Business Event Planning: Golf Outings and Tournaments

A golf outing is a fun event to host. However, planning it is not an easy task. Planning and executing a large-scale event like this will take time many months. This is why many organizations and corporations hire corporate event planners to take care of the process. With the help of these professionals, hosting a golf outing becomes much more enjoyable for you and the golfers.

One of the first steps in planning any event is to identify your goals. What do you hope to accomplish with this outing? Do you want to raise money? Are you trying to build camaraderie among your staff? Would you like to promote your brand? No matter what your goals, it is important that you clearly identify them with your planner so that she can design an event that will meet or exceed your expectations.

The next step is to determine a date and time for your golf event. You will need to decide whether or not your dates are flexible. Often, you will receive a better price for your venue if you sponsor an event during the week rather than on a weekend. When determining a date and time, you will want to choose days and times that will allow the most people to participate. After all, without participation, you will not be able to fulfill your goals.

Next, you will want to choose a golf course that will be appropriate to the ability levels of all of your players. Choosing a course that is too challenging may intimidate some of your guests and keep them from participating. Be sure to pick a golf course that is centrally located and easy to access. Your event planner will need to speak with the facility coordinator to determine if the food and beverages they provide on-site will be sufficient or if an outside caterer is needed. She will be able to negotiate those contracts so that you get the best price possible.

We have all heard the old adage "image is everything". Take time to visit the golf courses you are most interested in. Be sure that the facility looks appealing and is up to your standards. You are the host of the event so you will want to do everything you can to promote an image of professionalism. Early spring and late fall tend to be the time of year you want to avoid because the greens are not as pretty as other times. Your planner will ask about maintenance schedules so that it does not conflict with your outing or tournament.

As you set your budget, you will want to consider the various expenses involved in this type of event. Most golf courses will charge on a per person basis. A greens fee as well as a cart fee will be charged. Food and beverages are another large expense at these events. You will need to take into account other expenses including prizes, decorations, transportation, marketing/advertising, gratuities for the staff and more. Your event planner will be able to assist you in determining an appropriate budget and will guide you toward choices that will help you stick to that budget.

A golf outing or tournament can be a fun and exciting event for your organization or business. Be sure to enlist the assistance of qualified event planners so your golf event runs smoothly and all of your goals are met.