3. Running-your-Event-3.docx

This graphic provides an example overview of the suggested date of your event using 2024 as an example and shows how you can allocate time to your event using a shotgun start format. The event should be 3 hours in length to give enough time for all teams to complete 9 holes and attend the award cere...

This graphic provides an example overview of the suggested date of your event using 2024 as an example and shows how you can allocate time to your event using a shotgun start format. The event should be 3 hours in length to give enough time for all teams to complete 9 holes and attend the award ceremony. You have the flexibility to schedule the event on a date and time of the day to suit your requirements. The event date in this example is also aligned with the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cups that take place in September biannually, to add an additional theme to the event. The exact timings of your event will vary and be specific to the needs of your day. For the flow of the event, ensure you have the equipment you need, communicate with your club to check everything is in place and set up the teeing positions over 9-holes on your course. Next, prepare to meet and greet juniors, as well as provide them with scorecards and directions to their starting hole and teeing position. You should also introduce Juniors to their playing partners. Be sure to be on hand to answer any final questions and direct juniors to their starting position to ensure that attendees arrive at their tee on time. Be on hand through the event to support families and assist with any issues. After the completion of the event, be ready to welcome juniors in from playing and collect scorecards. At this stage you can also direct them to the social area where they can wait until all juniors have finished. To conclude, keep the event fun by celebrating the success of all involved and announce the winning team. You should allocate time to chat to families and promote future events and your program, as well as life at the club. We understand that each club may need to make their own modifications to the event. However, there is some crucial information we recommend to run the event formats successfully. The event uses a traditional betterball Matchplay format. Juniors play in pairs against another pair with the lowest score from each pair contributing. The lowest score wins the hole. The events should be run over a maximum of 9 holes on your adapted course. Guidance is provided on how you should position players on the adapted started positions, however you have the flexibility to adapt the event to suit your needs. Due to the varying nature of abilities participating in your event, you may need to adapt some of the rules to make it inclusive and enjoyable. For example, some of those participating may be able to tee up the ball anywhere on the hole, or air shots are not counted. It is recommended that you setup a golf course using specific tees on your adapted course. This set-up allows everyone to play from the appropriate tees for their development. This improves pace of play and creates a fun and inclusive atmosphere for all skill levels. The scoring format of the event slightly differs to traditional matchplay in that all teams compete until the final hole. This allows juniors to have an opportunity to claw back holes, or increase the points a team earns. Final points are added together for an overall team score. The winner is the team with the most points across the matches. Lastly, you have the discretion to decide how to handle a tie in the overall team score. Where appropriate you can add a fun element to the event by sending a pair of juniors on each team out for a playoff hole to decide the winners. Further guidance is provided below on how juniors play a hole using the event format and adapted course. You have the discretion to amend the guidelines on how juniors complete each hole, but here is our recommended guidance. Two pairs compete on each hole. Juniors play their own golf ball. Juniors play from their designated teeing position. Juniors play using adapted rules if required. Lowest individual score on each hole contributes to the pairs score. The lowest team score wins the hole. And finally, parents should support from the cart path. The scoring system that you are recommended to use during your event differs slightly from the traditional Fourball Betterball Matchplay format. Traditionally the match finishes if one team has won more holes than there are holes remaining to be played, meaning the match finishes. However, it is important in your event to make it as inclusive as possible and allow them to maximise time out on the golf course. Therefore, we recommend that each match continues until the end of the 9th hole regardless of the score. This will allow juniors to have an opportunity to claw back holes or extend their lead. It is this score that contributes to the overall team score to decide the winners. In Match 1, the Blue Team has won the match 3 and 2 at hole 7 using the traditional format. However, the match continues until end of the 9th hole allowing the red team to win the remaining two holes. On the right we can see the scores across the nine matches. The total scores are added up with ties counting as half a point. The Blue Team are the overall team winners here. It is up to you to develop your event to suit the needs of your club and expand on the event to drive engagement and enjoyment. There are additional ways that you can add to the event that have provided successful at other facilities. Prior to or after your event you could organise fun games to include the whole family such as a fun putting competition. This will build inclusion for all and a sense of fun and comradery. You can also run a clinic for juniors across a range of skills. Consider including a fun food and beverage component, like a BBQ cookout, or a light buffet following the event. This can be included in your event fee or at an additional cost. During the event you can organize a series of challenges on each hole. This may include 'longest drive' or nearest to pin'. This will add an additional engaging element to the event. To run your event effectively, you will need some equipment and you may also need to supply this to your juniors, especially those new to the program. Where necessary, this is available to you within the Coaches Toolbox. For the event you will need Scorecards for each team and these can be downloaded from the Coaches Toolbox, and this also includes the adapted rules that can be used. You should also organize a welcome table to add a professional impression of your event and ensure you have all the equipment available to those attending, as well as any information about your event. You should set up your Academy Course and the relevant starting positions using at least colored cones. Where feasible, the starting positions can also be sprayed at the relevant yardage on the cart path, or be a permanent addition to the course. Make sure you clearly identify any challenges on the course using a marker. Also, ensure participants can log their attempt and when required use a marker to mark the position of the hole ball. Some juniors attending your event will not have equipment and you need to make sure you can supply left and right handed equipment in the correct size and weight. You may choose to supply basic on course equipment such as pencils, balls, ball markers and pitchforks. This will also help with the education of those attending. How well you prepare, plan and execute the event on the day will make your event a success at your club and make a huge impact on your JGA program and activity at the club. Therefore, we have put together some additional best practice guidance for ensuring your event is a success. Firstly, you should be organised with material to help you promote your program and the club. Ensure you allocate enough time in your schedule to engage with juniors and their families at the end of the event. Prioritize the time spent at the start of your event. Make sure you are there at the welcome area to meet the juniors. This will create a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Remember the event is built to welcome the juniors to the club, give them an experience of playing the game in an alternative format and make new social connections. Keep the day fun and be supportive to all. You should recognise success by awarding the team winners at the end of your event and you should also award any hole challenge winners. However, try not to focus to much on winning as the event is about fun and inclusivity! To conclude at the end of the event, take some time to gather feedback from those attending to help shape any future event you run. You can also gather testimonials, imagery and engaging video content to promote your program and the club.