Dear Carl How to host a one-day golf tournament. How to host a golf tournament

Looking for common sense advice on how to organize and run a small business, one day golf tournament?

Wanting to have a customer appreciation day? Looking to boost your business presence by creating valuable business traditions?

Heard about another establishment's success with their annual event and you feel a twinge to venture in that direction? Or are your customers pressuring you to hold a successful event yourself?

What about strengthening your business relationships with your customers? Are you thinking about hosting a golf tournament because it will help build upon the foundation of your business?

Wouldn't you like the confidence of hosting your first tournament and knowing you were going to appear like an old professional? (Even if you don't golf very often or only have a vague knowledge of golf you can look like a professional tournament coordinator by following the principles outlined in this e-book.)

Or...

Have you just finished running your first golf tournament and you just know there has to be a better way?

Do you represent a golf course and you’re in need of a thorough manual so you don’t have to baby-sit your clients throughout the whole process (this manual is guaranteed to make your job a whole lot easier).

Whichever.

Welcome to Dear Carl, where I reveal my secrets in organizing and running a successful small-business golf tournament.*

*You can get all kinds of information on this internet on how to run charity golf tournaments, or "How to make money with a golf tournament!"

This is the ONLY manual written about golf tournaments that tells you exactly what to do when you are running a golf tournament to promote your business or corporate agenda (meaning: strengthen your customer's loyalty to you and create even more business).

Before the hair loss (how does this happen so suddenly?) people used to claim your host's likeness to Tiger.

If this is true, here is a preview to what Tiger might look like when he reaches the age of 45.

Poor guy.

So who the heck am I?

Hello, my name is Steve Carper and I have been participating in organizing golf tournaments since 1985. I cannot find the time to devote to the game to get into a single digit handicap (USGA—I simply cannot get below a 10.3) but please believe my knowledge of the game exceeds my execution of it.

The year 2006 signifies entering into my fourth decade of service in the food and beverage industry (hotel, bar/restaurant) and my manual is understandably from the bar golf tournament point of view.

However, lessons on “branding” the event and the parameters that I utilize to limit bad consequences will definitely prove to be useful to any small business or corporate golf outing. If you purchase this manual you will benefit from over 20 years of experience in avoiding embarrassing and inflaming mistakes.

Jim Glenn, a logistics expert for the National Interagency Fire Center (forest fire-fighter), competes in up to 20 amateur golf tournaments per year (now multiply that over the 25 years or so that I've known him), so I asked him to read through my manual. Here's what he emailed me:

"Steve, I had a chance to scroll through your document. You have done an awesome job. I hope you are rewarded for the work. It is very easy to understand, humorous and most importantly, right on in the details of running a good tournament. Glad to know I'm not one of those guys that is on your team every year because no one else wants to play with them." Uh-oh, did I just give something away here?

So who the heck is Carl?

"Dear Carl" is based upon a series of three letters written by me to Carl Haas, then Director of Golf at Meadow Creek Golf Course in New Meadows, ID (now retired) who had requested my advice on running a bar/restaurant golf tournament for a client of his who wanted to start her own wonderful tradition.

Carl Haas was a loyal servant of the golf industry in Idaho for decades and who is still highly respected and beloved throughout the state (and beyond) for his knowledge, charm and character, and his undying love and support for the game of golf and those who play it.

Carl didn’t start it, but was very instrumental in maintaining the popularity of the largest amateur golf tournament in the United States: the McCall Amateur; over 300 participants yearly who hail from nearly every state in the union play in this tournament every July in McCall, Idaho.

Meet Wayne Hutchings, Tournament Director at Boise Ranch Golf Course 2001 through 2005. Wayne once told me:

"Steve, out of all the tournaments I work every year, yours is absolutely the most organized, hands down. It is a pleasure working with you."

Likewise, Wayne.

So what are my secrets in organizing and running a long-standing, traditional small business golf tournament?

You will learn how to:

• Recruit and collect prizes (this is much easier than you think)

• Organize prize distribution (it took this village idiot several years to figure out the easier, softer way)

• Correctly sign up players (there is a wrong way?)

• Give non-handicapped players an accurate handicap (there are very complicated ways to do this; I simplify it for you)

• Correctly conduct a blind draw (unless your golf tournament is for charity purposes, I give you the one reason why you should never let teams form themselves and I’ll teach you the one and only way to draw teams where all the team handicaps are shockingly close)

• Correctly give a team their team handicap (most golf tournaments err severely by basing a team handicap on the team’s total handicap—bad dog!—I explain why)

• Collect and disperse prize money (yes, winners should win, but you’ll learn why they shouldn’t win big)

• Raise more money for your prize pool (smaller tournaments can rigorously boost monies by this technique but I personally do not use it as I feel it jeopardizes the integrity of the game)

• Properly recognize your sponsors (the hows and whys concerning the fine art of recognition)

• Choose the correct tournament format (size does matter and I disclose why)

• Use video and photography (c’mon, is this really that important?)

• “Brand” your tournament (your brain should churn out ideas like Toyota does cars after reading these examples)

I give you more information than any other golf manual has ever given because I am not afraid of exposing my most embarrassing moments from mistakes I have made and you get the benefit.

Seize this opportunity; this is a great chance to strengthen your bond between your customer and your business.

By purchasing this manual you will minimize the chances of having disgruntled players and help you achieve your main goal of not having one single player (read customer here) leave with a bad taste in their mouth—I’m sure you’ve been to way-too-many tournaments where this critical aspect failed to get pulled off....noticeably.

Rich Fedrizzi, self-made entrepreneur with multiple successful business start-ups, prominent Boise State University booster and community philanthropist, is an avid golfer who plays in many amateur golf tournaments every year from Palm Springs to McCall. I asked him to evaluate my e-book and this is what he told me:

"Steve, your manual is written so that the most inexperienced golfer (meaning little or no golf experience or background) could succesfully start their own tournament and, with just but a few referrals back to the manual, will have started a traditional event that will endure year after year."

Thank you, Rich.

“So Steve, what the heck do you mean by ‘branding’?”

Simply put, this is the one entity that separates your tournament from all others.

You’ll learn, through examples, how to create a golf tournament “niche” in the minds of your players (again, read customers here). You’ve created a “niche” in your industry with your brick-and-mortar business, haven’t you? Why not use the same principles in creating a golf tournament that clearly stands head-and-shoulders above all other golf tournaments in your area?

Can you not see the immense value in this? The dividends you receive by creating an unbreakable bond between your business and your customers will return a thousand-fold over time and purchasing this manual will clearly reap you a “dollars on the penny” ROI (Return On Investment).

But here’s the icing on the cake: you know as well as I do that word-of-mouth is the Top Dawg when it comes to advertising and, as your customers talk your tournament up around town, exactly what value can you put on a machine that creates new customers—on auto-pilot—from the water cooler to the barber shop?

Uh-huh.

Me either.

Tom Beeler (again, someone who plays in over 20 tournaments or "outings" a year) writes:

"Steve's formula for success is repeatable and he has taken the time to put together materials that show how to put on a great tournament whether you've put on tournaments before or this is your first time. I truly believe that if you follow the guidelines he offers you can host great tournaments that will be fun for players and patrons of your business of all abilities. It's a pleasure to endorse a quality product like the one that Steve has produced."

Thank you, Tom.

“C’mon Steve, what are the real secrets you can give me?”

All right, I guess I can leak a little more info out, albeit begrudgingly…this is the real meat of the manual.

By purchasing this guidebook, you’ll find out:

•When to conduct a not-so-blind draw (you’re trying to fortify customer relations here, right? I’ll expose the situations—and there will be—where you’ll have to manipulate your draw)

•What to do if a player doesn’t show (there is only one correct solution in this type of tournament and you’ll learn exactly what to do)

•KISS and “The Formula” (this section is a true eye-opener and astoundingly reveals the twenty years of my experience that you receive the direct benefit from)

•The one ingredient that guarantees you a successful golf tournament and it has nothing to do with golf (this one is so simple you’ll throw your hands in the air when you read it but it is the one secret every successful socialite has when hosting a party)

Wow.

There you have it and it’s here (but only here) for the taking.

“So Steve, exactly how much is this manual going to cost me?”

I insist on being crystal clear here; if you are not serious about applying a good amount of elbow grease into producing your event DO NOT go any further. No amount of money can purchase the magic wand some people expect when coordinating these kinds of events. However, if you know what you want, know what you're looking for and fully realize the amount of work involved, please continue...

Let’s go over exactly what this manual is worth by comparing your options.

First, you could hire an agency or firm to operate your tournament for you, for up to $5,000 dollars. Ouch. Oh, by the way, that is a yearly price. Double ouch. (And you'll still be shouldering much of the work load!)

Or, you could scour the internet for free advice on how to run your tournament but remember: don’t we usually get exactly what we pay for? And you’re going to have to run your own tournament anyway? Wouldn’t you like to have the best advice you can get your hands on?

Oh, you’re looking for software to help you run your tournament? My friend, software does not run a golf tournament, people do, and my trusted yellow legal pad does everything that software for a golf tournament can do…

So exactly what is the value of over 20,000 no frill words of advice exploring every mistake I ever made in coordinating golf tournaments? Priceless!

What would a professional golf tournament consultant cost you by the hour? $200.00? $300.00? And how many times per tournament would you be forced to consult with her? Now multiply this out for every year you would need this service and ask yourself, does she have 2 decades of experience running successful golf tournaments under her belt? Hmmm.

If you purchase this manual, for a one time fee you get all the advice you need and for every recurring consultation you will pay nothing. Nada. Zilch. Why? Because you own the manual to revisit time and time again. Again, priceless!

As I examine the content of my manual and gauge its value I have set your cost of this invaluable advice at a mere $197.00 dollars, American. (Spread out over 2 decades of business building tradition, that equates to $10.00 per year in consultation fees!)

Compare the cost of a business seminar (we all know of someone who's been to one--yes, I'm lookin' at YOU) of $500.00 (minimum) for a half-day's worth of drivel from some monotone speaker (or, even better, has your friend ever found herself in front of a "motivational" speaker under the guise of a business seminar?). Exactly how much did this technique help your friend strengthen her customer base? Was it even visible? Was it really worth the time and money spent?

Now how can I make the value of this manual even more appealing to you? I'll chop $150.00 off of the price, that's how! Look around this internet to compare--and I'll help you--here are some sites that you might want to check out:

http://www.golftp1.com/

http://www.gtigolf.com/golf_manual.html

http://gtfg.golfreg.com/golf_tournament_planning/index.cfm

How about free information? Go here:

http://www.uniservinc.com/golf-tour/tournament-tut.htm

http://www.tournamentstoatee.com/organizingtips.aspx

(If it's a free product you want, have at'er. However, if the paid products sites caught your eye,please don't make a commitment to any product until you visit my "Excerpts" page in order to compare value.)

And what is the cost of $197.00 (no-no, that's $47.00) spread out over the next twenty years of a successful, business building, customer pleasing, tradition creating event?

Pennies on the dollar, my friend; pennies on the dollar.

Caution! If you find the price of this manual is too steep please reconsider your thoughts on hosting a golf tournament to strengthen the bond between your customers and your business.

Golf tournaments are not inexpensive.

However, properly executed, the capital you invest will not only reap your business new repeat customers but will also solidify the foundation of your current customer base; isn't that what you are striving for in the first place?

Compare this offer with anything on the internet and you'll realize it's true value.

This manual is sent in PDF form which is both Mac and Uglysoft friendly!

“But Steve, how do I know this manual has everything inside that you say it has?”

Well, you don’t.

And, since you don’t: here is my dead lock cinch 100% Guarantee:

If, for any reason whatsoever, you are dissatisfied with my e-manual “Dear Carl” anytime within 30 days of purchasing this e-book I will gladly refund every red cent that you’ve paid. That is just how confident I am that this e-book is everything you expect it to be! Every dime will automatically be charged back to your credit card faster than you can say “Refund!”.

And just to make sure you are satisfied with your purchase I’ve placed a free gift inside the manual. It’s access to my secret recipe on an item I use to help “brand” my events (one of my examples in the e-book) and I know you will absolutely love it (everybody does).

What’s to keep you from using it to help “brand” your own events, eh?

Still not sure? Let me show you some excerpts from the book. Just click on the link (excerpts), and after reading some examples you decide whether this manual is valued correctly. If not, please don't waste your money! (I am convinced that you will be so impressed you won't hesitate to order now).

I wish you the best of luck on all your projects and may you prosper in your family, your friends, and your finances.

Steve T. Carper

5120 W. Overland Rd.

PMB 126

Boise, ID 83705

Stevcarp at hotmail.com (Trying to avoid the SpamBots here)

Registered in the Library of Congress