5 Great Ways to Recognize Tournament Participants

Brittany Kuramoto, Event Sales Director at Yorba Linda Country Club

Whether you are fundraising, friend-raising or hosting an outing to just say “thanks,” it’s important to recognize tournament participants. From your volunteers and donors to the club staff and playing participants, each person involved plays a pivotal role in your tournament success.

A hug, a handshake, and a personal thank-you note are all definite musts, but here are a few other ways to say “Thank You!”

Announcements

You may hear the standard rules and welcome from the Club prior to your start, but don’t be afraid to take over the PA system at some point and give a few shout-outs and welcome while your guests are arriving, registering, and getting ready for the day. If you’re hosting breakfast, lunch, or dinner for everyone, ensure your agenda thanks your participants, donors, and sponsors and you reemphasize your reason for hosting the event.

Presentations

You can print individual, group, and corporate names in a nice program, or consider going green setting this information to scroll or loop via a PowerPoint presentation post-play. Another idea for a big statement is to have have a custom gobo made to project and share on a great wall or entrance. You can also ensure everyone is thanked on your website and on all social media outlets from the moment they agree to partake. Also remember to place these names on solicitation requests or brochures for the following year. And if you’re hosting for a charitable reason, write a press release and submit it to all your local news outlets to share worthy accomplishments, invite folks to join you, and more publicly announce all contributors.

Signage

Don’t forget to put up your banners & posters at registration so that everyone can see upon arrival who is involved. Ensure your tee signs are out and consider other visible markers like feather flag banners, custom flag pins, or a custom logo’d driving range tee divider with help from your Hole-In-One partner. Ask the host course or club if they allow banners or balloons hung on awnings, gates, or backdrops that your golfers will see, including restrooms, locker rooms, the BBQ at the turn, or in hallways. You can also ask if your club liaison will allow signage on the golf carts, whether you can zip tie a corrugated sign on the back of a cart, or look into removable stickers with your top sponsors’ logos.

Gifts

If your budget permits, then a take-home gift can be great too. You can consider: coolers, bags, logo’d golf balls, shirts, headgear, gloves, socks, tools, towels, alcohol, sunscreen, or a souvenir significant to your organization.

Post-Play

Take a minute and pick up the phone to say, “Thank You”, or make a special in-person visit if your schedules permit. Send an email, card, or letter to share your thanks and provide your participants with an update to how the day went, and remind them you’ll be in touch to announce the next time everyone will be golfing again. You may use SurveyMonkey or print a brief survey for completion, as your participants’ feedback is invaluable and can be used to grow and improve your next event and ensure that everyone returns.

Take these ideas, make them your own, and tie them to your cause! If you're looking for extra help or advice, or are planning a tournament in the Orange County area, you can always contact me for help. Cheers and happy planning!