GOLO Tournament HandbookThis is a guide for throwing a GOLO Party! This is also a guide for store managers to help sell more games, increase traffic, and create excitement and enthusiasm in their stores. If you have any questions on how to host a tournament, please don’t hesitate to call or email the company. We have been involved in over 100 GOLO tournaments and would love to help make your event a successful one!

What is GOLO?

GOLO is being played all over the world in tournament formats. Thousands of people are now addicted to the game, and most have been introduced in the competitive format of a tournament. This format is in fact so effective that on average, for every 4.3 people that play the game, 1 person buys the game. What makes the game so addicting? Seasoned golfers love GOLO because it re-creates the excitement of tournament golf. Gamers, kids, and golf students love it because it's easy to learn and impossible to put down. The game is being called “a sophisticated version of Yahtzee” or “Golf Yahtzee” by most of its fans.

The GOLO craze is happening everywhere, at clubhouses, family rooms, bars, break rooms... even aboard the U.S.S. Iwo Jima, where GOLO tournaments have become a new tradition. GOLO has developed a cult-like following among seasoned golfers and, most surprisingly, among Gen-Y gamers who may never have played a round of real golf. It levels the playing field and makes golf fun for everyone. With GOLO, even hackers have the chance to beat great golfers like Tiger and Annika.

What do you need to run a GOLO Tournament?

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Any type of promotion at least 2 weeks prior to the event is recommended. Banners to promote the event, email marketing, and fliers work great. A designated area of play is also recommended. The ideal playing area is a hard counter top. Your store counter works great, so does a designated table with a sample of the game.

Email

This is a great opportunity to start collecting emails from your clientele. This will allow you to alert them of the tournament as well as updating them on the results.

Participants/Customers

Everyone loves GOLO! So invite everyone to play! The game is easy to learn (takes about 5 minutes) and families love to compete.

Time

You can run a tournament as long as you like – it is at your discretion. One day, one week, or one month. It will take approximately 5-10 minutes to learn the game and another 5 minutes to play 18 holes of GOLO.

Format: Tournament format (Highly recommended)

The easiest and fastest way to play GOLO is to play the Tournament Scorecard format of 18 holes. Follow the simple rules (found on page 1 of the rule book). This does not require the use of a hole-by-hole scorecard. A contestant plays 18 holes at a time and then you post his/her score to the leader board (see the rules and graphic).

Scoring

You will need some type of scoreboard to post individual scores (see leaderboard photo above). The scoreboard should be big enough to post 5-10 scores at a time.

A standard white board works well, as does vecro’d strips (6” by 36”) where you can write the contestants name, city, and score, and then velcro it on a leader board on the wall or on an easel (see graphic). This is a great idea for 3 reasons. One, it excites people to see their own name in print winning an event. Next, it increases foot traffic in your stores because people are encouraged to come back to see where they stand in the event. Finally, it encourages people to invite their friends to the store, show them their name posted on the leader board, show them how to play the game, and then invite them to compete against them.

Prizes

Offer discounts in your store to everyone that plays the game. Offer larger discounts for lower scores (see table).

This is also at your discretion. Make sure that you make the coupons good for only that day to encourage same day sales. At the end of the event, offer prizes for 1st –3rd place. These can be product give-a-ways of old product that has not turned, or actual gift certificates redeemable for goods in your store.

Award Ceremony

Following the event, award those players and teams who have placed in the tournament. This is usually fairly fast following the final tallying of scores. You can do this in many ways.

One is at the store on the evening of the final day. As seen below, some stores go so far as to create huge check or gift certificate like they do on the PGA Tour. This creates a ton of excitement!

Leagues

Many stores have started leagues. These are groups of 12 or more people that compete against one another for prizes. They have to post one 18-hole round a week. At the end of the week there is a prize for the lowest score, however these people are playing for a grand prize at the end of the designated league term (six weeks to one year).

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There is a nominal fee to join the league (an example of this is $10-$20). This money goes directly towards a prize fund in your shop that is given back to the top finishers each week as well as the grand prize at the end of the league’s term. A league is an increadibly effective way to generate sales as well as traffic in your store. People will talk about where they rank as well as invite friends to join. Suddenly you now have a social networking club that is affiliated with you store, helping you generate more sales, and promoting your store and its products.

Fundraising Opportunities

Entry Fee

If the events become popular enough, then charge to play in an event and donate a percentage to of the proceeds back to the charity of your choice and put the remainder back into gift certificate prizes from your store.

Raffle

Another popular way to raise money for your tournaments events is holding a raffle. Get items donated to your event such as: golf equipment, tee times, dinners, vacations, promotional items, autographed memorabilia, etc. At the event sell raffle tickets for the drawing of those items. Then at the end of the event you can raffle off all of those items or give them away as tournament prizes. You can purchase raffle tickets at any local party/gift store in your hometown.

Silent Auction

Hold an auction of items at the event. Again, getting donated gifts is a great way to raise money. Place the items on tables and tape sign-up sheets for the attendees to place their bids. Set a time for the auction to close, and the highest bidders win the prize!