By Susan Kelminson, NJSA and Mary Klett, ASA

There is a moment, just before a shotgun start, when anticipation crackles across the tee boxes. This year ASA of New Jersey seized that instant and made it unforgettable, staging a golf outing that blended quirky twists with downright silliness. The result? Record revenue and nonstop smiles.

A Medical-Grade Welcome

Forget ringing a bell. Players were greeted by volunteers with stethoscopes who carried trays of 100 Transfusion Jell-O shots loaded into oversized syringes. One quick push on the plunger and golfers received a “pre-round inoculation” to calm swing jitters. The gag broke the ice and set the day’s anything-goes tone.

“In the Drink” & “At the Beach” — Celebrating Mis-hits

Scores of outings reward only the scratch players who crush every drive. We flipped the script. Any ball that splashed into our signature water feature or landed in the sand trap earned  its owner a raffle ticket on the spot. A fold-flat Adirondack chair bearing the outing logo and an insulated cooler bag packed with hard seltzers.

By turning groans into opportunities, we made high-handicappers heroes.

The Big Surprise: “Hit It to Win It”

Every headline event needs a plot twist. Ours was a carnival-style challenge stationed on the practice green. Super Ticket golfers received three mulligans, two general-raffle entries, and one attempt at “Hit It to Win It.” Overnight our committee scattered bottles of bourbon, tequila, and rum, plus branded hats, Yeti tumblers, and sleeves of tour-grade balls across the green.

Swing and “Hit” the Yeti cup and you “Win It”. Miss, and someone else got a try. The spectacle was irresistible. Foursomes queued up like kids at a county fair, and the green rang with cheers and mock heartbreak. Late-day stragglers may have happily paid extra for second chances—a tweak we plan to formalize next year with àla-carte attempts.

Raffle-Table Finale

Whatever booty survived “Hit It to Win It” migrated to the clubhouse banquet room where our traditional raffle table waited. The display looked like a boutique pro shop after Black Friday—eclectic, colorful, and a bit chaotic. Players arriving for dinner launched into a treasure hunt, stuffing ticket strips into paper bags at record speed. By dessert the final item sat atop a mound of hopeful entries, and our emcee’s drum roll sent cheers echoing off the trophy case.

Measuring Success Beyond the Scorecard

Financially, the outing blew past its previous high-water mark. The Jell-O shots, mulligan bundles, and on-course games added more than twenty percent to last year’s total. Equally important, newcomers raved about the inclusive vibe; high handicaps didn’t matter because every slice held raffle potential and every missed putt could still win you a Yeti cup.

What We’ll Tweak Next Year

• Extra swings on demand – Offer additional “Hit It to Win It” shots purchasable on the spot for the “Ohhh I just missed that”.
• Limited-edition Transfusion flavors – Blood-orange, anyone? Reveal them on social media to drive pre-sales.
• Keep prizes playful – Stay heavy on swag rather than skill items, because the surest way to open wallets is to let everyone feel lucky.

If your chapter is planning a golf outing, remember that the game itself is only half the story. Layer in experiences that invite anyone to participate, celebrate imperfection, and give volunteers room to ham it up. When fun leads, generosity follows—straight down the fairway and all the way to the bottom line.