Hole In One Insurance News from Hole In One International

Jul
12

Pre-tournament Checklist

Posted by Amy Fanter

Sure, you have the obligatory bag of golf clubs, but here are a few things you probably haven’t stopped to think about prior to tee-off:

Delivery of Course Materials: Have the necessary items been delivered to the golf course?  Whether it’s signage, an actual hole prize or otherwise, be sure to double-check that everything has already arrived.  If you have ordered signage, we will often suggest having it shipped directly to the golf course to avoid this ever being a possible issue.

Set up the Registration Table: Make sure all necessary documents are prepared so that participants are able to sign in.  This would also be a great spot to offer raffle tickets, mulligans and any other merchandise you may want to sell that day.

Set up the contests: Has the distance been measured on all holes that have contests taking place on them?  It’s common practice for the Pro at the golf course to go out and measure it with their laser; however, tee markers will allow you to measure accordingly as well.

Ice down the beverages: Nobody wants a warm drink, so make sure everything is iced down.  Snack/beverage carts should be ready to roll and fully stocked.

Post Signage and Banners: Are all of your signs and banners up where they need to be?  This is a vital step – you want everything to be properly advertised to minimize any confusion.  You’d also have some pretty angry sponsors if their names aren’t being advertised like they should that day.

Have the Goodie Bags prepared: Don’t forget the goodie bags… and don’t forget to print copies of the free tee prize Hole In One International gives each player and stick them in there!

P.S.  After all is said and done, send out thank-yous and update your organization’s website (if applicable) with tournament results and any other exciting post-tourney news you may have to share!

Want a free Tournament Planning brochure with more suggestions?  Call us at 800-827-2249 or send us an email and we’ll set you up with one… for free!

Jul
6

Hole In One Shootout Format

Posted by Amy Fanter

Last month we discussed what a Hole In One Tournament Format is in regards to hole in one insurance. Today, Kristen Hansen with Hole In One International is back to discuss how it varies from a Hole In One Shootout Format.

The hole in one shootout format is designed for a select few players who are required to be pre-qualified in some fashion.  The easiest and most popular way to do this would be to have a raffle,  but there are many ways to qualify contestants including closest to the pin, longest drive, and straightest drive contests as well as via silent auction.

While a shootout format can be held in conjunction with a tournament (either before or after), some people choose to simply hold it as a stand-alone event; which is great, especially if you’re concerned about time restraints.

Once you’ve qualified your player(s), you gather everyone together at a particular hole (again, usually a 135-yard minimum and typically near the clubhouse) and have your qualifiers each take a single shot for your prize.

The feeling of camaraderie that each participant experiences when all of them are gathered together in one place is one that simply can’t be beat.  (And, if you’re holding one of the above qualifiers, then this would be the perfect opportunity to purchase some of those sponsor signs we talked about the other week!)

Looking for ideas on prizes? Here’s a list of prize ideas for shootout formats.

Is the line between tournament and shootout still a little blurry for you?  Don’t worry, we’re here to help answer any questions you have!  Give us a call at 800-827-2249 or shoot us an email.

Jun
17

3 Key Requirements for a Successful Putting Contest

Posted by Amy Fanter

Hole In One International is here today to go over the 3 key requirements for a successful putting contest.  These requirements help to ensure that your claim goes through and the prize is awarded to the winner; if they aren’t followed properly, this could prevent that from happening!

  • As with all of our insurance policies, payment is due prior to the event date.  We accept Visa, MasterCard, and American Express.  Don’t have a credit card?  No worries – we accept checks as well!  Just make sure they’re postmarked at least one day prior to the event date; otherwise, we won’t be able to accept it and your coverage will be void.
  • If insuring a single-putt contest, be sure to have two (2) witnesses over the age of 21 and not participating in the event, one of which is a certified PGA professional.
  • If insuring a combination putt contest, you will need two (2) witnesses over the age of 21 and not participating for the 10ft. & 30ft. putts.  For the final 50ft.+ putt, you will need one witness over the age of 21 and not participating, plus one certified PGA professional.
  • Accurately set the distance(s) according to the specific type of putting contest you’re insuring.  If you’ve forgotten or are unsure about the difference between the two types, feel free to refer back to the putting contest video we posted a few weeks back.

 

Have more questions?  Any concerns?  Give us a call at 800-827-2249 or email us and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible!

Jun
14

Advertising Your Golf Tournament

Posted by Amy Fanter

Never underestimate the power of advertising your golf tournament! Kristen Hansen, Social Media Marketing Assistant with Hole In One International, shares suggestions for getting the word out about your event.

Create a website for your golf outing
You don’t  have to spend a ton of dough to get the word out about your event.  Putting up a website dedicated to your golf outing is  a perfect way to “tell” everyone about it! Be sure to promote the link to your website.  And don’t forget to update your site regularly! Don’t know how to make a website? Don’t worry about it! There are websites out there that will actually create your own golf tournament page for you, such as TournEvents. The best part? It’s free!

Print advertising
Print advertising is a tried and true method of getting your word out there in the world. Some ideas  would be to send fliers, put an article in your local newspaper or create an online press release. You can even work with your sponsors to include information about your event in their mailers and ads!

Sending invitations
Something as simple as sending out invitations can be a great way to advertise, believe it or not. Once you have all the details of the outing in place, start sending those invitations out! You’ll be pleasantly surprised to see how many interested parties contact you! (Tip: when making your invitations, it’s best to list out multiple methods of contact for people to contact you… i.e. address, phone number, email, website, etc.)

Create social media pages for your golf outing
Chances are your target audience is active in the social media world. Be sure to make a Facebook group and/or Twitter account dedicated to your outing and mention it regularly on your personal or business pages. Depending on the size and type of tournament, you may even want to consider advertising your event in your local area via Facebook. Be sure to keep everyone informed by making regular updates to your group pages.

Announce any discounts or special offers
Encourage people to register for the outing as early as possible! List a cut-off date in your invitation and offer a discount on the price of their foursome if they send in their payment prior to it!  And of course, don’t forget to announce if you’re going to be holding any sort of contests during your outing – especially ones that involve big prizes, such as a hole in one or putting contest!

Give your sponsors maximum exposure
Make sure to properly advertise not only for yourself and your outing but your sponsors as well! Purchase sponsor signs featuring your sponsor’s logo and whatever you do, make sure you know where to place the signage to give your sponsors the recognition they deserve!

Need more ideas? Have any questions? Give us a call at 800-827-2249 or shoot us an email.  We’d be happy to help you out!

May
20

Where To Place Sponsor Signage

Posted by Amy Fanter

With the contest signage Hole In One International provides as part of your insurance package, all signage must be placed at its designated hole on the golf course where the advertised prize is being given away, otherwise, it can become a liability.

But, when it comes to sponsor signs (seen here on the left) where you place them, is up to you!

That being said, when putting up sponsor signs at a golf outing, you’re obviously going to want to put them somewhere they will easily be seen.  We’ve asked avid golfer and General Manager with Hole In One International, Carlos Concha, where the best spots to place sponsor signs would be for maximum visibility and sponsor recognition.

According to Concha, “For those who plan on placing a sponsor sign at each hole out on the golf course, you’ll want to place them on the tee box – that way when the player approaches the tee from the cart, the sign is the first thing they’ll see.”

But we’re only purchasing one or two sponsor signs!  What then?

“In this case, you’d want to consider placing one —preferably a ” Sponsored By” sign – out on the first hole.  The registration table is another great location where people are bound to see the sign with your name and/or logo on it.”

Have any other questions about sponsor signs or need more ideas on what you can do to make the most of them and your golf tournament?  Feel free to send us an email or give us a call at 800-827-2249.

P.S. Selling sponsor signs is a great way to increase revenue at your tournament.

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