Organize Flights

• 1
  The more golfers that sign up, the more flights you can have.golf course image by Earl Robbins from Fotolia.com
  
  Advertise the tournament several weeks in advance and establish a sign-up deadline that gives you enough time to organize the field. Make sure the entry form includes a requirement that every golfer identify his handicap.
  
  
• 2). Gather all the entries and add up the total number of players. Determine how many flights the tournament can support. A good number of players per flight ranges from eight to 10. If more than 20 players have signed up to play, this is a good strategy for setting up the tournament. If fewer players are registered, simply have one flight.
  
  
• 3
  Competition is more fun when everyone has a chance to win.Playing Golf image by Chad McDermott from Fotolia.com
  
  Divide all the players in the field into individual flights, or groupings, keeping players with near equal handicaps in the same flight. The range of handicaps within each flight will depend on the range and distribution of all the player's handicaps and the total number of golfers. Some flights may have a several more or fewer golfers than others. Do the best you can to allow them to compete against players closest to their own ability levels. .
  
  
• 4). Put together the individual threesomes or foursomes of golfers within each flight who will be playing together, based on the range of handicaps with that flight. Players will enjoy the tournament more if they are allowed to play each hole with fellow golfers of roughly equivalent ability.
  
  

Award Prizes

• 1). Plan to give prizes to about one-third of the players in each flight. The prizes do not need to be large, but they are important. Deduct tournament expenses--including donations to charity, if applicable--from the money raised by your entry fees. Use the excess funds to purchase prizes.
  
  
• 2). Divide total prize money by the number of flights to determine the value of the prizes to be awarded to the players in each flight. In a nine-player flight, the prize money could be divvied up by giving 50 percent to the winner, 30 percent to the runner-up and 20 percent to the third-place finisher.
  
  
• 3). Use the money to buy gift certificates or merchandise from the pro shop or a golf store. You can also award certificates for a free round of golf, a gift you might consider giving to last-place finishers in each flight.
  
  
• 4). Give certificates or merchandise only, never cash. Although the recipients may not be aware of it, paying them in cash instantly makes them professionals. Unless they're phenomenal golfers, they'll want to maintain their amateur status.