“You do not have because you do not ask” - James 4:2

An arts organization in Scottsdale Arizona produced a Golf-A-Thon at one of the nicest golf courses in the country, a private course that charges $250,000 for membership and guests pay $250 for green’s fees. This non-profit organization was able to use this golf course at NO CHARGE.


Get all details of the contract in writing.
A small non-profit organization in Tucson made a major mistake when they secured a golf course. They reserved the course at a great rate, but forgot to ask an important question. Is there a minimum amount of golfers for the rate that they were quoted? Because they did not know all of the details of the deal, they were short the minimum number of golfers and the rate per golfer was higher than originally thought. Additionally, they forgot to calculate taxes and gratuity, both on the golf and the food. The profit that they had predicted was cut in half. Avoid this mistake by getting all of the details of the contract in writing and ask as many questions as you can.


Finding and Choosing a Golf Course
Choosing a golf course is one of the most important ingredients of a successful event. Your golfers will always comment on the course, good or bad. It is the part of the tournament that they will remember most. If you have a bad course, it will be hard to get them back next year.

When looking for a course, ask yourself these key questions.
1. What is the driving distance for the golfers to the course?
2. What is the skill level of the golfers and the course?
3. Are our golfers attracted to a new course or traditional?
4. Does the price of the course correlate with the entry fee of the tournament?

Pricing

Free Golf Course
The best golf course for a fundraising event is a free golf course. How do you find a free golf course? Relationships are the key. When developing your committee, take time to analyze your contacts. Seek out individuals that have some tie to a golf course. They could be the owner, manager or employee. Most courses will plan 1 to 4 free tournaments per year. You can contact the course directly to find out if they have an open slot for a free tournament, although having an inside source will give you a better chance.

Good Price
If you cannot arrange a free course, then you want to get a good deal and a great price for the course. Again, build those relationships throughout the year that can lead to negotiating a good price for the course and food and beverage.


Season, Dates and Prime Times Dictate Price
The highest course rates will be charged during peak season and for the prime times that golfers desire to play golf. Every market is different, but will have four different rates to correlate with the seasons. The highest rate for the season with the best weather, the lowest rate for the worst weather or off-season. The best rate for a tournament is the shoulder season. The shoulder rate is charged during the unpredictable seasons when tourism is down and golfers do not play as much. Keep in mind that the course conditions may not be at their best during this time. Check your local almanac and find the best days during the shoulder season, Monday through Thursday and that will be the best rate for your tournament. The off-season time will have the lowest rates. Additionally, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday are always the busiest times for a golf course. Monday through Thursday is the best rate for tournaments.

Golfers Choice
What do the golfers want? The only way to know for sure what golfers want is to do a survey. Survey the golfers after the tournament for the following year. Here are a few questions to ask on your survey:

• Do you like a difficult course?
• Do you want to play a new course or a traditional course?
• How far will you travel to play in the tournament?
• What is your best day to play?
• Would your rather play a private Country Club?
• What is your handicap?
• What is your salary range?
• What is your job description?
• What price range do you prefer?
• List friends that you would like us to contact?


What Golfers Look For:
• A Good Value – A good golf course at a good price.
• Course Conditions – A course in good condition.
• A Challenge – A course that is not boring and flat.
• New Courses – One that they have not played.
• Courses that they don’t Normally Play – Exclusive private golf courses.
• Good Service – Golfers want to be treated special.
• Steady Play – Golfers do not want to wait on every hole.
• Good Food – Good food available.
• Drinks Available – Cart service is very much appreciated.
• Many Contests – The more contests the better, they’ll have fun.
• No more than a 5-hour round – They do not want to spend all day on the golf course.
• Friendly Atmosphere – Fun people add to the experience.

Contracting With the Golf Course
Do not agree to have a golf tournament without a contract in writing signed by agents of the tournament and the course. Do not depend on verbal agreements. Put everything in writing before you commit to the course. Listed below are the things that should be on a contract:

Contract To Include:
Date
Location
Contact Person
How many players are to participate in the tournament?
Services offered
Cost per player
Tax
Gratuity
Deposit Due
Total Amount Due
Cancellation Date
Date when final count is required


Golf Course should include the following in the services contract:
Green Fees
Cart
Golfer’s Name on Cart
Range Balls
Rules Sheet
Pairing Sheet
Scoring of the tournament
Food (extra charge)
Gift certificates
Free foursome to be given as a prize
Contest materials
Drink service
Bag tag
Hang sponsor’s signage

Key Suggestion:
Do not over commit the number of golfers. Under estimate, you can always add at the last minute.