5 Key Communications Overlooked Between Courses and Directors

Tyson Johnson, Regional Tournament Director, Los Angeles and Orange County

There are many points of communication between the course and the tournament director throughout the process of arranging a tournament, but there are a few areas that get overlooked frequently. Player counts, food arrangements, starting times, payments, and registration are some of the pertinent aspects that are usually covered, but don’t forget the following items as well to make sure all your bases are covered.

1. Day-of Contacts – Tournaments happen on all days of the week, and sometimes the employees don’t have the option of what days they work. With that in mind, it is always a good idea to confirm who you will be working with directly on the day of your event. This may be 2 different people, as catering may be run by someone different than the golf coordinator.

2. Contest Markers - It is important to discuss with the day-of contact who will be responsible for picking up the contest markers after the event. Sometimes the tournament volunteers prefer to pick them up, and other times they prefer the golf course staff to gather the markers. Typically the staff will have no problem doing this task for you, but if it is not discussed prior to the tournament date, it can easily be overlooked by both parties, as everyone will be busy with the start of the banquet.

3. Volunteers – When thinking about your volunteers, be sure to consider all aspects of what they will need throughout the day. Along with food, water, a table and chairs, and some shade if possible, one thing commonly forgotten is the transportation and timing to and from the on-course locations. Be sure to inquire as to whether the course will have enough carts for all of your volunteers, and request that these volunteer carts be set aside separate from the players’ carts. This will allow the volunteers to leave for their locations prior to the players. If the course does not have enough carts to offer you this option, you will need to shuttle the volunteers earlier to their destinations, and also shuttle them back at the tournament’s conclusion. Either way, it is better to know ahead of time what the situation is, rather than scrambling last-minute for a solution.

4. Sponsor Signs – Be sure to also make a plan with the course in regards to your sponsor signs. Even though they aren’t too expensive individually to create, if you plan on having any of the same sponsors at next year’s event, you will only be saving money for the bottom line next year. Remember to collect these as soon as possible, as most times, when the maintenance crew begins work early in the morning, any remaining signs are discarded unless the course has been notified otherwise.

5. Prize Storage – During the registration portion of a tournament, typically the auction and raffle prizes are displayed near check-in for the players to peruse. After the tournament begins though, have you thought about where to store the prizes? The banquet room may or may not be an option depending on other booked events, and the set-up time of the room scheduled for your event. Also, don’t forget to consider who will have access to the room throughout the day. Chances are, you have some pretty nice prizes, so make sure to arrange a safe place to keep your items during the round.

All in all, none of these issues would ruin your event by any means. However, planning these things ahead of time with your on-course contact will save you time the day of your tournament, and keep the headaches minimal throughout the day.