Avoid These 12 Golf Tournament Planning Pitfalls

Your Not-to-Do list when planning your charity tournament

Colorado AvidGolfer

1. Don’t misspell words on signs. Especially when they relate to those supporting your event.

2. Don’t be an army of one. Set up small, accountable committees.

3. Don’t procrastinate. Plan earlier than you ever think necessary. Then add a month.

4. Don’t assume the course “will take care of it.” Golf courses are great allies but there’s always some detail—like putting sleeves of balls on carts—that becomes a question of responsibility.

5. Don’t allow on-site pairing changes. Just say no. Addressing all changes at a pre-tournament pairings party is a good way to avoid the discontent, chaos and confusion caused by last-minute changes. 

6. Don’t allow play without pay. If necessary, set up an account with a mobile credit card system (Square, Intuit, PayPal) so you can swipe with your phone.

7. Don’t cede control. Sponsors help offset costs and can add legitimacy to your event. But don’t let your tournament become a trade show. Limit giveaways to before or after the round, and only allow a title or presenting sponsor to put its logo on apparel. 

8. Don’t stuff gift bags at the event. Gather items with enough time to hold a pre-event bag-stuffing party to build solidarity among board members and volunteers.

9. Don’t let volunteers just show up. They will not know what to do. Have at least two mandatory assignment sessions beforehand.

10. Don’t pick a bad day. Avoid times when many of your guests might be committed to another charity event or a club championship. Know when three-day weekends and Jewish holidays fall.

11. Don’t rely on one type of marketing. Use every-thing at your disposal: e-blasts, snail-mail, Facebook posts, Tweets, Instagrams, texts and phone calls.

12. Don’t skimp. People are disinclined to return or invite friends if an event appears to be done on the cheap. Everyone can spot cut-rate shirts and golf balls. And if there are no contest holes, drink tickets or decent food, there’s not much future for the tournament.

---

More from the 2016 Tournament Planners Guide presented by GolfSquid.com:

How to Create a Can't-Miss Golf Event

Squid Pro Quo – The site with the odd name is taking over the way people plan golf events.

Keeping it Fresh – When participants see your commitment to making the event fun, they'll come back year after year!

A Course in Charity – As the Sanctuary nears $100 in money raised, here's a list of 2016 tournaments

Long Live the ROI – At the end of the day, how to get the most for your charity from your golf tournament

12 Planning Pitfalls of Golf Tournaments – Avoid these 12 costly mistakes with your next tournament

Register Your Tournament with Colorado AvidGolfer

---

Read the full digital version of our Tournament Guide presented by GolfSquid.

---

Colorado AvidGolfer is the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it. It publishes eight issues annually and proudly delivers daily content via www.coloradoavidgolfer.com.