Fun Ways to Keep Cool During a Summer Golf Tournament

Selina Cothran, Los Coyotes Country Club

With warmer weather and longer days, summer is a great time to host a summer golf tournament. But hot weather can also lead to serious concerns for players like heat stroke, sunburn, and dehydration. To avoid these problems during your upcoming golf tournament, here are some fun ways to keep cool and have a blast at your next summer golf tournament.

Sprinkler Holes

Remember when you were a kid and there was nothing better than running through a sprinkler on a hot day? Bring that fun back at your tournament by setting up a few sprinkler holes that cool down your guests as they play.

Water Balloon Fight!

On certain holes (mind the debris, of course!), you can fill on-cart coolers with water balloons or have buckets of water balloons on the tee box for golfers to use on their group or on other golfers.

Squirt Guns

Give water-filled guns to volunteers to cool off players around the course or have volunteers stationed at holes for a surprise attack.

Dunk Tank

If you don’t think your golfers will go for being attacked by water balloons, squirt guns, or sprinklers, then let them take matters into their own hands. Set up a dunk tank on a designated hole and let volunteers sign up to get dunked. Teams can have the lowest-scoring member of the team climb in. If it is a company outing, get management in the hot seat. You can also use the tank to raise money for your cause by selling tickets to throw balls. Put your rival school’s mascot, a competing business, or a celebrity guest in the tank to raise interest.

Hydration Stations

Staying hydrated is the most important precaution to overheating your guests can do. While many tournaments give out beer or have alcohol sponsors on the course, non-alcoholic drinks like water and juice should be provided as well. Set up buckets with ice and drinks on the tee box or have beverage carts to distribute on the course. You want to make sure your golfers have a good time while being safe.

Cool Treats

Get a sponsor to donate cool treats to pass out at registration, on the course, or at the turn. Ice cream sandwiches, malts, snow cones, and shaved ice are all great mobile options.

Remember, It's All About Fun

Golf tournaments are about raising money and having fun, but water play may not be for everyone. If players do not want to get wet but you still want to add a few water options to the tournament, give notice to your players and let them put a sign or flag on their cart to indicate that they do not want to participate in the water holes. Putting cold towels on the carts and refreshing them at the turn is another great way to lower body temperatures without getting drenched.