| Hosting a mini golf tournament is a great | | | | will bring them customers such as two-for-one |
| fundraiser for school clubs, youth sports | | | | coupon given to all players. Or, a business |
| teams, church groups, and cheerleading | | | | could offer a prize to everyone who beats a |
| squads. It's great fun and done right, a mini | | | | certain score or gets a hole in one on the |
| golf fundraiser can raise considerable funds. | | | | 18th hole. |
| | | | |
| Getting started | | | | Besides sponsorships, you can also ask |
| | | | businesses to donate items or services to use |
| You will need to arrange a place to play and | | | | as prizes for lowest score, best bank shot, |
| that's best done well in advance. Seasonal | | | | etc. |
| factors will affect price and availability, | | | | |
| but most of the time you can arrange either a | | | | Fundraising activities |
| flat payment for exclusive facility use or a | | | | |
| per game fee that's substantially lower than | | | | There are lots of activities you can include |
| standard rates. | | | | at your mini golf tournament to raise funds. |
| | | | Your group can sell raffle tickets for a |
| To maximize attendance, price your golf event | | | | donated prize or, lacking a suitable prize, |
| tickets at reasonable prices. Offer | | | | conduct a 50/50 cash raffle where the winning |
| attractive variations like a flat-rate family | | | | ticket gets half the raffle sales amount. |
| ticket or discounts for students or advance | | | | |
| purchases. | | | | Food and drink sales is another source of |
| | | | potential profits. With course owner |
| Publicity | | | | permission, you could even run your own |
| | | | concession stand offering grilled hot dogs, |
| Once you have a date booked, you will need to | | | | hamburgers, sodas, etc. |
| publicize your event. To get the word out, | | | | |
| put together a press release and get it the | | | | You can also offer silent auctions of donated |
| major media outlets in your market. Keep the | | | | goods and services. Place the items along |
| focus on the most newsworthy aspect of your | | | | with attractive descriptions and bid sheets |
| mini golf tournament, such as why you are | | | | on tables near high-traffic spots. Be sure to |
| raising funds and what the ultimate benefit | | | | tape down paper and pens to make it easy for |
| of your golf fundraiser will be. | | | | players to get in a quick bid while still |
| | | | holding their putter. |
| For example, if you are raising funds to help | | | | |
| a specific person with medical expenses, | | | | And don't forget to ask for donations. You |
| feature that person's story in the press | | | | can oftentimes raise a considerable amount |
| release. If you are raising funds for a | | | | just by placing a jug labeled donations right |
| cause, focus your story angle on the positive | | | | next to where players pay for their rounds. |
| effect those dollars will provide. | | | | |
| | | | Summary |
| And don't forget to use posters in store | | | | |
| windows, community newsletters, email, and | | | | A mini golf fundraiser is fantastic fun and |
| other methods to stimulate interest in you | | | | can be a very profitable event if done right. |
| golf tournament. | | | | Maximize your turnout through getting plenty |
| | | | of advance publicity. |
| Profit tips | | | | |
| | | | Employ multiple fundraising activities to |
| One way to raise funds is to get local | | | | generate additional funds. Conduct raffles |
| businesses to sponsor a hole. Keep the prices | | | | and silent auctions or run your own |
| reasonable, such as $25 to $75 per hole. | | | | concession stand. Offer prizes for low scores |
| Sponsors would get signs acknowledging their | | | | or conduct a hole-in-one contest. |
| contribution beside each putting tee. | | | | |
| | | | Make your event as much fun as possible and |
| Think like a business person and encourage | | | | you'll be surprised at how well you do with |
| sponsors to offer something creative that | | | | your mini golf fundraiser! |