A charity golf tournament should raise money, give sponsors value, and make players want to return.
That is a lot to ask from one day on the course.
The right charity golf tournament add-ons can help. Some earn money during registration, others create sponsor packages, and a few can help teams move faster.
But more is not always better.
If every hole has a long game, sales talk, or confusing set of rules, the tournament can begin to feel like a traffic jam. Players spend more time waiting than golfing, volunteers get tired, and the awards meal starts late.
The goal is not to fill the course with stuff. The goal is to choose a few activities that do an important job well.
What Makes a Great Golf Tournament Add-On?
Before picking an activity, ask what you need it to do.
A useful add-on should support one or more of these goals:
- Raise more money
- Give a sponsor more attention
- Create a moment players will remember
- Keep teams moving
- Include supporters who are not golfing
- Make the event easier to promote
GolfStatus recommends using fundraising tools beyond team fees and sponsorships. Its planning guide lists on-course games, hole-in-one contests, raffles, and auctions as common options. It also notes that games and contests can create sponsor opportunities and more player interaction. You can review its charity golf tournament planning guide for more ideas.
The best choice depends on your event. A large field may care most about pace of play. A small, high-end event may want a premium experience. A school may want to reach families who do not golf.
Start with the need. Then choose the add-on.
1. Air Cannon: Big Fun With a Fundraising Purpose
An Air Cannon lets golfers launch a ball more than 350 yards using compressed air. It turns a normal tee box into one of the most talked-about stops of the day.
The laughter is easy to see. The real value goes deeper.
An Air Cannon can be sold as a team activity, included in registration, or placed in a player package. It can also support a sponsor through signs, marketing, photos, and video.
There are also different ways to run the experience.
In a faster format, each team fires the cannon and advances to the selected ball position. This can replace several tee shots and help play move forward. In a more traditional format, teams can play the result as it lies. That choice gives the committee flexibility, but the format should be reviewed with the golf course before event day.
Best for: On-course revenue, sponsor attention, player fun, and events that want a faster format.
Planning question: Will the activity be included in registration, sold separately, or covered by a sponsor?
2. Drone Drive: A Premium Tee-to-Green Experience
Drone Drive is not a ball drop. It is an on-course team activity.
The pilot flies each team’s golf balls from the tee toward the green while players watch the flight on a monitor. At the green, the team helps direct the drone and release the ball over the pin.
This works well on a difficult or longer hole. Instead of every player hitting several shots before reaching the green, the team moves from the tee directly to the green, which creates a clear pace-of-play benefit.
Drone Drive also offers something rare: a golf moment most players have never experienced, which makes it useful for a premium tournament that wants to stand apart.
Because the group watches the flight together, the activity creates a natural sponsor touchpoint through the station, signs, photos, and video.
Commercial drone work must follow federal rules. The Federal Aviation Administration explains that pilots operating under Part 107 must meet its certification rules. Airspace near airports and some other locations may also require advance approval. The FAA’s remote pilot information explains those requirements.
Targeted Possibilities uses FAA-certified pilots and reviews the event location in advance; however, final approval always rests with the proper aviation authority.
Best for: Premium events, sponsor engagement, difficult holes, and faster tee-to-green movement.
Planning question: Does the location provide safe operating space and usable airspace?
3. Drone Ball Drop: Fundraising Beyond the Golfers
A Drone Ball Drop lets people support the cause without playing golf. Supporters buy numbered-ball entries, and a large drone releases the balls over a target. The balls closest to the pin win prizes chosen by the charity.
This activity has a major advantage: sales can begin weeks before tournament day. Friends, family members, employees, and community supporters can all take part. The charity is no longer limited to the golfers on the course.
The drop can become its own sponsor package, with attention on the entry page, social posts, emails, signs, announcements, and branded landing area.
Targeted Possibilities can release up to 400 numbered balls in one drop. The charity controls the entry price, prizes, sponsor package, and promotion. Our service uses a flat fee, so the organization keeps the fundraising upside instead of sharing each sale with the provider.
Revenue is not guaranteed. Results depend on the number of entries sold, pricing, sponsor support, prizes, promotion, and expenses. Committees should build a simple budget before launching sales. Our Charity Golf Tournament Revenue Calculator can help with that step.
Prize-based fundraising may be covered by state or local raffle rules. Check the rules that apply to your organization and event before selling entries.
Best for: Advance sales, community-wide support, sponsor exposure, and fundraising beyond registered golfers.
Planning question: Who will sell entries, and how will each numbered ball be matched to its buyer?
4. Mulligans and Player Packages
Mulligans remain popular because they are simple. Players understand them, and they take little time to use.
Instead of selling each item alone, consider one package with mulligans, a red tee, a contest entry, or selected games.
GolfStatus also suggests an all-in games package with a simple way to show who has already paid. This can reduce repeated sales stops on the course. See its list of golf tournament fundraiser ideas.
Keep the package easy to explain. Too many rules can slow registration and create questions during play.
Best for: Simple add-on revenue and easy sales during registration.
Watch for: Do not overload the package with items that players will not use.
5. Putting, Closest-to-the-Pin, and Longest-Drive Contests
Traditional golf contests still work. Players know what to do, and the golf course can usually help choose the right holes.
These contests can also be sold to sponsors. A business may provide the prize, greet golfers, or receive signs and event-day mentions. A sponsor who meets every team creates a stronger connection than a sign alone.
Use a clear process for measuring and recording results. Players should know the rules before they begin.
Best for: Low-complexity contests, sponsor interaction, and golfers who enjoy skill-based games.
Watch for: Place contests on suitable holes and avoid setups that cause teams to wait.
6. Hole-in-One Contests
A hole-in-one prize can create real excitement. Cars, trips, and cash prizes get attention from golfers and sponsors.
Large prizes also create risk. Hole-in-one insurance can cover the listed prize when policy rules are followed. GolfStatus explains how hole-in-one insurance works. The provider may set rules for hole length, witnesses, players, and attempts.
Read the policy before promoting the contest. Work with the course and insurance provider to make sure the setup meets every rule.
Best for: A premium sponsor package and a high-interest contest.
Watch for: Never guess about coverage or contest rules.
7. Auctions and Raffles
Silent auctions, live auctions, and raffles can add revenue without placing another stop on the course.
The best items match the audience. Golf packages, trips, tickets, meals, and local experiences may work well. Donated items can lower expenses. Online bidding can also reach people outside the banquet room.
Rules for raffles and other games can differ by state and type of organization. Check all legal and reporting needs before selling tickets.
Best for: Post-round fundraising and donated prizes.
Watch for: Too many low-interest items can create work without producing much return.
8. Sponsor-Activated Holes
A sponsor-activated hole gives a business more than a sign. It might host a simple game, take team photos, or provide a useful giveaway. GolfStatus recommends building packages around cost, audience, and sponsor benefits in its golf tournament sponsorship guide.
Keep it short. Players came to support the cause and golf, not hear 18 sales talks.
How Many Add-Ons Should You Use?
There is no perfect number. It depends on field size, course layout, volunteers, and event goals. Test every idea:
- What job does it perform?
- How much could it earn after expenses?
- Can it support a sponsor?
- How many volunteers does it need?
- How long will each team stop?
- Who will set it up and run it?
- Does the golf course approve the plan?
If two activities do the same job, you may not need both. One well-run experience is better than three confusing ones.
Should Add-Ons Be Included in Registration?
Selling on the course can produce revenue but also create payment stops. Including selected activities in registration makes participation simple. A sponsor could also cover the cost so every golfer can participate.
A lower-cost event may favor optional purchases. A premium event may feel smoother when activities are included.
Choose the format that fits your players, price, and fundraising goal.
Build the Event Around the Charity
An exciting add-on should never become bigger than the cause.
Tell players what their purchase supports. Give sponsors a clear role. Share the charity’s story at registration, on signs, and during awards. That gives the activity meaning beyond the game.
At Targeted Possibilities, we help charity golf tournaments add fundraising experiences without taking control away from the organization. Our Air Cannon, Drone Drive, and Drone Ball Drop use a flat-fee model. The charity controls its pricing, sponsor package, and whether an activity is included in registration. The charity also keeps the fundraising upside.
We serve events across South Carolina, western North Carolina, and eastern Georgia, generally within about four hours of Spartanburg, South Carolina. We recommend checking dates about 90 days ahead when possible, especially for drone events that may need added location review or airspace coordination.
The best charity golf tournament add-ons are not simply the loudest, newest, or most expensive. They are the ones that fit the event, help the cause, respect the course, and give players a reason to come back.
Choose with purpose. Run each activity well. Then let the fun help the fundraising.
Planning a charity golf tournament? Contact Targeted Possibilities to discuss your event date, location, field size, and fundraising goals.
Recent Comments