GEAPS Golf Event Planning Guide

Who will run the Tournament? 

  1. Chair – drives the event but does not need to do everything. 
  1. Venue contact – one person should be the contact person for the golf course and relay all decisions. 
  1. Treasurer – makes sure all the bills are paid. 
  1. Registration contact – person who track the registrant and take in the money. 
  1. Sponsorship contact – managers the sponsorships and recognition. 
  1. Marketing contact – Promotes the golf tournament. 
  1. Prize contact – organizes prizes and awards.  
  1. Onsite check in – at least 2 people 

Decisions to be made  

  1. Purpose 
    1. Networking 
    2. Fundraising 
  1. Budget 
    1. Estimate cost per person for golfing 
    2. Estimate food costs 
  1. Timeline 
  1. Location  
  1. Date and times 
  1. Format of the day 
  1. Registration  
    1. GEAPS 
    2. Chapter manager 
  1. Sponsorship opportunities 
    1. Sponsor a hole 
    2. Tee Towels 
    3. Drink Cart Sponsor 
    4. Door Prize sponsor 
  1. Food and drink 
    1. Meal 
    2. Snacks 
    3. Drinks  
  1. Golf format: 
  • Stroke Play: This is the format most golfers (and casual fans) are most familiar with. In stroke play, players are scored by the numbers of strokes they take. This is what you’ll see in the LPGA and PGA Tours. Better, more experienced players tend to prefer this format, but it can be a little slower for audiences and harder for beginner golfers. 
  • Match Play: In match play, you don’t score individual players, but teams of players. The team who wins the most holes wins. 
  • Best Ball: This is a more approachable format for beginner and intermediate golfers. In a Best Ball event, each player plays the whole round, and you score using their best scores. (Usually their best 3 or 4 scores.) With a Best Ball event, you’d also score using a “handicap,” which is a numerical representation of a golfer’s ability and experience, making Best Ball a more balanced event that’s open to more golfers. 
  • Scramble: Like Best Ball events, Scramble events are better for less experienced golfers. In a Scramble, everyone hits their drives off the tee, then you pick the best shot and hit again from there. And then you continue this until the ball is in the hole! 
  1. Added activities: 
  1. Long Putt: Long putt is a traditional tournament game that rewards the longest putt hit that day. 
  1. Long Drive: Long drive awards the golfer who hits the ball the farthest that day 
  1. Closest to Pin: Awards the golfer who hits the closest shot to the pin. 
  1. Straightest Drive: Whoever hits their drive the straightest, gets a prize 
  1. Hole in One Contest: First person who hits a hole in one, gets a large prize! (Make sure to have a special gift for this accomplishment) 
  1. 4th, 5th and Last Place: Awards those who didn’t quite make the cut (while giving a pity gift to the person who had a slow day at the range). 
  1. Gambling Hole: $$$ Offer golfers to double their money by hitting their ball on a par 3 inside a 20’ circle 
  1. Mulligans: $$$ Allow golfers to pay $20 for a “do over.” 
  1. Putting Contests: $$$ A putting game that takes place outside the normal tournament. Putters pay $10 for three putts at 10 feet. If they make all three, then they get a chance at a 40-foot putt for $10k. 
  1. Will you have post golfing dinner or social? 

Starting the process 

  1. Book the location 
  • Confirm date, what is included, food costs, cancellation fee. 
  • If you want the meeting planning team to look over the contract, contact GEAPS 
  1. Contact GEAPS 
    1. Give us the date to put on the chapter page 
    2. Registration 
      1. Price 
      2. Added Questions 
      3. Sponsorship 
    3. Marketing 
      1. Flyer 
      2. Social media posting
      3. Emails to members 
      4. Snail mail to members 
  1. Get the sponsors  
  1. Don’t forget to promote this within your chapter 
  1. Connect with the catering to make sure they have the correct number of attendees