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Some recreational sports
are easy to play with little
or no equipment. For many,
all you need is a ball. Golf
is different. Not only do
you need a ball, you need a
lot of them, along with a
bag, set of clubs and a
handful of tees. And if you
plan on going out more than
once or twice a year (read:
most golfers), you’ll need a
whole lot more: golf shoes,
towels, divot tool, ball
marker, club covers, bag
tags, etc.
Needless to say, golf can
be an expensive sport, what
with all the accoutrements.
But that can be a good thing
for you. Most golfers are
happy to accept and use a
product that can make their
next outing a bit easier and
more affordable. “Golfers
can be fanatics about the
sport,” says promotional
products counselor Ken
Goldstein. “If they’re into
golf products, they’ll
usually want more.”
And what kinds of
products resonate with
golfers?
Teeing Off
Golf balls are an obvious
choice. Golfers love getting
them. Whether you’re Tiger
Woods or Dan the Duffer,
you’re probably going to
lose at least one every
game. Virtually all golfers
keep extras in their bag for
just this reason or,
occasionally, to practice
their swing. Some people
even collect imprinted golf
balls as a reminder of where
they’ve played, which makes
them a must-have for any pro
shop or vacation resort.
Tees are another product
golfers are always happy to
get. “People need tees,”
says promotional consultant
Brian Marks. “It’s not
something they think of
getting. People are going to
use them and they’re putting
your logo on the golf course
by doing that.”
The good news is that
tees are inexpensive and can
be imprinted with a company
name or message in many
different colors. Some
golfers prefer wood tees
because they’re
biodegradable and tend to
give a little more. Others
like the durability of
plastic. Both are available
promotionally.
You may not consider
towels golf equipment, but
they come in handy for
cleaning off balls and
clubs, as well as your hands
and forehead. They’re
available in numerous colors
and can be screen-printed or
embroidered for a more
sophisticated look. And the
best part is that they make
a highly visible billboard
for your ad message when
they’re attached to the side
of a golf bag for easy
access.
While they’re on the
green, golfers use divot
tools to repair “dents”
where their ball landed and
ball markers to mark their
“spot” on the green. The two
are frequently combined in a
simple snap-together set and
are also available
separately. Both come in
many different styles, in
metal or plastic. One of the
newest ball markers is a
magnetic version that
attaches to a cap, outside a
sock or otherwise clipped to
the clothing.
Pick Your Event
One of the easiest and
most popular ways to
distribute imprinted golf
products is in conjunction
with a golf event.
Tournaments, fundraisers and
corporate outings are all
great places to reach a
targeted audience. Each
event attracts a different
type of player, however, so
be sure you know who you’re
dealing with.
Company outings come in
two basic varieties: The
first is an employee day –
typically a reward for top
performers or a companywide
event with scaled-down golf
events or miniature golf
courses for the whole
family. Hand-outs might
include golf balls, tees,
towels, visors and
umbrellas, all bearing the
company logo.
The other type of
corporate golf event is for
clients and prospects,
designed to simultaneously
reward loyal customers and
court future business. In
this case, more upscale
products tend to be the
order of the day because
they make a better overall
impression. Silver-plated
keytags and watches are just
two examples.
Fundraising events offer
the chance to reach a large
group of people from all
walks of life. Small cloth
or plastic bags filled with
tees, divot tools, balls and
ball markers are an
effective way to disseminate
your message to an audience
that’s come to raise money
for a good cause and have a
good time. Free products add
to the goodwill and allow
attendees to associate you
with a positive experience.
Coolers, golf gloves and
caps are also popular
golf-related items. They
make nice additions to
goodie bags that can be
given out to all contestants
and contributors. Coolers
can even be used as goodie
bags, filled with products
imprinted with a message
that ties into the event.
Tournaments are another
situation altogether. Unlike
corporate outings or
fundraisers, participants
are usually serious players
who have come to compete. In
some cases, they may have
forked over some serious
green to enter a tournament.
That’s why, in cases like
these, it’s essential to
make the prizes suitable to
the magnitude of the event.
Prizes & Awards
If the golf event you’re
involved with is a small
tournament, a basic trophy
or plaque is an acceptable
prize. However, if it caters
to charity donors who have
contributed large sums of
money or players who have
shelled out big bucks for
entry fees, prizes should be
selected accordingly.
“ Some events charge $3,000
and $4,000 to enter,”
explains promotional
products counselor Ed Grace.
“At those events, you need
to give away nicer gifts
than at a local Saturday
morning tournament. Running
and organizing a good golf
tournament is really a
competitive situation. The
players are like customers.
When they put money up to
play in the event, they’ve
got to feel they got their
money’s worth.”
Remember, not only the
lowest score is awarded a
prize; often, they’re
presented to winners in
several categories, such as
the longest drive, closest
to the pin, hole in one,
best score, worst score,
etc. Some tournaments have
contests that aren’t tied to
any game. One involves
attendees buying numbered
balls which are then dropped
from a helicopter above a
green. The ball nearest the
hole wins a prize.
“A lot depends on how the
promoters are positioning
the event,” says promotional
consultant Jared Johnson.
“I’ve seen firms use
everything from costly
crystal awards all the way
down to simple bag tags and
little commemorative items.”
And don’t forget about
event sponsors. It’s true
that they pay to have their
name on the literature and
signs at “their” holes, but
a special gift can make them
feel appreciated and eager
to participate next year.
Consider awards, plaques,
clocks or an imprinted golf
ball in a wooden display
box.
The Golf
Lifestyle
One area of golf
merchandise that often gets
overlooked is lifestyle
products. As the game
becomes a larger part of the
lives of many, they not only
play whenever they can but
also enjoy attending
golf-related events, often
filling their homes and/or
offices with golf-related
products.
“There’s no question that
golf is a lifestyle,” agrees
promotional consultant Todd
Hansen. “People like to
entertain around golf, like
to make it known they golf,
and like to have golf
memorabilia around them.
Some even live in a resort
community or have one as a
second home.”
The NGF reports that up
to 15% of golfers – nearly
four million – have a
permanent residence at a
golf-course community.
People like this are perfect
candidates for a golf-themed
gift. Some items can serve a
dual function, both as an
award and something that can
be incorporated into a
recipient’s lifestyle, such
as a set of drink coasters.
Hansen suggests a framed
picture from a tournament,
engraved with the name of
the event and date. “It
says, ‘I played in this
tournament and won,’ but can
still be presented as a
trophy,” he says.
The 19th Hole
As you may have guessed,
golf products are more than
just another promotional
merchandise category. They
represent a world of
advertising opportunity,
with an unwavering fan base
that can’t get enough of it,
and are willing to pay for
the privilege. And you can
offer them free products
bearing your logo or ad
message that they’re almost
sure to use.
See you at the clubhouse. |
