If you’re like me you
want to hug all the people who have stepped forward this golf season and accepted
positions as honorees, who have sat on golf committees, who have served as volunteers
and of course the development people and their staffs. This is the half way point
of the 2009 charity golf season and, yes, some events were postponed or cancelled.
Those that were held were successful and the best part is they kept their momentum
going for next year. The returning core of golfers year after year that charities
depend on is the bread and butter that make an outing work. If your event was
not held, an explanation should be sent to your data base, with a memo saying
see you in 2010. Remember if they’re not playing in your outing they are
playing in someone else’s. I would like to share with you a few new ideas
for soliciting funds at your
event.
At registration, the golfers
buy an all event pass for a nominal fee, say $20. The pass entitles the
buyer to participate in all the on course games. This would eliminate
the necessity to bother golfers during the round. The pass could be numbered
and a prize given for the pulled number at day’s end.
Beat the student, a variation
on the beat the pro, par three fund raiser. Local colleges will gladly
supply a member of their golf team to be the person to beat. The students
love to compete gratis and get the on course experience.
Personalized golf cart sponsorships
are a painless way to raise money. If you have 100 golfers then you have
50 golf carts. Each cart can have two sponsor names on it. If you charge
$50 a name, that would give your event $5,000 extra raised.
Sell an entertainment sponsorship
to a restaurant, bar, hotel or like establishment. This would entail
having a special give away printed on a golf ball. Each golfer gets one
ball at sign in and upon visiting the sponsor’s place of business
receives the offer printed on the golf ball. Would you buy a chance for
a hole in two? I would. A restaurant gift certificate or a couple of
dozen golf balls would be nice. The winners will also get the bragging
rights for getting a birdie and it was only a $10 donation.
To all the participants so
far this year, thank you for being part of the 2009 event season and
for keeping the missions of all the charities alive.
