How to Run a Virtual Golf Tournament

We’ve seen that virtual golf tournaments are the perfect fundraising event for many organizations. Got virtual event fatigue? The good news is that golf is a sport designed for social distancing, so running a virtual golf tournament isn’t like hosting a virtual gala via live stream. Virtual golf tournaments are real live events, managed differently than we’re used to.

Let us learn how to organize a virtual golf tournament during COVID-19 and beyond.

Run the Virtual Tournament Over a Period of 1-2 Weeks

The first key to virtual golf tournaments is spreading the event out over a period of time. This way, golfers can safely get on the course and do what they love without compromising safety. It’s best to have a specific start and end time and not spread the tournament out too long to make it feel like a tournament. Keeping the tournament to a couple of weeks will allow your organization to provide other revenue opportunities and wrap it up nicely while it’s still fresh in mind.

Keeping Everyone Safe

From the beginning planning stages of your event, it’s essential to communicate with the course and players. Be sure to let players (especially those who come back year after year for your tournaments) know that modifications have been made to this year’s event to ensure everyone’s safety. If the course now requires players to wear masks, walk instead of using a caddie, or take other precautions, golfers should know in advance. 

Read more about rule changes and ideas on how to safely conduct a golf tournament during COVID.

Utilize Online Registration for Virtual Golf Tournaments

Our golf tournament software makes registration easy. Have your golfers register on your website as individuals or a foursome. This will limit contact between golf course staff, volunteers, and supporters. Once supporters register and pay your organization, they will contact the course and schedule their tee time directly. They won’t need to pay anything at the course, and check-in will be streamlined. You can customize their registration receipt or contact them to provide the details the course will require.

Let’s Get Started

Consider Golf Marathons for Crowdfunding

Golf Marathons challenge players to golf 100 holes or see how many holes of golf they can play in one day. Golf marathons are usually smaller, more intimate events with 20-40 players participating.

With a golf marathon or 100 holes of golf fundraiser, golf participants commit to raising money for your cause by collecting pledges and donations. Friends and family support them by offering per-hole or flat-rate donations. Usually, the golfer is not charged to play in your fundraising golf tournament if they meet your minimum fundraising standards. Free golf – that will give your golfers an incentive to fundraise for your organization. Also, consider offering donated prizes or cash awards to the top fundraisers, creating healthy competition.

Try our free crowdfunding platform for golf marathons.

Recruit Website and Program Sponsors

Corporate and community sponsors fulfill a critical role in any successful golf tournament fundraiser. These corporations and local businesses help increase awareness of an event by promoting it to their employees and customers via social media. Most importantly, sponsors create a financial backbone by helping to offset tournament costs. While you likely won’t be able to get large sponsorships like with a regular charity golf tournament, you can still attract sponsors for your virtual tournament. These sponsors will be recognized on your tournament website, social media accounts, organizational website, and live-streamed awards ceremony. The course may also allow you to keep up some tee signs or other sponsor signage.

Include Campaigns to Boost Revenue

Just like with a traditional golf tournament, you’ll want to consider additional golf tournament fundraising ideas to raise more from your supporters.

Fundraising raffles are a great add-on for charity golf tournaments. Raffles can be run throughout the tournament life cycle with items donated from your tournament sponsors or as 50/50 cash pots. Winning donors are selected at random at the tournament after-party. A successful fundraising raffle can produce high profit margins with few upfront costs.

Another great option to boost golf tournament revenue is to host an online auction. Simply create your auction website and add auction categories and items. Set the time for online bidding and begin advertising your auction via online and social media channels. Bids are made online and via text to bid. Promote the auction throughout your virtual tournament and after-party. Auction winners are automatically charged when the auction ends.

DoJiggy is the Only Golf Tournament Software Leader that Provides It All!

We have software for online golf registration, golf marathons, and sponsorship management. Our fundraising platform also includes charity auctions, fundraising raffles, and a livestream studio. We make it easy!

Wrap Up the Virtual Tournament with a Livestream Presentation

To bring the community together and make everyone feel like a tournament happened, host a livestreamed awards ceremony. Like your usual after-party, this is the time to thank your golfers and sponsors and discuss your cause and how the money will be used. Here, you can also promote the charity auction and draw the raffle winners.

Hosting a live stream is easy – just remember to make it fun and keep it short. Let us know if we can help!

Free Golf Tournament Planning Guide

Learn to run successful fundraising golf tournaments.

From building the foundations of your planning committee to sponsorship acquisition and day of event logistics, we walk you through the golf tournament planning process in ten steps.

Download the Guide