Whether it was snow, freezing rain, torrential rain, or howling winds, golfers everywhere stayed indoors and looked longingly at their unused golf bag, cleats, and bucket of balls.

So with golf season upon us, eager players everywhere are looking forward not just to the game itself, but the subtler moments that make the sport so wonderful, such as the first tee-time of the year, that first successful putt, or that booming drive that clears away winter’s cobwebs.

This urge among golfers to hit the greens after a brutal winter makes a spring golf tournament a great idea. Players will be excited after months of inactivity, and when coupled with good weather, cool golf awards, and great camaraderie, your early-Spring charity tournament could be the event people are talking about all summer.

Think about it.

Golf is the slowest game imaginable. There is no physical contact between players. Golfers don’t wear helmets and aside from Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, most Americans cannot name a single player.

Yet golf is more popular than ever, especially among men. Men, in fact, comprise of 80 percent of golfers in America, and despite major inroads among women, the percentage of female golfers has remained relatively stagnant.

The sport is so male-dominated, commentators have coined a term for it, called “the golf gene.”

Only by talking to a golfer can one know what truly attracts them to the sport. The odds are that you know one personally, and if the data is to be believed, they are male.

So with Father’s Day coming up, why not consider a host of golf products for the perfect gift?

And there will always be a time and place for traditional gifts like trophies and certificates. They’re regal and honorary, and when hung on a wall, will always remind the winner of their accomplishments.

But that’s precisely why other companies and sponsors are looking at other golf gift options: some prizes shouldn’t be hung on walls. Some prizes should be used by the recipients in their daily lives, to not only remind them of their win, but promote the sponsor.

In other words, some prizes should save the winner time and money by providing them with something they’d probably buy anyway.

So if you’re a golf tournament planner looking to think outside of the traditional golf gift “box,” we’d like to suggest other options, like leather card cases, beer mugs, beer steins, leather golf shoe bags, and leather trimmed canvas golf shoe bags.

May enthusiasts may be fortunate enough to practice on their own property. For these lucky individuals, spring also brings with it ongoing maintenance of their personal fairways.

One of the most common maintenance issues is repairing divots. To the golfing neophyte, the divot is the area in the turf that has been dug up by the shot.

While without a doubt an eyesore, divots are a necessary part of golf – after all, players will need to “dig out” a shot, and often times, it means exacting a toll on the turf itself. Not all divots need to be harmful to the turf – if executed properly, a divot can shear the grass cleanly without digging deep into the turf.

Of course, we don’t live in a perfect world, and often times divots are deep and damaging, which is where where divot repair tools come into play.

Today athletes are demanding of a proper, well-fit, comfortable shoe that will not detract from their game. Price, comfort and style are all factors that one can consider when purchasing these very much improved golf products. There are so many choices that it comes down to personal preferences.

All golf shoes need to have excellent traction as they are designed to aid in a golfer’s grip and stability on the ground. This will translate to better distance and accuracy. Once a golfer’s foot is firmly planted, they are able to concentrate on their swing.

The golf shoe has now joined the ranks of other athletic shoes in terms of padding, arch support, lightweight material and flexibility. You want to also make sure your golf shoes are waterproofed before heading out. Experiencing rain and bad weather on the golf course is, well, par for the course.

Golfers have a lot ot think about and concentrate on when heading out to the greens. The comfort of their shoes should not be one of them.

Sponsors, for example, can sponsor a hole or make a one-time donation; participants, meanwhile, can play a flat fee for entry into the tournament. In both cases, these donations are tax-deductible.

Tournament planners should reward their sponsors accordingly; they can display the sponsor’s name at the tee box, for example, or engrave it in all promotional materials, such as personalized golf mugs, awards, and trophies.

Effectively promoting your tournament’s sponsors is a win-win for all involved parties. Sponsors themselves get valuable publicity in return for their tax-deductible donations, while organizations receive much-needed dollars to make the event a success.

And by properly rewarding sponsors through these generous advertising opportunities they’ll be more likely to return to future events – and open their wallets in the process.

If you have ever been to a golf tournament then you know one of the things they do to raise money, typically during the cocktail hour or dinner, is host a silent auction. Folks put down what they want to bid for (using a bid number instead of their name) and they watch as the bidding rises when more people bid. They can also rebid if it’s an item they really want.  It’s a lot of fun with a lot of great prizes.

If you are donating a gift as a silent auction item, think about donating a basket full of golf gifts. You can place golf mugs, golf divot repair tools, golf t-shirts, golf gloves, a golf bag, even golf clubs; the possibilities are endless. A great marketing idea is to have each of those gifts furnished with your company’s logo. Now the winner of this terrific gift will always remember the generosity of your company’s donation.

Playing a full 18 holes on a golf course can take a solid three-hours. Keeping oneself hydrated is not only important it is imperative. Packing iced cold refreshments to enjoy while on the green can be the difference between staying in the game or having to leave.

These insulated bags come in a variety of colors sizes and styles so finding one that will fits your corporation’s image or the individual’s for which it is intended will be simple. They are useful and valuable and also convenient. Most cooler bags come with outside pockets to carry cell phones, pencils, keys or other important items.

A promotional insulated cooler bag has your golfer in mind. They keep drinks cool and food fresh for the entire time. Emblazoned with your corporate logo and marketing message, you will be strategically communicating your corporate brand on a product that will be recognized each time the golfer takes to the green.

A golf event brings people of the community together and helps to develop personal relationships and invaluable business connections. A golf fundraiser also provides a positive public relations platform, essentially advertising the organization to untapped customers.

As with any event, the critical first step is getting the word out. Work with local newspapers, magazines, and businesses to promote the event. Of course, there’s online marketing as well. The event should have its own Web site or more specifically, its own Facebook page, where people can “Like” it. This page should be the main source of communication to attendees.

In fact, by relying on the Web as your main marketing channel, you can likely offset costs normally associated with traditional marketing, such as poster printing and mailings. The savings can then be used to fund other key aspects of the fundraiser, such as buying one-of-a-kind golf gifts, paying for food and wine, and other logistical costs like transportation.

Good employees are hard to find and sometimes even harder to keep. The employee that has worked for 10 years and has always been a valuable asset to the company is worthy of the company’s recognition.

Presenting this employee with a gift should be done with the entire company watching. It can be held at a corporate event, a company picnic, the Christmas party or any other special celebration. It will make the employee feel special and will also let other employees know that with hard work, dedication and commitment they too can achieve this status. It also reminds all employees that longevity in the company is still attainable.

A corporate gift for a 10 year anniversary needs to be extra special. A manager needs to take the time to understand what this employee truly enjoys. If they enjoy golf, a  personalized golf gift, such as beautifully engraved crystal golf clock will be striking!

When an employee proudly displays their gift on a shelf or on their desk, a client will be able to see that this company cares about its employees and values hard work and dependability. This will foster a continued relationship with clients and customers.

This anniversary symbolizes security in a time where that is exactly what is lacking in the marketplace.