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Reprinted with permission from Golf Tournament Planning

The last thing you want to do after orchestrating a successful golf event for your organization is create an awkward situation with course ownership or the host golf professional. Don't let me mislead you with this planning strategy, gifts certificates can actually be good.

Your committee goes in the golf shop and spends approximately an hour to an hour and a half selecting prizes for each position they are going to pay out for recognition. The committee makes their best decisions and pick out great prizes, golf bags, drivers, wedges, putters, sweaters and different gifts they feel will satisfy the playing field. The prizes are nicely displayed on a table near the awards and presentation area.

Picture this, the awards ceremony for the event is over. The recipients come running over to the golf shop with every item wanting to exchange them. They tell the pro shop staff, "I don't need a golf bag, I need golf balls." Another says, "I don't really need this shirt, I need a sweater." Now a stampede is on at the golf shop.

The problem is when the committee was selecting and purchasing these items a lot of times they receive discounts on the items. The golf shop, in most cases, already has told the committee they will only apply a certain amount on the product for credit. The sales sticker on the item might reflect the normal retail price of $75, but the credit was agreed to an established at $55. How is your guest going to react to that?

Can you see how an awkward situation could be created. It does happen more than you think. There are a couple of ways to avoid this type of situation. Consider a pre-arranged agreement with the course or golf professional to accommodate those who wish to exchange there items. They do have experience in this area, so go over this possible problem with them prior to purchasing your gifts.