Contests that raise money

Every entry is a donation with a scoreboard attached. The host runs the line, TrackMan keeps score, and your volunteers are free to work the crowd.

Longest drive

Each entry buys three tries with a driver. TrackMan measures every ball, and the leaderboard stays up on the screen, so a late arrival can see the number to beat and anyone can buy back in to chase it.

Closest to the pin

Each entry gets one shot. Pick a par 3 from the 400+ courses in the library. TrackMan reports how far each ball finished from the hole, so the winner is a number on the screen, not a judgment call.

Hole-in-one challenge

A shot at a short par 3. Most swings miss, which keeps the line moving and the cheering loud. The prize is yours to set.

Run one contest or all three. The organizer picks.

Ways to turn it into dollars

Sell entries as tickets at your table, and let people buy back in. Guests hand their ticket to the host at the trailer door and step in.
Sell a sponsor spot. The TVs outside the trailer can show a sponsor’s logo.
Run it all day so the contest keeps taking entries while the rest of the event goes on.

A guest lining up a shot at the simulator screen while another guest waits his turn inside the SwingLab trailer

Golfers and non-golfers

One person hits at a time, and clubs for right- and left-handed players are in the trailer. Someone who has never held a club can buy an entry right next to the best golfer in the room.

Bring the course to the event

Tournament day

Park it by the clubhouse or the reception area. Golfers enter before they tee off or after they finish, and the contest keeps running while scores come in.

School fair

Set up on the field or in the parking lot, close to the food booths. Families take turns, and the leaderboard gives everyone a reason to come back.

Gala or banquet

The trailer parks outside near the entrance. Guests step out for a swing between courses and head back in for the program.

What the trailer needs

A flat, accessible spot: a driveway, parking lot, firm grass or pavement.
Room to open up. The trailer expands to about 15 feet wide by 40 feet long.
Reasonable access for the tow vehicle to reach the setup spot.
Power helps but is not required for most setups.

Setup takes about 15 minutes once the trailer arrives, and teardown takes about the same. A professional host runs the contests the whole time. The full rundown is on How It Works.

When the weather turns

Rain does not cancel the contest. The hitting bay is enclosed and climate-controlled, with AC and heat, so rain, wind or midday heat outside does not change a shot inside. At an outdoor fundraiser, that makes the trailer the station that keeps going when the rest of the field heads under the tents.

What to sort out before you book

Your date. Book two to four weeks out for a weekend. Holiday weekends and summer dates fill faster.
Your guest count. One person hits at a time and the line moves quickly: one shot each for closest to the pin, three tries each for longest drive.
Your location. Where on Oahu, and what the trailer will sit on.
How long your event runs. We quote each event on its own.
Your contest and how you charge. Pick the format and the entry price. The fundraising side is yours to set.

SwingLab also works with schools and nonprofits on youth clinics and community events. See Community for more, or send us a note about your event.

Golf Tournament Fundraiser Ideas