Golf Fundraising Ideas to Raise More

Golf tournaments can be very successful fundraising events when done right. Player registration fees provide a baseline for obtaining funds; however, there are plenty of opportunities to raise money before, during, and after the charity tournament takes place. We’ve outlined some of the best golf fundraising ideas to provide you with interesting and creative ways to help your organization meet and exceed fundraising goals.

Golf Fundraising Ideas to raise more money

Golf Fundraising Ideas: Before the Tournament

By collecting money prior to the tournament, your organization should be able to cover all tee and tournament expenses early. Here are some golf fundraising ideas to raise funds before tournament day.

Online Player Registration Fees

Player and foursome registration fees provide the baseline to cover your tournament expenses. Make it easy for your golfers to register online and you will receive more registrations and get your money before the tournament. Our software allows golfers to optionally cover their credit card processing fees, as well.

Sponsorship Sales

Reach out to local businesses and corporations in the community for event sponsorships. Sponsorships provide a great way to start out on the right financial footing. By hosting a large charity golf tournament that draws in businesses and influential community members, selling monetary and in-kind sponsorship packages should be easy. Sponsorship benefits may be outlined and packages sold directly on our golf tournament platform.

Golf Merchandise Sales

Create custom apparelGolf Fundraising for your golf tournament, including collared golf shirts, hats, visors, and golf balls. Include title and other top sponsor logos. You can sell your fundraising merchandise directly from your golf tournament website and distribute it at tournament check-in. If you don’t have your own items to sell, see if the course gift shop can set up special pricing for tournament attendees and give a percentage of sales back to your cause. If you are sending customers into their gift shop and encouraging sales, they will likely be interested in giving you a small kickback.

Host a Golf Marathon

One great golf fundraising idea is to host a golf marathon or golf-a-thon – instead of a typical golf scramble. Golf marathons allow organizations to increase fundraising by having tournament participants collect donations for your organization. Golf marathons are peer-to-peer fundraisers that engage players to contact friends, colleagues, and family members. Golfers solicit donations for their participation in your golf tournament via email and social media shares. Each golfer can easily raise $250 or $500 on their personal fundraising page, by tapping into their friends and family. Often, the golfer is not charged to play in your fundraising golf tournament if they meet your minimum donation standards. This can be a real motivator for golfers.

Utilizing crowdfunding software is essential to your success for golf marathons.

Utilize Golf Tournament Software

Our industry-leading golf tournament software will help you manage all of the details above for your charity golf tournament, including:

  • Online golfer and team registration, team pairings
  • Process secure online donations
  • Sponsorship and product sales management
  • Detailed financial reporting
  • Free technical support and training

Golf Tournament Software

Golf Fundraising Ideas: On the Course

Once your golfers arrive, you have more opportunities to raise funds. Starting at check-in and continuing throughout the day, keep asking with the following golf fundraising ideas.

Host Fundraising Raffles

Raffle Fundraisers work for golf tournamentsOne way to make great use of in-kind donations and prizes is to host a fundraising raffle. Reach out to the local community months before the tournament to get a variety of prizes donated or host a 50/50 cash drawing. Showcase the items before the tournament starts so people can see the items they could win and sell the raffle tickets online and before they hit the course. Have raffle ticket sales also available at the awards ceremony following the tournament and draw the winners there. Our raffle software can even do a random drawing for you.

Use a Cash-Bar Golf Cart

A great way to raise additional dollars is by hitting up golfers while they are on the course. The best way to do this is with a fully-stocked cash-bar cart! Load up the back of a golf cart with snacks, ice, and cold drinks, then drive the course and sell your golfers what they want. Cold beer and sodas are the best sellers but don’t forget to include snack foods like pretzels and chips. You may also want to add items like small bottles of sunscreen or hats and visors in case people forgot the essentials. And, don’t forget to send extra raffle tickets, just in case someone is in the buying mood after a great drive.

Run Golf Tournament Contests

You can also raise more money on the course by hosting golf tournament contests at different holes throughout the day. Some popular contests include closest to the pin, beat the pro, longest drive, and Hole in One. Hole in One contests are the most popular. These contests can really create a fun and exciting atmosphere for golfers and create a buzz during the event as well as bringing in some bonus dollars. 

Get a Quote for Hole In One Insurance

Golf Fundraising Ideas: After the Tournament

Many of your constituents are likely not golfers. The following golf tournament fundraising ideas allow your organization to raise money, even from the non-golfing crowd.

Host a Golf Tournament Dinner & Banquet

Since golf outings usually attract a large number of people from your community, this is a fantastic time to host a dinner or banquet in conjunction with the tournament. For people not interested in the game of golf itself, the banquet provides another opportunity to raise additional dollars. Sell separate tickets for this event and provide entertainment, excellent food, silent auction, and an awards ceremony. For the golfers, a banquet is a perfect time to wind down from the long day of playing golf. People are hungry, thirsty, and happy. They will enjoy the time to share the experiences of the day with friends and co-workers while finding out the results of contests and raffle prizes. This is also a great time to make any announcements about your organization’s goals helping you spread awareness for your cause. Be sure to thank golfers, volunteers, and sponsors and highlight specific community members who made a difference.

Run a Charity Auction

auctions are great for golf fundraising ideasOne great way to raise additional funds is to host a charity auction after the golf tournament. Since your golf tournament event is bound to attract a number of attendees, a golf charity auction is a great way to earn additional funds. You can even include large ticket items (such as vacation packages) with no up-front costs to your organization with our No Risk Auction Items.

Be sure to create an auction website. Here people can view items and place online bids. This also gives supporters who cannot attend the physical golf tournament an opportunity to contribute to your cause. If you do choose to host a silent auction on-site at the tournament, you can use text to give or QR codes to continue auction bidding at the tournament. A charity auction is a very common golf fundraising idea (because it works!) and a great add-on to your post-tournament party.

Start a Free Auction Website

Managing Your Fundraising Golf Tournament

Before you begin registering golfers and requesting online donations and sponsorship fees, you’ll want to create a plan of action for how you’ll manage your charity golf tournament. We’re here to help with free golf tournament planning tools to help make your tournament a success. We have a comprehensive tournament planner and checklist, a Microsoft Excel-based budget, and a set of five standard letter templates that can be easily modified for your tournament needs.

Whether you are planning a small or large fundraising golf tournament, we hope that these golf fundraising ideas and our golf tournament software will assist you with the important tournament details, allowing you to focus on a more successful event that raises more money for your organization. Good Luck!

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