Goodie Bag Item Ideas For Your Tournament Participants!

Stumped on what to include in your goodie bags this year?  Here are some great ideas from Hole In One International that your golf tournament participants are sure to love!

1. Company Golf T-shirt
Have any sponsors at your golf outing?  Ask them to donate t-shirts in a variety of sizes with their logo on them!  This item idea is a win-win situation, especially for small, local sponsors: not only will your golfers enjoy their free article of clothing, but the sponsors will have a chance to advertise thanks to your outing participants… and chances are that your outing participants will be more than willing to help spread awareness of their company/brand!

2. Sleeve of Golf Balls
How many balls do you think go lost, abandoned or end up landing in the water after each round of golf is played?  The answer? A lot.  In the United States alone, an estimated at 300 million golf balls are lost each year.  Which is why it’s never a bad idea to have more on-hand!  Feel free to customize those golf balls with your outing’s logo, or even a sponsor’s!

3. Snacks!
Don’t let your players go famished during the tournament… supply them with some snacks to take with them on-the-go!  Nuts, bananas, fruit bars… anything to give them a little extra boost of energy throughout the day!

4. Club Head Covers
While the t-shirt and golf balls are pretty “par for the course”, certain unique items such a club head covers are a great way to help make your goodie bag stand out from all the others!  Club head covers are cost-effective, practical and can also be customized as well!

5. Gift Certificate to the 19th Hole
Now here’s one everyone will love: a gift certificate to the golf course’s “19th Hole!”  After the tournament, players will be able to meet up with their buddies for some grub and/or drinks… on the house, thanks to your thoughtful gift idea!  This one’s sure to be a big hit!

And don’t forget: when you purchase a hole in one, shootout and/or combination putting contest insurance policy from Hole In One International, we will include a free tee prize for each and every golfer in your event!  That’s right — each and every one of your golfers will receive a FREE $50 gift card to FreeTeePrize.com, where they can choose from a vast variety of golf clubs!

Need more goodie bag ideas?  Give Hole In One International a call today at 800-827-2249… and be sure to share your own unique goodie bag ideas with us via Facebook, Twitter and/or Google+!

Public Golf Courses vs. Private Golf Courses

Debating on whether to hold your golf tournament at a public or private golf course?  Not sure which would be the best fit for your organization?  Read on as we highlight the main features of both types of courses and by the time you’re finished reading this blog post, you’ll be able to make some informed decisions!

Public Golf Courses

Pros:

  • Less expensive than a private course
  • Easier access to the facility (no membership needed)
  • Gives you the ability to find/support lesser-known courses and find the smaller ‘gems’ in your area

Cons:

  • Usually not as well-managed/maintained as private golf courses
  • Does not offer as many feaures or ammenities as a private course
  • More crowded than a private golf course

 

Private Golf Courses

Pros:

  • More features/amenities (i.e. showers, restaurants, private lessons, massages, etc.)
  • Better maintained and generally more scenic
  • Less crowded; higher chance of having the course to yourself

Cons:

  • Requires monthly membership fees; more expensive than public golf courses
  • Limitation of play (not as open or available as a public golf course)
  • If you eventually find that you’re not enjoying your experience, you’re locked into a membership

 

A happy medium between the two would also be a high-end golf resort.  These golf resorts will sometimes host charity golf events at no charge, so it’s definitely worth looking into!

Have any other questions about the differences between holding your golf outing at a public or private golf course?  Feel free to give us a call at 800-827-2249 and we’d be happy to answer them for you!  You can always email us as well.  Good luck!

Save the Date Cards

Save The Date Hole In One International has something for you to consider after this year’s golf tournament is a wrap: begin creating “Save the Date” cards for all of the players who participated in your golf outing!

As you likely already know, it’s never too early to begin planning ahead.  As soon as you have a date set for your next golf tournament, begin creating and sending out your Save the Date cards so players can RSVP for next year’s event in an ample amount of time.

As a bonus, be sure to include deals & discounts such as “Early Bird Specials” for foursomes who pay for next year’s event before a specified cut-off date!

Save the Date cards can easily be handmade; however, if it’s within your budget, they can also be purchased online as well to minimize time and effort.  You’ll be surprised to find just how many customizable golf-themed Save the Date cards are out there when you search for them online!

Be sure to give Hole In One International a call at 800-827-2249 if you have any questions… and feel free to share your own “Save the Date” creations with us socially via Facebook, Twitter and/or Google+!

Planning Your Company Golf Outing

In a panic because you’ve just learned that you’re in charge of the company golf outing?   Looking for some tips on how to ttake your current outing from drab to fab?  Good news!  Kristen Hansen, Social Media Marketing Assistant with Hole In One International, is here today to help you out with some great pointers!

Name Your Outing
This may seem like a no-brainer but  it’s important!  Give your outing an enticing, yet simple and repeatable name.  For example, rather than using a generic name like “Hole In One International Golf Outing”, try adding a few attention-grabbing words (i.e. Hole In One International’s Whole Office Tee Off )  Already have a name for your outing you’ve been using previous years?  No problem!  It’s never too late to change it up!  This is your tournament, after all.

Find Your Players & Sponsors
You and your golf planning committee should be able to target potential players and sponsors with ease. You can invite employees, clients, and vendors. You can assigne your sales team to identify their own foursomes. Whatever is best for your … as long as you have a  game plan on who you plan on inviting.  Tip: Be sure to have someone from your committee build a website for your golf outing where players and sponsors can register/pay online!  Not only is having a website great for advertising purposes, but it makes receiving your funds as easy as 1-2-3!  And be sure to offer your sponsors their own  sponsor signs so they’ll get their recognition out on the golf course!

Scope Out Your Venue
Another important step to planning any golf outing is researching the golf course/golf club where you’ll be holding your event. Make sure the course can accomodate the number of players you plan on having that day, make sure the greens are maintained to your satisfaction and always be sure to consult with your committee before making any final decisions.

Make Your Event Appealing
You need to stand out!  Consider using a celebrity or local business leader as your event Chairperson, which will give your event instant credibility.  Offer a large amount of sponsorships and load them with value.  Also be sure that you’re offering fun and exciting golf contests to your event — the hole in one contest is arguably the most popular, but you could also hold a longest/straightest drive or closest to the hole contest as well.  The possibilities are endless!  Add pre-, on-course and after-event games to maximize interest.

For more information and tips on how to plan your next company golf outing, don’t hesitate to give us a call at 800-827-2249… or email us!

Pre-tournament Checklist

Sure, you have the obligatory bag of golf clubs, but here are a few things you probably haven’t stopped to think about prior to tee-off:

Delivery of Course Materials: Have the necessary items been delivered to the golf course?  Whether it’s signage, an actual hole prize or otherwise, be sure to double-check that everything has already arrived.  If you have ordered signage, we will often suggest having it shipped directly to the golf course to avoid this ever being a possible issue.

Set up the Registration Table: Make sure all necessary documents are prepared so that participants are able to sign in.  This would also be a great spot to offer raffle tickets, mulligans and any other merchandise you may want to sell that day.

Set up the contests: Has the distance been measured on all holes that have contests taking place on them?  It’s common practice for the Pro at the golf course to go out and measure it with their laser; however, tee markers will allow you to measure accordingly as well.

Ice down the beverages: Nobody wants a warm drink, so make sure everything is iced down.  Snack/beverage carts should be ready to roll and fully stocked.

Post Signage and Banners: Are all of your signs and banners up where they need to be?  This is a vital step – you want everything to be properly advertised to minimize any confusion.  You’d also have some pretty angry sponsors if their names aren’t being advertised like they should that day.

Have the Goodie Bags prepared: Don’t forget the goodie bags… and don’t forget to print copies of the free tee prize Hole In One International gives each player and stick them in there!

P.S.  After all is said and done, send out thank-yous and update your organization’s website (if applicable) with tournament results and any other exciting post-tourney news you may have to share!

Want a free Tournament Planning brochure with more suggestions?  Call us at 800-827-2249 or send us an email and we’ll set you up with one… for free!



6195 Ridgeview Court Suite A | Reno, Nevada 89519