COVID-19 and its affects on tournaments By Beth Bares It's been an interesting 10 months, to say the least.Who would have thought that in our lifetime a virus would shut down the entire world in an instant? COVID-19 has affected each one of us in different, unprecedented ways. But, as dark as these times may seem, there is a positive and a negative side to this. Golf has become the escape for many of us, a sanctuary from the fear and uncertainty in our lives. Clubs have been dusted off, new ones purchased, swings analyzed, and tee times booked by the thousands. Golf courses quickly became a safe place for men and women to step away from the uncertainty of their daily lives, even if it's just for a few hours. According to Golfweek, nationwide in September there has been a 25.5% increase in rounds played! That's the positive, but the negative is how it has affected the non-profit community.We all know that this area hosts a tournament every Monday or Friday in the spring and the fall at almost every golf course.As president of the First Tee of Greater New Orleans I see first-hand exactly how not being able to host a tournament affects your organization's bottom line. While it has forced us to think outside the box we know that nothing replaces the benefits of our golf tournaments.You see, the tournament isn't just about raising money…it's an opportunity to tell your story and market yourself to a captured audience. If you do it correctly that tournament comes back to you tenfold with new sponsors and support in other areas that were missing before. On the golf course side of it, each person that comes to a tournament is a potential member or pass holder making it a win-win for everyone.There are lots of tournaments in the area.Those tournaments generally go after the same people when asking for money and these people are on a donation hold for events, but we are seeing now that there is a whole new group of potential sponsors out there that are reintroducing themselves to the game. Because of this resurgence in golf, we have a new audience to introduce to our tournaments and hopefully help them understand the importance of their presence at these events. After 30 years in the golf business I haven't seen golf this popular since Tiger Woods started breaking records. But I also haven't seen this city go from a full spring and fall golf tournament schedule to a hint of small golf outings here and there.We have to start dipping our toe in the water and get creative on how to run a safe golf tournament. I've seen it happen and know firsthand it can be done. On March 13, 2020, I hosted a tournament at Pelican Point.At the time, I had no idea that this would be my last tournament of the year. My company,Your Golf Event, has coordinated tournaments for non-profits, corporations and conventions in the Greater New Orleans area and in the United States. So, when people say, "you must be so busy — golf courses are slammed", I have to laugh because unfortunately I don't own the golf course, nor do I work at the golf course and I'm not getting paid for the average guy to go play golf. Yes, most golf courses are doing great but that shouldn't be confused with the enormous financial effect this pandemic has had on tournaments as a whole. Whether it's a non-profit that relies on the revenue generated by the tournament or a corporation that hosts their tournament to thank their clients, there has been a definite negative effect.After speaking with several golf CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE TEE TO GREEN GOLF MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 2021 ONLINE ISSUE PAGE 4
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