What's the best fundraising idea for a disc golf course?

[MrHollywood]

My brothers and I recently just built a new course in our hometown because we were sick of drving far away to play. The course is named after my father who passed away January of this year. We got a large chunk of money from the money donated at the funeral for the course. Now we have 9 baskets and need more money for 9 more baskets (possibly 18 more because we have a cool idea but that's another story) and for concrete tee pads. We have been trying to think of some fundraising ideas to do and I thought I would see if you guys had any good ideas? So far I've come up with an ace race tourny but I don't think the course is that well known to have a a significent amount of people show up. Any other ideas?

 

[compn]

before anyone asks, it seems he is talking about this course:
http://www.dgcoursereview.com/reviews.php?id=3900&page=1&mode=rev#21319

cool you put in your own course btw!

 

[Rol6566]

CFR?

 

[prerube]

Kinda lame that you gave your own course a 4 rating (biased much?)
add hole info and pictures.

 

[Cyclops]

Around here they do Beef N Beer's at a local firehouse as a fundraiser a couple of times a year. Sell discs at the course with a slight mark-up. Have a donate $5 link on the course website. All of these take time and aren't going to get you 9 new baskets quick.
One other local course they had basket sponsorship from people and small businesses.

 

[skottyb]

Run a league... we do something its just 1$ per player to play... after you get a decent crowd to show up you can start making money and put it all towards the course. Have a CTP contest for an additional 1$ and get someone to donate a new disc.

Basket sponsorship is probably going to be the quickest if you live in a large enough community.

 

[NateDiscFlip]

Some cool ideas

Here's a couple ideas that I think may get people involved for a benefit tourney in honor of your father.

1) Get's beginner players(kids) involved by having a doubles match, where players are matched up with kids that are just trying the sport out. Conatacting a local school or parks and recs in the area would be a good place to get the word out. The registration would be a lightly used disc and a small fee. At the end of the tourney, each kid(based on place in the tourney for who picks first) could each have a disc. The money could go towards the baskets and whatever else, and small trophies could be rewarded for the top spots.

2) You could have a tourney where people could get into doubles or tripples. Each team would have a one mulligan shot per hole(when playing groups of three, we call this "fourth meal" shot) to be taken by the chosen member of each team(it is fun since some players get hot, or are better than others at performing specific shots.) In honor of your father, you may want to have a name for the mulligan shot. Whatever you want, but this is a fun way me and my friends play and have tons of fun. It also would take the competitive edge off the tourney, and focus more at just having a good time. If it goes well, have the tourney every year. If you were to provide food and beverages, people may be more willing to let more go towards the cause, and less to the prize pool.

Good luck, I am sure you can figure something out to honor your pops!

 

[Jody Mitchell]

Kinda lame that you gave your own course a 4 rating (biased much?)
add hole info and pictures.

That's true but who would build their own course and give it a bad rating?

I do agree with adding more course info and pics though.

 

[scarpfish]

Employ multiple strategies to raise the money.

- Hole sponsors
- Disc Sales
- Running Leagues
- Fundraiser Tournaments
- Pay to Play (although your course better be good)

 

[prerube]

That's true but who would build their own course and give it a bad rating?

I do agree with adding more course info and pics though.

ideally you shouldn't rate your own course. It would have to be a hell of a 9 holer to be a 4.

 

[stsren]

A 4 rating on a 7 hole course...must be 7 pretty amazing holes!!! (as only 7 of 9 holes were complete at time of review) If all courses were reviewed on potential, they might all be 4's and 5's...

Good luck raising funds, though....
I agree that trying for a fund-raising "tournament" or "event" would be the best start and generate interest and try to convert some of those visitors into a handicap or best disc league on a weeknight or weekend morning.

 

[humchris85]

With the discription being lots of ace-able holes, I somehow doubt its a 4 disc course.

As for the fundrasing I would say the tourny idea would be the best, a series of sunday doubles, or custom discs for sale would be other good ways to do it.

 

[KMaC]

ideally you shouldn't rate your own course. It would have to be a hell of a 9 holer to be a 4.

Agreed. Put up stats and a description but not a review.

Good luck trying to get your baskets.

 

[MrHollywood]

Alright I realized the review was defiantly biased and have edited it down to some generalities about the course and gave it a lower rating (mainly because I couldn't figure out how to delete the review out right.) Thanks for the tips so far and any others would be appreciated. I'm going out to play it tonight so maybe I can try to take some pictures and if not tonight, I'll get pictures up soon.

 

[buzzinb]

Check with a local Boy Scout troop and see if there is any interest as far as scouts working on service projects.

 

[MrHollywood]

One thing we really don't want to do is pay to play. We sold this idea to the park board on the fact it didn't cost anything and all of us that helped with it really want it to stay free.

 

[volklgirl]

Host a tournament....

Charge a small entry fee
Sell CFR discs
Sell unlimited mulligans for $1 each, all going to baskets
Sell CTP and Ace pot with 50% payout, the rest going to baskets
Play doubles for fun
Add a "worst shot" hole (or 2 or 3) to up the mulligan count and add fun
Get donations of goods and services from local merchants and auction them off

 

[psudgc17]

Check with a local Boy Scout troop and see if there is any interest as far as scouts working on service projects.

Excellent suggestion. I wanted to do something like this for the longest time for my Eagle Scout project. It never worked out, but I know there are always kids looking for service hours. They're required for advancement, and any knowledgeable Scout Leader would love to help out the community. Check where your local troops meet and go about 10-15 minutes before the meeting "begins." Usually there will be an opening ceremony for the Pledge of Allegiance, Law, Oath, etc. Afterwards will often be announcements for stuff just like this. Ask the Scoutmaster or Senior Patrol Leader there first, and then you're set to open it up to the troop.

Good luck! :thmbup:

 

[tallpaul]

The scouts are a valuable resource for projects on the course; church groups would be another possibility; if you are affiliated with such a group/person. You, will of course, need to be selling the family aspect of the course. Local business and/or nearby disc clubs are your best resources in terms of larger funding. Local disc clubs will also provide you with numbers of players for tourneys/benefit events. Contact a cement company in regards to tees; a lumber seller in terms of posts for signs; etc. Good scout project is for benches. Good luck.

 

[frolf4444]

you could do a ace thing... advertise a date that you will have it pay like 3 bucks for 1 shot of the players choice for there disc or like 8 bucks for three shots if someone hits a ace then have like discs, a basket, or some gift cetifacates or something like that