Every golf outing needs prizes.

The harder question is:

What should you actually give people?

A trophy is great for the winning foursome.

But what about closest to the pin?

Longest drive?

Putting contests?

Raffles?

Hole-in-one prizes?

And how much should you spend without blowing the tournament budget?

The best golf outing prizes don't necessarily need to be expensive.

They need to feel worth winning.

Here's how to build a prize lineup that golfers will actually be excited about.

Start by Separating Awards From Prizes

These don't have to be the same thing.

An award recognizes the accomplishment.

A prize gives the golfer something they actually want.

For example, the winning foursome might receive:

• A trophy

• A custom bag tag or medallion

• A gift card

• Golf merchandise

• A premium golf gift

Combining recognition with something useful usually works better than relying on either one alone.

A plastic trophy might be fun for the photo.

A dozen premium golf balls might be what the player is actually excited to take home.

1. Winning Foursome Prizes

The tournament champions should usually receive your most substantial golf-related prize.

Depending on your budget, ideas include:

• Premium golf balls

• Custom headcovers

• Golf shop gift cards

• Custom tumblers

• Golf bags

• Premium towels

• Divot tool and ball marker sets

• Golf course gift certificates

If your outing is annual, consider adding a permanent trophy with each year's winning team engraved on it.

That gives the event a little history.

Players may forget who won the raffle.

They'll remember seeing their name on the tournament trophy next year.

2. Closest-to-the-Pin Prizes

Closest to the pin is probably the easiest contest prize to shop for.

It works particularly well with golf-specific products.

Good options include:

• A dozen premium golf balls

• Golf shop gift card

• Custom divot tool

• Custom ball marker

• Golf towel

• Rangefinder

• Headcover

Because it's a skill-based golf contest, giving the winner something they'll use on the course feels natural.

You can also have a sponsor fund the prize.

For example:

Closest to the Pin presented by ABC Company

Now the sponsor gets recognition and your tournament doesn't have to cover the entire cost.

3. Longest Drive Prizes

Longest-drive winners usually appreciate something with a little more perceived value.

Consider:

• Premium golf balls

• Driver headcover

• Golf store gift card

• Golf lesson

• Round of golf

• Golf accessory package

• Custom trophy or medallion

You can also have separate men's and women's longest-drive contests if that fits your field.

Just make sure the contest hole is appropriate.

A wide, relatively straight hole usually works better than a tight dogleg where the longest hitter might actually be penalized.

4. Straightest Drive Prize

This is one of my favorite alternatives because nearly everyone has a realistic chance.

Place a line down the center of a fairway and measure which drive finishes closest to it.

Distance doesn't matter.

That means your 20-handicap player can beat the scratch golfer who hits it 310 yards into the rough.

Prize ideas can be a little lighter:

• Sleeve or dozen of golf balls

• Ball marker

• Divot tool

• Golf towel

• Restaurant gift card

• Small golf accessory package

It adds another winner to the event without requiring a huge budget.

5. Putting Contest Prizes

Putting contests can happen before or after the round and are especially useful for fundraising events.

A golfer might pay $10 for three attempts, with the winner receiving a larger prize.

Prize ideas include:

• Putter

• Premium golf balls

• Golf shop gift card

• Custom golf package

• Free foursome at a local course

• Restaurant package

• Electronics

• Event sponsor gift basket

Because the contest itself can generate revenue, you may be able to justify a more valuable prize.

6. Hole-in-One Prizes

This is where golf outings sometimes go big.

You've probably seen hole-in-one contests offering:

• Cars

• Large cash prizes

• Vacations

• Golf equipment

• Luxury products

That doesn't necessarily mean the tournament is buying a $50,000 vehicle.

Many outings use hole-in-one insurance.

The tournament pays a premium based on factors such as the prize value, hole distance and number of golfers.

If someone makes the ace, the insurance provider covers the insured prize according to the policy.

Even if you're using a modest prize, a hole-in-one sponsor can create a lot of visibility.

Automotive dealers are an obvious fit, but you can get creative.

7. Raffle Prizes

Raffles are different from golf contests because the item doesn't necessarily need to be golf-related.

That's good news.

It opens up a much larger pool of donations.

Popular raffle prizes include:

• Restaurant gift cards

• Golf foursomes

• Sporting event tickets

• Hotel stays

• Electronics

• Coolers

• Grills

• Wine or food baskets

• Golf equipment

• Local experiences

• Vacation packages

One of the easiest ways to build a strong raffle table is to ask local businesses to donate prizes.

Instead of asking:

“Would you like to give us money?”

you can ask:

“Would your business be willing to donate a product or gift card for our raffle?”

Sometimes that's an easier yes.

8. Silent Auction Items

If your outing is a fundraiser, save some of your biggest items for an auction instead of a raffle.

Potential auction items include:

• Private golf club rounds

• Stay-and-play packages

• Sports memorabilia

• Premium golf equipment

• Vacation rentals

• Concert tickets

• Professional sports tickets

• Restaurant packages

• Golf instruction

• Experiences donated by local businesses

An auction gives you the opportunity to generate considerably more revenue from a high-value item than a single raffle ticket would.

9. Don't Forget the Last-Place Team

Golf outings are supposed to be fun.

A last-place prize can get one of the biggest laughs of the awards ceremony.

Keep it inexpensive.

Ideas include:

• Novelty trophy

• Golf lesson certificate

• Funny ball marker

• Cheap sleeve of balls

• “Most Golf Played” award

• Wooden spoon-style trophy

You don't want to embarrass anyone.

The goal is to make the losing foursome part of the fun.

In some outings, the last-place prize becomes more memorable than the championship prize.

10. Best Dressed or Best Team Theme

If your event has a casual atmosphere, consider a non-golf prize.

You could recognize:

• Best dressed

• Best team name

• Best themed foursome

• Best golf cart decorations

• Best sponsor setup

These categories can generate great event photos and encourage people to participate beyond just shooting a low score.

11. Volunteer Prizes

Don't forget the people working the outing.

Volunteers may spend five or six hours helping with:

• Registration

• Hole contests

• Raffle sales

• Photography

• Scoring

• Setup

• Cleanup

Consider having a few volunteer-only drawings.

Even relatively inexpensive items can be a nice gesture:

• Gift cards

• Golf towels

• Tumblers

• Golf balls

• Event merchandise

Your volunteers are often the reason the outing runs smoothly.

12. Sponsor-Dedicated Prizes

Sponsors don't always need another plaque.

Consider providing something they might actually use.

For your larger sponsors, that might be:

• Custom headcovers

• Premium golf balls

• Tumblers

• Custom bag tags

• Valuables pouches

• Golf accessory sets

That gives you another opportunity to say thank you without simply handing them a framed certificate.

How Much Should You Spend on Golf Tournament Prizes?

There isn't a perfect number.

It depends on the type of outing.

A charity fundraiser trying to maximize donations should probably keep prizes controlled.

A corporate customer-appreciation outing may want to spend considerably more.

Instead of starting with a dollar amount, divide your prizes into tiers.

Tier 1 — Major Prizes

Examples:

• Winning team

• Hole-in-one

• Major raffle

• Putting contest

Tier 2 — Contest Prizes

Examples:

• Closest to the pin

• Longest drive

• Straightest drive

Tier 3 — Fun Prizes

Examples:

• Last place

• Best dressed

• Volunteer drawings

Put most of the budget into Tier 1.

Keep Tier 3 inexpensive and fun.

Use Sponsors to Cover Prize Costs

Just like golfer gifts, prizes can become sponsorship opportunities.

Instead of purchasing the closest-to-the-pin prize yourself, approach a local business.

For example:

Closest to the Pin — Sponsored by Smith Insurance

The sponsor could provide:

• Cash

• Gift card

• Product

• Golf equipment

• Branded golf gift

You reduce expenses.

The sponsor gets exposure.

The golfer gets a better prize.

Everybody wins.

Don't Overdo It

You don't need 40 awards.

When nearly everyone wins something, the prizes start losing their significance.

Focus on the contests golfers expect and add a few creative categories that fit your event.

A simple prize structure might look like:

• 1st Place Foursome

• 2nd Place Foursome

• Closest to the Pin

• Longest Drive

• Straightest Drive

• Putting Contest

• Last Place

• Raffle Winners

That's plenty for most outings.

Make the Awards Ceremony Move Quickly

This might be the most important advice in the entire article.

After golfers have spent four or five hours on the course, they're hungry.

They're tired.

Some of them have a long drive home.

Don't turn your awards ceremony into the Oscars.

Have everything organized before you start.

Put prizes in order.

Know the winners.

Thank your sponsors.

Make the announcements.

Take the photos.

Keep things moving.

A 20-minute awards ceremony with good energy is better than an hour-long presentation where half the room disappears before the final prize.

One More Idea: Make the Prize Match the Event

The most memorable prizes often have some connection to the tournament.

A firefighter outing might use a custom firefighter-themed golf item.

A veterans event could create a patriotic ball marker or divot tool.

A corporate outing might incorporate the company's branding into a premium golf accessory.

An annual memorial outing could create an item specifically around the person or cause being honored.

That's where custom products can become more than promotional items.

They become keepsakes.

At DrivePuttPromote, we help golf outings create custom ball markers, golf balls, bag tags, divot tools, headcovers, towels, tumblers and other golf accessories that can be used for tournament prizes, golfer gifts and sponsor recognition.

If you have an unusual idea, send it to us.

Some of the best golf outing products start with someone saying:

“I don't know if this is possible, but…”

Those are usually the fun ones.