Menu

Junior Golf

  • Golf baseball (G-Ball) – teaches face control and distance control – played with foam (flight restricted) golf ball
  • Beanbag Toss – teaching weight transfer
  • Athletic Skill Development – Ladder Drills, sports ball toss, athletic obstacle course
  • Box Game – place on green at various distances with padding on bottom so balls don’t bounce out – prizes associated with difficulty/distance required! Juniors have designated balls (logo, initials, color, etc.) to identify the various winners!
  • Snag Golf – Baseball with the SNAG equipment! Can also do a Homerun derby – set up a fence that they try to hit it over!
  • Putting Combine – Distance and Direction practice – Also “Putter Tag” – players try to hit another player’s ball when it is their turn – played in a restricted area of putting green.
  • Little Linksters – 3–6-year-old clinics once per week
  • Line Putting Game – place piece of rope at different distances from the juniors – all putt from the same place – if you go past the line you are out and the person who is shortest is also out – continues until you have a winner
  • “Knockout” Putting Game – first student putts and if they make it, they return to the back of the line. If they miss, they step to the side and wait to see if the next person makes the putt. If so, they are knocked out, if they miss, that person returns to the back of the line.  The game continues until 1 player is left.
  • Use of alignment rods with noodles placed over them – set up 10 yards apart at 20,40,60,80 and 100 yards – juniors asked to hit shots that stayed between the noodles. Focus on straight ball flight
  • Charlie Hall Tournament & banquet – 150 players ranging from 7 to 18; 2-day juniors tournament followed by awards banquet. Banquet included dinner, awards, presentations, speakers, and Charlie Hall video – 30-minute themed video made with commercials, short stories, and swings of every junior golfer in the field.
  • Poison – Done on a practice green with six holes. Each hole is numbered with a flag. An order of play is established. Golfer putts into the first hole.  Once they made it into one hole, they would move on to the next.  Whenever they made a putt they would go again.  If they hit another ball they would also go again. If they ricocheted off another ball and into the hole, they got two extra turns. Any ball that went into the wrong hole is out and if they hit a ball or another’s ball into the rough, they were out.  Once they finish making all the putts, they are considered poison and can then go after other people.  If a non-poison ball hits a poison they are out. The last ball standing is the winner.
  • Golf Course etiquette – Take kids out onto the course in a large golf cart and teach them golf course etiquette.
  • PGA Junior League – like little league, kids received uniforms and played matches against other clubs.
  • Water Balloon Tee it up – Kids tee up water balloons and hit them after learning the basics.
  • 5-hole mini golf course set up on the driving range.
  • Bunker Bucks – Junior golfers were given Bunker Buck vouchers when they won contests over the course of the summer. At the end of the summer, the staff went to the store “Five Below” and purchased $200 worth of goods.  The kids would then use their Bunker Bucks from the summer camp to buy prizes from these goods.  This is a good incentive for the juniors to focus during camp and encourage them to come back.
  • Golf Baseball with snag equipment and a tennis ball – Set up three bases and put a tee mat at the home. The kids then use a club to hit it off the tee and are out when they are touched by the tennis ball.
  • Garb event day – Garb clothing company was invited and came in their custom jeep. The jeep was equipped with screens and speakers for entertainment and housed inventory of Garb Junior Golf Clothing.  Activities were setup around the short game area for juniors and parents were encouraged to stay.  There was also a discount on all Garb apparel in the pro shop.
  • Junior Club Skills Championship – Chipping, putting, long drive, and closest to the pin. The children were split up into 3 categories 5-9, 10-12, and 12. The juniors rotated through each station trying to get as many points as they could.
  • Mini holes – Using the first two holes on the course, maintenance cut 10-inch cups in the middle of the fairways creating five holes for the younger kids to play. The five holes were played when the tee-sheet for regular play was slow.  This was a good way to keep the kids interested in the program while still teaching them golf course etiquette.
  • Roll it over the spot – This putting drill requires the golfer to lay a coin or ball marker on the green (preferably a spot with minimal break) and attempt to putt the golf ball over the spot. The golfer is given 5 attempts and a score is calculated depending on how many times the golf ball was rolled over the marker.  The golfer can putt from various distances to earn more points. 3 feet = 1 point, 5 feet = 2 points, 9 feet = 5 points, 12 feet = 10 points.  Whoever has the most points at the end of competition is the winner. There is an option to play several rounds so the golfer can accumulate more points.
  • Indoor Putting Obstacle Course – This was used during junior camp when it was raining outside. Use different props from snag golf and other training aids to create the course. 2-3 snag putters/pitching wedges and golf balls. ladder to have them work on speed and coordination. Contests with prizes for the winning team. Used cones and soccer balls to incorporate coordination. Fast paced and fun for kids to do on rainy days. Indoors away from membership (could be loud). Kept kids moving while incorporating golf and friendly competition.
  • Rainy Day Jr. Golf alternative activity – Asked kids to draw their ideal golf hole. The pictures would be judged and give prizes for the most realistic, most creative, craziest etc.
  • Glow in the dark putt-putt – We did this every Thursday evening for boarding campers. Thursday night was the last night at camp, so we held this fun activity before the campers went home. The junior golf staff spent $50 in bulk glow sticks and set up a putt-putt course on the back range putting green.  This also was a campus staff bonding event during set up and brainstorming ideas for creative shapes.
  • Watermelon Drive – Junior golfers were challenged to try to hit a golf ball through the watermelon that was in front of them. The juniors loved the challenge and had a lot of fun.  Supplies were a watermelon and a stake to support them.
  • Angry Birds – Real “Angry Bird” dolls were placed on large range baskets at different heights for different point values. Three groups of 2 would take turns trying to knock the angry birds off the baskets with their chip shots.
  • Juniors golf trip – take the junior program on a short golf trip. If in Wisconsin, Lake Geneva is a great area with several golf courses in an area. Students love getting out together and staying away from home. Could do a skills challenge in the morning hours and play 18 holes at different courses in the afternoons.
  • Water balloon fight – On the last day of camp or the hottest day of camp, host a water balloon fight and allow the juniors to soak the pros.
  • Kids demo day – This event took place in early August on the range from 1-3. A US Kids club fitter came, offered club fittings and had all the newest clubs.  We had snag golf set up and Garb rig Jeep came and set up on the range playing music and had big break challenges.  A makeshift juniors clothing line was set up on the range.
  • Bucket Golf – Juniors hit range balls into buckets located at 10, 20, and 30 yards with a point value attached to each bucket. 10 yds = 1 point, 20 yds = 2 points, 30 yds = 3 points. Whomever has the most points after five minutes wins a free ice cream cone during pool time. We typically went for 4-5 rounds of this.
  • Golf Relay – Divide your juniors into groups so there are no more than 10 people in each group. All kids would have to stand in their team’s box (created by turf paint) until it was their turn. One junior from each group would go at a time and hit a “almost golf ball.” Then they would run back to the box and sit down.  We would use a point system to keep the kids focused. We gave points for the longest shot, balls inside the targets, and the first team to finish. One of the staff was always supervising and teaching the kids hitting the balls. They would have to show proper setup and grip before they could hit the ball.
  • Take home notebook – Each junior golfer received a special notebook with a pre camp skills evaluation, lesson play, rules, swing theory, and etiquette.
  • 4 Corners – Putting drill where we could see how many putts in a row the juniors could make. In four directions out from the hole on the putting green, we set up a ball at the 6-inch mark, 1 foot, 1.5 foot, 2 feet etc. As the kids build their confidence, they made longer putts.
  • Cow Pasture Pool – There are 4 teams and 4 balls per team. Each team has their own color of golf ball and there is one lone ball which usually has a cow pattern.  The “course” is located on a putting green.  Using yarn, set up a 5 yard by 5-yard square around the hole.  All golf balls are dropped randomly within the square. Taking turns, each team must hit all their balls into the hole and then (just like pool with the 8 ball) they must hit in the cow ball.  Also, like pool, if you make a putt you can hit another one of your balls, if you miss, it’s the next person’s turn.  You must play your furthest ball out at every turn.  You may bump other balls (so the game can get quite interesting)!
  • Battle Golf – Match play tournament where each match was battle golf. If a player won a hole, they had the option to take a club from their opponents’ bag or to take one of their clubs back that had been previously taken from them.
  • Big Break Skills Challenge – At the end of each Jr. Golf week, the kids are broken into two teams, the teams face off in a big break skills challenge where activities include a match play style 3-hole mini golf competition, a chipping competition where points are awarded based on distance to the hole, a bunker competition, and lastly the kids favorite, Break the Paper. Paper is attached to hula hoops and from 10 yards away, kids take turns hitting shots and points are awarded when shots break the paper.  A non-golf related obstacle course was set up as a warm-up.
  • Bunker Drill – For at least two teams. Mark a line in the sand where everyone must hit behind.  Mark another line in the grass behind the bunker for the teams to wait for their turn.  This will reduce injury chances.  Each junior is to be in a line behind the bunker allowing only one person in the bunker at a time.  When the instructor says start, the 1st player must keep hitting a ball until it leaves the sand then they run back to the end of the line.  Once they leave the bunker the next person in line may go.  Continue until each junior has completed.
  • Bowling and Breaks – To teach kids how to begin reading a green with undulation, get a Playskool plastic bowling set. Set up the pins at the bottom of a hill or large break on the green. Have the kids line up on the other side of the green.  Give them the plastic bowling ball and instruct them to roll the ball directly at the pins.  The kids will quickly notice that the breaks on the green affects the direction of the ball.  As they try again, they adjust for the break of the green. This activity teaches kids the basic idea of reading greens at a young age without any complicated explanation.
  • Multi-sport Camp – Hold a weeklong golf camp that includes golf, tennis, and aquatics. by not restricting the camp to one sport it is much easier to keep the attention of the kids in the summer heat.
  • Tic-Tac-Toe – set up two or three tic-tac-toe boards with tape on the putting green. The kids need two different colored balls.  Taking turns, each junior tries to put into a space that will allow him to win the game. This is a great way to teach ball control.
  • In the Bunkers – In teaching kids how to focus on taking up more sand in the bunkers and not just the ball, I took the balls away and asked them to stand in a line. Then ask them to swing and splash the instructor with sand.  It was a face full of sand but after just a couple of swings, the kids understood how to hit a successful bunker shot.
  • Mellow Mash – Each junior is given a marshmallow and a tee. One at a time they tee up their marshmallow and see who can hit if the furthest. None of the juniors think the marshmallow will fly as far as it does which makes it fun and surprising.
  • Home-Run Derby – Place a towel on the driving range at a fair distance. Then divide the campers into two teams and have each player take turns hitting a tennis ball off a lie-board with their 7-iron.  The ball must be hit past the towel in the air for it to count as a homerun.  Each team was allowed eight outs per round.  The game would last about three rounds and the team with the most points received a prize.
  • Awards – this may seem like a no brainer, but kids need incentives and giving out awards motivates them. Awards could be “Best Chipper”, “Best Driver”, “Best Putter” etc.
  • Trick Shots – incorporate trick shots into junior golf camp. A staff member takes a club from the smallest junior golf club set and tries to hit a golf ball with it. If the kids were more accurate to a flag and could out drive the staff member, they received a prize. Do a left-handed shot. Practice trick shots to keep the kids interested and intrigued.
  • Pool Targets – Purchase small kiddie pools then spray paint them with cool designs that the kids will like. Place them at different yardages to act as targets.
  • Junior Putting Championship – During each week of junior camp construct a mini-golf course. Organize an age group for the kids to compete in. Each junior’s best score is compared to the other participants in respective age groups and the winner receives a personalized trophy. Winners are also posted in the club newsletter.
  • Bullseye – The most successful junior golf activity we did was a target-oriented game. We parked two golf cars 30 yards apart and tied a string across the two roofs to connect the two.  The carts were parked in front of the practice tee.  Then 4×3 pieces of poster board with bullseyes drawn on them were attached to the string.  The kids were awarded points for hitting the bullseye.
  • Junker Car – one of the highlights of junior week was when we brought in an old, junked car and parked it in the middle of the driving range for the kids to hit. The kids had a blast watching shots ricochet off the car or break a window.  The car was donated to us by a local junk yard and in return we offered the owner of the junkyard a free lesson and round of golf.

Back to Top

Tournament Format

  • Parent Child 9 & 18 Scramble
  • Firecracker Fun on the 4th – Where permitted, light firecracker every time a birdie or better is made!!
  • “Derby Days” – 2-man teams – 90% of handicap – best ball versus the field – flighted at end – Calcutta prior to start. (Winnings 50/50 split – GC + cash)
  • National Pro-Am – Professional plays own ball and team plays one best ball.
  • Charity Golf Marathon – 12 players all playing 100 holes for money pledged/hole played – could also be used for raising money for the junior program or junior scholarships by PGA/Golf Shop Staff.
  • Bar Wars Open – Invite local establishments to field a 4-person team for a scramble event – winner gets trophy and bragging rights for a year at “their bar”.
  • Couples themed nights like “Duck Dynasty” or “Hawaiian”. Groups were encouraged to come in early and decorate their golf cart.  Best decoration won a prize. The drink cart drove all evening with pina coladas and margaritas.
  • Ladies “Margaritaville” Member/Guest – all types of flavors of Margaritas and each team has a uniform for the theme! Music is all Jimmy Buffet.
  • 4th of July Closest to the Flag Contest – Each chance is $5. Proceeds go to Patriot Golf. Winner gets a Framed US Flag. Second gets a framed state flag.  Third gets a framed club logo flag.
  • Round Robin – All teams are ranked by combined handicap and separated into six different flights. Strokes were still given to make up any differences. The course consisted of three nine-hole courses. Saturday, play three different matches of each of the nines. Sunday, play two nine-hole matches so every team played the other five teams in their flights once. Points were awarded for how well individuals did. At the end of the weekend the highest point totals were awarded 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. The format was two-man best ball match play.
  • Interclub challenge – two-man best ball match play – A team of twelve men from one club would play a team from another club. Two rounds, one at each club.  Strokes were given for handicap purposes. Teams played for bragging rights over another club.
  • Member/Guest – 3 flights of 9 teams. Each team played a 9-hole match against each of the other teams in their flight. The two-person teams would play a low-ball low total match against the others. The winning team from each flight would then do a shoot-off to decide the overall winner while the rest of the players watch. The shoot-off consisted of the players shooting from certain yardages depending on their handicaps and finishing to the hole.  The higher the handicap the closer they are.
  • Member Guest Clambake – This member guest was held on one day. One member and three guests for a team of four.  Format is one gross score and one net score from the group.  Food and beverage had two bars set up throughout the 27 holes as well as grills around the course to cook seafood.
  • Governor’s Invitational – 2-day member/guest. Teams would play 9-hole matches against all the teams in their flight.  The winners of all the flights and one wildcard team would be entered into the horse race.  The wildcard will be the team with the most points that did not win their flight.  Members would then be able to bet on the team that they believed would win the event. The horse race would be 4 holes long eliminating teams until there is one remaining.
  • Place your bets – Weekly members tournament where members paid $20 to participate then placed bets on who they thought would come in the top 10 for the tournament.
  • Cape Cod theme – Staff dressed in shorts, sandals and golf shirts untucked. The tee markers were lobsters. Following the tournament, there was an open bar and putting contest set up with wooden toy boats and other cape cod themed items.
  • Twilight tournament – tournament included a cigar tasting and offered a professional cigar roller on three holes using different tobaccos.
  • Three kings and a queen – Each team was made up of 3 male members and one female member. The women chose the men, and everyone dressed up: ladies as queens and men as kings (or whatever the queen asked them to wear). One of the best events at the club.
  • Play with the Pro – Each assistant and lead pro would make themselves available for 3 different dates to play with 3 different groups of members. The goal is to get the lowest score.  This works well because the members were able to interact with the pro as well as get some golf tips on the course.
  • Summer classic – The course is set up so 9-holes is on one side of the road and 9 on the other side. The tournament is a three-day member guest.  There are 6 flights based off team handicap.  You play team matches vs. different teams within your flight for nine-hole matches. Teams play two matches the first day, three matches the second day, and two matches the final day.  Some teams do three, two, third day the team in each flight with the most match points wins the flight.  This tournament was created by the master professional years ago and has been a success ever since.
  • Member’s choice – Members chose the tournament format but the format was different every nine holes. This allowed for a variety of formats and was more fun for the players.
  • Callaway Scoring – Regular stroke play four-man team tournament using the Callaway scoring system. This system was very effective and seemed to be enjoyed by all the participants.
  • Bag Piper (men’s member/guest) – Eight 9-hole matches over 3 days and each hole was worth one point. the Team with the most points won.
  • Red Ball Tournament – Each team of four has 1 red ball. Alternate who plays the red ball each hole. Only the red ball score counts and if you lose the red ball, that team is out. This was played as a 9-hole event.
  • British Open Sunday – This was a men’s Sunday morning tournament played on British open Sunday. Each golfer selects a player in the British open to be their “partner” for the day.  the two scores are added for the combined score in a stroke play event.
  • Soccer Promotion – A local soccer club was invited to a 4-person team scramble. The cost was $1,000/team. On every hole a player was allowed to kick a soccer ball as their mulligan.
  • Twilight – There were 6 teams of 3 and 1 pro in every group. 9-hole event on Wednesdays. The team names were all professional baseball teams and a different team played each other in match play each week. When you win a match, you earn 6 points for your team. A tie is 1 point per team. At the end of the event, which lasts June and July, the team with the most points came out on top with $500 credit to spend in the golf shop. Recommend changing the tournament format every week to mix things up.
  • The Heroes Tournament – a tournament held in honor of police officers and firefighters who died serving, and who are currently serving. The tournament was held for two days, with all available staff working both days. It is our most successful tournament each year.
  • 4 Man Worst Ball Scramble – On a four-man team, each player hits their own ball, and the group plays the worst ball (worst ball is defined as the ball that is farthest away from the centerline of the fairway/hole). This format involves every player in the group and helps get every player 100% involved both mentally and physically in the tournament. This format could be improved if the format was progressive: On hole 1, the worst ball is played.  On hole 2, the second-to-the worst ball is played on hole 3, the third- to- worst ball is played, and on hole 4 the best ball is played.
  • Founders Cup – 12 flights with 10 two-man teams. Each team plays 11 matches within their flight.  On Sunday, the teams in each flight with the most points come out of their flight to make up the championship flight.  The format changes to alternate shot and all twelve teams tee off the first tee.  After the conclusion of the first hole, the 6 teams with the lowest scores move on to the second hole.  Again, alternate shot takes place, and the 4 lowest scores move onto the 3rd hole.  The two lowest scores after 3 play the 4th and final hole to decide the winner of the Founders Cup.
  • Divorce Open – Husband and wife play in a foursome with another couple, but switch spouses. The format is a handicap better ball format.
  • The Last Bash – This tournament was held at the end of every golf season and the format was a five person dice scramble. Every member on the team is assigned a number for the entire round leaving one number for a free pick.  When each member hits their tee shot, the dice is rolled and the number on the dice is the drive that is to be used.
  • Men’s League Varied Format – Each week for the men’s league, the golf staff would come up with a different format. One week they would play from the ladies’ tees, the next from tips, the next week they would take out a club each time they finished a hole. During NBA play-offs each player would get a “free throw” during the round, best ball, scramble, shamble, alternate shot.  Due to the varied format, which was announced the day of the tournament, the players really enjoyed it.
  • Horserace – Tournament for the top 12 players at the club (determined by handicap). The players all played together for 6 holes with the high scores being eliminated after each hole. The best part was the racetrack style bets.  Odds were given to each player and the whole club turned out to place bets.
  • Tradition of the Game – It was the 80th anniversary for the club, so the club held a scramble format tournament that was themed. Everyone dressed in old style golf clothes.  The men wore knickers, and the women wore dresses that would have been popular 80 years prior.  On two of the par 3’s everyone was required to hit wooden clubs that would have been used back in the day. The rules were also changed to the rules from back then.  The members loved the event so much they want to do it every year.
  • Travis Invitational – Everyone’s favorite format is the 9-hole series of flighted match play rounds conducted during member-guest. It sells out on the first day of sign-ups. After all 72 teams are put into flights of 6 two-man teams, the 18-hole course has a pro on #1 & #10 starting the matches that run all day.  The short 9-hole matches allow for every team in the flight to play each other and each match is points for the number of holes won in the 9.  Once the final day comes, the teams with the highest number of points play winners of other flights not in shear golf but a shootout on a par-3 hole.
  • Beat the intern – For the women’s league, the best ball score of the women’s groups would be compared with the best ball score of the interns for a tournament. This was a fun competition for the ladies because they wanted to beat the young guys.
  • Red, White, and Blue – Format is an 18-hole individual stroke play event. The players would have to tee off from the red tees, which are the ladies’ tees, and would play to a red flag which was located on the front of the green.  they would then play from the white tees, which are the senior tees, and play to the white flag which was in the middle of the green.  Lastly, they would play from the blue tees, which were the back tees, and play to the blue flag on the green.  You would play in that order and then start all over again until you completed the 18 holes.  The tees were coordinated on every hole to either make them challenging or easier to see low scores.
  • Mix it up – The golf course was completely changed the night before and every hole now has a new challenge to enjoy tackling. For instance, one hole may have tractor tires on the green, a tractor in front of the green, a tennis ball to use instead of a golf ball, a lefty golf club to use etc.  There are two primary teams that are split up into pairs of two, making foursomes.  The winning team received shop credit.
  • Rubber band – the ladies enjoyed this format. Ladies would be given a colored rubber band to wear.  When teams were divided out, no lady in each group would have the same color. They would play the hole and the score that counted for that group would be the score of the lady with the rubber band that matched the color on the flag stick.  This continued for each hole.
  • You’ve Got Mail – This was an 18-hole ladies’ event. Each tee had a mailbox with a letter in it for the ladies to open. The letter had directions to follow that hole, for example: tee off from the 150 for this hole; Take an extra tee shot; remove one stroke from your score; play a scramble for this hole. The ladies would place the letter back into the mailbox for the next group and move on.
  • Bingo, Bango, Bongo – The way that this format works is that each player’s aim is to get the most points. To be rewarded with points, players accomplish one of these achievements: The first player in a group to get his ball on the green gets a point (Bingo); The player in the group whose ball is closest to the pin once all balls are on the green gets a point (Bango); The player in the group who is first to hole out gets a point (Bongo). You could also set up a bonus system where people can buy a ticket to play an extra game such as the following: There are three circles on the green.  If the player hits into one of the circles from the tee they will receive an extra point.
  • Club to Club Competition – Three clubs compete against each other in several sports that are offered at each club. The golf aspect can be played as two-man best ball match play.  The teams have the option of playing golf several days in several locations or they could compete one day in a chosen location.  Each match is awarded a point value for win, lose, or tie, and the points are added to the club’s overall points to combine with the points earned in other events to determine a winner.
  • Rank Us – This tournament would use handicaps to rank the players A, B, C, D, and E on each 5-man team. A’s would play a singles match. B’s and C’s played alternate shot, and D’s and E’s played best ball match.
  • Pumpkin Open – This event consisted of two-man teams; the format was scramble. The entire course played as a par 3 course. Tee boxes were placed in crazy areas where the players would never expect to play a shot from, under a tree, in other fairways, etc.  The winners received a giant pumpkin and shop credit.
  • Flag Day – Player takes the course par and adds their course handicap to it. When they reach that shot total, they plant their flag where the ball is laying.  Player whose flag is the farthest along the course wins.
  • 4-man cha cha cha – Each member of the team plays his or her own ball throughout. A 3-hole rotation is used to determine how many scores are used to create the team score. First Hole (cha) – the one low ball score is counted.  Second hole (cha cha) – the two low ball scores combined count as the team score. Third hole (cha cha cha) – the three low balls combined count as the team score.  The rotation starts over on the fourth hole.
  • Pro Auction – For a yearly pro-member tournament, the head golf professional would invite other nearby pros to play. An auction was held to determine which pro would play with which threesome. The pros would have an individual event for the auction money. The four-man teams would also have a better ball match going on.  The better ball event would be net.
  • Drunken miller SWAT Party – Five-man team players are rated 1-5. Each team has a 1,2,3,4, and 5 player.  Points are awarded for pars, birdies, and eagles.  Different values depending on what number player makes it.
  • Iron-man – For this tournament, you need at least 3 18-hole courses. Teams start teeing off at one of the three courses at 6am.  They would then play three rounds of 18 holes throughout the day: each round on a different course.  An outside entity brought in electric scoring so players could see what was always going on. The format was stroke-play with handicapped flights.
  • It’s a Shore Thing – For the ladies’ member guest, the format was a step-aside scramble. You have all four ladies in a group tee off.  You pick one of the drives and the other three ladies play a shot from that spot.  The person whose ball got picked “steps aside” and does not hit the next shot.  You would do that until the group holes out.  The women loved it and it involved all the women rather than one person’s ball always being played.
  • Cross Country Tournament – This tournament was set up on a 36-hole facility. The director used all 36 holes to create a unique 18-hole cross country tournament.  The members loved it because they used all the golf holes and some of the holes were very long, creative, and challenging. The event was a stroke play; perhaps it would be more enjoyable as a two-man best ball tournament.
  • Choose the Best Score – For the men’s stage day, we used the format of 1 score used on the Par 5’s, 2 scores used on par 4’s, and 3 scores used on par 3’s. This format went over very well with everyone who played because they could play their own ball.
  • 70’s 9 & Dine – For one week, during 9 and dine league, couples came dressed in 70’s attire. On one hole there was a closest-to-the-“love bug” toy car in the middle of the fairway.  On the last hole, everyone had to hit their drive with a persimmon wood. Each flag had a question from that era and each couple turned in their answers at the end of the round.
  • Backwards Scramble – Basically it was a four-man scramble however the golf course was played backwards. Tee markers were set up next to 18 green and players would play to 17 green.  Tee markers were set up next to 17 green and players would play to 16 green and so on.  Players really seemed to enjoy the format because it is something completely new from almost everyone.
  • Only 6 Count – The format was to pick 6 holes (three on the front 9 and three on the back 9). Whoever had the best combined score for those 6 holes won.  the holes were picked randomly after the tournament had started.  1st, 5th, 10th, and 20th place were paid out just to keep things interesting.

Back to Top

Golf Shop Promotion

  • Ladies Member/Guest – clear all men’s items out and create an all-ladies shop!
  • “Buy a $35 Hot Dog and Get a FREE Round of Golf!” – adjust per season
  • Brand of the Week – Feature one brand per week at a discount.
  • Roll the Dice – cube with 1-4 on the different sides – guest roles twice and receives discount from 11% – 44%! Holiday Promotion or for Special Events.
  • 4th of July – Everything Red White & Blue in the shop is rounded up and organized in one large display – everything is on sale for a specified % off.
  • Ladies Member/Guest Envelope sale – discounts inside the envelope from 10-75% off.
  • Daily Shop – Rearranged the golf shop every night to draw more attention to merchandise. Made new displays and put out more product every day.  Brought in FJ shoe trunk show and could have customer order shoes for 20% off with free drop shipping. Scotty Cameron $50 off sale.
  • Member Pricing – All price tags had the retail price listed as well as a member price which was 20% lower than the retail price. This made the members feel special.
  • Buy one shirt and get the second for ½ off
  • Discount spinning wheel – members spun the discount wheel to determine what their discount would be.
  • Ball Upgrade – Every person in the member/guest was given a dozen DT SoLo golf balls with the option of upgrading them in the golf shop for $20 to ProV1’s. Almost every person took advantage of the offer.
  • Spend a minimum – When members spent $200 or more, they were given two free sleeves of personalized golf balls.
  • Balloon discount – Balloons are blown up with small pieces of paper inside indicating the discount each customer will receive. Discounts range from 10% off to 50% off. Customers pick out a balloon and pop it to reveal the discount they will get on their merchandise.
  • Ladies Day – discount on anything pink in the pro shop.
  • Double wager – During the member/guest, we set up a contest on a par 3. Players would place a cash wager on whether they could hit the green when they teed off.  Players that hit the green received double the amount of their wager in golf shop credit.
  • Holidays means sale days – to keep merchandise moving, every season and holiday was celebrated with a sale, even Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Use seasonal props to give the shop a fresh and inviting look all the time.
  • Christmas Party – All merchandise was moved into the club house for the end of the year sale. Food and drink were served, and a FJ rep was available to place orders at a discount. Each customer was given a discount card at the register that they could use to get a deeper discount.
  • Sidewalk Sale – Tables were set up on the sidewalk outside for the ladies’ locker room during the ladies’ member guest tournament. All soft goods were clearly marked at 50% off.  The sale was always successful because it was in a convenient location and it was marked at a great discount.
  • Rainy Day Special – If the weather does not permit you to play golf there is an automatic 15% discount on all items in the golf shop. This promotional went on all year long.  It was a great opportunity to bring in sales on a day when the course does not expect a lot of revenue.
  • Buy big item get a ? – Promote buying Adidas shoes and get an Adidas shirt. When clubs are purchased, you are given coupons to play at other golf courses. It was a great incentive to buy clubs and play other courses in the area.
  • Free Golf Lesson – Spend $400.00 in the golf shop, receive one free golf lesson with any of the golf pros.
  • Highlight women’s clothes – during the women’s member guest, we placed all the women’s clothing around the scoreboard outside and gave a 30% discount. The ladies loved having their clothing highlighted and they saw the importance we were putting on the event.
  • Logo Ball Discount – Keep a large container of logo balls in the shop. One weekend every month run a promotion where you get to pick a logo ball and the number you choose is how much you get off your entire purchase i.e., #3 = 30% off.
  • Beat the Pro – The golf professional sets up on a par 3 to hit against players. Players bet cash up front.  If they beat the pro – closest to the pin – they could double their money.  If they lose, they still get their amount that they bet in pro shop merchandise.
  • The more you buy… – The more apparel (only applied to apparel) a customer bought, the better the discount. 1 item – 10% off, 2 items – 20% discount, 3 items – 30% discount.  Members usually decided to buy more items because of the increase in discount.
  • Bridgestone Ball Fitting Promotion – The shop had sample balls that the members could have and hit on the golf course and determine which ball they liked the best. If they decided that ball made them play better, they could get a free dozen golf balls of the balls they hit the best.  Members were also put into a drawing for 6-dozen golf balls customized from Bridgestone of their choice.
  • Bundling – We bundled a few of our items like a Callaway hat, sleeve of balls and a towel for $40. We had multiple promotions varying by brand.  We also had a couple of promotions that included golf shop items + free rounds of golf after 5pm.
  • Golf Balls/week – Set up a service where golfers pay a flat amount and that allows them to have a sleeve of golf balls delivered to their locker once a week during the season.
  • Demo Day – Twice a season there would be a demo day on the range for all kinds of clubs, all of which were sold in the shop. There would be music and games to get credit toward a specific club you wanted.  If buyers wanted a club they would go to the challenge and would be given two attempts, such as hitting a marked area on a green.  This worked well because it was fun, brought people into the shop, informed them, and sold merchandise.
  • Golf Ball Stuffers – This was a promotion where complimentary amenities would be added to each box of golf balls. With each purchase of golf balls, the customer has a chance to win a massage, a free cart fee etc. Customers were not allowed to open the box until after the purchase.
  • Short incentive – Mark the shorts down at 20% off. The incentive is with the purchase of any golf shirt, the customer can take an additional 30% off a pair of shorts.
  • Blackjack Sale – When a customer brings their merchandise to the counter to check out, the clerk becomes the blackjack dealer. If the customer goes over 21, they get 20% off, if they go under 21 but lose to the dealer, 30% off; if they get under 21 and beat the dealer, 40% off. If they get blackjack the customer receives 50% off.
  • Free Hat or Towel – For any purchase over $50, customers also got a choice of getting a free hat or towel.
  • Buy a Club, get a Club – Buy a driver, get a wood for a set price, could be $1 or $10 OR buy a wedge, get another for $10.
  • Rookie Golf Program – A program for new golfers could be purchased in the shop. For $199 beginners received 1 30-minute lesson, range balls for a month, and 2 9-hole rounds.
  • Match the 4th – During the 4th of July promotion if a customer sported red, white, and blue clothing (all three), they received a % off the sales in the pro shop.
  • Color Dotting – use color dotting on the price tag to indicate a percentage off when clearancing items and use a poster set up around the merchandise to determine the discount. When a deeper discount is required to clearance merchandise, change the poster.
  • Hit the Green, get a free shirt – During a tournament we held a par 3 contest that offered a free shirt in the golf shop if the player agreed to buy a shirt and hit the green. Almost every player in the tournament agreed to buy a shirt but only a few hit the green.
  • Pant tailor – an event was held in the grill room where a new line of pants was brought in along with a professional tailor. Drinks were available as members would pick out pants and have them fit. The pants were made available to the members in three days.
  • Parent/Junior Sale – If a parent bought a men’s or women’s shirt their junior purchase was 40% off.
  • Buy 3 sleeves get the 4th free – This was a successful incentive because most customers would ask for two sleeves, when you tell them about the special, they would typically increase their request by one sleeve so they could get a free sleeve of balls.

Back to Top

Food & Beverage Event

  • Ladies Wine & Learn – clinics with wine and appetizers – demonstrations and a small amount of practice.
  • Build Your Own Burger Night – Customers were provided burgers with all the fixings.
  • Chip & Sip – Short Game Clinics
  • Pasta Buffet Night following Operation 36 – Family Dinner at the Club
  • Nine & Dine – Members played nine holes then had a themed dinner at the club.
  • Employee Appreciation Day – Brought in a snow cone truck which gave out free snow cones to employees on a hot afternoon.
  • Wine and Nine – Ladies event where women would play nine holes as a four-person scramble and local wineries set up stands between holes where the ladies could do wine tasting.
  • Monday nights are for women – Women’s league every Monday night followed by dinner. Before the women teed off, a member of the grill staff would be outside asking what the ladies wanted for dinner that night. They would have an option between two different meals.  That way when they were done playing their round, dinner would already be ready for them.
  • Member/Guest Beer and Grill – A cooler with a different beer is set up in between each hole along with three bars with a grill on the course. The day ended with dinner at the pool area.
  • Wine & Cheese tasting – a local winery showcased a new wine and prospective club members were invited.
  • Weekend BBQ – Every Saturday, Sunday, and holiday Monday there was a BBQ cookout for the membership. Members could order lunch or dinner after their round of golf and receive the food fast.
  • Football night – Member/guest was followed up with a nice dinner then open bar where all the college football games were on.
  • Snack bar set-up – The snack bar is set up conveniently next to the practice range which also happens to be between holes 9, 10, and 18 and 1. During any important outings, a grille would be set-up right outside the snack bar and fresh burgers, hot dogs, chicken, or even steak at some events, would be cooked right in front of the members. Not only would this look appealing, but the smell would carry all the way to the back nine, getting the taste of the food in your mind before you even walk off the last hole.  During these outings, it would be impossible not to pass the grille at less than twice per round, which resulted in a great turnout every time for the club.
  • 9 holes and cocktails – All club members were invited to a cocktail party which also included a nine-hole round of golf for people to come out and play an easy team format and then enjoy a cocktail party and food when they finished.
  • Glow ball & cocktails – On the night before the member/guest, all participants and their spouses were invited to the club where a club bar was set up on the 18th green. Players entered a glow ball contest and enjoyed cocktails.  This was helpful to bring players together for registration and present the door prizes.  The door prize was glow balls.
  • Season kick-off – At the beginning of the season hold a cocktail party with hors d’ oeuvres. The members and prospective members were invited, and the event was complimentary.  There was an open bar (all drinks), a sushi bar, a meat table that had a chef that would cut fresh meat for the guest, a dessert table that had various desserts.  All the food was finger foods.  The event was successful because it brought in several new members and got all the current members excited to have the golf season kick off.  Could also bring in live entertainment and open the dance floor.
  • Couples Chiptini – The club held a chipping clinic for couples with music and free martinis. The cost was $50 and all you can drink.
  • Bundling – Bundle sandwich/chip and drink within the price of a round. Players would receive a voucher when they pay and would pick up their food and drink at their own convenience. Once a player experiences the food/drink that is “complimentary”, they are more likely to return for more.
  • Stag Night – This was held the night after the practice round of the men’s member guest. Food and beverage set up outside tables and chairs where we usually set up the golf cars. They also set up a bar, a small taco bar, and brought in a cigar salesman.  Everyone seemed to have a good time – it lasted until 11pm.
  • Drinks ½ off Once a month – Members enjoyed drinks half off one day every month. This got the members to the course playing golf and just having a good time.  they would run up tabs and food and beverage would make up lost revenue.  This was usually the last Friday of every month. This promotion helped food and beverage reach their revenue goals for the month if they were a little low.
  • $3 Crab cake Thursdays – Every Thursday, customers were able to purchase crab cakes for $3. The head chef lived on a bay and caught crabs regularly with his crab traps.  Chef’s incentive is to make 80% of revenue from crab cake sales on Thursday.
  • Free jumbo dog and drink at the turn – When a customer purchased 4 green fees, they were also given lunch for 4 at the turn.
  • Member for a day – Non-members were encouraged to come out and enjoy a free meal, a round of golf and 6-pack of beer. This promotion was held twice a year.
  • It’s 5 o’clock somewhere – for a tournament, serve Mimosas and Bloody Mary’s with breakfast and serve beer and hard alcohol with lunch. The gentlemen that come are there to have a good time. It is a great way to please the customers and may help drive sales in the golf shop.
  • Specialty Drink – We held a nine-hole twilight event named after the club’s specialty drink. During the warmup all the players were brought the specialty drink at no charge. All the drinks and food were 50% off during the event and dinner was provided after the nine holes.
  • Comedy night at the pool – Four comedians were invited to an informal comedy night sitting around the pool. The members enjoyed cocktails, casual food, and great entertainment.  Many members looked forward to this great event every year.
  • Clambake – Our club brought a seafood feast and traditional clambake buffet together with a regional beer night. Several breweries were present for sampling. The event also had live music from a local band.  It took place on the boardwalk near the marina. Tickets to the clambake sold out.
  • Men’s Member/Guest Nightcap – After everybody played their practice rounds on the first day of the event, they had dinner and drinks on the back patio of the clubhouse. During the night, the putting green was lit up with lights so we could hold a putting contest.  The putting contest had obstacles and a point system that made it very competitive.  Combining dinner and a fun event like a putting contest was a great idea and everybody loved it.  Groups were out on the putting green until 10:30 pm laughing with their friends.
  • Morning Spread – Every morning Tuesday – Sunday, a small coffee service and danish tray were set up in the women’s locker room and inside the men’s grill for those early morning players. Once lunch came along water bottles, and snack mixes were provided following the round.
  • Feature Restaurants – During a guest day in July, the club invited local restaurants to come and serve samples of one of their signature meals out on the golf course during play. This resulted in restaurants setting up stations on almost every other hole. This also caused the size of the guest day to double from other comparable guest days. More participation brought greater revenue into the club and was also very beneficial for the restaurants. The club did not have to pay the restaurants anything to set up a station on the course. They were happy to do so because this was an easy way for them to advertise and sell their business.
  • Casino Night – Members and guests were given $1,000 of fake casino money to participate in the various casino games. The person with the most winnings earned a gift from the shop.  Food was well displayed on tables with ice sculptures.  Seafood, including shrimp and lobster were among the main food items.  The bar was open to all members and guests.
  • Margarita Masters – This event is loved by everyone. Every 3 holes there is a water cooler full of margaritas as well as one traveling cooler strapped to the back of a cart. The format is 2-person net, with teams consisting of husband and wife.  Teams play 9 holes.
  • Fair Food – Host a day where all the food offered out on the course is very different than what is typically served. Serve food that you would normally find at a state fair for example: fried Oreos, homemade ice cream, gourmet-style burgers, popcorn, cotton candy, snow cones, corn dogs, mini donuts etc.
  • Hot Day, Cold Savings – We had some towels we needed to get rid of so we started a promotion in the middle of summer where customers could buy a “Cool” Package which included a Cold damp towel, a bottle of cold water and a beer ticket.
  • Asian Night – The club brought in a Sushi Chef and a hibachi chef to make part of the meal. One of our local staff featured her Korean cooking.  The members enjoyed seeing her pride and appreciated her skills.  The dining room was decorated with Asian traditional decorations.  There were many requests to repeat the event.
  • Boxing Night – In the middle of the dining hall, a space was cleared out and a full-size boxing ring was set up. Tables were lined up all around the boxing ring and the members were served good food.  Amateur boxers were brought in and there were around 7 fights. The members loved it.
  • Beer Rep – A couple of nights during the summer, the food and beverage department organized some representatives from a local beer company to come and give out samples along with clothing, hats, and other prizes. Being that the reps tend to be young girls, it was received well by the men’s league.
  • Cook with the Chef – The head chef would give demonstrations every Sunday night on cooking. The cost was $10 per person and the chef demonstrated everything from BBQ to gourmet dishes. The participants got to eat afterwards, and the chef also provided recipes and cook-books for sale.  This was popular for both men and women.

Back to Top

Other

  • Whiskey & Wedges – short game clinic with “whiskey tasting” hosted by local vendor.
  • First Tee Day – invite local First Tee kids to the facility, hosted by members and staff, and give them a tour of the facility.
  • Mixed Couples Twilight Series – 8 weeks of 4 couple teams playing against other teams, requires only 4 players per week to post team scores – weekly and season long prizes – dinner following each round.
  • 3 Club 4th of July Challenge – clubs compete in tennis, swimming, golf, and any other activity – winners are announced at large fireworks show hosted by a different club each year.
  • Member/Caddy Tournament – thank you to the caddies for a good summer! (Create scholarship program for the winners)
  • Father/Daughter or Mother/Son Event 
  • Dogfight Party – Food & Drink as well as couples’ putt-putt tournament (alternate shot). Staff set up a 9-hole putting course.
  • Junior/Staff scramble – Once a week, the junior players would be paired with a golf staff player and play a scramble for 9-holes then have pizza with refreshments and prizes after the round.
  • Father/son Four Ball Tournament – a four ball event with handicaps, full 18 holes with lunch after completion of the round.
  • One Round Visitor Scramble – customers who visited the club a couple times were randomly selected and extended an invitation to bring themselves and a guest to the club to play in a one round scramble.
  • Professional athlete – a member of the Bears was featured, and several ex-Chicago athletes and celebrities filled the field. Food and drinks were offered on many holes and other games were offered to raise money for cancer research.
  • Family Golf Day – after 2pm on Saturday everyone in the family was invited to compete on the course.
  • Free golf lessons – for 1 hour, teaching pros would give free 10-minute lessons to beginner golfers.
  • Goat Tournament – All season long, members enter the pool by buying a goat coin. Members challenge one another to matches to gain as many coins as possible (matches done on handicapping scale). During the last month of the season, top goats play each other in bracket format. The winner with the most coins earns shop credit.
  • Flag day – Tournament that is as close to the 4th of July as possible and members did not have to sign up in advance. Players are given a small flag and once they hit your handicap, they would stick the flag in the ground.
  • Men’s invitational with outdoor games – in between the tournament and dinner, a bunch of outdoor games were set up such as cornhole, kan-jam, putting competitions and others. This allowed guests to always be doing something and it created a more fun environment.
  • High School Golfers Invite – An email was sent from the club to all the golf coaches in the area for a special membership for the club. For $400 anyone on a high school golf team could become a golf member of the club.  This included unlimited rounds of golf and unlimited use of the practice facility from May 1st until the end of the high school season (generally late October), a free hat, and a sleeve of balls. All high school program members were invited to an outing with one member per kid as a kick-off/get to know you event.  It was a fantastic opportunity for many, and the club benefited well not only in the short term, but also in the long run due to great publicity the program would receive.
  • Military Day – hosted a full day clinic for anyone who was in the military or family of a veteran. Very successful. A Military tournament could also be hosted around Memorial Day. All veterans could play for free. Those who come with a veteran are given a discounted rate. Donations accepted.
  • Play with the Pro’s – Talented competitive golfers in the area were invited to the club to play with members for two days.
  • National Seniors Day – Invite senior men and their wives for a special event just for them. New styles of merchandise are brought into the shop and tailoring of any suit is offered as well as the ability for seniors to place special orders. Food, games, and drinks are all provided on the course.
  • Grandparent/Grandchildren Day – Cost to enter was $25 and grandparents and grandchildren enjoyed a 9-hole round of golf with their grandchildren. The grandchildren aged from 8-14 and could tee off at the 200-yard marker on par 4’s, 250 yards at par 5’s, and the ladies’ tee on par 3’s. Some kids got discouraged with how they played and will carry that memory with them through life. Recommend shortening the golf course for the juniors to make it a more enjoyable time for them.
  • 6-hole contest – Men’s member/guest included a 6-hole par three contest. There was a $20 team buy-in, and the winning team won the money.  the second-place team got their money back.
  • Superintendent’s Revenge – The pins were placed at the hardest part of the green.
  • Wounded Warrior Tournament – Skilled golfers were invited to play with many veteran and current military members. The tournament was laid back and everyone enjoyed what is now an annual event.
  • Free Fit Fridays – any member can get a free club fitting Friday 2-5pm for one month. One assistant professional was available to fit members. Assistant professional earned a bonus on their salary for running the event.  Members were very interested in free fitting because it doubled as a short lesson, very convenient for members.  After the fitting, the member could choose to order the club or clubs immediately from the pro shop.
  • Couples Twilight – Every Wednesday evening @ 4pm there was a shotgun start on both 9’s. Couples were paired randomly with other couples trying to pair them with a different couple each week.  The pros and assistants would sit on a hole and hit one shot for each pairing that they got to use if they wanted to.
  • Juniors Award Day – In early August, junior members had a competition of driving, chipping, and putting challenges to be scored and a winner awarded. Kids and parents loved the opportunity for the kids to showcase their skills.
  • 9-hole Large Cup – This event always brings out the young and old demographics because the cup was 3-4 times its normal size. Little kids enjoyed putting and the elderly population enjoyed shooting lower scores.
  • Golf Camp while parents play – Assistants take the kids, ages 3-15 down to the driving range every Saturday afternoon from 2:30 – 5 and play golf games while the parents enjoyed a 9-hole shotgun scramble format between the other parents that chose to participate. This was a hit because it brought the whole family out to the club. It helped bring out kids and wives who would not usually come.
  • Night Golf – Buy tons of glow sticks and light the fairways and greens. Invite teams to play on 9 holes and give them 2 flashlights used to spot the golf ball and anything else the play may need. This is fun because people love to do new things.
  • Caddie tournament – At the end of the season, the club held its yearly caddie tournament for our caddy’s. It was an 18-hole stroke play tournament held in late September when most member play was already over. There was a $125.00 entry fee that the members covered so that every caddy would participate. The caddies were given a first tee gift, lunch, and a ceremony afterwards.  The pro shop benefited from this because they were able to move left over supplies and merchandise from the summer and not take a loss because their share from the entry fee covered this. Food & Bev benefited because they were able to move out extra alcohol and the caddies benefited because everything was free to them.  It was a thank-you from our members for their services all year.
  • Cardboard Canoe Race – Kids can use cardboard, glue, and tape to build rafts or canoes to enter a pool race during the summer. The kids loved the event and loved to watch staff members and adults try.  The canoes were effective and got the membership involved with the club more often. This event was inexpensive to host and generated some revenue from the pool and snack shop area during the races.
  • Rules and Floats – Host a golf tournament followed by cocktails and a seminar on the rules of golf. Two USGA Rules officials, two golf professionals, and a tournament director provided instruction on different rules and scenarios golfers encounter. The members enjoyed learning about the rules to help them in future events.
  • Ball Drop – During the member/guest we held a ball drop. Members and their guests could purchase multiple balls for $5 each.  Each ball had a number on it and at the end of the tournament all the balls purchased were put in a bucket, taken to a helicopter, and dropped in the middle of the 18th fairway.  The ball that ended up closest to the flag won half of the money raised.
  • Father’s Day – Near Father’s Day, the wives would fill out a simple form with the name of their husband, the $ amount they wanted to spend or “your choice” and the message to be written on a card. The shop staff would pick out a gift for the husband, wrap it, write a handwritten note with the message from the family and put it in the locker.
  • Women’s Golf Clinic – A women’s golf clinic was held on one Wednesday a month during the summer. The Director of the Junior Golf Program and a female coach would instruct the women. The clinic included a 45-minute lesson and then a round of golf on a short course.  This was a successful event because it was a good socializing event for some of the women who were friends to have a chance to play the short course and improve their game with a lesson.
  • Kwik Golf – A well-received event was family golf using kwik golf. Kwik golf is three short holes, and the format is alternate shot.  Whoever completes the course the fastest wins.
  • Family Golf Night – The event was a nine-hole shotgun that kicked off at 5:30 pm. The staff put out junior tees in the fairway and it was a great event to get the whole family out to the club and enjoy being on the golf course together. There was no scoring for this event, it was just meant to be fun for the whole family.  Families were not required to play all nine holes.  When the families came off the course, the chef was preparing a cookout meal serving hamburgers and hotdogs.  The staff also set up a putt-putt course on the putting green for the kids to play around on.  This was a relaxing atmosphere for the families and the staff as well.  Everyone has a good time, and it gets people on the golf course during slow times.  Because this did not cost the club much money, it was easy to hold this type of event a couple of times over the course of the summer.
  • Clinic Host – Our club hosted a golf clinic once a month from April – October each year. Approximately 50% of participants have become customers at the facility.
  • Foot Golf – Open the course to foot golf to attract new customers.
  • Demo Long Drive Contest – During demo day, we hosted a long drive contest, contestants could enter the contest twice. The first time, they could enter with their old drive and the second time with the demo driver that was fitted for them.  If an individual won with the demo driver, it was offered to them at a 15% discount.
  • Choose your Hole – For a tournament, the superintendent put four holes in one of the greens all with flag sticks on a par three. We then had a closest to the pin contest to any hole and players could putt to whichever one they wanted.
  • Tee it Forward – for one whole day, players are encouraged to move to the next forward tees for that day’s round. The objective is to show people that golf does not have to be played from the back tees to be legitimate.
  • Ladies League – The ladies league would meet once a week to play 9 holes. There is nothing unusual about the league, but it was the only time many of the ladies would play.  Without it, they may have stopped playing altogether.
  • Holes for Charity – The Head Pro played a golf marathon and members and people in our community donated on a per-hole basis or a flat rate. The head pro played as many holes as he could within a set period of time to raise money for charity of the club’s choosing.
  • Fashion Show – Close to the end of the season, the staff put on a fashion show displaying the new fall lineup during a Saturday luncheon. This event created a buzz about the new merchandise coming into the shop. Men’s, women’s, and junior apparel was modeled by young and older models, amateurs, and professionals alike.
  • Exceptional Caddies – Every caddie had to attend three training classes and pass a written exam before they could caddie. In addition, each new caddie had to do their first loop with the caddie master to receive further training.
  • Spectator Competition – While hosting a PGA tournament, a resort set up their own contest for charity. All week spectators would pay $2 a ball to hit it down the ski slope hill at some pins.  Closest to the pin at the end of the week won a cash giveaway. This event was enjoyable to the many spectators and gave the resort a good image by giving to charity.
  • Projected Scoreboard – Instead of a traditional scoreboard, we utilized a software that allowed us to project a scoreboard as seen on television. The software was called Sierra Tournament software.  We could use many fonts and coil put pictures up on the screen from the tournament.  A ticker tape was placed at the bottom of the scoreboard that we used to ticker the sponsors and/or the proximity winners.  This added a great value because the board was projected high enough for all to see and it was very versatile as opposed to traditional calligraphy boards.
  • Sweeps – Everyday, before the members go out for their rounds, they can sign up to participate in any of the sweeps. There are multiple formats such as 9 holes with and without handicaps, 18 holes with and without handicaps, 2-man best ball, etc.  Each event costs $1 to enter and the winner receives the money as shop credit.
  • Keg Sponsor – Every Thursday evening during men’s league, a member would sponsor to buy a keg for the group of men. The cart girl would drive around while the men were playing and fill their cups up while they were playing.  The men really enjoyed the keg idea and after the 9-hole event they would stick around for a buffet and finish off whatever was left of the keg.
  • Long Drive Competition – As part of our 4th of July celebration, we held a long drive competition after the tournament. It gave members a chance to watch and participate in a group event.
  • Play with the Pro – A season-long play with the Pro competition was held every Sunday. One of the Golf Professionals would go play with a group of members in a best ball format.  Everyone paid a $20 entry fee.  At the end of the season, prizes were distributed to the top teams. This was a great way to keep up relationships with the members and the staff.
  • Fling Golf – Instead of hitting a golf ball with a club, you use a single FlingStick® thrower to hurl the ball and shape every shot from tee to hole. You can even play in the same foursome as traditional golfers.

Back to Top