The golf industry is back in business, and business is booming. In 2022, Plate IQ reported that the golf course and country club market in the United States has a value of $25.8 billion. With an anticipated growth rate of 1.5% annually, there’s no end to the increase in sight. From hosting tournaments and fundraisers to increasing memberships and adding more golf club social event ideas to their calendars, golf and country clubs are working fast to capture the attention of new — and current — customers before the competition does.
Golf clubs regularly host tournaments and fundraisers, proving that they are experienced event hosts. Expanding your venue’s offerings to include a variety of social events can help members of the club, and members of the community, see your business as more than "just" a golf course. If you’re looking for event ideas that will help customers see the business as a social club and special event venue, as well as a prime golf destination, we can help!
Why should golf clubs host social events?
Hosting social events can help golf clubs:
- Raise their local venue profile
- Increase membership
- Network with local businesses and potential sponsors
- Showcase services like catering, cocktail service, event setup, and so on
- Fundraise for organizations and charities
- Boost member loyalty
- Drive additional event revenue
- Attract wedding business
Additionally, hosting events can demonstrate rebranding efforts and change the perception the public has of your golf property. To some, golf clubs may seem stuffy or too exclusive; marketing your venue as accessible can drive demand for everyday events like weddings, receptions, baby showers, corporate meetings, and private parties.
Boost your venue profile with 11 exciting golf club social event ideas
1. Invite the community to "Wine, Dine, and Play 9."
Invite the public to come to the club on a sunny afternoon and explore the course with a half-day of golf. Attendees kick off the day by playing nine holes before gathering in the clubhouse for refreshments. Once inside the clubhouse, treat event attendees to refreshing cocktails and high-quality dishes.
Play music, invite a live band, turn on string lights, and set up a small dance floor. In addition to introducing your golf club as an event venue to members of the community, incorporating casual golf club social event ideas into your standard event rotation can show members a new side of the facility. Host a “Wine, Dine, and Play 9” event to create a more intimate clubhouse experience for members, showing how well your team can transform the space and create a different atmosphere.
2. Plan a Kentucky Derby party.
On the first Sunday in May, host a Kentucky Derby party where guests can watch the annual horse race, enjoy traditional derby day foods, and participate in the fanfare. Set a distinguished dress code for the event that incentivizes guests to wear fascinators, Seersucker suits, and classic Kentucky Derby attire for a chance to win the title of Derby Day Darling.
Offer snacks, appetizers, and cocktails that live spectators enjoy each year at Churchill Downs, such as:
- Succotash
- Smoked grits
- Benedictine dip
- Kentucky Hot Browns
- BBQ
- Mint juleps
Show off your venue’s tech capabilities by streaming the live event in multiple areas around the course and clubhouse. From bars to banquet rooms, attendees will be able to keep up with the live proceedings no matter where they are in the venue. Set up an outdoor bar or lounge area where guests can kick back, relax, and immerse themselves in everything your outdoor event space has to offer.
This golf club social event idea doesn't have to be limited to Derby Day, either. Sunday at the Masters, the Wimbledon final, and so many other prestigious sporting events can make for unforgettable viewing parties. Simply pick the occasion and match the theme accordingly.
3. Gather guests for glow-in-the-dark golf.
Using LED golf balls, set up a glow-in-the-dark golf experience for members and non-members alike to enjoy. Companies like ShadowLand Laser Adventures and GlowVibe specialize in LED lighting systems that illuminate courses, greens, and golf equipment, allowing adventurous patrons to golf under the stars. Glowing golf balls travel just as far as traditional ones, but provide golfers with a one-of-a-kind experience. Even if you only light up the practice greens, driving range, or the closest par 3 to the clubhouse, attendees won't soon forget this experience.
4. Organize a community fair.
Open your golf club to a wide audience of potential customers by hosting community-focused events. Invite residents and neighbors to gather at the club for a community fair. Encourage local businesses, restaurants, and artists to participate as vendors. Invite a wide array of vendor types, such as:
- Retail
- Fresh flowers and plants
- Produce
- Bed, bath, and body
- Arts and photography
- Food
- Crafts
- Clothing
- Specialty drinks
Set up an outdoor stage for live performances. Schedule musicians, bands, dancers, and other performance artists throughout the day. Invite face painters, jugglers, magicians, and circus performers to entertain young guests. Rope off a 21+ space to serve as a community beer garden.
Set up a ticket booth that guests can visit to purchase food, drink, and game tickets. Guests can exchange food and drink tickets inside the club or with participating vendors and use game tickets for outdoor games, carnival games, or even a few holes of golf. Use event diagramming software to make organizing the event more efficient and determine where the stage, vendor spaces, and attendee seating areas will go.
Unlock the full potential of your golf business
5. Feature family-friendly flicks at an outdoor movie night.
Invite community members to spend an evening under the stars surrounded by stunning course scenery at a family movie night. Host the event directly on the clubhouse lawn or go old school and screen a movie drive-in style. Obtain a projector, screen, and speakers for the event, and sell affordable, low-cost tickets. Encourage guests to bring chairs, blankets, and pillows for maximum movie viewing comfort.
Sell popcorn, candy, hotdogs, and other fan-favorite movie snacks at a tented snack bar. Set up a movie night raffle nearby. After picking up a bucket of popcorn, moviegoers can use their change to purchase raffle tickets. Offer an exciting prize that drums up participation and encourages the winner to come back to the club in the future. Movie night raffle prizes could include:
- A free round of golf for four, with lunch included.
- Family pool passes for the summer.
- A formal evening dining experience for two.
6. Design a scavenger hunt to fuel friendly competition.
With vast expanses and landscapes to explore, golf courses make excellent locations to host large scavenger hunts. Hide clues, riddles, and games throughout the course and indoor club space, and invite people to sign up and participate. Host solo scavenger hunts, or encourage participants to join up, form teams, and work together to solve puzzles.
Inside of clues and instructions, provide course trivia, cool facts, venue information, and special event details. As competitors race to be the first to solve the final clue, the immersive experience will allow them to explore a variety of spaces and services, uncovering key venue features they may not have known about otherwise.
Market golf club event space to companies in your area and advertise corporate team-building scavenger hunts. Invite managers, owners, and team leaders to tour the space. Show all of the team-building activities and other golf club social event ideas your venue is capable of hosting.
7. Drive wedding business with a bridal brunch.
Does the club include indoor or outdoor event space? Can you provide food, dining, and bartending services? If so, you can host wedding events!
If you haven't already, consider listing your golf club as a wedding venue on Cvent Wedding Spot, and then introduce your property to the local wedding community by hosting a bridal brunch. Invite brides, wedding parties, and local wedding professionals to join you for a lavish, delicious dining experience.
Set up a stunning buffet full of fresh fruits, gourmet breakfast items, and a made-to-order omelet station. Serve mimosas and bellinis with fresh fruit juices and gourmet puree. Encourage local professionals to set up vendor stations throughout the venue, highlighting their wedding services, goods, and supplies. Use event space to display various ceremony setup options, seating arrangements, and style ideas.
Golf club or prime wedding venue? Why not both?
8. Throw a pool party luau.
In the heat of the summer, open up the club pool to the community. Host a pool party luau event once a month, complete with decorations, smoked dishes, fresh fruit, and entertainment. Include the poolside event on the venue’s event calendar to ensure that members see it and spread the word. Create a Facebook event page for the luau; invite online followers to attend and share the event page on their social media feed for others to see.
Sell entry tickets online for a discounted price, with tickets costing slightly more at the door. Highlight the best summer dishes on the club’s menu at a poolside buffet and barbeque. Allow guests to purchase food and drinks on-site, including fresh, tropical cocktails in pool-safe serveware.
9. Host a candlelit sunset soiree for couples.
Treat couples to a one-of-a-kind date night by hosting a romantic fine dining sunset soiree. Arrange two tops on the terrace or outdoor patio where they can view the awe-inspiring colors of the sunset as they dine on your team’s most delectable creations.
Invite couples to enjoy a formal four-course meal designed by an executive chef and experience all of the intimate social event services your golf club has to offer. To ramp up romance levels even more, hire a pianist or string quartet to play the event, or create a package event option that includes high-quality champagne and tableside dessert service.
10. Throw a “Brews and BBQs” night.
Host “Brews and BBQs” when the weather is nice. Set up on the patio, terrace, or by the pool to show off the club’s outdoor catering and special event capabilities. Raise an outdoor special event tent to house the barbeque buffet and keep guests cool as they refresh with ice cold beverages. Fill the tent with reception seating and festive decorations to show off your venue’s hosting skills.
Offer a wide variety of local craft beer or wine. Serve smoked pork, salmon, or more traditional fare like hotdogs and flame-broiled hamburgers. Hire a local band to play and light the patio fire pits to set the mood.
Use email marketing to encourage members to attend; promote the opportunity to experience the clubhouse after-hours in a new way. Invite community members to come out, explore the venue, and take in everything the golf club has to offer. Make venue staff available to assist guests throughout the event, answering questions and providing venue tours when applicable.
11. Offer cooking classes.
Ask the golf club’s executive chef or sous-chef to host regular cooking classes. Create a course menu that includes a variety of classes interested individuals can sign up for online, such as:
- Cooking for two
- Plant-Based meals
- Eating locally
- Sustainably-sourced food
- Tour de France
- No-cook meals
Offering an eclectic array of cooking classes will help your golf club social event ideas reach a wider audience. While attending, give guests a tour of the club’s food service facilities, show off high-end ingredients, and celebrate your catering team while offering community members a unique and memorable experience. In addition to individual classes, consider offering cooking classes specifically designed for couples, families, or friend groups.
Bookmark this list of golf club social event ideas!
With a list of fresh, family-friendly, and fun golf club social event ideas on hand, you’re ready to spice up this year’s activity calendar and demonstrate why your location is a prime venue for hosting special events.
Up next, we look at additional ways marketing and sales managers can drive revenue to their clubs, courses, and resorts. We review nine golf resort marketing strategies to help industry professionals boost business and capitalize on increased consumer demand.
