We’ve all experienced it at some point: receiving bad or unwanted event participation gifts at the end of a tournament. Even when well-intended, 81% of players report feeling disappointed by the gifts they’ve received.
Why do so many gifts miss the mark? While it's common for golf events to offer promotional products like branded towels or ball markers, these gifts are often quickly forgotten and end up at the bottom of your bag as a backup to the one you already have (and probably prefer) or in the trash.
Keep reading as our Gifting Experts name the top four reasons why tournament and golf event gifts usually leave people feeling disappointed. Plus, learn what sets premium gifts apart from practical options and why investing in your tournament’s gifting strategy can generate a return that everyone will benefit from.
No one wants to feel like a walking billboard
One of the biggest blunders of tournament gifting is putting the course or organization’s logo on it. After receiving branded merchandise, 63% of golfers say they avoid wearing these items out on the course. You may be wondering why something so minor causes such a strong adverse reaction — the fact of the matter is that people don’t like feeling like a walking billboard. Don’t worry — we have better online and on-site branding solutions that will showcase your logo in prominent ways!
Cheap goods don’t make great gifts
Mass-produced swag is often made out of the cheapest materials available. This is because when it comes to gifting, the majority of companies have a one-gift-fits-all mentality simply because it seems easier, but mass bulk orders result in mass disappointment. Perhaps you hold onto the branded tees because they’re easy enough to stow away in your bag, but they become a hassle when they shatter on the first use, and you have to go hunting for the fragments after every drive. At tournaments with seasoned players who’ve likely already customized their kits to suit their needs, no one wants to keep cheaply made plastic club brushes or thin towels that are guaranteed to wear after a few washes.
What’s worse is that 11.3 million tons of gifts end up in landfills every year. And as experts, we know gifts that end up in the trash erode relationships, miss opportunities, and waste valuable resources.
Continually missing the mark
Gifts are supposed to make people feel special, recognized, and appreciated. Yet, the one-for-all gifts companies continue investing in have the opposite effect. The best gifts show thought about the recipients and their lifestyles and intent when selecting something to fit their interests. Gift cards can come off as thoughtless and underwhelming, especially when you’re appreciating players, donors, and sponsors in your tournament.
A memorable gift is one that connects a person to their values which inherently means that the person will have a need and use for it over a long period of time. With golf becoming ever more popular, the guests attending your tournaments won’t be homogenous, so the gifts you provide them shouldn’t be either.
Avoid gifts that are easily forgotten
Next to logo items, consumables are the next biggest gift fail. Allergies are often forgotten about. What if you gift an expensive bottle of wine to someone who doesn’t drink alcohol? What are the odds that the person consumes all of the items in the extravagant gift basket you sent? Most consumables end up in the trash. The moment of appreciation is gone the minute that gift goes bad, is consumed, or received. Consumables result in disappointing recipients instead of extending a bridge to building relationships.
A solution everyone can benefit from
With a variety of dynamic solutions, our team of Gifting Experts curates every program to fit your goals and helps you manage the details from start to finish so you can focus on what actually matters — the people you’re appreciating. Offering a selection of premium gifts makes a statement and shows that your company will invest in the people it values.
Premium gifting options are more sophisticated, stylish, and well-made than practical promotional items. They are designed to be used and cherished for years — not tossed in a donation bin or piled in a swag closet. When investing in a gifting strategy, your program should offer options that golfers can frequently use. Aspirational gifts are not only functional, but they can also be a symbol of status and style. When delivered thoughtfully and strategically, a premium gift is something people wouldn’t usually treat themselves to and will cherish for years to come — reminding them of your event every time they use it.
At Cultivate, we offer a variety of gifting solutions to help you give the perfect gift to every person, every time. We’ve cracked the code to make tournament gifting well-timed and memorable so your organization stands out in any scenario. Connect with an expert to see more of our premium gifting options and how appreciation can help nurture your VIP relationships with players, vendors, sponsors, and more!
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