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Planning a charity golf outing? Before you raise a dollar—or spend one—you need a solid budget. A well-thought-out budget ensures your entry fees and sponsorships are set at the right levels and helps you avoid any costly surprises.
The cost of hosting a charity golf event varies wildly depending on size, location, and how polished you want it to be. A small local tournament can be budget-friendly, while a high-end celebrity classic can rack up serious expenses. Tailor your budget to match your fundraising goals and overall event scale.
The most common charging method is the golf course per-player fee, which includes course rental, green fees, and cart rentals. It may also cover a range of other services like practice facility access. The rate can vary widely depending on the course's prestige, location, and the time of year.
If the course requires a deposit to lock in your date, make sure that’s factored into your early cash flow planning.
In addition, to reserve the entire golf course, you may have to have a minimum number of golfers. If you don't reach this minimum, you may need to cover the cost of the additional golfers to satisfy your minimum.
Many courses require event organizers to meet a minimum food and beverage spending. This can be structured as a per-player rate or an overall minimum amount your event must spend. Negotiating this upfront is important, as food and beverage costs can significantly impact your overall budget.
Don’t forget about service charges, gratuities, or smaller items like bottled water and snacks if you’re handling those separately.
There also may be opportunities to cut costs by supplying your own food and beverage, but some courses may not allow that.
If you plan to use additional spaces at the course for registration, meals, or ceremonies, there may be separate rental fees. These can vary based on the size of the space and the duration of your event.
Some courses may charge extra for the setup and teardown of any special equipment or decorations used during the event. This can include stages, additional seating, banners, and other paraphernalia specific to the event.
Planning to serve alcohol? You may need a temporary liquor permit—unless you’re using the course’s licensed bar. Running a raffle? Some areas require a nonprofit gaming license. Also, check if your venue requires a liability insurance certificate. And if you're offering a hole-in-one prize (like a car or big cash payout), factor in hole-in-one insurance to cover the potential win. These details are often overlooked but can be critical.
If your event requires more staff than usual, such as extra caddies, event coordinators, or security personnel, the golf course might charge additional fees for the extra labor.
If you need special technology (like sound systems, projectors, or lighting) or golf equipment (clubs, extra carts for spectators), these could incur rental fees if not included in the initial package.
Gratuity Charges: Some courses might automatically add gratuity for staff services during large events, which should be clarified during initial discussions. If not, you may still want to tip the support staff who help you run a smooth event.
Trophies, plaques, or medals for winners? Budget for those. Tee gifts or goodie bags for each golfer? Those go here too—unless they’re covered by sponsors. Raffle or auction prizes may need to be purchased if not donated, and even smaller giveaways like gift cards or wine bottles should be accounted for.
Even if you rely on digital marketing, you’ll likely have printing costs—flyers, banners, sponsor signage, or course signs. Don’t forget about invitations, sponsor solicitation letters, and any postage costs. If you’re using an online registration platform, add any associated fees here.
Any signage used to promote sponsors or your cause may come with printing and material costs. Hopefully the cost of any sponsor signage is covered by the sponsor fee, but it'll still need to be taken care of, in some cases before you collect sponsor payment.
Set aside some cash for damages. It's not uncommon for carts to get flipped, rammed into trees, driven through bushes, power slid into a lake, jumped over a sand trap, front-end collision during golf jousting, set on fire in celebration, or run over in a game of car chicken.
Any property, facility, or course damage could result in charges, which you may be on the hook for.
This category covers all the extras: tables, chairs, tents for check-in, a PA system, scoring software, volunteer apparel, or even a photographer. Need shuttles from parking? Add that, too. A buffer for last-minute expenses (think tape, markers, or unexpected rentals) is a smart move.
Understanding the course's cancellation policy is crucial. Weather or other unforeseen circumstances can lead to event cancellations. Ensure you are aware of any potential fees or penalties for canceling or rescheduling your event.
When negotiating with golf courses, it's essential to be clear about what is included in their charges and to ask for a detailed breakdown of all costs.
This transparency helps prevent unexpected expenses and allows for more accurate budgeting. Additionally, leveraging your event's charitable aspect during negotiations may encourage courses to offer more favorable terms or additional perks to support your cause.
GTSTournaments recommends developing a comprehensive budget that includes all potential expenses, such as venue costs, catering, prizes, marketing, and any other logistical considerations. A solid budget helps you set realistic fundraising goals and ensures that more money goes to your cause—not just covering costs.
Here’s how to stretch your budget:
Budgeting isn’t just about keeping costs under control—it’s about making sure your event is a success. The more efficiently you allocate funds, the more money you’ll raise for your cause. Stay flexible, keep an eye on the numbers, and focus on creating a great experience for golfers and sponsors alike.