Golf Tournament Time Table

Have you ever been to a golf tournament where you were late because of bad directions, received disappointing tee prizes, didn't get a cart or food because the venue ran out or just didn't have fun? As you are probably aware, these things and worse can happen if your tournament is not planned properly. This timeline is designed to help make sure your next event is perfect.

One Year Prior to Event:
- Select and reserve a golf course to hold your event.
- Determine if you need a director or coordinator for the event.

Nine Months Prior to Event:
- Set a budget for your event.
- Allocate money for food & beverage, gifts, prizes, green fees, carts and photography.
- Put together a guest list and have invitations printed.
- Select event format: scramble, stroke play, match play, etc.
- Get volunteers to help on the day of the event.

Six Months Prior to Event:
- Coordinate food & beverage menus.
- Arrange sponsorship for tee signs and hand-outs, or any other benefactors you may have.
- Select any contests you may want: i.e. hole-in-one, longest drive, closest to the pin, etc.
- Obtain hole-in-one insurance if necessary and select prizes for contests & tournament winners.

Three Months Prior to Event:
- Meet with the tournament director and course staff to finalize course times and banquet facilities.
- Send out invitations that include directions to the course and specific starting times.
- Order any tee prizes, awards, hand-outs and tee signs.

Two Months Prior to Event:
- Check the progress of outside vendors providing tee prizes, awards, giveaways, tee signs, etc.
- Finalize menus and any beverage or snack carts on the course.
- Do a walk-through of the course facilities.
- Tabulate preliminary number of guests based on invitation responses.

Two Weeks Prior to Event:
- Finalize preparations of all tee prizes, awards, giveaways & tee signs and have them delivered to the tournament director or to the course.
- Setup a preliminary player list, begin selecting team captains and flight players according to their ability.

Two Days Prior to Event:
- Finalize layer list and send it to the golf course director.
- Double check any final details with the course.
- Review jobs for volunteer staff and coordinate any timing issues to insure the event runs smoothly; i.e. lunch, dinner, awards ceremony, etc.

Day of the Event
- Arrive at least two hours prior to guests.
- Be ready for any no-shows, cancellations & last minute changes.
- If you are playing in the event, be sure you are in the first group to finish & get back to the clubhouse to check on dinner preparations & awards ceremony.
- Last but not least, don't forget to have fun!