plans accordingly. For example, to further promote social distancing, you can choose to host the post-tournament dinner via Zoom, or move your auction or contests to online only.

three golfers wearing pink and white golfing attire, playing a charity golf tournament with social distancing.

You can safeguard your event with tournament management software.

By taking advantage of the virtual platforms available on a software like Event Caddy, you can safeguard your tournament plans, while avoiding unnecessary face-to-face contact for your golfers every step of the way. Here’s just a few of the ways how:

  • With our Live Scoring feature, players can use their own devices to keep score, and track others. Plus, your staff can review all of the scores without the need to touch players’ physical scorecards.
  • Ask players to check in via text message or phone call and use Event Caddy’s Text Messaging Tool to inform players that they can go directly to their holes for a shotgun start.
  • With the ability to create an Online Store & Auction with the Event Caddy Website Builder, you can move all of those fundraising “extras” to virtual only for less in-person contact on event day.
  • Should you choose to secure a backup date with your course in case you need to postpone, Event Caddy’s Email Marketing Tool will help you keep committed and potential guests updated at all times.

Even if you’re completely new to the world of golf, having tournament management software on your side makes the planning process so self-explanatory, you’ll feel like a pro in no time.

Discover how three Event Caddy tournament organizers (including one first-timer!) were able to adapt their tournament plans and host safe, successful golf tournaments amidst COVID-19.

The activation opportunities are endless.

With golf tournaments, your fundraising efforts don’t have to end at player registration! Here are a some social distancing-friendly sponsorship activation & contest ideas that are just as safe as they are fun.

Golfers wearing blue and pink smiling in a golf cart while using a charity golf tournament software application on their mobile phone.

If you’re thinking about hosting a golf tournament in 2021, we’d love to help you make it a success. Having worked with over 8,000 tournament organizers both pre and post pandemic, we’re sure to have some insights (and free technology!) that will be of value to you.

Ask us a question or schedule a demo for free Event Caddy tournament management software today.



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Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Considering a Golf Tournament for Your 2021 Fundraiser? Be Sure to Secure Your Course Date ASAP!

The information on: Considering a Golf Tournament for Your 2021 Fundraiser? Be Sure to Secure Your Course Date ASAP! was published from Click here

With many charity event organizers acknowledging golf’s natural ability to adhere to social distancing recommendations, you are certainly not alone if you’re considering switching gears to golf for your 2021 fundraiser. 

 

And with one of the most important aspects of a golf tournament being…

 

Location, Location, Location! 

 

…It’s important to choose the right golf course, and get your ideal tournament date locked down with them before it’s too late. 

 

Choosing the right golf course 

 

Selecting a golf course is one of the first and most important decisions you will make when it comes to planning your tournament fundraiser. And with so many factors to consider, like what level of difficulty your golfers would enjoy most, it can oftentimes feel like an overwhelming choice. 

 

To make your decision easier, and get you one step closer to locking down your date, check out our Guide to Choosing the Right Golf Course for Your Charity Tournament.

 

 

Locking down the date & location 

 

Unfortunately, many non-profit organizations who depend on a fundraiser as a significant part of their operating budget saw a smaller turn out or even had to cancel their event due to COVID-19 in 2020. So, in order to try and make up for those losses, many are looking to host their 2021 event as early as they can in the season. And from what we’re hearing from golf course managers, this is creating huge demand for preferred event dates in the new year. 

 

That’s why, we say, it’s never too early to lock in your date and course location for next year. In fact, the most successful charity tournaments take advantage of promoting their event 8-12 months ahead of time. 

 

So don’t hesitate, give yourself peace of mind and lock in your 2021 tournament date with your course of choice now!

 

If we can help in any way as you begin your tournament planning journey, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of tournament specialists. Whether you’re hosting a golf tournament for the first time, or you’re a seasoned pro, we’re here to help ensure your big day is as successful as possible!



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Considering a Golf Tournament for Your 2021 Fundraiser? Be Sure to Secure Your Course Date ASAP!

This blog post: Considering a Golf Tournament for Your 2021 Fundraiser? Be Sure to Secure Your Course Date ASAP! was published from www.eventcaddy.com/blog

With many charity event organizers acknowledging golf’s natural ability to adhere to social distancing recommendations, you are certainly not alone if you’re considering switching gears to golf for your 2021 fundraiser. 

 

And with one of the most important aspects of a golf tournament being…

 

Location, Location, Location! 

 

…It’s important to choose the right golf course, and get your ideal tournament date locked down with them before it’s too late. 

 

Choosing the right golf course 

 

Selecting a golf course is one of the first and most important decisions you will make when it comes to planning your tournament fundraiser. And with so many factors to consider, like what level of difficulty your golfers would enjoy most, it can oftentimes feel like an overwhelming choice. 

 

To make your decision easier, and get you one step closer to locking down your date, check out our Guide to Choosing the Right Golf Course for Your Charity Tournament.

 

 

Locking down the date & location 

 

Unfortunately, many non-profit organizations who depend on a fundraiser as a significant part of their operating budget saw a smaller turn out or even had to cancel their event due to COVID-19 in 2020. So, in order to try and make up for those losses, many are looking to host their 2021 event as early as they can in the season. And from what we’re hearing from golf course managers, this is creating huge demand for preferred event dates in the new year. 

 

That’s why, we say, it’s never too early to lock in your date and course location for next year. In fact, the most successful charity tournaments take advantage of promoting their event 8-12 months ahead of time. 

 

So don’t hesitate, give yourself peace of mind and lock in your 2021 tournament date with your course of choice now!

 

If we can help in any way as you begin your tournament planning journey, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team of tournament specialists. Whether you’re hosting a golf tournament for the first time, or you’re a seasoned pro, we’re here to help ensure your big day is as successful as possible!



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Tuesday, August 18, 2020

How Charity Golf Tournaments Became a Passion Project for Event Caddy Partner Charley Ward

The following post: How Charity Golf Tournaments Became a Passion Project for Event Caddy Partner Charley Ward was published from Read more

“This all started when my friend Peter was diagnosed with stage four Non-Hodgkin’s Follicular Lymphoma at 18 years old,” explained Charley Ward, Event Caddy tournament organizer when we asked how his passion for golf fundraisers came to be.

Hearing the weighty diagnosis of his lifelong friend, Charley immediately knew he wanted to do something to step up and support Peter, as well as others facing the same challenge:

“The cancer wasn’t curable, but due to medical advancements and research funded by The LLS (Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) he was able to be treated,” he explained.

Charley was looking to raise impactful funds to help fuel the cancer research that helped save the life of his friend – who has now been in remission for over 12 years.

That’s when the annual 4 Pete’s Sake fundraiser was born.

Switching gears to golf

After several years raising funds for The LLS through 5K runs, Charley could feel that his community was getting burned out from running in the summer heat, and could use a change of pace.

“At one of the races I was talking to (Peter’s) parents and decided I wanted to try the approach of a golf outing,” he explained.

So, in 2017, Charley introduced the inaugural 4 Pete’s Sake Golf Outing, and seeing it prove very successful, has continued the tradition year after year since.

Success from the start

With his first ever charity golf tournament in 2017, Charley was able to raise $7,000, of which nearly $6,000 in proceeds went straight to life-saving research and medical advancements at The LLS.

In year two and three, he completely sold out of golfer spots and raised a combined total of $27,000!

And – even in a global pandemic, Charley was able to proactively host a social distancing-friendly charity tournament and still raise $8,000 with 72 signups.

Learn more about his tournament planning experience amidst COVID-19 here.

Passion project come to life

A golf tournament first-timer a mere four years ago, Charley has realized exponential success in hosting his annual 4 Pete’s Sake Golf Outing – so much so that he decided to make his passion project into an official non-profit venture.

His company Delaware Golf Events LLC has introduced all new tournaments and raised almost $50,000 (and counting) for his community!

Proudly supporting him along the way

At Event Caddy, we believe passionately in giving back to the local community, and take pride in working with so many dedicated tournament organizers just as passionate about their causes.

We’re so proud to help fuel Charley’s success and he continues to use his Event Caddy tournament management software to simplify his planning processes and raise even more funds for his charity.

“Event Caddy is very user-friendly, and has been very helpful. Having the customer support with the live chat and your team available for any calls or questions has been very, very helpful,” explained Charley about his experience working with us.

We look forward to being there every step of the way as he continues to blaze a trail and give back more and more each year.

If you can relate to Charley’s story, or are looking for a great facilitator to raise funds for your important cause, we’d love to partner with you, too.

Whether you’re a charity golf tournament novice or have many under your belt, we can help you tap into the true potential of your event and raise even more funds for your charity (with the added bonus of stress off your plate!) Reach out to us today and we’ll connect with you to help you get started!



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Friday, August 14, 2020

How The ‘Withrow Football Tiger Classic’ Golf Tournament Raised $37K to Help Fuel the Futures of Deserving Teens

The following blog article: How The ‘Withrow Football Tiger Classic’ Golf Tournament Raised $37K to Help Fuel the Futures of Deserving Teens is available on Read it here

“Every Sunday I would go and pick up the dirty uniforms from the Friday night game, wash them all, and then sit and watch Sunday night TV and sew all the jerseys because they were so ripped and tattered,” recalls tournament organizer Nicole Fredrick when we asked her why she’s dedicated herself to supporting the Withrow Tigers Football Team of Withrow Highschool.

A mother figure and mentor of ten years to a young man who recently graduated from the Cincinnati highschool, Nicole became heavily involved with team after attending a parent meeting and realizing how little funding the school had for their sports and extracurriculars:

“Their big challenge is when it comes to their education budget, things that are low on the totem pole are extracurricular activities and sports. These kids hadn’t had new uniforms knocking on 8 years,” recalls Nicole.

Not only was the school lacking the resources for required equipment – they were also in dire need of food to fuel the teens before practice or a big game.

“I went to the parent meeting, and found out how desperate they were for something as simple as food. They were asking if anyone could donate a jar or peanut butter or jelly for these boys after school.”

Knowing how much sports and access to good nutrition can change the lives of these deserving kids, Nicole knew she wanted to take action.

“We’ve got growing teenage boys playing a sport in the heat on an empty stomach. And that became my mission. That is unacceptable, and we need to fix it. And we can fix it.”

Watch as Nicole shares her experience planning a golf tournament for the first time using Event Caddy Software


Why a golf tournament fundraiser?

After doing some initial community outreach, the desire to support these young men was undeniable, Nicole told us. As a start, she was able to work with her local grocery store to donate peanut butter, jelly and bread every week. And this effort alone made a profound impact on these young men:

“These boys are so happy now. Their grades are as high as the team has ever been in 13 years, their morale is high and they started winning games. From a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. It’s amazing. That’s why we need to keep this going. We needed to raise some more money,” she explains.


The Withrow Tigers Football Team, Photo Credit: Nicole Fredrick

Nicole was looking for a fundraising solution that would help the team collect donations for new equipment, access to good nutrition and opportunities like skill camps or college visits for these highschoolers, all in one event.

With new team uniforms alone ringing it at $11,500, she knew that more basic fundraising efforts – like selling candy bars – simply wouldn’t cut it.

That’s when, seeing it prove successful for another school, she came across the idea of a charity golf tournament. Which – turned out to be the perfect facilitator for the neighborhood in which the school was located:

“There’s a country club right around it. So we knew that golf could be a great way to bridge the two communities (the school and the neighborhood).”

And, with that, the Withrow Football Tiger Classic concept was born.


From newbie to pro

As with many Event Caddy partners, Nicole was a self-proclaimed newbie when it came to golf tournaments (and golf, for that matter!)

“I don’t even play golf. I didn’t know a thing about golf!” Jokes Nicole when recalling her knowledge before taking a deep dive into the world of charity golf tournaments.

That’s why, with her analytical personality, she was seeking “some sort of program that could facilitate a golf tournament, that could tell me where we were at any given point. And had a point where people could register online. In researching that, that’s how I came across and decided upon Event Caddy.”


The tournament planning process

Taking on an inaugural charity golf tournament is a big feat – and with the unexpected challenge of COVID-19, Nicole found the capabilities of her Event Caddy software to be a huge help in many aspects including contact-free online registration and pre-purchases:

“I liked that it had the online platform so if somebody wanted to register online and pay with a credit card, they could. We also had paper registration and people would mail us some checks as well – but online was definitely the best. We tried to encourage as much online registration and pre-purchasing of raffle tickets and mulligans as possible.” she explains.

Not only was her Event Caddy platform useful for player registration – Nicole was also able to collect tens of thousands from sponsorship packages that were simple to register for in just a few clicks.

Using her tournament management software, Nicole was able to build a great tournament website that helped her host online registrations and continue to attract players and sponsors who wanted to give back to the Withrow Football team.

Plus, once golfers were registered, she was thrilled that her Event Caddy account could automatically send an email invoice complete with a personalized message – allowing for significant time savings.


The big day (safety first!)

With COVID-19 safety top-of-mind, “we knew we had to be extra diligent”, explains Nicole when recalling tournament day.

Here are some of the key steps Nicole and her team took to host a safer tournament – while keeping it enjoyable and memorable for their golfers:*

Pre-tournament

  • Check-in was held at a long table with 3 volunteers spaced out
  • Volunteers had gloves and masks on
  • They put down Xs with orange tape to encourage spacing out
  • They had extra masks available for anyone who felt more comfortable wearing one
  • They had small bottles of hand sanitizer they passed out to every golfer so they always had sanitizer with them


Photo credit: Withrow Tigers Football Facebook Group

Post-tournament

  • Dinner was modified from a traditional buffet to individual takeout containers with lids
  • They opted for bottled water over glasses
  • Silverware was pre-rolled to avoid touching
  • The football players would open the doors when the golfers would come so nobody was touching any knobs or handrails
  • Because the dinner facility was a restaurant, they followed their Ohio state mandated protocols for table and seat spacing
  • Volunteers encouraged golfers to stay spaced out


Photo credit: Nicole Frederick

Overall, Nicole says, “I feel like people walked away thinking ‘okay I felt as safe as I could have felt. They did what they needed to do and I feel good about it’.”


Impactful results

The Withrow Football Tiger Classic wound up attracting 165 golfers, dozens of sponsors and raising over $37,000 to help these young men access the resources they deserve.

If you’d like to personally donate to the Withrow Tigers Football Team, simply visit their tournament website and hit “donate”!

Congratulations to Nicole and Withrow Tigers for hosting such an incredible inaugural event! We can’t wait to hear how you do next year.

Goooooo, Tigers!

*The coronavirus is a very fluid situation, affecting each community in different ways, at different times. So, when taking tournament safety protocols into account, please always follow the preventative measures recommended by the WHO, your local authorities and public health agencies like the CDC.



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