Whether it’s for clients, staff, or charity, hosting a golf day is a brilliant way to bring people together. But behind the scenes, even the best-looking events can suffer from classic planning pitfalls—leading to poor engagement, lost opportunities, and unnecessary stress.
If you’re planning your first golf day (or just want to improve on your last one), this blog is for you. We’ll walk you through seven of the most common mistakes we see—and how to avoid them.
Planning a golf day soon? Download our free Ultimate Corporate Golf Event Planning Checklist to streamline your event from start to finish.
1. Underestimating the Time Required
Golf days aren’t just a round and a meal. There are invitations, confirmations, dietary needs, signage, sponsorship, gifts, scoring, formats, and transport to think about.
Fix: Start with a detailed event plan and timeline. (We’ve made that easy for you—grab our step-by-step golf event checklist here.)
2. Sending Invites Too Late
Leave it too late and you’ll lose top-tier guests. Send invites too early, and people forget to RSVP. Timing is everything.
Fix: Use an event timeline that includes save-the-dates, invites, follow-ups, and reminders. Our event checklist includes the ideal sequence and timing for every stage.
3. Choosing the Wrong Format
A shotgun start sounds fun—until you have 40 guests and only 6 fourballs. Choosing the wrong format can lead to delays, bottlenecks, and frustration.
Fix: Match your format to your guest list. In our free golf day planning guide, we break down the pros and cons of Texas Scramble, Better Ball, and Individual Stableford.
4. Forgetting the Flow of the Day
Poor signage. Long gaps between activities. No music on arrival. These little things break the rhythm of your event and leave guests disengaged.
Fix: Map the day’s flow in advance, from arrival to dinner. Include subtle touchpoints and transitions—our checklist includes suggestions for creating an experience, not just a schedule.
5. Not Capturing Data
You’ve run a great day, but then… nothing. No follow-up. No photos. No feedback. That’s a huge missed opportunity.
Fix: Plan your post-event process before the event even starts. Our checklist includes simple prompts to ensure you collect everything you’ll need to keep relationships moving.
6. Taking on Too Much Yourself
It’s easy to fall into the trap of doing it all—especially if you’re the one with the vision. But event stress shows.
Fix: Delegate. Automate. Outsource. Our clients use our event management platform to handle guest communications, live scoring, Trackman integration, and more—so they can focus on being the host, not the organiser.
7. Missing the Moment
A golf day is a rare chance to build genuine relationships. But if you’re running around sorting logistics, you miss the chance to be present.
Fix: With the right plan (and the right support), you can focus on what matters most—your guests. Start by downloading our free Corporate Golf Event Planning Checklist.
Ready to Plan a Flawless Golf Day?
The best golf events feel effortless—but they’re backed by a bulletproof plan. That’s exactly what our free planning checklist is designed to give you.
• Full planning timeline
• Formats, invites, scoring and signage
• Pro tips from 100+ hosted events
