Colorado Under Par

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Timeline Builder

Event Timeline Builder: Plan Your Event From Idea to Execution

A simple, step-by-step timeline to map out your event — so nothing slips through the cracks.

Most events don’t struggle because of a lack of effort. They struggle because things happen too late — the sponsor ask that went out three weeks before the event, the marketing push that started once registration was already lagging. This timeline keeps you ahead of those traps. It helps you work backward from event day, stay aligned with your team, and replace last-minute scrambling with a calm, organized run-up.

It works for any event type — golf tournaments, pickleball events, multi-sport fundraisers, and more. The sport and format change, but the planning rhythm stays the same. Adjust the timing up or down based on your event’s size and goals.

What this timeline helps you do

  • Plan your event from first idea to final execution
  • Stay ahead of every key deadline
  • Coordinate vendors, sponsors, and marketing in the right order
  • Catch problems early, while there’s still time to fix them
  • Run a smoother, less stressful, more organized event

The event planning timeline

Time Before Event Key Actions
120–90 days out Confirm your venue, date, and format. Set your budget. Build your sponsor packages. Open registration.
90–60 days out Begin your marketing push. Start reaching out to sponsors. Secure your first teams/participants. Order any early supplies.
60–30 days out Ramp up marketing. Confirm sponsors. Track registrations weekly. Finalize your key vendors.
30–14 days out Push final registrations. Confirm participant details. Order signage and printed materials. Lock in logistics.
14–7 days out Get your final headcount. Assign staff and volunteer roles. Prepare check-in materials. Confirm all vendors.
7–1 days out Final confirmations. Pack supplies. Prep all event materials. Send final details to participants.
Event day Execute setup, registration, event flow, contests, and wrap-up.
1–7 days after Send thank-you emails. Share results and photos. Follow up with sponsors.

How the timeline is structured

The timeline moves through five phases, each with a clear focus:

Planning Phase (120–90 days out) — Lock in your foundation: venue, date, format, and budget. Everything else builds on these, so nail them first.

Growth Phase (90–30 days out) — Drive registrations, sponsorships, and visibility. This is where your marketing and sponsor outreach do the heavy lifting, and where most of your field and funding come together.

Final Prep Phase (30–7 days out) — Dial in the details: logistics, materials, roles, and communication. The big pieces are set; now you’re sharpening them.

Execution Phase (Event day) — Deliver a smooth, organized experience. If the earlier phases went well, this one runs itself.

Post-Event Phase (1–7 days after) — Follow up, share results, thank everyone, and start building momentum for next year. The event isn’t over until the follow-up is done.

Who this is for

  • First-time organizers who want a clear roadmap instead of guesswork
  • Returning events looking to stay more organized than last year
  • Nonprofits juggling multiple moving parts and limited time
  • Anyone who’d rather plan ahead than fight last-minute fires

How to use it

  1. Start early and map your full timeline backward from event day.
  2. Check your progress weekly against the phase you’re in.
  3. Adjust as you go based on how registrations and sponsorships are tracking.
  4. Use it as your central planning guide — the one reference your whole team works from.

Each phase connects to a deeper guide if you want to go further: the [Growth Phase] links to our marketing and sponsorship guides, [Final Prep] to our staffing, supplies, and schedule guides, and [Post-Event] to our follow-up and evaluation guides.

When you’re ready to put your timeline into action, list your event free on Colorado Under Par to open registration and reach participants across the state.

get started

Ready to grow your event?

Get your event in front of the right audience and start building momentum in minutes.

List Your Event (Free)

Apply for Event Management

Event Management Application (2027)
CUP manages 10 sporting events per season, and that is the cap.
Applications for the 2027 season are reviewed starting October 1, 2026. Returning clients confirm their dates first, then remaining slots go to new clients. This is an application, not a booking, and it takes about 6 minutes.

Your organization

Who is hosting, and how we reach you.

Beneficiary

Only if the event raises money for a cause.

Your sporting event

The basics we need to judge fit.
Out-of-state note: our standard pricing covers events held in Colorado. Events outside Colorado are quoted individually with travel and on-site costs included.
Worth knowing before you submit: our fully-managed service starts at 100 people on site. Below that the economics do not work for either of us, so this is likely not a fit. You can still apply, and you can always list your sporting event on the CUP calendar instead.
This one gets a custom quote. Our standard service model covers single-day events with 100 to 160 people on site, including vendors. Larger fields and multi-day events still work, we just scope them and send a custom quote instead of a standard price.

What success looks like

So we can tell you straight whether we are the right team.

Budget and timing

Fully-managed service is a real line item. Straight answers save us both time.
A CUP engagement runs roughly 150 to 200 hours of planning, design, marketing and coordination, handled by one team from the first call to the final award. Applications need a real budget line for professional management, separate from venue, food and prizes.
Worth knowing before you submit: a fully-managed engagement sits above this range, so this is likely not a fit for 2027. You are welcome to apply anyway. If self-serve is the better move right now, you can list your sporting event and add promotion here: list your event.

Last bit

Then we will be in touch.

Your Event Has Been Submitted Successfully!

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Benefits List
  • Featured placement in event listings
  • Inclusion in our email newsletter
  • Social media promotion
  • Increased visibility and registrations