Golf Tournament Fundraiser Checklist: Plan From Start to Finish

Golf Tournament Fundraiser Checklist

A golf fundraiser has many moving parts—venue, sponsors, registration, prizes, contests, raffles, and auctions. This checklist helps you plan from start to finish so nothing falls through the cracks. Use it alongside the golf fundraiser guide for tournament ideas, activities, and platform tips.

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3–6 months before

Set your goal and budget

• Define your fundraising goal – How much do you want to raise? Net or gross?
• Create a budget – Course rental, food, prizes, insurance, signage, software. Add 10–15% for unexpected costs.
• Identify revenue streams – Foursomes, sponsors, mulligans, raffle, auction, golf ball drop. Golf fundraiser guide covers all options.
• Set a break-even number – What must you raise to cover costs?

Secure the course and date

• Research courses – Location, capacity, reputation, charity rates.
• Request a hold – Popular dates (spring, fall) fill. Get a hold while you confirm.
• Negotiate terms – Green fees, cart, range, clubhouse rental. Some courses offer charity discounts.
• Confirm date and contract – Rain date policy? Cancellation terms?

Recruit your committee

• Chair – Overall lead, decision-maker.
• Sponsorship lead – Outreach, follow-up, contracts.
• Registration lead – Ticketing, foursome pairings, check-in.
• Logistics lead – Day-of setup, signage, volunteer coordination.
• Auction/raffle lead – Item procurement, display, closing.

Create sponsor tiers and benefits

• Presenting Sponsor – Top dollar, logo on everything, speaking opportunity.
• Gold / Silver / Bronze – Tiered by price and visibility.
• Hole sponsors – Sign at one hole, name in program.
• In-kind sponsors – Food, prizes, printing. Corporate fundraising ideas covers sponsor packages.
• Document benefits – One-page sponsor sheet per tier.

Design your registration and ticketing setup

• Choose a platform – Tickets, foursomes, sponsors, add-ons. CharityAuctions handles all in one place.
• Define pricing – Foursome, individual, sponsor tiers, mulligans, contest entries.
• Plan registration flow – What info do you need? (Names, handicaps, meal preferences?)

Secure hole-in-one insurance (if offering car or prize)

• Research providers – Hole-in-one insurance companies.
• Get quote – Based on prize value, par 3 yardage, expected participants.
• Purchase policy – Many require 30–60 days before event.
• Confirm rules – Yardage, witnesses, verification process.

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2–4 months before

Send sponsor outreach and secure commitments

• Build sponsor list – Past sponsors, board connections, local businesses.
• Send outreach – Personal email or call. Attach sponsor sheet.
• Follow up – 1–2 weeks after first contact.
• Secure commitments – Contract or signed agreement. Collect logos.

Procure auction items and raffle prizes

• Create wish list – Travel, experiences, gift cards, sports tickets. Silent auction item ideas for inspiration.
• Assign procurement – Committee members or volunteers.
• Reach out to donors – Companies that donate to auctions and businesses that help fundraise.
• Track items – Spreadsheet with donor, item, value, status.

Set up your registration page

• Create event – In your ticketing/auction platform.
• Add products – Foursomes, individuals, sponsors, mulligans, raffle tickets.
• Test checkout – Confirm payment flow works.
• Share link – Ready for promotion.

Order signage, banners, and hole sponsor signs

• Design – Sponsor logos, event name, date. Include logo submission deadline.
• Order – Allow 2–3 weeks for production.
• Hole signs – One per hole. Confirm size with course.
• Banners – Registration, welcome, sponsor wall.

Plan food and beverage

• Breakfast – Pre-round. Coffee, pastries, fruit.
• Turn snacks – Halfway house. Water, snacks, sponsored station.
• Awards dinner – Catering, bar, dessert. Confirm headcount and menu.
• Dietary – Vegetarian, vegan, allergy options in registration.

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6–8 weeks before

Open registration and promote

• Launch – Registration page live. Announce to email list, social, board.
• Promotion cadence – Weekly reminders. Share sponsor list and early registrants.
• Early bird – Discount or incentive for early signup?

Send save-the-date and invitations

• Save-the-date – If not already sent. Date, venue, cause.
• Invitation – Full details. Registration link. Sponsor opportunities.
• Segment – Past players, sponsors, prospects. Different messaging.

Confirm hole sponsors and collect logos

• Follow up – Any sponsors who haven't sent logos.
• Logo specs – High-res, vector preferred. Deadline for print.
• Thank sponsors – Quick note confirming their placement.

Order mulligans, contest entries, and add-on packages

• Define add-ons – Mulligans, string, putting contest, raffle bundles.
• Add to registration – Available at checkout.
• Physical items – Cards, wristbands, or tokens if needed. Order in time.

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2–3 weeks before

Promote auction and raffle items

• Item catalog – Photos, descriptions. Post online or in auction platform.
• Email blast – "Preview our auction items." Link to bid.
• Social – Highlight top items. Create shareable graphics.
• QR codes – For carts and signage. Link to auction.

Finalize foursome list and pairings

• Review registrations – Who's in? Any gaps or odd numbers?
• Create pairings – Balance teams if possible. Honor requests.
• Send pairings – Email or print for day-of. Include tee time and hole.
• Shotgun start – Assign hole to each foursome. Distribute.

Train volunteers on check-in and registration

• Schedule training – 30–60 min. Walk through platform.
• Roles – Who checks in? Who sells raffle tickets? Who staffs contests?
• Scripts – Quick answers for common questions.
• Backup – Who covers if someone is absent?

Print QR codes for check-in and auction access

• Check-in QR – Links to registration/guest list.
• Auction QR – Links to bidding page.
• Print – Laminated or on stands. Multiple copies at registration and key spots.

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1 week before

Send reminder with day-of schedule and parking info

• Email – Date, time, location, parking, what to bring.
• Schedule – Registration, shotgun start, dinner, awards.
• Weather – Rain plan or reschedule policy.
• Contact – Who to call with questions.

Confirm hole-in-one insurance and rules

• Verify policy – Active. Confirm coverage.
• Rules – Yardage, signage, witnesses. Share with course staff.
• Prize – Car, trip, cash. Display at hole.

Prepare awards and prizes

• Trophies – Team winners, longest drive, closest to pin, etc.
• Raffle prizes – Organized, labeled. Ready for drawing.
• Auction items – Packaged for winners. Pickup instructions.

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Day of

Morning setup

• Registration and check-in – Tables, signage, devices, QR codes.
• Place signage – Sponsor banners, hole signs, directional.
• Contest holes – Staff longest drive, closest to pin. Measure and record.
• Raffle table – Tickets, display. Staff assigned.
• Auction – Items displayed. Bidding open. Mobile or tablet ready.

During play

• Monitor pace – Keep groups moving. Course marshal if needed.
• Sell raffle tickets – At registration, turn, clubhouse.
• Contest results – Record winners. Verify for awards.
• Beverage/snack stations – Stocked. Staffed if needed.

After play

• Close auction – Announce final minutes. Close. Notify winners.
• Raffle drawings – Run 50/50, basket, wine pull. Announce winners.
• Awards dinner – Run-of-show. Speeches under 15 min.
• Process payments – Checkout for auction winners. Raffle already paid.
• Thank sponsors – Shout-outs from stage. Thank volunteers.

Post-event (within 48 hours)

• Thank donors – Email. Item donors, sponsors, participants.
• Share results – Total raised. Impact. Photos.
• Reconcile – Payments, expenses. Final report.
• Debrief – What worked? What to improve next year?

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Quick reference: sample timeline

Time	Activity
8:00 AM	Registration & breakfast
9:00 AM	Shotgun start
9:30 AM–2:30 PM	Golf play with contests & games
3:00 PM	Raffle drawings, auction close
4:00 PM	Dinner, awards, and after-party

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Common pitfalls to avoid

• Starting too late – Course and sponsor dates fill. Start 3–6 months out.
• No hole-in-one insurance – If you offer a car or big prize, get insurance early.
• Skipping volunteer training – Untrained staff slow check-in and frustrate guests.
• Vague sponsor benefits – Document exactly what each tier gets. Avoid disputes.
• No rain plan – Know your reschedule policy. Communicate early.
• Overlong awards – Keep speeches under 15 minutes. Guests want to leave.

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More resources

• Golf fundraiser guide – Tournament ideas, ball drop, activities, platform
• Corporate fundraising ideas – Sponsor packages and in-kind
• How to run a raffle fundraiser – Legal requirements, formats
• How to plan your auction – Goals, team, budget
• Charity auction software – Tickets, check-in, raffles, auctions
• Create your event – No credit card required

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This guide is maintained by CharityAuctions. For the full golf fundraiser guide, see golf fundraiser guide. Questions? Talk to our team.