This is game day. You have worked for several months leading up to this day. You want it to be perfect or at least run smoothly. The more that you are prepared for this day the better chance of success you have.
Volunteers – As mentioned before your volunteers are the key to your success, especially the day of the event. Volunteers add excitement to that day but also serve many needed functions. Make sure that you have enough to fill all of your needs. It would be great if you can get all of the volunteers together before the event and have a walk through making sure that they all know where to be and have the answers to all of the questions that golfers may ask.
Volunteers Needed
Here are the volunteers that you will need.
Golf Course Set up – 2 to put up signs and set up awards ceremony
Registration – 6 to manage golfer check in
Spotters – 4 to watch the hole-in-one contests on par 3s.
Water Distribution – 2 to hand out water to the players and act as ambassadors
Photos - 2 to take action pictures of the day
Make sure that you offer the spotters on the contest holes a break.
Course Set up – You will want to make sure that your volunteers are there early to set up the course. Signs, contest holes and goodie bag stuffing.
Check list – Make sure that you have a complete check list for everything that you will need for the day. If you do not have a check list you will forget something.
Registration – The registration is the face of the tournament. It needs to be organized and look inviting.
Photography – Get the photographer there early to take a group picture and set up on a hole to take pictures of each foursome.
Games and Contests – The golf course will help you with contest set up but make sure that everything is in place in advance.
Weather – You will normally plan your event when the weather is good but in the event that it rains what should you do? If the weather is bad enough the golf course will reschedule and give you a makeup day. If you have finished 9 holes and then it starts raining, be prepared with fun games in the awards ceremony like an indoor putting contest.
PACE OF PLAY – The length of a round of golf is a major concern. The biggest complaint of golfers is slow play. A round of golf should be 4 ½ hours and no more than 5. There are many ways to ensure an acceptable place of play. Here are a few.
Golf Course Difficulty – If you understand the golfing ability of your golfers it will help you determine the type of golf course that you choose. You do not want a difficult golf course if you have a bunch of beginner golfers.
Rangers – The golf course will provide you with rangers. These are individuals that keep track of the golfers. Make sure that the Rangers are doing their job and are keeping the golfers moving along. Slower golfers should be asked to skip holes.
Format and Rules – Scrambles are designed to keep up the pace of play. Make the rules clear to golfers in the beginning so that they do not take too much time looking for lost golf balls.
Games and Contests – Too many games and contests can slow play. Four to six is a good number but make sure that you have volunteers running them and keeping up the pace of play.
Spotters – These individuals are strategically placed to watch for golf balls. If you have lots of trees, golfers could spend all day looking for balls.
Fore Caddies – This is a great addition to your event. They not only keep up the pace of play they also make golfers feel like pros. These are individuals that help golfers read the distance to the ball, help read putts, rake the sand traps and serve the players.
Keep up the pace of play. Golfers will have more fun and will not complain at the end of the round.
Sample Schedule
8:00am Volunteer Meeting
8:30am Course Set up
9:30am Golfer Registration
10:00am Golf Clinic on the Range
10:30am Golfer warm up
11:30am Golfer Group Photo
11:45am Golfer to Carts and Instructions
12:00pm Shot Gun Start
5:00pm Awards Ceremony
8:00pm Event Conclusion
