8 Reasons You Should Be Using Golf Tournament Software

The following information on: 8 Reasons You Should Be Using Golf Tournament Software was brought to you by Event Caddy’s Golf Tournament Blog

Golf has always been a traditional game, displayed in the way we act and conduct ourselves on the golf course. While many of these traditions remain, technology has changed golf equipment significantly in the past 25 years, as well as altered the way we score and analyse our rounds. With clubs that hit the ball for you and apps that analyze everything but the beer you’ve consumed, technology is starting to take over the game of golf.
 

Charity golf events have been around almost as long as the game itself.  In 2012, charity golf events in the United States raised 3.9 billion dollars across 143,000 events. It’s hard to believe that we are only starting to see technology impact these events. New technologies such as live scoring, GPS systems, and live auctions have increased player experience, but event management software solutions make life easier for the organizers and contribute to the success of the events.
 

While there are a number of tools that help with the registration process, we are now starting to see software that is specifically designed to assist with the demanding process of managing a charity golf outing.

 

Here are 8 reasons why you should consider using a golf specific management tool for your next event:

 

1. Complete Player Database

The days of manually entering players into an excel spreadsheet will be behind you. The software will automatically track all players and expose any unpaid players.
 

2. Online Payment Processing

Your players will have the ability to pay online and you’ll no longer be forced to chase after cheques and outstanding payments.
 

3. Sponsor Management

Your sponsors will now have the option of paying by cash, cheque, or online and you’ll have instant access to everything you need (outstanding invoices, contacts, logos, etc)

4. Budgeting Tools & Reports

Another excel spreadsheet that can now be deleted. You now have instant access to all finances and with live tracking all you’ll have to do is sit back and watch the revenues come in.  

5. Communication

Eliminate the constant strand of email threads and weekly calls.  With multiple admin and user levels, golf courses and committee members can gain access to event information instantly.

 

6. Player Engagement

With automated emails and text messages, keeping players informed and engaged has never been easier.  Have you ever tried to round up a group of 144 for dinner? Not easy! With text and email capabilities, players will receive important notifications instantly on their phone.

7. Online Presence

Show off your event! With easy to use website builders anyone can now quickly launch a website and start to create that online presence.

 

8. Save Time

Running a charity golf event is no easy task and can consume a lot of your time. Using event management software will no doubt save you a ton of time and allow you to focus on the more important aspects of your golf event.

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Charity Golf Events: Attracting Players & Sponsors

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Charity golf tournaments are a great way to raise awareness and generate fundraising dollars, but in order for your tournament to be successful, you will need a couple key players – the sponsors and the golfers. We’ve put together some quick tips to help make things easier for you!

 

SPONSORS

Sponsors are key to maximizing profits with your golf tournament. It is important to make sure that the sponsors are aware of the importance of supporting your event.  Here are a few reasons why companies would consider supporting your event:

• If they have a relationship with the organizer hosting the event.

• It gains exposure of their company.

• It entertains clients.

• It offers networking opportunities

• Supports the cause or charity.

When it comes to selling sponsorships you’ll want to rely on your committee members, as they may have some strong connections to help you get sponsors. You’ll want to make it as easy as possible to become a sponsor of your event.  Sponsorship packages, which clearly outline the contribution of companies and what they receive in return, will definitely help companies take the initiative to sponsor your event.

 

Some Tips to Obtain Sponsors:

Committee Members – Have your committee members reach out to friends, family, and anyone in their network. Don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and brag about your cause.

Business Relationships – Reach out to customers/clients to support your event. Often times customers will feel obligated to attend or support your event.

Sponsorship Opportunities – Create sponsorship packages that offer a variety of sponsorship levels.  Sponsors have different needs and budgets. While they may not be willing to break the bank, they may still be willing to contribute to your event.

Purpose – Reach out to network of companies, families, etc. that have a connection with the charity or purpose of your event.  Let them get the word around for you!

Follow-Up – Pick up the phone! A quick phone call can go a long way.

 

Example Sponsorship Opportunities:

TITLE SPONSOR	$15,000	Receives recognition at start of tournament Special mention during the dinner & awards. Seat at designated table during dinner. Company logo and link on website and tournament banner. Includes 8 golfers
GOLF CART	$10,000	Name/logo on all golf carts. Company logo and link on website and tournament banner. Recognition at dinner. Includes 4 golfers.
SILVER SPONSOR	$10,000	Designated as Exclusive sponsor of a competition hole (longest drive, closest to the pin, etc.) Company Logo and Link on website and tournament banner. Includes 4 golfers.
DINNER SPONSOR	$2500	Name/Logo in prominent location throughout the dinner hours. Company Logo and Link on website.
LUNCH SPONSOR	$1500	Name/logo in prominent location throughout the Lunch hour. Company logo and Link on website.
HOLE-IN-ONE SPONSOR	$1000	Name/logo on one of hole-in-one locations. Company Logo and Link on website.
HOLE SPONSOR	$300	Name/logo on signage at one hole. Recognition on website.

 

Players

Countless tournaments start off by securing a course and date and then struggle to get players and sponsors.  If you’re planning an event for the first time you may want to plan beforehand. Ask friends, clients and coworkers and see if there's any interest.  If you are in charge of an annual event, be sure to obtain a list of all players and potential players from previous years.  Also be sure to implement some fresh ideas each year or start a unique tradition to keep players interested and want to return year after year!

Here are a few reasons golfers will attend your event:

• Potential networking opportunities.

• Supporting the organization or charity.

• A chance to win some great prizes.

• An acceptable day of “hookie” on the course.

Understanding the reasons why golfers are willing to play does not undermine the difficulty of getting players to attend your event.  Here are some helpful tips to get golfers out to your event:

Registration –  Ensure registration for your event is as quick and easy as possible, as this increases the chance of golfers attending your event.

Committee – It can seem like a tough task for a committee to obtain 144 or more players for an event. If you break it down and have each committee member responsible for bringing 2 foursomes, your tournament will start to fill up in no time.

Sponsorship Options – Include players with each sponsorship.  Adding players to the sponsorship options will not only make the sponsorship more attractive but will help you fill up that player list.

Relationships – Attack your professional and personal network. Those closest to you are always willing to help.

Prizes – Who wouldn't want to go home with a great prize? Just make sure you advertise this beforehand.  

Purpose – Champion your cause by adding well thought and detailed information to the invite.  If the players understand where their money is going, they are more likely to join!

Registration Draw – Adding an early bird draw to the registration can often help increase players and will also help you to lock in some numbers at an early stage. This will allow you to make that final push if need be.

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Golf Tournament Planning: Timelines & Budgets

This post: Golf Tournament Planning: Timelines & Budgets was brought to you by Event Caddy’s Golf Blog

Following a Timeline

If you’re a first time tournament host, you'll quickly learn that there is a lot of work involved with hosting and planning a golf tournament. Typically, first time tournament organizers attempt to throw together a tournament in a few months, which makes the process a lot more stressful.  

While it may not seem like a lot of work, it takes months of structured planning to successfully host a tournament.  

We recommend that beginners begin the planning process at least 6 months in advance.

 

While it is important to focus on the larger tasks involved in planning a tournament, don’t neglect the smaller tasks, as these help to make your tournament truly successful. The main goal is to create a unique and enjoyable experience for players who will look forward to returning year after year. Things like:

• Sponsorship letters

• Hole-in-one insurance

• Invitations

• Sign up Process

• On-Course Food & Beverages

Creating and following a timeline of tasks allows you stay on track and ensures all items, big or small, are completed. If you’re lucky enough to have a committee assisting you with the management process, you can also use this timeline to delegate various tasks to each member, equally distributing the weight and lightening the load for all.  This will allow you to keep up to date on progress and ensure accountability for each individual task.

Being organized prior to your tournament will minimize mistakes and make your event more enjoyable for everyone involved!

Example Timeline:

Download these templates and golf tournament resources by clicking here.

Budgeting

Your tournament is designed and planned with the participants in mind. We want players, sponsors, and everyone involved to enjoy a great day on the links, but we all know the main objective: to make as much profit as possible!

One of the best tips we can give you: treat your tournament like a business!

The overall goal of your event isn’t much different than that of a business and the purpose is to turn the maximum profit.  With this in mind, it is crucial that you prepare for this event by budgeting accordingly.  Keeping track of absolutely all income and expenses and staying conservative when it comes to expenses can help ensure a successful event.

 

Staying Under Budget

Staying under budget is not the easiest of tasks. Here are a few suggestions that may help:

Sponsorships: Offer sponsorship opportunities to cover some of your expenses. For example, you could offer a website sponsor to cover the cost of a registration website.  You can also offer sponsorships to cover the cost of gifts (hat sponsor, ball sponsor, etc.) that would of course include the sponsor logo on all gifts which is great free advertising.

Donations: Donations are key to staying on track, the more gifts, prizes and auction items you can have donated, the less you will have to spend.  Reach out to local businesses and as many companies as possible to see if they are willing to help out.  Also make sure you have a donation option and remind those golfers not able to attend.

Prizes: There’s a good chance you will have to purchase some gifts and prizes for your event.  The key is to be conservative. Often the most practical gifts tend to be some of the cheapest (golf balls, hats, shirts, etc).

Planning a golf tournament isn’t easy, but effective time management and budget planning eliminate stress to make the process a lot easier! Try using Event Caddy to simply organize your next golf tournament.

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Selecting the Right Golf Course for Your Event

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Selecting a golf course is one of the most important decisions that you will make when it comes to planning your big day, as it is essential for the success of your tournament.

First, you should consider the quality of players you are expecting at your event.  If you have experienced golfers, they will likely be more inclined to play a high end or more challenging course and be willing to spend more.  Secondly, it is important to know how many people will be participating in your event. If you are expecting no more than 144 people, a venue with one course should work well. If you are expecting more than 144 people, you’ll want to find a venue that has multiple courses.

It’s best to begin the course search as soon as possible in order to educate yourself on availability, location, course slope (difficulty) and negotiate the best price possible. It is best to book a course at least 6 months in advance.  You’ll want to get the “Save the Date” invitations out as soon as possible to ensure golfers will be able to attend your event. 

Remember, your tournament will be bringing a lot of traffic to the course.  Be sure to shop around and find a golf course that will suit your event’s needs, while providing an optimal experience for your participants.

 

What To Look For When Selecting A Golf Course:

 

• Availability – Does the golf course have any available dates that work for you? How many golfers can they accommodate?

 

• Location – Is this a good location for the majority of your golfers?

 

• Cost – Does the price work with your budget?

 

• Difficulty – Will the course be too difficult for your intended participants?

 

Setting a date:

 

When you have found a course that best suits your needs, the next step is to pick a date that suits you and the golf course.  If your event consists of professional relationships or companies, you may want to consider hosting your event during the week. If this is a personal event, weekends typically work best for participants.

When choosing your date, keep in mind that the time of year and day of the week can impact course costs. Prices are typically highest during the months with ideal weather and are lowest during the slower months where the weather is a little less predictable.  

When selecting the day of the week, courses will charge more to reserve the course on days with higher traffic. This means weekends (including Friday) will usually hold a higher price, while lower rates are offered for weekdays.  

Be sure to ask around and select a date that works for everyone.  

 

Negotiating a Contract

Be sure to come in prepared with a list of questions and even a “wish-list”.  Don’t be afraid to openly compare rates from other courses in the area. Tournaments are designed to raise money, but be careful when selecting a venue, as the lowest rate may lack in service and could result in a poor experience for your players and take away from the essence of your tournament.   

 

What should be covered?

• Cost Per Golfer

• Cost for Food & Beverages

• Date

• Location

• Contact Person

• Number of Players – Maximum and Minimum

• Deposit Required

• Additional Services – Beat the Pro, Scoring, etc

• Cancellation Policy and Weather Policy

 

What should be provided?

• Registration Table

• Greens Fees

• Food & Beverages

• Dining Room for Dinner & Awards  

• Carts

• Cart Signs

• Range Balls (if applicable)

• Course Contests (Closest to pin, Longest Drive, etc)

• Tournament Scoring

• Tournament Prize (Free foursome, lessons, etc)

Remember, forming a strong relationship with a golf course can play a huge role in your event's success for years to come!     

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2017 US Open Picks

This blog article: 2017 US Open Picks was republished from Event Caddy’s Golf Tournament Management Blog

With the 2017 US Open coming to Erin Hills for the first time, making picks may prove to be a difficult task. No one is certain what scores the world’s best will be able to shoot when play gets started June 12th but we can always take a stab at predicting a winner.

Erin Hills was designed by Dr. Michael John Hurdzan and his business partner Dana Fry, and Ron Whitten. The same team that designed a couple of Ontario gems; Devils Pulpit and Devil's Paintbrush. Both which happen to be a mere chip shot away from our Orangeville office.

Erin Hills will be the first par 72 US Open site since Pebble Beach in 1992. With extra-wide landing areas off the tee and four par 5’s, we expect to see some low numbers – especially from the abundance of bombers on tour right now.  

The big hitters will however need to control their ball around Erin Hills as rough is expected to be quite penal. PGA tour player Wesley Bryan had a close up look at that rough during a recent practice round:

Holy wow! Here's your @usopengolf preview http://pic.twitter.com/VDLUdYiF4o

— Wesley Bryan (@wesleybryangolf) May 30, 2017

At Event Caddy we love our Major Championships and have put together our top picks for this years US Open:

1. Dustin Johnson

Coming off a win last year and a runner-up finish in 2015, it’s pretty hard not to pick DJ. His distance off the tee complemented by extreme accuracy will no doubt prove to be quite beneficial around Erin Hills.. well,  any course for that matter. 

2. Sergio Garcia

Garcia is sure to do something special with these next few months. We’ll even go ahead and proclaim this ‘The Summer of Sergio’. With a win at the Masters, followed by a hole-in-one at the Players; it seems Garcia is playing some of the best golf of his life. His stellar ball striking, combined with an upcoming wedding are sure to have him in a good frame of mind coming into Erin Hills. 

3. Rory McIlroy

Winner of the US Open in 2011, Rory is no stranger to the big stage. The wide fairways at Erin Hills will no doubt suit his eyes and allow him to blast away. It seems he’s finally getting use the new Taylormade equipment and if his recent rib issues stay away there’s no reason we shouldn’t see him at the top of the leaderboard come Sunday.

4. Jon Rahm

It may be Rahm’s first US Open as a PRO but we’re expecting him to complete. With a win at the Farmers and then two top 5s at his first ever world golf championships, it’s no secret that Rahm is on fire this year. Let’s just hope he can forget about that 3rd round 82 at the players.

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