As a Golf Professional for over 30 years, I have seen businesses, corporations, schools, and nonprofit organizations use golf outings as a form of fundraising in many ways. Golf outings allow participants to enjoy a great day of fun, golf, and camaraderie while making money and a difference for their charity of choice.

 

Are you interested in hosting a golf outing to raise money for your charity? I recommend following these four steps to plan your fundraiser:

1. Create a committee of two to four people to plan the outing. Select members that have a passion for your organization. A larger committee typically needs help making decisions in a timely fashion.

 

2. Find a golf course that fits your date, clientele, and budget. Most private facilities, like The Lakes, only have outings on Mondays, and some private Clubs do not allow any outside events. If Mondays do not work, consider a public golf course for your event. Public courses typically have more weekday and weekend flexibility to book outings, but they may lack service and the "wow" factor for your participants. 

 

3. Set your date at least six months in advance. You will need time to promote your outing, sell foursomes, and find sponsor opportunities. 

 

4. Have a budget and price per golfer in place. You must know how much money your invitees can afford or want to spend on this day. When working with outing organizers at The Lakes, I recommend they profit $25 per golfer from the entry fee. For example, if you have 100 golfers charging $175 and your total cost per player is $150, this will give you $2,500 right from the start to donate to your charity.  

 

If you follow the above steps to plan your fundraiser, you should have a successful golf outing and raise funds for your organization. Most of your fundraising should come from hole sponsors, silent and live auction items, on-course golf games, and raffles. This is where your committee needs to make good decisions. Be careful to have only a few extra games on the event day. Golfers do not want to feel like they are being nickeled and dimed at the event after paying an entry fee. This could deter them from participating in future fundraisers. 

 

Two years ago, my wife and I began an endowment fund for the James Cancer Hospital, the Kline Fund for Ovarian Cancer Research.   We host a fundraiser at The Lakes each year, and all funds from this golf outing are donated to the endowment. We were given five years to raise $100,000, and with great support from my peers, friends, and family, we surpassed that goal in just two years by running a successful golf outing. The funds are now endowed and soon will be applied to ovarian cancer research. 

 

Regardless of your cause, golf outings are a great way to raise money for charity, school sports teams, or an endowment fund. I am happy to help you get started. Please remember that The Lakes also hosts many company appreciation outings. These outings are structured to unite employees outside the office and show appreciation for their hard work and dedication.  Don't hesitate to contact me if you want to host your fundraiser or a corporate outing at The Lakes Golf and Country Club.

 

Eddie Kline

614-882-2582