Dallas Texins Golf Club
How to be a Tournament Director
Let the Tournament Chairman know which tournaments you want to direct.
The Tournament Chairman will add your name to the appropriate places on the website.
The Tournament Chairman will give you a copy of the Golf Course contract for your tournament(s)
.
What you should do:
1. Read the contract to determine
a. The deadlines for player counts, pairings, proximity markers, etc..
b. Extras the course is providing such as scorecard creation, scoreboard, scoring, signs on the carts, range balls, etc...
c. Payment due to the course minus deposits
2. Process sign-ups
a. Collect names of persons signing up for the tournament.
b. Acquires handicap information for any person who is not already on the clubs handicap site or handicap exception list
Ask if the person has an established handicap and where
If they do not then ask the person to record recent scores that they shot in our handicap site
If they do not have any record of recent scores ask them what they typically score.
c. Acquire contact information ( work phone, home phone, cell phone, email address ) for any person who did not play in any club tournaments in 2006 or 2007
Send the Tournament Chairman all of the above information.
3. Contact the Golf Course THREE weeks before the tournament to confirm the following:
a. The tournament is scheduled
b. The deadline for guaranteeing the number of players
c. The deadline for submitting pairings with handicaps
d. The services they will be providing
· Those that are providing the scorecards will often also agree to let you fax or email a rules sheet for them to attach to the scorecards
e. The slope and rating for each of the tees -- they are on our website but please confirm they are correct
f. The holes that are par 3s -- they are on our website but please confirm they are correct
g. What is the first tee time and how are they spaced. For instance our tournament may start at 10:00 but the first tee time is actually 10:04 and the next 7 minutes later and the next 8 minutes later and then 7 and then 8, etc...
h. Payment is made in CASH to the course on the tournament day. Stevens is typically an exception. They require payment in advance.
4. Send an email to the golf club 7 days before the sign up deadline notifying the players of the tournament, when the deadline for signing up is, encouraging them to play, etc...
5. Send a follow-up email on the last day of the sign-up period if not many players are signing up and/or if you need a specific number of players to fill out the foursomes.
6. On the day of the course count deadline call the course to alert them to the number of players. Note the date, time and name of the person who has taken the call. We have had trouble in the past where the course has denied having been notified. Some courses may require you to fax the guarantee but this is rare.
7. After the deadline and at least 9 days before the tournament, determine pairings and awards
The reason for needing this done in advance is that it may take time to get the gift cards and people want to know when they are teeing off so that they can plan other activities before or after the golf.
a. Create the pairings and tee times
· As a general rule, tee times should be fairly close to the order people signed up
· There are multiple reasons for exceptions such as habitually slow players, other activities that day. Use your judgment.
b. Calculate the handicaps for the individuals / teams
· Refer to the "Club and Tournament Rules" section of the club website. The rules for the specific tournament types include how to calculate the handicaps for that particular tournament. Additionally you can use the spreadsheets available on the handicap website.
· Determine the flights based on the number of entries.
- Do not create a flight with less than 4 persons or for team events less than 4 teams.
· Determine the prize allocation. The Prize Director will have already sent you the size of the prize fund. It fluctuates tournament to tournament based on several factors including number of players, rounding, special course certificates.
· Typically plan on using $5 * the number of par 3s. You may want to designate one of the holes for higher handicaps only or have two markers based on handicaps. Use your judgment on the handicap cutoff.
· Generally award a 1st and 2nd prize for each flight. If the turnout is low there may be only one flight. In that case you will generally award 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes.
· Placement prizes must be a minimum of $10. The exception is for a special placement prize such as last place.
· Long Drive, Long Putt and other contests can be included if you have a few dollars left over after you have determined how to allocate placement prizes.
c. Use the word document golfcart rules sheet to create the rules sheets for the tournament.
d. Send the Tournament Chairman the pairings, tee times, handicaps, prize allocation.
· The Tournament Chairman will post all of the information to the website.
· The Prize Director will pick up the golf store cards. If the Prize Director is playing in the tournament she/he will bring the cards to the tournament.
8. On the day of the pairings deadline (which is typically 2 days before the tournament) send the golf course the pairings sheet.
a. If they are also handling the scorecards send the handicaps and the golf cart rules sheet as well
9. On the day of the tournament before the tournament begins
a. Arrive early to the course
b. Ensure every player signs the tournament waiver before they begin play
c. Bring your handicap spreadsheet
· It is good to have in case of any disputes or scorecard playoffs
d. Bring a copy of the full rules for the tournament (from the website not the golf cart rules document). The full rules will be needed for tie-breakers and handicap adjustments for no shows
e. Check in with the pro shop to ensure everything is ready
1. If the course is providing scorecards ensure this has been done and they are correct. Many times they do not put the proper dots on the cards for the best ball tournaments
2. If you have also arranged for them to handle the golfcart rules sheets, ensure the rules are attached
3. If you are handling the scorecards, complete all scorecards
· Fill in FULL names of players
· Handicaps
· If best ball, a dot on each hole that the player is receiving a stroke
· Give the course your scorecards with attached rules sheets or put them on the carts
4. Get the Closest to the Pin markers and any other special contest markers
10. On the day of the tournament after you finish play
a. Collect CASH from the players as they come in. Checks are not accepted! You will need to pay the golf course with this cash and deliver the remaining cash to the financial chairperson. The "extra" cash is what we use to pay for the golf gift cards, outstanding golfer award, intersite first team, texins insurance, etc....
b. If you are handling the scoreboard
· Collect the scorecards from the players as they come in and check the math. We have found many instances of incorrect addition.
· Post the scores on your scoreboard
c. If the course is handling the scoreboard
· Collect the scorecards when they are done
d. Hand out the golf store gift cards when all players have finished
e. If there were no shows for the tournament try and get the course to waive the course costs for that player
· Some courses will waive the fees, others will give a rain check, others will require full payment
f. Pay the course and get a receipt
12. The day of the tournament after you finish play OR the day after the tournament
a. Get with the Financial Chairman to arrange delivery of the cash and golf course receipt
b. Get with the Handicap Chairman to arrange delivery of the scorecards for any Best Ball or Individual Medal play tournaments. Scramble or Alternate shot cards are not needed as they cannot be used for handicap calculations.
c. Get with the Prize Director to arrange delivery of any gift cards that were not handed out. Note on the individual gift card envelopes which prize it is for and who is to receive it.
c. eMail the Tournament Chairman the results of the tournament. The Tournament Chairman will post the results on the website.
In many instances one or more of the Chairpersons will be playing in the tournament and you will be able to give them the items at the course. You can also ask if there are any co-workers of the Chairperson who will deliver the information to them on the next work day.
Last Updated on 1/10/2008
By
Nancy Housinger