As you look ahead to your organization’s next golf tournament, consider the following suggestions to take your tournament from a “good event” to a “great golfer experience:”

1. Talk to your biggest event partner – the golf course – about this year’s tournament and how you can work together to improve the event for next year. For example, if the pace of play was too slow this year, review with the golf course staff how you can improve upon that aspect of the tournament in the future. 
2. Keep the event fresh and interesting, particularly if it is a long-standing tournament. Consider adding one or two new elements that will enhance the golfer’s experience that day and link their enjoyment with your charity.  You might want to add a pre-tournament golf clinic or a golf club demonstration from a leading manufacturer such as Nike, Callaway or TaylorMade on the driving range.
3. Recognize your most loyal supporters. Publicly acknowledge those golfers and sponsors who have been supporting the tournament for five, ten or 15 years.
4. Use social media tools like Twitter, Facebook , Instagram, etc. both to promote your event in advance and to report on the tournament as it occurs.
5. Golfer gifts: many tournaments provide a significant golfer gift at registration, which is a great idea. But you can enhance the experience by thanking your golfers with an additional  small golfer gift as they play through a particular hole or as they come off the golf course.  Have a senior volunteer or staff person from your organization on hand to greet and thank these loyal supporters personally.  

Best of luck to all charity golf tournaments in the upcoming year.

Frank MacGrath is the President & CEO of Golf Tournaments Incorporated located in Aurora, Ontario. GTI has been organizing fundraising golf tournaments for a variety of charities, nonprofit organizations and corporations since 1993. Frank is also the author of The Complete Handbook for Planning & Implementing a Successful Fundraising Golf Tournament. You can reach Frank at 905-726-4488 or by email.