Are you involved with a charity, company, or organization that is thinking about running a golf outing? Especially if you are not a golfer, the first few years of running a golf event can be tough. Below are 5 simple tips which should help you learn how to run a golf outing.

1) Find a great golf course

Depending on the type of event you are running, finding a great golf course can make or break the success of your event. Let me put it this way, if you are able to get a fantastic golf course (most likely a private club) that the general public cannot play, your outing should sell out. Speak to the executives of your organization or big time golfers to see what courses should are on their top 3 list locally. Get a great course and players will come!

2) Tee gifts are important

Everyone loves “free stuff”. I’ve been fortunate to play in a number of golf tournaments in my life and cannot tell you the number of times I hear fellow golfers comment about the tee gifts, prizes, and opportunities to win something. You do not need to spend and arm and a leg on tee gifts. In fact, there are a lot of opportunities where you might be able to get tee gifts for free since many companies want to get their brand/samples out to more affluent golfers.

If you are looking to purchase tee gifts at a discount, check out the partner golf equipment discounts we have at Nextgengolf. We are happy to facilitate introductions to our sponsors so you can save on your next tee gift order.

3) Make sure some of your staff/volunteers know golf

Golfers know when a tournament is run by golfers versus non-golfers. Depending on the golf course you choose, there is a good chance you will be working directly with a golf professional or assistant golf professional who will be helping you with your event. Although the golf professional will be your main contact to help make the outing a success, it is important that people on your team are asking the right questions and ensuring the golf course is properly prepared for hosting the event. For example, would you ask the professional if the course is aerating the greens within 2 weeks of your outing? Learn what it means to aerate greens and why it could ruin your event.

4) Make sure you have online registration

Most organizations struggle with registration, accepting checks, and organizing their corporate outings. I would highly recommend using an online registration for your golf outing. Although your golfers will need to pay credit card fees to accept online payments, the ease of use and organization will be worth it in the end.

Did you know Nextgengolf can help you with online registration for your golf tournament? Email me (kris@nextgengolf.org) to learn more about our golf event registration tool which will save you time and money for your outing.

5) Be different and leave a lasting impression

There are thousands of golf outings that take place every week across the US. To ensure that your golf tournament will have legs and last for years in the future, make sure you provide the golfers a memorable experience. Most golfers that play in outings have the opportunity to play in a number of events throughout the year. If the economy is tough and a golfer only could choose one outing, would it be yours and why?

Do your best to leave a lasting impression at your event and think outside the box. For example, a recent outing I played in had a poker tournament following the round of golf. For those folks that did not do well on the course, they could try their luck at another game. People loved being able to play cards following the round and the charity ended up making more money following the golf tournament.