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"The players themselves can be classified into two groups- the attractions and the entry fees." |
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 Asking friends or acquaintances about their experience will likely garner favorable responses. But how about asking the golfers you don't know, particularly the ones playing in the event for the first time? The truth is out there. You just have to know where to find it. Last year I consulted and entertained at more than 30 charity tournaments in Southern California. Since 2001 I've been involved with more than 300 events and have created a database of golfers who sponsor, play and serve on tournament committees. From my database of more than 5,000 golfers I sent 200 questionnaires to golfers who play in more than two events a year. Because I promised responses would be anonymous, I got more than 50 percent to respond to these four questions. WHY DO YOU PLAY IN CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENTS? The top response was supporting the cause or benefiting charity, followed by supporting a friend involved with the tournament, the golf course, entertaining clients and networking. WHAT ATTRACTS TO YOU TO A SPECIFIC CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT? The benefiting charity edged out the golf course as the top response. The location of the event and proximity from work or home was more important than price, with celebrities being the least likely reason someone plays in an event. WHAT BRINGS YOU BACK TO A CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT THE NEXT YEAR? The benefiting charity or cause still leads the way, but the golfing experience - contests, format, on-course activities and banquet, for example - was the second most popular response. Next was the prizes, which edged out the raffle or auction. WHAT KEEPS YOU FROM RETURNING TO A CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT? Poor organization was the overwhelming response, followed by the length of time on the course and being "nickeled and dimed" during the day. The choice of golf course continues to be among the top reasons for and against playing in an event, but the final three responses were surprising: "cheap prizes," "boring banquet" and "entry fee." SUMMARY • Who you're raising funds for is important, especially in how it relates to the universe of available golfers. A small private school will have fewer golfers to draw from than a children's charity helping thousands of students with learning disabilities. • Being linked to someone on the committee still leads to the most players. The success of a charity tournament is directly related to the length and breadth of the committee's rolodex. • Where you play also is important. Playing at a private facility almost always is a bigger draw than a public facility. Upscale daily-fee courses also are good draws as long as the entry fee isn't too restrictive. If you can play a high-end course for $120, it's hard to get $400 as an entry fee. Charging $300 is OK because its for charity, but remember to balance cost and value. • Make sure your event is organized and runs smoothly. If you have 130 golfers, make sure you've allotted enough time for parking, registration, getting clubs on the proper carts and handing out goodie bags, in addition to allowing golfers ample time to eat, warm up on the range and participate in skills contests if they desire. Spend twice as much time as you think you'll need to make sure everybody knows what they're supposed to do before players show up on tournament day. Eric Tracy is also known as The Mulligan Man. He can be reached at Eric@TheMulliganMan.com. |
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