Blog · How to
How to run a golf tournament
A golf tournament is a big day to plan — but a simple one to run if you take it in steps. This guide walks a first-time organizer through the whole thing: format, course, roster, scoring, and the day itself.
1. Choose your format
Decide how teams score before anything else. Scramble (best team shot) is the most beginner-friendly; shamble (team drive, individual finish) adds a touch of individual scoring; best ball (best individual score per hole) rewards consistency; scotch / alternate shot is the truest team test. Pick the format that fits your field.
2. Pick the course and date
Choose a course that fits your format and field size, and book it early — weekends go fast. Confirm the date with your club or charity partner before you set anything else in stone, then lock in your player count, because your count drives the scoring budget.
3. Build your roster
Collect players and teams, assign tee times and starting holes, and settle your final field. With Chase Birdies you add entries (players or teams) right in the dashboard and cap the roster at your paid player count. Need more room? Add slots at $1 each.
4. Set up scoring
Set the course, par, format, and scoring mode in your dashboard before the first tee. Chase Birdies auto-fills course par where data is available and lets you add a course manually when it isn't — so the math is ready before anyone swings.
5. Communicate with players
Tell the field the format, the tee-time assignment, and where to find the live leaderboard. With a public link, everyone can follow along without asking "who's leading?"
6. Run the day
Assign a scorer (or let players enter) and enter each hole as it's played. Scores appear live and the leaderboard sorts itself — so the action is visible all day and the awards table is settled the second the last group finishes.
7. Wrap up after the round
Confirm final scores, celebrate the winners, and share the results link afterward. Keep the leaderboard up so the field can relive the finish.
Ready to run yours?
Running a tournament is easier with scoring you don't have to babysit.
Run it live on Chase Birdies — $1 per player