Editor's Picks: Tee It Up
The season for golf-related promotions has arrived. Here’s How To Be Ready.
If you haven’t thought about targeting golf tournament sponsors or golf-related businesses as potential clients, you may be missing out on a great opportunity to expand your business.
Wayne Cimperman, president of Vegas Golf/Foxyware (UPIC: VegasGGz), says there are more than 15,000 golf courses in the U.S., many of which host tournaments during the year. “From local business outings to sponsored corporate events to the many charity golf events, there are more promotional opportunities than ever for those who know how to take advantage of them,” he says.
Cimperman’s company manufactures a poker golf game, Vegas Golf The Game, that is played on the course, adding an extra element of fun to the round—and an additional fund-raising opportunity in charity tournaments. It’s just one of many golf-related promotional products that will appeal to golf tournament sponsors.
So how do you find those golf sponsors to pitch your marketing expertise? Cimperman shares three easy ways to find potential golf clients.
- Read. Look in major golf magazines to see who is advertising. Companies include banks, liquor companies, pharmaceuticals, hotel chains and automobile manufacturers among others. “Simply contact their corporate headquarters and ask who is in charge of their sports marketing, or ask for the specific brand manager,” Cimperman says.
- Watch Televised Tournaments. You will see the major networks that sponsor the tournament along with companies who have purchased commercials and companies that have signage on the courses being played.
- Look Locally. Contact your most popular local golf courses. Ask them if they have a calendar of events, including some golf tours or events for the year. Most of the larger courses will have this information. For example, your local course may have a State Farm Invitational event or a Century 21 golf event or a local Girls and Boys Club fundraiser, etc. Call your local sponsor’s office and ask who is in charge of putting that event together. Introduce yourself and set up a meeting to share popular golf items on which you can put their logo, he says. Golf pros are also a great source of information so make sure to strike up a conversation with staff at your local courses.
Go With These Golf Products For Maximum Promotional Impact
Step up your giveaway game with this laser-etched scroll made from sustainably harvested wood and filled with barbecue almonds and a white chocolate-champagne golf ball truffle. In warmer weather, the truffle can be replaced with a regulation-size branded golf ball. After the tournament is over, the scroll can hold golf balls, tees, reading glasses, ear buds and many other items.
Torn Ranch UPIC: TRNRANCH www.tornranch.com
Golf tournament participants will use this poker chip ball marker for years to come. The custom removable golf ball marker sits in a magnetic custom poker chip and is easily removable and replaceable. It’s a convenient size that fits right in your pocket.
Da Vinci Imports UPIC: davinci www.davinciimports.com
No golfer can afford to leave the 6-in-1 Divot Tool at home. It includes a bottle opener, can opener, cigar holder, divot tool, club holder and ball marker—everything you need for a day on the links. Made of durable metal, this tool is golf-green friendly and a great conversation starter as well.
Hat Trick Openers UPIC: hatt www.hattrickopeners.com
Nothing promotes fun like a pen shaped like something else. This golf tee pen measures just over seven inches and is great for your next golf outing. It’s ideal for golf courses, bars, restaurants, fundraisers and more. Just like a traditional golf tee, the pen is white and it comes with blue ink.
Wowline UPIC: MANY0002 www.wowline.com
The final piece of any great golf tournament is a meaningful award such as the Birdie Award (left) or Kilmer Golf Award. The Birdie Award can be personalized using a deep etch or deep etch with colorfill imprint. The Kilmer Golf Award is made of magnificent optical crystal and is available in three sizes, perfect for recognizing the achievements of first place, second place and third place winners in a tournament. Personalize the Kilmer Golf Award with your choice of imprint processes: deep etch, deep etch with colorfill, 2D/3D subsurface laser engraving or Illumachrome™ four-color imprint.
Crystal D UPIC: CRYSTALD www.crystal-d.com
Let your imagination run wild on absorbent velour and Turkish combed cotton ColorFusion Golf Towels™. Edge-to-edge designs in vibrant colors ensure you’ll have a standout piece. The towel measures 16 x 24 inches and has its own sewn-in loop for easy hanging.
Towel Specialties UPIC: TOWLSPEC www.towelspecialties.com
With golf season right around the corner, it’s time to get your business in front of the avid golfer. Put your logo on this golf bag magnet and drive out the competition.
Magna-Tel, Inc. UPIC: MAGNATEL www.magna-tel.com
A little rain and wind on the course is no match for the Typhoon Tamer Umbrella. With a large 62-inch arc, the umbrella is lightning resistant, thanks to its all-fiberglass construction. Gusty winds are channeled through the vented canopy. A matching fabric case with shoulder strap and color-coordinated ergo-shape soft grip handles makes for easy portability. Available colors include black, black-white, hunter green, hunter-white, navy blue, navy-white, orange-white, purple-white, red-white, royal blue and royal-white.
Stromberg Brand UPIC: 1ASTRMBG www.strombergbrand.com
Keep sun protection close by with this Neoprene shoe pouch featuring SPF 30 sun stick and SPF 15 lip balm. Not only does it give the golfers protection from the sun, but it keeps your client’s logo in front of them with three different branded products.
Aloe Up Suncare Products UPIC: ALOEUP1 www.aloeup.com
Use the durable Rounder tote as a registration gift for tournaments. Pre-fill the bags with golf balls, water bottles, scorecards, tees and more, and line them up for participants to pick up when checking in. The Rounder is also a great “collection” bag at golf tournaments, so participants have a place to store their watches, mobile phones and wallets while they play. The bag features a cinch-top closure, and imprinting is available in silk screen or full-color, high-resolution ColorVista.
BAG MAKERS, Inc. UPIC: BAGMAKRS www.bagmakersinc.com
As golf tournament prizes go, you can’t get much smaller or louder than the Boompods™ Aquapod Bluetooth Speaker. The three-watt speaker turns any mobile device into a portable sound system that provides great sound quality. With its IPX7 water-resistant rating, this speaker will continue to play in wet situations. It includes a removable suction cup to adhere to any flat surface, a carabiner for attaching to a golf bag, a lanyard and an adjustable clamp. It’s available in three colors.
Starline USA, Inc. UPIC: STAR0009 www.starline.com
Above Par Promotions
Promotional products aren’t just important for distributing on the day of the golf tournament. Plan to use them strategically before and after the tournament as well to increase a brand’s marketing reach.
- Before: Pre-tournament promotions build excitement for the big event. Send out a branded umbrella, divot tool, ball marker or golf tees to registrants.
- During: Choose a quality branded tote bag to give to tournament participants when they check in. Fill the bags with products they’ll use repeatedly, such as a golf-themed pen, towel, water bottle, balls, ball marker, tees and divot repair tools. Memorable branded awards provide a great end to the tournament and good will for years to come, so make sure there are plenty of opportunities to win them.
- After: Send each participant off with a take-home gift such as a branded photo frame with an event photo.
Source: EmbroidMe
Jackets Only
Augusta National bought green jackets from New York-based Brooks Uniform Company 1937 for members to wear during the tournament so patrons would know who to turn to for information. Members wore them at the club so that waiters would know who would pay the bill. In 1949, Sam Snead became the first Masters champion awarded a green jacket.
Source: Augusta.com