If you’re planning a charity golf tournament, one question should guide every fundraising activity you include:
Will this activity generate meaningful revenue while creating an unforgettable experience for participants?
For many tournament directors, the annual golf event has become increasingly challenging. Sponsors are harder to secure, players expect more than a traditional scramble, and organizations face growing pressure to maximize every fundraising opportunity.
That is exactly why more charities are turning to innovative experiences such as a Drone Ball Drop.
But the question we hear most often at Targeted Possibilities is simple:
“How much revenue can a Drone Ball Drop actually generate?”
The short answer: A properly executed Drone Ball Drop can generate anywhere from $3,000 to more than $30,000 in gross revenue.
The final number depends on several factors, including attendance, ticket pricing, sponsorship opportunities, and how effectively the activity is promoted.
Let’s look at what influences revenue and how organizations can maximize their return.
Understanding the Drone Ball Drop Fundraising Model
A Drone Ball Drop is a raffle-style fundraising event where participants purchase numbered golf balls for a chance to win cash or prizes.
At the designated time, hundreds of numbered foam golf balls are dropped from a drone over a putting green or designated target area. The balls closest to the pin, or in some cases the first ball in the hole, win prizes.
Unlike traditional raffles, a Drone Ball Drop creates excitement, anticipation, and a memorable experience that participants often talk about long after the tournament ends.
Most importantly, it can generate significant revenue without slowing pace of play.
Typical Revenue Scenarios
Small Tournament (72 Players)
A smaller tournament with strong promotion can still produce impressive results.
Example:
- 250 balls sold
- Ticket price: $20 per ball
Gross Revenue: $5,000
Add a title sponsor for the event:
- Drone Ball Drop Presenting Sponsor: $1,000
Potential Gross Revenue: $6,000
Even after expenses, many charities realize an exceptional return on investment.
Medium Tournament (100–120 Players)
This is the sweet spot for many charity golf events.
Example:
- 400 balls sold
- Ticket price: $20 per ball
Gross Revenue: $8,000
Additional sponsorship opportunities:
- Presenting Sponsor: $1,500
- Secondary Sponsor: $500
Total Potential Revenue: $10,000
Organizations that begin promoting the event several weeks before tournament day often see the strongest results.
Large Tournament and Community-Wide Fundraisers
Some organizations choose to expand their Drone Ball Drop beyond tournament participants and sell chances throughout the entire community.
Schools, booster clubs, nonprofits, and larger charities often promote the fundraiser weeks or even months in advance through social media, email campaigns, alumni networks, local businesses, and community events.
In these situations, organizations may sell thousands of chances.
For example, one high school fundraising campaign we did sold more than 3,000 chances while offering a $5,000 grand prize to the ball closest to the pin.
Assuming a ticket price of just $10 per chance, the fundraiser generated:
- 3,000 chances sold
- Ticket price: $10
Gross Revenue: $30,000
After awarding the grand prize and accounting for event expenses, the organization still realized a significant net return.
When fundraisers reach this scale, dropping thousands of physical balls is not always practical. Instead, many organizations use a randomization process to determine which numbered balls will be included in the actual drop. The selected balls are then dropped by drone to determine the winners.
This approach allows charities to dramatically expand fundraising potential while maintaining the excitement and visual impact that makes a Drone Ball Drop such a memorable experience.
Organizations willing to market beyond tournament participants often discover that a Drone Ball Drop is not simply a golf tournament activity, it becomes a community-wide fundraising event.
Five Factors That Determine Revenue
1. Number of Balls Sold
The most significant factor is simply how many balls are sold.
Successful organizations begin selling tickets weeks before tournament day through:
- Email campaigns
- Social media
- Sponsor outreach
- Team captain communications
- Organization newsletters
- Website promotion
Early promotion consistently results in higher revenue.
2. Ticket Pricing
Most organizations price balls between $10 and $25 each.
Common pricing models include:
- 1 ball for $20
- 3 balls for $50
- 7 balls for $100
Package pricing encourages larger purchases while simplifying sales.
3. Prize Structure
Compelling prizes drive participation.
Popular prize ideas include:
- Cash prizes
- Vacation packages
- Golf equipment
- Electronics
- Sports memorabilia
- Local business gift baskets
Many organizations secure donated prizes, allowing nearly every dollar raised to support their mission.
4. Sponsorship Opportunities
The Drone Ball Drop itself creates premium sponsorship inventory.
Examples include:
- Presenting Sponsor
- Ball Sponsor
- Prize Sponsor
- Banner Sponsor
- Green Sponsor
Sponsors receive visibility before, during, and after the event through marketing materials, signage, social media, and event announcements.
Because the activity attracts significant attention, many organizations are able to command higher sponsorship levels than they would for a standard hole sign.
5. Community Participation
One of the biggest mistakes organizations make is limiting sales to tournament participants.
The most successful events sell balls throughout the community.
Remember: someone does not need to play golf to participate in a Drone Ball Drop.
Employees, donors, volunteers, church members, alumni, and local supporters can all purchase balls.
Expanding beyond tournament participants can dramatically increase fundraising results.
What Is a Realistic Revenue Goal?
For most charity golf tournaments, a realistic target is:
- Small event: $3,000–$5,000
- Average event: $5,000–$10,000
- Large, well-promoted event: $20,000+
The key is not simply adding another fundraising activity.
It is creating an experience participants become excited about and actively support.
Why Organizations Are Choosing Drone Ball Drops
Today’s tournament participants expect more than the traditional scramble format.
Organizations that consistently grow participation are embracing new experiences that:
- Increase player engagement.
- Generate additional sponsorship opportunities.
- Create social media content.
- Expand fundraising beyond golfers.
- Deliver memorable moments participants remember.
A Drone Ball Drop checks all of those boxes.
Final Thoughts
Every charity tournament has the same ultimate goal: raising as much money as possible for a meaningful cause.
A well-executed Drone Ball Drop offers organizations an innovative way to generate substantial revenue while creating an exciting experience for players, sponsors, and supporters.
At Targeted Possibilities, our Drone Ball Drop has helped organizations throughout the Carolinas create memorable events while maximizing fundraising potential.
If you’re looking for a unique way to elevate your next charity golf tournament, we’d love to show you how a Drone Ball Drop can help put the FUN back into FUNdraising.
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