PaperDirect Blog PaperDirect Blog

Hosting a golf tournament is an excellent method for raising awareness, connecting with the community, and reaching fundraising goals. However, the devil is in the details, and one major detail to figure out is prizes to give away at the end of the tournament. Not to fret though, because these 10 golf tournament prize ideas are a hole in one…ba dum tss. 

Now get out on the green!

Golf Shirts

High quality golf shirts embroidered with your logo will become a mainstay of any golfer’s wardrobe. Long after your tournament has ended, participants will don your branded golf shifts when they hit the links, further spreading awareness for your organization.

Awards

Whether you hand out certificates or trophies, a physical recognition of the time people gave by participating in your tournament is a thoughtful golf tournament prize. Participants will place their awards somewhere others can see it so they boast about their golf game while talking up your organization.

Golf Balls

What golfer doesn’t need balls when they head out for a day on the links? Load them up with branded ones as tournament prizes they’ll always have a use for (as long as they don’t lose their swing).

Water Bottles

Golfing, walking, or just out and about for the day, a nice water bottle is something people hold on to forever (just look in your own kitchen). A reminder to stay hydrated, a water bottle with your organization’s logo on it will go with your tournament participants everywhere, subtly telling the world about your work.

Golf Gloves

Balls, clubs, tees, and gloves: these are the fundamental equipement every golfer needs before they step on to the green. When you award golf gloves to your tournament players, they’ll stash this gift in their golf bag and use them again and again. It might seem ho-hum but actually, it’s a gift that keeps on giving to golfers who regularly play.

Drinkware

Shot glasses, coffee mugs, beer steins: the only limitation is your imagination when it comes to this golf tournament prize idea. Take it one step further a fill these branded drinkware prizes with golf tees.  

Golf Bag Pouches

There are literally a million uses for these clip-on pouches golfers attach to their bags. From keeping track of cell phones to stashing a flask for a quick pick-me-up on the course, a golf bag pouch is a simple, useful tournament prize people will always use.

Framed Caricatures 

Cherish the memories (and those below par scores) with caricatures commemorating the tournament. This prize is particularly effective if you have a photographer capturing shots at the end of the day which can then be sent to a artist. Here are some examples. 

Umbrellas

An umbrella is an extraordinarily handy device that few people thing to have with them. From providing some shade to protecting from the rain, you’d be surprised how many people will appreciate receiving this item as a golf tournament prize.

Golf Gift Sets

Pack golf bag pouches with all kinds of goodies to make people’s future games more enjoyable. The sky’s the limit when it comes to the products you can fill pouches with, including but not limited to: tees, balls, ball markers, divot tools, sunscreen, chapstick, keychains, screen cleaners, bandaids, and koozies.

In a Constant Contact blog post from 2012, author Ryan Mahoney states that sponsors “are one of the foundational elements of your event because they add things that can draw people.”

We agree. If you’re planning a charity gold tournament, you need sponsors to give their support.

Rather than scratching your head wondering how to get sponsors for a golf tournament, use the following seven methods to aid your efforts.

Make It Worthwhile

When speaking with a potential sponsor, be prepared to discuss how sponsorship will benefit them. It’s important to keep in mind that while a business wants to help the community, its ultimate goal is leads and profits.

A company’s decision makers will want to know the target audience for the tournament, the results other business had when they sponsored the event previously, and the type of exposure the business will receive if they opt to sponsor the tournament.

One major factor that will help sway sponsors is large brand mentions. Make sure each sponsor gets multiple shoutouts- in the country club, at each hole, in the invitations to the players, etc.

Connect With Supporters

A charity already has lists of people who donate to, volunteer for, and support the organization. Reach out to them to let them know you’re looking for sponsors to participate in your upcoming golf tournament. Donors, volunteers, and supporters could have helpful suggestions for sponsors or could be interested in sponsoring the tournament themselves.

Knock On Doors

Yes, we live in a digital age. However, getting out of the office to speak with potential sponsors in-person is far more effective than sending out emails or posting calls-to-action on your charity’s social media channels. You’ll find businesses are more inclined to say “yes” when they are discussing sponsoring your charity golf tournament in-person rather than over the phone or via e-mail.

Community Outreach

Golfers love hitting the links, whether it’s for fun or a good cause. Promote your charity golf tournament at courses in the area and talk about the event to any of your golfing friends. Also, reach out to the community that takes special interest in your charity. If your organization works to end hunger, get in touch with local restaurants, food reviewers, and food wholesalers about sponsoring your tournament.

Target Like-Minded Businesses

For example, if your charity helps animals, speak with local vet clinics and pet supply stores about sponsoring the golf tournament. A business with related interests to your charity can use their sponsorship of the tournament as a marketing opportunity.

Get The Word Out

Social media posts, email newsletters, direct mail flyers, and custom signage are just a few of the methods your organization can use to raise awareness for your upcoming golf tournament. Additionally, promoting your event isn’t just a great way to bring in donors but a crucial method for attracting sponsors.

Finding Sponsors Where You Least Expect It

In the months leading up to your charity golf tournament, all you should be talking about to anybody is the event. You never know who you might be chatting up. The casual mention of a charity golf tournament to someone could result in a new sponsor for the event.

So you want to host a golf tournament? Be warned – it takes a lot of planning. But if you do it the right way, golf tournaments can net you a lot of money – which is why they make such great fundraisers. But we repeat, it’s all about preparing for the tournament that dictates whether or not it will be successful. So with that being said, here are some tips for hosting a golf tournament:

The Basics:

Before you can really start planning the event, you need to tick a few important things off your “to-do” list:

Pick a course: Pick a course that golfers will want to play. Also, make sure the staff is accommodating to the type of tournament you want to run. We recommend shopping around for a course, see what things courses in the area are willing to offer.

Golfers: Decide how many golfers you’ll allow. Obviously, the more that play, the more money you can make. Generally speaking, however, we’d recommend capping golfers at 128.

Extras: Decide if you’ll do more than just the tournament. For instance, many tournaments offer post-golf lunch or dinner.

Promote it:

After you’ve got the basics down, then it’s time to promote your tournament. We recommend creating a brochure that explains the tournament in an easy-to-read format. Print this brochure on golf-themed stationary and include a registration form. Then, get to work passing brochures out. Leave a stack at the course’s front desk, pass them out to people in the community, ask local golf pro shops if you can leave brochures in their stores. You may even consider taking out an ad in the newspaper to get the word out.

Hole sponsorships:

Generate additional revenue for the tournament beyond just golfer entries by selling hole sponsorship’s to local businesses in the area. But be sure that these sponsorship’s are done well in advance so that the businesses you sell to have plenty of time to get their materials to you so their information can be printed correctly.

Get volunteers:

As the day of the tournament draws near, assemble a team of volunteers that will check golfers in, pass out goodie bags (tees, golf balls and water bottles make for great items in this) and monitor play on the golf course. Your team should be doing everything to ensure that the tournament runs smoothly to see that every golfer has a positive experience, win or lose.

Organizing a company golf scramble is one way to build stronger teams on the job and off-the-clock. While some company organizers work with the local golf club planner to develop a charity event or semiannual outing, there is nothing wrong with in-house planning to save some money. Make it more fun by tailoring the event to fit your group!

One of the first steps in hosting a successful scramble is getting the word out. Printing sign up sheets, personal invitations and bulletin notices on golf-themed paper will generate buzz and encourage participation. Here are five more tips for organizing a golf scramble:

Flighted or Handicapped

Making the competition fair and balanced means giving everyone a chance at winning the prize. Especially if you expect more than four to six teams, establishing flights is normally considered the best approach. Encourage everyone to list their skill level and handicap – if they have one – on the sign up sheet. Decide if you want to tee off both nines or use a shotgun start based on the number of teams and the skill level variance.

By the Numbers

Decide how many teams will be allowed, tee off times, how teams will be assembled and when registration fees are due.

Establish the Fee

Everyone wants to know the fee in advance – and if it includes a continental breakfast, a post- competition luncheon or a simple spread of beverages and snacks. Include this information on all invitations, brochures and flyers.

Coordinating envelopes and themed RSVP cards are available with many of our invitation styles. You could also design a PaperDirect custom postcard invitation that will double as an entrance coupon for the golf scramble.

Prizes, Gift Bags and Categories

Make if fun. If you are using gift bags, decide early what to put in each bag. Every office has someone that has that coveted entertainment gene. Enlist help from the office “party-girl” for inspiration.

Determine the payout and which flights and places will qualify for prizes. Some suggestions include longest shot, straightest drive and closest to the pin.

Need a Do-Over?

When printing the rule-handout, don’t forget the mulligan rule. Decide if mulligans are allowed and if so, publish the fee.

Planning a company golf scramble takes organizational skills and expert recording keeping abilities. Ordering your event banners, custom invitations and registration sheets online with PaperDirect will get you to the tee on time – no mulligan required.

Avid golfers dream about golf year round, but with inches of snow on the ground, it’s not realistic to think about having a golf party or a golf-themed party, but you can certainly start planning your golf party for the coming months. If you’ve been given the task of hosting or planning a golf party, you are going to need golf party ideas, especially if you’re not a golfer yourself.

Invitations

You can make the golf party invitations out of material that looks like a putting green or have invitations made in the shape of a golf ball or club. Using scorecards from an actual golf course, you can create golf party invitations from the scorecards and include “Tee Time” (the time the party begins), the name of the golf course (venue location), “Course Length” (length of party) and “Water Hazards” (whether the opportunity for swimming is available). You may also include “19th Hole” information, which would be any additional information you’d like to include about the party such as whether or not to bring a dish or drinks, whether children are welcome, and if there is a certain attire required (golf attired would be a great idea here). Of course, it only makes sense that golf attire be required if you’re hosting a golf party! Guests can even purchase “Caddy Shack” costumes and old time golf costumes including knickers and the little golf hat men used to wear decades ago. The possibilities for golf party ideas are endless. You can also include golf photos on the invitations. If the party is honor of one person, you can include a picture of him/her playing golf.

Decorations

As far as golf part supplies are concerned, you will need golf decorations. You can set the golf tone by hanging a golf banner at the entrance with some clever golf saying or just a simple “welcome” message. You can create golf flags to note important spots in the venue such as where the food and bar are located. You can also line the walkway to the front door of your home with colorful golf flags. You can even create numbered flags and give guests a program upon their arrival that says something like, “Hole 1–appetizers,” “Hole 2–salads,” “Hole 3–entrees,” and so on. You can also have your local copy shop blow up photos of golfers to have life-sized photos of some  of your favorite professional golfers throughout the party.

If you have extra golf bags, balls and clubs in your home (or donated by guests), you can use them as golf party supplies and place them throughout your home or golf party venue. You can even buy putting green-like turf to put along the walkway to your home or around the food/bar area.

You can set up a putting green and have a putting contest and offer prizes to winners. The possibilities for your golf party are endless, so with some creativity and some great supplies for PaperDirect’s online store, your golf party can be the best one ever! Here is an idea about golf party awards you can offer to adults and children.

Shop PaperDirect online today to buy banners, invitations and any other golf party supplies that will make your party a huge success.

What kid doesn’t love to play putt-putt golf? In fact, a lot of adults enjoy miniature golf (and some even make it interesting by betting on holes). Since we don’t want our children gambling, but we do want to make the game fun and maybe even a little competitive, how about offering a golf party award at the end of a day on the putt-putt course? Children as young as five and teenagers, too, like to be rewarded for a job well done, and golf party awards is an added to incentive to participate in a wholesome family outing for your child’s friends who attend a party with miniature golf as an activity. For the adult golf fanatics who play the “real” game of golf (and you golf “widows” out there know what we’re talking about), PaperDirect has several golf awards from which to choose including a crystal golf ball paperweight, a 10″ golf statue award, and a variety of plaques and trophies you can have engraved with a personal golf award message.

Why not kick off golf season (which is year-round in many areas) with a golf party on your favorite course? Men, women and children of all ages enjoy this challenging sport, and who knows, maybe your child will be the next Arnold Palmer or Phil Mickelson.

Shop online at PaperDirect today to get all your golf party invitations, accessories and golf party awards.

After the winter the country just went through, everyone is looking forward to spring. Warm weather, green leaves and green grass, no snow and even the flowers and birds will be a welcome sight. And no one is looking forward to a spring celebration more than those who love the sport of golf. Getting out on the links, in the fresh air and sunshine, ready to try out all the things they learned over the winter. Try these golf party ideas to show everyone a good time.

The best way to kick off a new year of enjoying the links is to throw a great spring celebration party. It’s a great excuse to have a friendly get-together, dust off the grill and have an enjoyable time. Since it’s a spring party, and everyone is looking forward to a great game of golf, why not make the main theme of the party a golf theme? It’s easy enough to do and everyone will have a blast.

Having all kinds of spring foods, salads to go with the steaks, and even grass green colored punch sets the background. Getting golf party theme napkins and plates, green or golf party theme table cloths and even golf flag swizzle sticks just adds to the cool factor. There are all kinds of ways to add to the golf theme like having golf magazines all over the place, golf décor and even a banner that says “Happy Golfing!”

Kicking off a new spring with a golf party is a great way to start the season with friendship, good food and good fun. Being able to get all kinds of great golf themed party items and party favors makes everything look great and everyone will get into the golf party atmosphere.

Check out all the golf party ideas and items and make your spring celebration into a golf party that everyone will talk about the whole year. Not only will they have a great time, but you’ll have a great time too. And spring is the best time of year to have that perfect party.