Following is a guide for use as a planning guide to assist you in planning and running your golf tournament at the Becky Pierce Golf Course. (Click here to download this guide in a Word Document)
- Date selection
- Number of Golfers
- Budget
- Tournament Format
- Starting Times
- Contests available
- Food and Beverage Selection
- Grab bags and Gifts
- Driving Range
- Rentals available
- Event Rules
- Registration
- Help and Advice
- Course information
DATE SELECTION:
Your tournament date should reflect both the availability of your golfers and your budget expectations. Consider the other commitments your golfers might have with work, vacation periods and College football schedules of Alabama and Auburn. Typically, Tournaments held for employees, clients, suppliers, business associates, charity fundraisers and high school fundraisers are better attended on weekend days. Another factor is the cost, Weekend rounds are more expensive than the weekdays . In order to secure the date you want, it is highly recommended that you contact us months in advance and discuss your proposed dates with the Becky Pierce Tournament Coordinator and Director of Golf, Steve Robertson. (
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NUMBER OF GOLFERS:
It is important to estimate attendance at your event based on reasonable expectations. If you overestimate the number of participants you will disappointed both financially and emotionally. The planning of your event is based on your estimate and any last minute changes may result in a variety of problems:
- Fewer golfers to share in the fixed costs of your event that may leave you in financial difficulty
- If your actual number of players falls below the number of guaranteed players to the club you may face financial repayment to the club for the guaranteed number of players.
- A large increase in players over your initial estimates could present challenges to the club with tee times, meals, availability of carts and availability of space on the golf course.
BUDGET:
Your tournament budget will include variable and fixed cost:
Fixed cost may include:
- Signs
- Banners
- Prizes
- Equipment Rentals
Variable Cost may include:
- Green fees
- Golf Cart Rentals
- Food and Beverage Expenses
- Driving Range
TOURNAMENT FORMAT:
This may be one of the most important decisions you make in organizing your tournament. The format and scoring of your event should reflect the abilities of your golfers, not just a small group. Your objective should be to provide an event that everyone will enjoy playing in and where there is fairness in competition regardless of your golfer’s skill level.
Whichever format you decide to use, it is critical that your golfers are aware in advance of the format and scoring system that will be used for your event. This will avoid any confusion prior to, during and after your event.
The Scramble Tournament:
This has been the tournament of choice for many, especially large groups or events. It requires a foursome to act as a team. Each Golfer hits from the appropriate tee box, play continues from the point of the best tee shot hit by the foursome. Each golfer then hits their next shot from the spot of the best drive on the hole. This process continues until the ball is holed on the appropriate hole. The Scramble tournament allows golfers of all skill levels to enjoy a full round of golf without concerning themselves with how they are playing personally. Golfing will be fun, low pressure and proceed at fairly quick pace. Scoring for this tournament will be based on the teams overall gross score (actual score) and the field is ranked from lowest to highest. Handicapping is not required for this event. You may consider customizing your event further by adding rules requiring the use of at least 1 or 2 drives, approach shots or putts from each participating player.
The Stroke Play Tournament:
This format works well when all the golfers are experienced golfers. This format does not use handicaps and the lowest score wins. Competition may be on an individual basis, or you may play as a two, three or four man team. If this format is used with inexperienced players, the round will take an exceedingly long period of time to play. This format is not recommended for large groups, which typically involve a wider range of golfing skill level.
Alternate Stroke Play Tournament:
This format works well if you would like to pair experienced and inexperienced golfers on two man teams. This method requires that they play as a team, with each taking every other shot,( i.e. Alternating shot) It keeps the game moving at a quicker pace then stroke play and is less intimidating for the novice golfer. This format promotes team work and gives everyone a fair chance. This format is ideal for midsize groups of 30 to 50 players.
Starting Times:
Tee Time Tournament
This tournament can be scheduled at any time during business hours. Tee Times will be assigned to each individual group and tee time tournaments are not advised for a group larger than 20 participants because of the delay from the first group finishing to last group finishing.
Shotgun Start Tournament
This tournament can be started at the following times:
Monday thru Thursday: 8:00am or 1:00pm start
Friday: 8:00am start
Saturday and Sunday: 8:00am start
The shotgun start format is ideal for large groups. Everyone starts and finishes at the same time. It makes it easier on the food and beverage and scoring the tournament.
CONTEST AVAILABLE:
In addition to your overall tournament prizing plans, you might want to consider including special contest and prizes in your event.
Closest to the Pin: this contest works well on a Par 3 Hole. The winner of the contest will be the golfer that hits the approach shot closest to the hole during the tournament round. A marker will be placed on the green to indicate the location of the closest to the pin shot. This marker includes the names of the players who have hit it close to the pin and will be picked up and added to the scoreboard at the end of the tournament.
Hole in One: again, this contest is for a Par 3 Hole. A tee shot hit directly into the hole win the prize. Additional, Insurance must be purchased for this contest.
Longest Drive: This contest works well on a Par 5 Hole. This can be separated in to different categories, men, women, Juniors and seniors. Again, markers are provided to keep up with the long driver winner. This marker includes the names of the players who have hit the long drive and will be picked up and added to the scoreboard at the end of the tournament.
Putting Contest: a pretournament contest held on the putting green (formats vary)
Chipping Contest: a pretournament contest held on the putting green (formats vary)
FOOD AND BEVERAGE SELECTION:
Successful events often begin and end with a gathering of all participants – this kind of group experience is enhanced by the inclusion of food and beverage service. An opening breakfast or lunch will ensure that your golfers arrive early to your event and have an opportunity to socialize and meet their foursome for the event. As golfers complete their round the best way to maximize their enjoyment of you event is to follow it up with a meal and an awards presentation. We can offer box lunches or set up a caterer for you for an additional charge.
GRABBAGS and GIFTS:
The provision of “Grab Bags” to all participants may enhance the success of your event. These tokens are often provided to golfers as they register for your event the day of the tournament. The content of these bags can be customized for your event and may include: t-shirts, tees, coupons, can huggers. These are done through donations from your sponsors and can include anything you want to put in them. We will gladly put these on the golf carts for you if we have them 24 hours in advance.
DRIVING RANGE:
Our driving range will be ready for your tournament participants when they arrive for their shotgun start tournament. We will have balls ready for participants to hit 1 hour before the shotgun starts until 5 minutes before the start of your event.
RENTALS AVAILABLE:
We have rentals sets available for rent @ $25.00 per set and we must have 48 hours notice on any rental club request, so we can guarantee availability of rental clubs.
EVENT RULES:
You may wish to prepare a customized rules package to include with registration. This should highlight the Format of tournament, contest information and any other special rules you have for your event.
REGISTRATION:
We strongly recommend that you require participants to register and pay in advance as this provides you with a much more accurate assessment of participation. You will be required to guarantee the number of participants 48 hours in advance of your tournament. THIS IS THE NUMBER OF PLAYERS YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR YOUR EVENT and we will need a list of the players participating in the event 24 HOURS BEFORE YOUR EVENT. Once we have the list of players from you, we will provide Registration Paper work that includes: player’s names sorted both by group and alphabetical posted on the clubhouse and at the registration table, cart signs and scoreboard
HELP AND ADVICE:
We are happy to assist you in planning your event. Your success is our success. When you book your event with Becky Pierce Golf Course, we take pride in making your event a success from pre planning your event until the scoring has been completed. We are here to help you, but we cannot help you without being asked.
COURSE INFORMATION:
Signage and Course Displays:
Hole sponsor signage must be received at least 24 hours in advance of your event, so that we can place them on the golf course in the appropriate positions.
Golf Shoes:
The Becky Pierce Golf Course has a mandatory soft spike policy for footwear.
Inclement Weather:
Tournaments will commence as scheduled unless the course superintendent or the professional staff determines the golf course unplayable.
