5 Reasons to Host a Buddies Golf Tournament in 2014

Most of us social golfers don’t get many opportunities to play in competitive events, and the ones we can play in end up being more serious than fun. Planning a golf tournament for your buddies results in more of the fun of competing and less of the seriously dull regulations and protocol.

Here’s why you should organize your own tournament this year:

1. An excuse for an annual golf trip

Not everybody needs a reason to get away for a weekend, but those real-life obligations make it harder for some social golfers than others. Golf season often coincides with wedding season, so set a date for your tournament early to allow people to book around it. If the tournament becomes a yearly tradition, you’ll likely need a note from the doctor to avoid getting razzed by your buddies for not making the trip.

2. Old friends, fresh blood

Most golfers have a regular foursome, so getting together to golf in a group of 12, 16, or 20 is rare. Drawing random groups for a tournament lets you play with new people and mix things up with your usual game. Hang out with friends while expanding your social circle. Who knows, maybe that random friend of your friend isn’t as big of a prick as you thought.

3. Friendly competition

Golfing in club or provincial/state association tournaments is a fun challenge, but this more serious play is not for everybody. Playing against friends in an organized event can get the competitive juices flowing without a rules official breathing down your neck. You want to have a few beers or check a text message on the course? Go for it.

4. Making your team proud

Be sure to clearly define teams going into the tournament. Neighborhood against neighborhood, golf course against golf course, or righties against lefties – there are many options. Suiting up in team shirts will make it clear who the good guys and bad guys are. Pretend you’re in the Ryder Cup and grind it out.

5. Bragging rights

This is what it really comes down to. Whether it’s a team match or stroke play event, nothing feels better than beating your buddies and having a trophy to prove it. Get the trophy engraved, keep it for the year, and bring it out to show off at social events during the off season. That shiny piece of hardware will become valuable as the tournament matures.

Shoot low and have fun.

Good stuff and well-written.  Here's the trophy idea we've been using for the past several years.

Since we're in Ohio and most of us are Buckeye fans, our annual tournament is Ryder Cup format.  Each is part of the Scarlet or Gray team.  The trophy is a bottle of Crown Royal painted the winning team color each year.

Between the two 18 hole rounds that determines the winner, last year's team captain produces the trophy, open it and passes it around until it's empty.  Don't worry, we have a large group!  At the end of the second 18 hole round, the winning team captain accepts the trophy for his team.  If the trophy requires a 'new paint job' that year, we give it to a regular who has it painted.

I got to keep the trophy in my home office book case 2 seasons ago as a result of being the winning team captain.  To be named team captain, your team has to win the golf league.  No idea how that happened ... my partner probably carried me!

Agree with Foursum Golf.  These events are fun and well-attended once the tradition is established.  I'll also offer that it's easier to do this locally or regionally.  Many in our group don't have the cash or spare time to attend an out-of-town event like this.  We do this at our home course, but have kicked around the idea of heading 2 hours south and splitting the rounds over 2 days rather than making it an all-day affair.

dave

Does this require having friends?

Either that, or you could just find a few guys named "Buddy." ;)

I got one! :)