Your volunteers gave up a Saturday to make your tournament run — and whether they come back next year comes down largely to how appreciated they felt this year. Recognition isn’t just a nice gesture; it’s the single biggest factor in building a volunteer team that returns event after event. As the founder of Colorado Under Par, I’ve learned that a returning volunteer crew is one of the most valuable assets a recurring tournament has, and gratitude is how you keep it. Here’s how to thank your volunteers in a way that actually brings them back. (For recruiting and managing your team in the first place, see our guide to golf tournament volunteers.)
Volunteers who feel genuinely valued come back, bring friends, and work harder while they’re there. Volunteers who feel used — handed a task and forgotten — don’t return, and you’re back to recruiting from scratch every year. So recognition isn’t a courtesy you tack on at the end; it’s the investment that protects your most reliable labor pool. The goal of every gesture below is simple: make people feel their time mattered, so they want to give it again.
A tangible thank-you shows volunteers their effort was seen:
It doesn’t have to be expensive. The gesture matters more than the dollar value — it’s the acknowledgment people remember.
Thanking volunteers in front of the crowd is one of the most powerful things you can do. Work a brief volunteer thank-you into your awards ceremony — name them, have them stand, let the room applaud. Doing it in front of players and sponsors boosts morale, shows everyone how much the team contributed, and makes volunteers feel like a celebrated part of the event rather than background help. (It also quietly recruits next year’s volunteers, who see how this year’s were treated.)
Your social channels are a great place to spotlight volunteers. Share photos, individual shoutouts, and short stories of your team in action — “meet the crew who made today happen.” It makes volunteers feel genuinely appreciated (people love being recognized publicly), highlights the community spirit of your event, and shows others what being part of your team looks like, making future recruiting easier. (See our social media playbook for more.)
The most meaningful recognition often comes after everyone’s gone home. A personalized thank-you — an email or, better, a handwritten note — that mentions a specific contribution (“the check-in line you ran was flawless”) lands far harder than a generic “thanks for helping.” It tells a volunteer you actually noticed what they did. This small, personal follow-up is what turns a one-time helper into someone who’s first to sign up next year.
Recognizing volunteers is how you keep them. Give a small token of thanks, recognize them publicly at the awards, celebrate them on social, and follow up with a personal note that names what they did. None of it costs much, and all of it pays off in a loyal, returning team — which is the foundation every recurring tournament is built on.
When you’re ready to run your next one, you can list your golf tournament free on Colorado Under Par and reach players across the state.
Best regards,
Andrew Mueller, Founder, Colorado Under Par
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