Everybody likes playing minigolf, which makes it the perfect activity for fundraising events. Here’s an example from the USA of how one boy staged a minigolf tournament to raise funds for a Multiple Sclerosis charity because his grandfather has the disease. The event raised over $10,000 for the charity through a $20 playing fee and private donations made by participants. 50 people attended the event, which is a good but not huge number, and generated donations in five figures. Not bad for a game of minigolf!
It’s fairly simple to organise a minigolf fundraising event or ‘mini golfathon’. You need enough equipment to keep golfers moving round the course instead of waiting, but 6 to 9 holes is enough unless you are completely overrun with players. The main part is the preparation work beforehand: visiting local sponsors and canvassing them to attend or sponsor the event.
If your event is anything like as successful as the one described above, the cost of hiring the minigolf course will be covered in the first hour or two and the rest will be funds raised for your chosen cause. You can get local companies to sponsor an individual hole in exchange for some advertising on a backdrop to the hole (we can help with printing company logos and artwork onto these).
We suggest the mini golfathon format in which players seek sponsorship for each hole they manage to play within a defined time period. If you have a 9-hole course then four times round the course in two hours is a reasonable target. The more energetic players can go for fifty holes. If you have 50 players playing 36 holes with 10 sponsors each offering 20p per hole, this will raise £3,600 assuming they all finish the four rounds. If sponsors offer more per hole or if you have more players, the amount raised can go up and up. Players who arrive without sufficient sponsorship can be asked to pay a fee for playing which also goes into the kitty.
A successful mini golfathon can become an annual event. Anyone from 8 to 80+ can play and it can’t be rained off, though it would be a bit soggy. The only barrier to success is the number of sponsored players and their ability to raise sponsorship.
Give us a call on 08450 570 321 to see how we can help you to organise a minigolf fundraising event.
More about minigolf at www.putterfingers.co.uk
