With ample outdoor space, onsite dining, and a one-of-a-kind setting, golf courses make excellent event locations. Like many course managers or golf club directors, you may not see your business as a special event venue, but that line of thinking could cause you to miss out on revenue, membership opportunities, and more. You don’t need designated banquet rooms or a separate structure to host events at your venue; you just need the right golf course event ideas to fit your business.
In this post, we’ll examine various special events and how golf courses, clubs, and resorts can benefit from hosting them. From fundraisers and tournaments to corporate events and private parties, you’ll explore a variety of golf course event ideas and learn how they can help grow your business.
Golf course event ideas that help attract new visitors and keep members coming back
If you want to boost course revenue, drive club attendance, bring in new sponsors, or expand your network of corporate partners, these golf course event ideas can help.
1. Tournaments
Tournaments are great golf course events because they’re so versatile. With so many different styles and formats for golf tournaments, courses can host tournaments to widen their corporate networks, boost profits, or drum up attendance. Most golf tournaments are at least partially funded by sponsors and coincide with major marketing campaigns promoting the event. Some of the most common tournament formats include:
- Best Ball
- Scramble
- Match Play
- Gross Stroke Play
- Net Stroke Play
- Foursome
- Bingo Bango Bongo
- Skins
2. Fundraisers
Many charities and nonprofits turn to golf courses and resorts for aid and event assistance. In addition to tournaments, your course can host a variety of fundraising events to raise money and awareness for important causes, including:
- Auctions (silent or live)
- Galas
- Charity golf-a-thons
- Hole-in-one contests
- Helicopter ball drops
- Pro-shot opportunities
3. Member events
Member events are designed specifically for individuals who pay to be club or resort members. They are not open to the public or non-members, but many courses allow members to bring guests. The exclusivity of members-only events can increase the perceived value of being a club member and entice more visitors or community members to join.
Host members-only events regularly to show your appreciation for loyal patrons. Ensuring members feel valued can help boost membership retention rates, as customers who feel appreciated are more likely to return.
4. Community events
Community events help businesses build a stronger connection with their community and its members. Are you in or close to a large subdivision or residential community? Show your gratitude for being part of the community by hosting resident appreciation events or using event space to enrich lives.
Host a variety of courses, classes, and workshops to capitalize on open event space and keep a diverse rotation of new visitors coming in. Connect with local instructors and experts; invite them to utilize course facilities to teach area residents about fitness, wellness, financial health, engaging hobbies, or local politics and policies.
5. Promotional events
Highlight the activities, event services, and products your course can offer through promotional events, such as:
- Grand opening/reopening ceremonies. Announce your presence in the community with a grand opening celebration. Whether opening for the first time, reopening after renovations, or rebranding your club as a golf course and event venue, host a grand opening (or reopening) to generate buzz and help get the word out about your event services.
- Ribbon cuttings. Join the Chamber of Commerce to receive support from already established support networks in the community and grow your relationship with other businesses in the area. Host a ribbon cutting to celebrate your membership and invite the public to attend.
- Restaurant events. Promote the course’s dining facilities and menu through restaurant-based or food-focused events like wine tastings, private chef’s dinners, specialty seasonal menus, or cooking classes that show off your facilities and the kitchen staff’s skills. Partner with small businesses and farms in your community to highlight their goods and cross-promote services.
6. Private events
There are many types of private events, but the term generally covers all events that are closed to members of the public or uninvited attendees. Hosting private events is a great way for golf courses to introduce new people to their business, as you never know who may attend and fall in love with your facility. Promote and host private events, like private parties, showers, or reunions, to maximize the venue’s revenue potential during standard business operations.
7. Corporate events
Although most people associate golf with leisure, golf courses have multiple opportunities to capitalize on corporate business in the area by hosting events. Offer corporate event packages and meeting setups that appeal to large and small businesses alike. Promote meeting rooms, conference capabilities, and venue services to attract event revenue from simple meetings, luncheons, office parties (e.g., holiday parties, retirements, and anniversaries), corporate awards ceremonies, and milestone celebrations.
8. Family-friendly events
Host family and kid-friendly events to increase your venue’s appeal. Attract vacationers, local families, and new residents to your club by promoting regular events that are fun for all ages, such as:
- Scavenger hunts. Pick a fun theme and create a scavenger course that takes participants around the course, club, and grounds in search of exciting clues. Promote a family-friendly prize for the winning competitors, like a family pack of theme park tickets or summer pool passes.
- Movie nights. Host outdoor movie nights when the weather is suitable. Invite families to join you on the course for food, fun, and a family-friendly movie night outside. Sell concessions, like popcorn and candy, to capture additional revenue.
- Family weeks. Host a week-long promotional event jam-packed with family-friendly activities. Host a father/son drive competition, challenge families to compete against one another in exciting activities, or set up a miniature golf course whole families can enjoy.
9. Weddings
Some courses offer full-scale wedding services, with an on-site wedding planner and dedicated venue space, while others can accommodate wedding events on a smaller scale. Increased demand for wedding venues and vendors has enabled unique locations like golf courses to break into the market or increase wedding bookings.
Regardless of how much event space you have, there are so many different events related to weddings that your course can accommodate one or more of them, such as:
- Engagement parties
- Couple’s or bridal showers
- Bachelor/bachelorette parties
- Bridesmaid and Groomsmen Luncheons
- Rehearsal Dinners
- Welcome Parties
- Wedding ceremonies
- Wedding receptions
- Afterparties
Many couples are drawn to golf courses for their wedding celebration due to the high-quality accommodations and stunning views they provide. As most courses have an on-site restaurant, dining club, or catering services, they can appeal to engaged couples by promoting all-inclusive wedding packages that include event space, setup, catering, bartending, or other services.
Attracting wedding business is a fantastic way for golf venues to attract additional business, boost revenue during the slow season, or drum up business on low-demand weekends (e.g., when other tournaments are happening nearby).
10. Specialty events
We use “specialty events” to describe one-of-a-kind golf club social events that don’t particularly fit into any of the categories. Think of them as incredibly unique events that can be designed to attract any consumer, from current club and community members to potential clients and target demographics.
Set your course apart from others in the area, and host unique events to boost course attendance, drive memberships, widen your venue’s appeal or show a side of your venue patrons haven’t seen before. Consider turning the course into a glow-in-the-dark theme park for an epic game of night golf or hosting an annual course-wide carnival.
Bring in more weddings and social events
Why should golf courses host events?
Show the world that you’re not some stuffy golf course that only caters to the wealthy. Come up with golf course event ideas that showcase your resort or club as more than a place to hit the greens. You’ll show a side of your venue and services that people may not have seen before. In addition to attracting new business and capturing additional revenue, hosting events can help:
- Raise your community profile. Establish your position as a reputable golf course, event venue, and premiere destination.
- Build better business relationships. Grow your network of business partnerships and relationships, which can lead to increased corporate event business, marketing opportunities, and greater venue visibility.
- Attract more sponsors. Besides attracting potential clients, the right golf course event ideas may bring potential sponsors to your venue. When they see the scope and success of your course’s events, investors may want to jump on the opportunity to participate.
- Drive new memberships. Hosting events is a wonderful way to entice people to visit your course for the first time. Once they see your facilities and fabulous services, they may be tempted to join and enjoy the venue regularly.
- Increase member loyalty. Keep current members satisfied and coming back for more with frequent engaging, interesting events.
What do golf courses need to host successful events?
Event requirements and equipment needs may vary greatly based on the size or type of event you’re hosting, but having a few key elements in place will make it easier to execute various golf course event ideas. To host public or private events, the course should have these basic items.
Available event space
If your golf course is going to host events, you’re going to need available event space! While many established courses and larger clubs have designated meeting and event rooms, others repurpose venue facilities for events when not in use. Courses with multiple banquet or meeting rooms can host more than one event at once while offering customers numerous price points based on the space’s size, shape, and amenities. Maximize event revenue potential by hosting events in attractive outdoor areas (e.g., the patio, terrace, or gardens).
Event staff
Your course has staff already, but adding event staffing duties to their current list of responsibilities might overwhelm employees and lower productivity more than it helps increase event bookings. Schedule staff specifically to work events to ensure that all departments have adequate coverage, or hire specialized staff as needed based on your venue’s size and offered event services. If you intend to host daily meetings or very regular events, hiring an events manager, event coordinator, or a team of quality-trained event staff may be necessary to maintain business operations.
Event management software
Keep track of which events have been booked, which dates are available, event diagrams, lead communications, and more using event management software. Cvent’s Event Diagramming software helps venues of all types—from hotels and lodging to special event venues like golf courses—manage all their events, client details, and outstanding tasks in one place.
Audio/Visual equipment
The more AV equipment your course has for events, the wider the variety of event types you can host. If you haven’t already, consider upgrading your event tech and meeting room components, such as conference phones, projectors, wall-mounted flat-screen TVs, and charging stations. Invest in quality speakers, mics, connection cords, and soundproofing materials to accommodate events with sound requirements or audio components.
Is there a demand for hybrid event technology in your area? Many companies have integrated virtual components into their meetings, training sessions, and other events. For example, an in-person group may stream their event on social media or connect with remote attendees through a virtual meeting platform, like Zoom or Micros.
Applicable licenses
Does your city have regulations or permit requirements for special event venues? Contact your local Chamber of Commerce or Town Hall for more details and to confirm that you’re all set to begin hosting special events, public or private. Ensure that your venue meets the fire code, follows capacity restrictions, and meets all emergency preparedness regulations and guidelines.
If you’re new to hosting events or incorporating them into course operations for the first time, ensure all your staff is up to date on required training. Give employees ample time to complete training and master new skills before placing them in event service positions.
What golf course event ideas are the easiest to plan?
Simple meetings (i.e., small, basic events) require little planning and preparation by the host venue. They have simple setups and only need basic services and amenities. Furthermore, tools that enable event planners and clients to instantly reserve and book small meetings online in minutes without going through lengthy negotiation or contracting processes make you more likely to win that business. Planners can view available inventory live online, select the space they want, input event details, and book—in just a few clicks.
Put these golf course event ideas to good use!
With a list of fun, creative, and enticing golf course event ideas, identify which events your venue can accommodate. Develop an events calendar and promote upcoming events via email, social media, local business partnerships, and other channels. Up next, we’ll guide you through nine golf resort marketing strategies you can use to boost business.
