As you begin planning your 2018 golf tournament, here are six ways to take your golf tournament from a 'good event' to a 'great golf experience.'

1. Talk to your biggest event partner - the golf course - about last year's tournament and how you can work together to offer a better overall experience to your golfers. For example, if the pace of play was too slow last year, review with the golf course staff how you can improve upon that aspect of the tournament in 2018. Also consider asking the golf course to provide every golfer with a small gift from the golf course, such as a gift card that can be redeemed in the pro shop on the day of the tournament.

2. Keeping a long-standing tournament fresh and interesting is particularly important. 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. For example, you might want to add food trucks on the golf course or entertain your golfers with a golf "trick shot artist."

3. Publicly recognize your most loyal supporters : at the 2018 tournament 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 well received by the attendees. But you can enhance their experience by thanking your golfers with an additional inexpensive 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 is a great way to build rapport.

5. Increasing tournament attendance : if your tournament has seen a decline in the number of golfers, then try to boost attendance by :

• Offering an incentive to those that register early, either by way of a small price discount or by giving those golfers an additional benefit (e.g. 2 for 1 green fee at the golf course to golf there another day other than the tournament)
• Consider offering a level of "sponsor recognition" to any company or individual buying multiple foursomes in the event
• If a corporation regularly buys a foursome in your event but struggles to fill it with golfers, invite them to "donate" that foursome back to the organization and offer to fill

6. Get creative with your event format : if a traditional 18 hole tournament is not working for your organization then consider another type of golf event such as "Nine & Dine", "12 Hole Tuesday" "Night golf event" or even a 'golf marathon'.

Best of luck to all charity golf tournaments in 2018.

Frank MacGrath, President of Golf Tournaments Incorporated, has been organizing fundraising golf tournaments for more than twenty years. 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 or visit www.gtigolf.com