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The Essential Golf Tournament Fundraiser Checklist

The Essential Golf Tournament Fundraiser Checklist

If you’ve been tasked with organizing a charity golf tournament, you may wonder where to start. What steps are involved, and how long does it take to manage a successful golf tournament? We’ve created this golf tournament fundraiser checklist to help you succeed.

So read on for a proven plan, or download the golf tournament fundraiser checklist to share with your team.

How long does it take to organize a golf tournament?

How long does it take to organize a golf tournament?

For your fundraiser to go off without a hitch, you’ll need a solid golf tournament plan in place months in advance. Many successful golf tournaments are annual, signature events that the golf committee never stops planning. But don’t worry if you’re behind the ball; just follow this checklist for a winning golf tournament fundraiser.

9 Months – 1 Year Before the Tournament

  • Establish the golf tournament planning committee
  • Visit prospective golf tournament courses

8 – 9 Months Before the Tournament

  • Visit prospective golf tournament courses and lock in a contract
  • Begin vetting event vendors (custom award companies, videographers, photographers, printing companies, caterers, t-shirt printing companies, etc.)
  • Establish the tournament budget and fundraising goals for the charity golf tournament
  • Finalize the golf tournament format
  • Give your tournament a meaningful and fun name or theme

7 Months Before the Tournament

golf tournament fundraiser checklist
  • Review and execute the final contract with the venue or have a prospective venue in the process of confirmation
  • Prepare sponsorship collateral (determine benefit packages and tiers)
  • Prepare prospective sponsor list
  • Prepare basic marketing collateral to promote the event with space for sponsor logos (physical flyers, social media banners, digital flyers)
  • Determine what signage is needed – banners, flags, backdrops, or lawn signs.

6 Months Before the Tournament

  • Build a golf tournament website for online registrations, sponsorship promotion, and sales
  • Establish regular meetings of the golf tournament planning committee
  • Begin approaching prospective sponsors
  • Initiate the first round of marketing for prospective golfers and banquet attendees (send Save the Date cards)

5 Months Before the Tournament

  • Purchase custom-printed apparel and souvenirs or golf accessories
  • Finalize event vendors and the first round of sponsors
3 Months Before the Tournament

3 Months Before the Tournament

  • Order awards that require personalization
  • Physical invitations are mailed to prospective attendees
  • Reach out to media and news outlets with press release of upcoming event
  • Establish a marketing calendar to schedule posts on social media to generate event attention and anticipation

1 – 2 Months Before the Tournament

  • Create a timeline for the golf day and awards ceremony
  • Recruit event volunteers and perform outreach to delegate tasks accordingly
  • Perform additional promotional outreach for prospective tournament attendees
  • Reach out to golf course or country club to perform a walk-through of the tournament and to discuss all vendors that will be on-site
  • Confirm the menus and serving times for any meals provided throughout the day

Within a Month of the Tournament

  • Confirm details and orders with outside vendors
  • Receive all sponsorship prizes and ordered items for the event (t-shirts, personalized awards, banners, t-signs, etc.)
  • Finalize volunteer list
  • Send reminders to attendees of the upcoming event
  • Final golfer recruitment efforts
  • Plan printed collateral for the awards ceremony, send to printer and have all items within 3-5 days prior to the tournament

1 Week Before the Tournament

  • Notify the golf course of tournament teams and/or prospective golfers
  • Prepare goodie bags with custom merchandise and sponsor donations
  • Email final reminders to golfers
  • Course walk-through with the committee and key volunteers
  • Confirm everything!
Golf Tournament Day activities

Tournament Day

  • Bring all sponsored prizes and event items to the course
  • Arrive early to set up for the event and award ceremony (including registration tables, tee sign placements, food and beverage preparations, prize set-up, raffle tickets, and more)
  • Set up your welcoming or registration area, including goody bags
  • Check-in volunteers prior to the event, assign any backup volunteers as needed
  • Review the agenda as a group to ensure everyone is on the same page
  • Take pictures – have a dedicated photographer, so you don’t miss this opportunity

Immediately After the Event

  • Reconcile invoices and funds received, as needed
  • Finalize the tournament budget to determine net proceeds
  • Send personalized thank-you letters to participants, attendees, volunteers, and tournament sponsors
  • Host a committee meeting to evaluate event success and create an event file for next year’s committee (Make it fun – you deserve it!)
  • Deliver or schedule pick-up of awards or auction items, if needed

Download the Golf Tournament Fundraiser Checklist

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Lisa Bennett

About Lisa Bennett

Lisa is the Sales Director at DoJiggy. She joined DoJiggy in 2006 and loves her job. Prior to working with DoJiggy, she worked at several non-profits and managed special event fundraising.

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