This will be our third year having a golf tournament. This fundraiser is run by the men of the organization. They meet at a local restaurant monthly during the year. Each of them is responsible for bringing in two foursomes and this year with a month to go we are sold out. We expect 125 golfers and have made 10k for the past two years. We are a regional catholic middle school servicing 200 children grades 5-8. What is amazing is out of the 125 golfers less then 10% will be parents. This is a great way to target different pockets.. Oh by the way this year we plan on adding 5 items on a silent auction table mostly autographed sports items and plan on hoping to receive another 2k from this.

I have been involved with many but none for schools. The first thing you want to do is contact your golf course and get a greens fee rate from them as well as potential dates. A Saturday or Sunday are best but that is when they are usually busiest. Then decide what kind of tournament you want to have, individual, 2-person scramble, 4-person scramble, etc. Try to find someone in your area who is familiar with golf tournaments to help you set up this part. After securing a date, start getting prizes for the winners. Trophies won't cut it here. Get things like gift certificates from restaurants, golf items and the such. You will need prizes for at least the top 5 in each division. The more prizes you offer, the better your participation will be. The first place prizes should be something really nice. Maybe have a closest-to-the-pin and longest drive contest on certain holes. Contact a local car dealer about sponsoring a car for a hole-in-one on a par 3 hole. They should know how to get hole-in-one insurance in case someone does win the car. Do this early on. If you want to do some leg work you can also sell hole sponsorships to 18 businesses. Pick a price depending on what you think they will pay, $100-$500 per hole. Make sure you place signs at each hole for the sponsor and include them on all press releases and advertising. If the golf course has a restaurant, contact them about having a sandwich, chips and a drink for each player after the round and include that fee in your entry fee. The actual day of the tournament you only need about 4-5 people if that to handle things. There is quite a bit of leg work prior to the tournament but if it is done properly can earn you a couple of thousand dollars.

I have not done one of these (would love to though)but was wondering about just checking with a local golf course to see how they could help you organize this and maybe even help with getting a sponsor to help with expenses. I'm thinking a couple businesses or even parents with their own businesses (I know a Dad in our school with a business out of his home that is always looking for a 'tax break')could lend a hand in trade for advertiseing on the program etc.
I love this idea.........hummmmmmm.

I saw a reference to a golf outing as a fundraiser on a past posting. Since it is usually very difficult to get Dads involved, I thought it would be great to try one as a fundraiser for our new school. I need very specific information on how to get this up and running, how much time it will take, and how we actually raise the funds. thanks