Golf Simulator Fundraisers: How to Run a Charity Golf Event Without a Course
A golf simulator fundraiser brings the contest to your hall, gym, or pavilion instead of a course. Guests pay per attempt at longest drive or closest to the pin, a sponsor can underwrite the activity, and our team runs every round. The venue needs electricity, 15 ft x 20 ft of floor space, 12 ft of ceiling clearance, and a level surface.
TLDR:
- No course rental and no tee sheet. The contest comes to the venue you already booked.
- Indoors, rain does not decide how much you raise.
- Longest drive and closest to the pin are quick to play and simple to charge per attempt.
- A sponsor can underwrite the activity, and a booking can be an auction lot.
- Raffles have their own Louisiana rules, so check before you add one.
- The room needs power, 15 ft x 20 ft of floor, 12 ft of ceiling, and a level surface.
- Your date is held once the agreement is signed and the deposit is in.
Most fundraising committees around Baton Rouge know the charity golf tournament routine. Somebody books a course months out, somebody chases foursomes, and everybody watches the forecast the week before. The guests who do not golf buy a dinner ticket and wait for the auction.
A simulator changes who gets to play. The contest sets up inside the gala, crawfish boil, school night, or banquet you were already planning, from Denham Springs and Baton Rouge to Gonzales, Prairieville, and Hammond.
Planning a fundraiser this season? Tell us the date, the venue, and your fundraising goal. We will come back with availability and a quote.
Why Skip the Course for a Charity Golf Event?
A course gives you eighteen holes and a long day. It also gives you a weather bet and a guest list limited to people who own clubs.
Start with the weather. The National Weather Service’s 1991 to 2020 climate normals for Baton Rouge put average annual rainfall at 61.94 inches, and no month averages less than 3.90 inches. An indoor contest takes that question off the table, because weather does not affect indoor events.
Then look at who can take part. The National Golf Foundation’s April 2025 white paper on the golf simulator opportunity reports that 51% of simulator users are non-golfers, meaning they did not play on a course in the past 12 months. A fundraiser needs exactly those people in line.
That is the case for our mobile golf simulator for charity events. When every attempt is a donation, the best format is the one the most guests will try.
Four Fundraiser Formats That Raise Money
The format decides how money comes in, so pick it before you print anything. These are the four we build fundraiser sessions around.
| Format | How it plays | How it raises money |
|---|---|---|
| Longest drive | A few swings each, best distance holds the board | Per attempt entry, with repeat tries welcome |
| Closest to the pin | One shot each, quick rounds, a clear winner | Per attempt entry that moves a long line fast |
| Team competition | Tables or companies compete on a running leaderboard | Team entry fee, set by your committee |
| Sponsored play | A business underwrites the activity | The sponsor covers the cost, so entries go to the cause |
Longest drive and closest to the pin do most of the work at a fundraiser. Both are quick to play, easy to score, and simple to explain to a guest holding a drink ticket.
You set the entry amount and the prizes. Tell us your fundraising goal and a rough guest count, and we will help shape the format before the day.
Not sure which format fits your crowd? Give us your headcount and how long the event runs, and we will suggest a structure.
How Does a Fundraiser Session Run on the Day?
Your volunteers already have plenty to do. The simulator should not add to the list.
Here is how that split plays out. We arrive early, set up, run the session, and pack out. Plan on about an hour and a half of setup before your start time and about an hour of teardown after, so neither cuts into the event.
We bring the simulator, the screen, the hitting area, and clubs and balls for every player. Left-handed clubs are available at no extra charge if you ask when you book.
On your side, decide who takes entries and how guests pay before the doors open. A table next to the line, with one volunteer and a clear sign, keeps the queue honest and the giving easy.
Where Do Sponsors Fit?
Sponsorship is the piece that turns the activity from a cost into a net gain. A local business underwrites the simulator, and every entry after that goes to the cause.
The pitch to a sponsor is simple: its name sits on the one activity guests line up for. Tell us what you and the sponsor have in mind, and we will work out how to make it visible on the day.
If a sponsor wants an event of its own later, point them to our guide to company holiday party ideas with a simulator.
Can You Auction a Simulator Booking Instead?
Yes, and it is a different product from a contest on the night. You auction the booking itself as a live or silent auction lot, and we do not set up at your fundraiser.
The winning bidder contacts us afterward and schedules an event at a home, office, or venue, on a date that suits them. That keeps your event night simple. Call us for special auction pricing, and we will put a package together for your cause.
Two notes for the committee. As of October 2026, the Louisiana Department of Revenue’s special event permit guidance states that its Office of Charitable Gaming does not license or regulate silent auctions.
The IRS page on charity auctions, last reviewed in June 2026, explains that a charity may publish a catalog with a good faith estimate of each item’s value. Ask us for the booking’s value when you call, and ask your treasurer how to list it.
What About Raffles and Louisiana Rules?
Raffles are a separate matter from a pay-to-play contest or an auction, and Louisiana treats them that way. Sort this out early if a raffle is part of your night.
That same Department of Revenue guidance says that for raffles, an organization must register with the Office of Charitable Gaming, which licenses and regulates charitable games of chance in Louisiana. That office is the place to ask how your planned contest and prizes are treated.
We run the simulator and the contest. We are not a source of legal or tax advice, so confirm the rules for your event with the state and your own advisers.
What Does Your Hall, Gym, or Pavilion Need?
Most fundraiser venues already qualify. The list is short, and you can check it with a tape measure.
We need access to electricity, 15 ft x 20 ft of floor space, 12 ft of ceiling clearance, a reasonably level surface, and a clear route to move equipment in. Wi-Fi is a plus but not required. Halls, gyms, ballrooms, and covered pavilions all work well.
Outdoors is possible, and cover is preferred. Our guide to how a mobile golf simulator setup works covers power, ceiling height, and outdoor setups in detail.
Place the simulator where the crowd can watch, and keep the bar and buffet lines out of the swing area. Our event safety terms allow one person to swing at a time, with everyone else behind the marked line.
How Do Booking and Payment Work for a Fundraiser?
Fundraisers are quoted per event, because the number depends on your date, your location, and how long you need us. Our golf simulator pricing shows the standard packages at 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours.
Send the date, the venue, and a rough guest count. We confirm availability and send an agreement. Your date is held once that agreement is signed and the deposit is received, not before.
A 50% deposit holds the date, and the remaining balance is due 7 days before your event. Build both into your committee’s approval schedule, and do not print tickets around a date we have not confirmed in writing.
You will deal with the owners the whole way through. Read more about the Riverside Fairways team, Christy and Jase Browning, who answer the phone and run each event in person.
Questions Baton Rouge Event Chairs Ask About Golf Simulator Fundraisers
These are the questions committees raise before they put a simulator on the program. If yours is not here, call (225) 335-8279 or email info@riversidefairways.com.
What fundraiser formats raise the most money with a golf simulator?
Longest drive and closest to the pin work best. Both are quick to play, easy to score, and simple to charge per attempt, so a long line keeps moving and guests can buy another try. A team competition with a running leaderboard suits events where tables or companies want to compete.
Do guests need to know how to play golf?
No. A first swing gets a result on screen, so guests who have never played can take part and even win closest to the pin. We bring clubs and balls for every player, and left-handed clubs are available at no extra charge if you ask when you book.
Is a simulator fundraiser cheaper than renting a golf course?
It avoids the cost and logistics of renting a course, and it removes the weather risk of an outdoor tournament. Pricing depends on your date, location, and how long you need us, so we quote each fundraiser individually. Send your details and we will put a number together.
Can a business sponsor the simulator at our event?
Yes. A business can underwrite the activity so that entries go to the cause. Tell us what you and the sponsor have in mind, and we will work out how to make the sponsorship visible on the day. Settle this before you print programs or signs.
Can we put a Riverside Fairways booking in our silent auction?
Yes. You auction the booking itself, and the winning bidder contacts us afterward to schedule an event at a home, office, or venue. We do not set up at your fundraiser for an auction lot. Call us for special auction pricing for your cause.
How much space does a golf simulator need at a fundraiser?
We need 15 ft x 20 ft of floor space, 12 ft of ceiling clearance, a reasonably level surface, access to electricity, and a clear route to bring equipment in. Halls, gyms, ballrooms, and covered pavilions tend to work. Send photos of the room and we will confirm.
How far ahead should we book a fundraiser date?
As early as you can, especially for a weekend. Your date is held once the agreement is signed and the deposit is received. A 50% deposit holds the date, and the balance is due 7 days before the event. Short notice is still worth asking about.
Put the contest on your program before the date is gone. We set up before guests arrive, run every round, and pack out after. No course to rent, no forecast to watch, and clear next steps from the first call.