Creating a successful golf tournament can take six months to a year of planning. Many planning steps happen well in advance of your event. At time, you may even be juggling multiple tasks simultaneously.

As the tournament organizer, the biggest mistake you can make is thinking you can remember everything. Without a tournament timeline, you risk forgetting the small details that will help to make your event stand above the rest.

Start by creating a task list of things that need to be done. Assign a date by which they should be completed. Now organize your list from the first stages of planning through to event day tasks.

The most important details of your tournament should be at the top of your tournament timeline: signing a contract with the golf course, securing your top sponsors, seeking media coverage, etc.

Now that you have an ordered list of tasks that need to be completed, you need people to do them. Whether you’re working with a tournament committee or a group of volunteer helpers, assign a task to each person.

When you meet with each of your helpers, explain the task so the person knows what they need to do. Also set up a schedule and procedure for checking in, so that you can follow their progress and confirm that important tasks are being completed on schedule.

Use a tournament timeline to stay organized as you plan your event and you’ll impress your fellow organizers, sponsors, and participants. Being organized will help minimize logistical mistakes and help make your event more enjoyable for everyone involved.

Below, take a look at our sample timeline. It’s very detailed, but we started with the same basic process described above. As you develop your own tournament timeline, make sure to tailor it to the needs of your own event.

Sample Timeline