As you begin planning your organization’s upcoming golf tournament, you may want to undertake a “tournament tune-up” to take your golf tournament from a ‘good event’ to a ‘great golf experience’. Here are four specific ways in which you can “tune up” your event.

1. Talk to your biggest event partner – the host golf course – about last year’s tournament and how you can work together to improve the event for next year and offer a better experience to your golfers. 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 2019. Also consider asking the golf course to provide every golfer with a small gift from the golf course – perhaps a gift card that can be redeemed in the pro shop on the day of the tournament.

2. Keep the event fresh and interesting particularly if it is a long running tournament. Consider adding one or two new elements to the event that will enhance the golfer’s experience that day and link their enjoyment with your charity. You might want to add in a unique on course contest such as a Canon shot, “Golf Dartboard” or a Poker Contest without comprising the pace of play.

3. Recognize your most loyal supporters : at this year’s event publicly acknowledge those golfers and sponsors who have been supporting the tournament for 5, 10 or 15 years (or longer!)

4. 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 personally greet and thank these loyal supporters.

Best of luck to all charity golf tournaments this 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, non-profit organizations and corporations since 1993 and has worked on more than 850 tournaments. 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 fmacgrath@gtigolf.com