Golf Crazy Corporate Calgary Does Business on the Course and Helps Worthy Causes
by Business in Calgary Staff - March 2005
Calgary is known for certain things: an entrepreneurial spirit, a thriving economy, access to the Rocky Mountains, and, let’s face it, cowboy hats. But there’s another thing that truly defines the business and social culture of this city: golf.
“Calgary is golf crazy,” says Rod Garossino, adviser for community investment for EnCana and former director of the Centre for Non-Profit Management. “I’ve seen data that golf participation in Calgary is higher than in any other North American city. There are a lot of people in a very short season so people try to get out as much as possible.”
This fervour has not gone unnoticed by Calgary’s non-profit community and many of them strive to raise awareness and funds by hosting charity golf tournaments—so many, in fact, that there are almost 10 per day, seven days a week assuming a six month golfing season. Alison Jackson is a principal with Pin High Golf, a company that specializes in helping charities pull off successful tournaments. She says the marketplace is becoming pretty competitive.
“We estimate there are approximately 2,000 golf tournaments every year in Calgary and area,” she says. “If you haven’t been invited to play in one yet, it’s high time you were.” Jackson and her partner, Shelley Soles, are currently working on tournaments benefiting the Society for the Treatment of Autism as well as the 2005 PGA Tournament of Hope. She says creating a successful charity golf tournament requires careful consideration of an organization’s objectives, the marketplace, the target audience and hundreds of details.
“We generally begin with a review of the client’s fundraising goals,” she says. “Is it awareness they’re after? Would they like it to be a client appreciation type of event? Or are they after fundraising dollars?” she says. The goal will dictate the entire structure of the tournament and the tools they will use to reach their goal.
By now, most Calgary business people have been to a golf tournament, yet they probably have no idea what goes into making their day on the course an enjoyable one. Once the fundraising goals have been identified, Pin High begins the real work.
“We prepare a budget identifying potential sources of funds and the expenses,” she explains. “We help them choose a course based on their price point and they generally need to book their course one year in advance.” Choosing a price point can be tricky business, according to Jackson, as there is a number that is too much for the market to bear and another that won’t facilitate a great event.
“If you’re charging a $125-dollar entry fee, that will just cover green fees, a cart rental, some food and a $10 gift per person at most courses,” she says. “It doesn’t leave a lot of room to create something special. And that puts the pressure on the charity to raise a lot of money through sponsorships.” Jackson says bumping the entry fee up to $400 allows the charity to provide golfers with extras like lunch, celebrity golfers, dinner and drinks and really great tee gifts. Of course, for some golfing philanthropists, $400 is a little steep.
“There are some really great courses for $150,” says Jackson. “And you can still have a great tournament at that price point.”
Garossino says the key is to stand out in the crowd. “Many golf tournaments have a tendency to be cookie-cutter,” he says. “Lunch, golf, dinner, silent auction, awards. Putting some creative thought into making it more of an experience would definitely benefit these charities.”
As golf tournaments can be an expensive undertaking and entry fees cover these costs, much of the funds raised come from corporate sponsorships. Charity tournaments in Calgary generate millions of dollars in corporate sponsorship annually either through entering golfers, title sponsoring the tournament right down to sponsoring a hole or providing tee gifts. Garossino says it makes excellent business sense for companies to be involved in these tournaments.
“Relationships are what business is built on,” he says. “Golf is a great way to build and maintain relationships with suppliers, clients and associates. A charity tournament is a social activity around a great cause allowing companies to support a cause while gaining real business benefits,” he says.
Jackson agrees saying companies are not only being good corporate citizens by participating, but the can capitalize on opportunities for exposure to target markets through recognition at the event and in media announcements. She says it’s important to find the right fit between corporate sponsor and charity.
“Finding synergy is essential,” she says. “Companies are inundated with requests and they need to look at the offerings. Businesses are getting smarter at where they put their money and the charity should fit their chosen mandate, whether that be children’s charities or sports-oriented ones or any number of others.”Golf and Give:
Profiles of just a few of Calgary’s 2000 golf tournaments
There are several big name tournaments in Calgary that have managed to find the right formula and have become very successful in raising funds for their chosen charities over the years. One of these is the Willow Park Charity Golf Classic. According to the 2005 chair, Bob MacLeod, the tournament has raised more than $3 million for Calgary charities since its inception in 1988. The amount raised each year has grown considerably with the total funds raised in 1988 equalling $25,000 and the 2004 event earning $510,000 for Rotary Challenger Park.
“One of the more unique features of this tournament is its competitive format,” says MacLeod. “It’s a two-day tournament with some pretty high calibre players making for some great golf.” One of the other unique features is the fact the owners of Willow Park Golf and Country Club actually donate the course for the tournament, saving huge expenses for the chosen charity.
“The generous donation of the golf course by the owners coupled with the team entry fees cover the costs of the tournament,” says MacLeod.“Therefore moneys raised from the silent and live auctions and corporate and individual sponsorships all go directly to the designated charities.” The tournament benefits a different charity each year; the list of recipients has included Crime Stoppers, the Calgary Urban Project Society and Hospice Calgary. This year’s primary charity is Discovery House with a portion of the funds raised going to Renfrew Educational Services and an endowment the tournament has set up with the Calgary Foundation.
Founded in 1980, Discovery House offers women and their children up to six months of safe and secure housing and the opportunity to develop a life without domestic violence. During their stay and for some time after, women are assisted in accessing a variety of community resources such as housing, legal, financial, health and educational services. A committee made up primarily of Willow Park members decides on the charity. This year’s event is scheduled for July 20 and 21, 2005 with a practice round on July 19, 2005.
The Flames Alumni Masters Golf Tournament has also become a familiar fixture on the Calgary charity golf scene. Founded by Eddie Wong and Jim Peplinski in 1995, the tournament has raised more than $1 million over the last 11 years.
Hosted at Heritage Pointe, Flames alumni from all over North America are teamed up with four golfers to enjoy a day on the links and compete for a wide range of team prizes on May 26 this year. Flames alumni will include:
Al Coates
Butch Deadmarsh
Dana Murzyn
Joel Otto
Jim Peplinski
Colin Patterson
Others TBA
This year’s event will support the Vocational and Rehabilitation Research Institute (VRRI), which is a leader in providing innovative services and research that support people with disabilities to live as contributing and valued members of the community. They will use the proceeds from the 2005 Masters to revitalize its facility and expand their services and programs.
Cancer-related charities make up a big part of Calgary’s non-profit sector and the Tom Baker Cancer Centre (TBCC) Classic is just one of the golf tournaments benefiting organizations dedicated to helping people and families dealing with cancer.
The 14th Annual TBCC Golf Classic will be held on Thursday, September 15, 2005 at Heritage Pointe Golf Club. In the past 13 years the tournament has raised over $1.9 million in support of patient care and research programs right here in Calgary—including almost $300,000 raised last year alone. With some changes in this year’s program, the tournament aims to raise $350,000.
The Tom Baker Cancer Centre is the main cancer treatment centre for Southern Alberta, and operates under the Alberta Cancer Board. The TBCC handles some 130,000 patient appointments per year and supports research across the full spectrum of cancer research activities.
There are still opportunities remaining for corporate sponsorship at various levels from hole sponsor on up. Player spots are more difficult to get (as the tournament consistently sells out) but sponsors are all guaranteed at least one golfer in the tournament.
These are just a few of the thousands of worthy tournaments corporate Calgary can participate in this year to raise their community profile, show their clients and suppliers their appreciation, host potential clients and just plain give back to the community that’s helped build their success.
Happy golfing!
