Golf Outings and Tournaments
Get your group together for a day on the fairways at Candlewood Valley Country Club.
Selected by the New England Golf Course Owners Association as the 2026 Golf Course of The Year, we specialize in making your golf outing a special day for your group or organization. For more information, please email Bob Kick at bob@candlewoodvalleygolf.com.
Whether it is a corporate or charity outing, bachelor party, or just a group of friends getting out for the day; Candlewood looks forward to making your event a successful and memorable one! Here’s a compilation of questions we have been asked over the years on planning a Golf Tournament
Outing and Golfer Information
You can have as little as 12 golfers to 136 Golfers for a Golf Outing. (In some cases we can accommodate more.)
- Full Field Shotgun Outing (100+ Golfers): All foursomes begin at the same time on a different hole, and this format can accommodate up to 144 players.
- Modified Shotgun Outing (40-90 Golfers): For groups under the 100 golfer minimum who would like to start at the same time. All groups start and finish at the same time without using the entire course to start. Groups will usually start on the back nine, and Hole number 1.
- Reserved Tee Time Outing (12+ Golfers): One foursome tees off every 10 minutes from Hole 1. These are best for smaller groups.
Rain, Cold, or Less Than Optimum weather conditions are not grounds for cancellation. If the course is open, you are expected to hold your event.
If conditions are dangerous, unplayable, or The Superintendent/Director have closed the course; we can schedule an alternate date for you, or you can be issued a refund of any unused, non-perishable services and goods.
If the course is open, you are responsible for your Tee Times.
We need a guaranteed count of your group for golf and food service Seven (7) days in advance of your tournament.
Full payment for the guuranteed count is due the day of the event.
You are permitted up to a 4 person maximum for no shows. Additional no shows will be on your final invoice.
Once you have your final numbers, we would need the names and pairings at least 3 days prior to your event.
It works best if you provide the list of names in groups of foursomes.
Write the first and last name in two separate columns. List vertically and leave a space in between each group to show separate foursomes. Alternatively, you can also create a third column that has the team number in it.
We will assign the holes based on the order of list of names. If one group wants to play next to another, simply note that on the page and we will assign holes accordingly.
The most important reason to have names is that it makes the golf outing run smoothly. On the day of the event, we’ll provide you a list of your golfers name with their tee/hole assignments. This makes ‘check in’ much easier. Right next to their name will be their starting hole.
Doing this will also help out our Outside Service Representatives assist your guests in finding their way to their carts.
It is best to at least have the team captains name for the group if you don’t know the names of all golfers.
Their names are printed on the scorecards and on a cart sign which are on the carts. One of our staff members also greets golfers and directs them to their cart and starting hole.
Carts are lined up either right out front as you walk in, or a short distance beyond the first tee box. Our staff is readily available to assist in general wayfinding. The whole process works very smoothly.
We require that golfers pay you (the event organizer) directly. This just makes it easier as far as bookkeeping goes because many golf outings charge more for their golf outing than what we collect.
You will settle with the Executive Manager with one payment.
If you are a registered 501(c)3 organization, or otherwise exempt from paying CT State Sales Tax; A completed & signed CT Certificate-119 Sales Tax Exemption form is required prior to the date of your event to relieve us of the responsibility to collect sales tax.
Day of the Event
Yes! We play music while golfers are arriving and make announcements with our speaker system. As the time draws close to start time, then golfers are gathered and rules are stated by our Head Golf Professional Scott Eckelman, PGA.
If you would like to make any brief remarks beforehand, please see Scott when you arrive.
*Please make sure your golfers start to assemble at their carts 15 minutes prior to the start of the tournament.
Sadly, we are a last minute society. Often times golf outings more than double in size in the final few weeks. Don’t give up or get discouraged. You got this! Send those emails and make some phone calls.
Once they see the weather forecast and feel the pressure of time, you’ll have more golfers sign up.
Proper Golf Attire is required. Collared Shirts or mock turtlenecks are preferred. No tank tops, flip flops, or ripped/torn clothing.
That said, there are a number of Golf Apparel companies that can get you suited up and looking sharp for your event. Several golfers actually put a lot of time researching in what they want their foursome to wear! (We have been to outings where “Best Dressed” was a contest and the winners put John Daly to shame.)
Food and Beverage Service
To hold an outing at our course, you must utilize our Food and Beverage services for at least two (2) meals.
Candlewood has several food and beverage packages to chose from for your outing. Let our friendly professional food and beverage team “Wow” your guests with our service and great food packages.
Click here for our Phenomenal In House Catering Packages/Menus.
Sorry. It’s against CT State Law. The golf course holds the responsibility, insurance and license.
That means you need to leave your alcohol at home. If any is found, you will be asked to bring it back to your vehicle immediately.
Per Health Department Regulations, outside food is prohibited from being served and can not be brought onto our premises.
…And so does our Chef. We will do our best to accommodate any food allergy. The sooner you know who has an allergy the better. Please speak to Bob, Jennifer, or Pete if you or someone in your tournament has a food allergy concern.
Yes! We provide them. They will be given to the tournament director/organizer to distribute at check in.
When organizing your outing, please speak to Jennifer or Bob if you would like to provide drink tickets to your golfers.
Prizes
These are just simple games that take place on the golf course. Typically, they are something like Longest Drive, or Closest to the Pin.
Feel free to have fun with it, We provide the marker and sign.
Some people call them Pin Contests or Proximity Contests. They’re all the same thing.
You tell us how many you need and we’ll place them for you. We’ll also announce the location of the pin events before golfers take off.
At the conclusion of the event, a staff member will go out and bring in the pin events.
The “Per Player Fee” includes all of the amenities, setup, and prize fund including:
- Proximity Contests
- Scores, Rules, Format and Prize Breakdown
- Sponsor Sign placement
- Cart Signs, Rules Sheets, and Custom Scorecards
- Digital Scoreboard
- Official Scoring provided by Head Golf Professional Scott Eckelman, PGA
- $10 Per Player Credit for Golf Shop to be used for Merchandise (credits expire at the end of the calendar year of the event – no exceptions)
Our Head Golf Professional Scott Eckelman, PGA will handle all of the scoring for your event. Once completed, he will meet with the Tournament Director or their designate to review the scoring from the Proximity Contests and the Event.
The live scoring will also be available on one of the TV Monitors in the restaurant or Banquet Facility.
Sponsorships
Yes. If you bring out the tee signs (signs that have sponsorship names on them) the day before the golf outing, a member of our staff will place them.
We apologize, but we can not accommodate that request. Our irrigation goes on at night and it’s rather powerful and would cause damage to your signs.
Yes! It’s our goal to have them all picked up before you’re done passing out prizes. No guarantees, but we’re pretty good at making that happen.
We will place them near the first tee/Starter area so that you may pick them up on the way out.
Yes, we have fence railings that you can post signs on. Please make sure to bring heavy string/extra large zip ties to hang them (we may have a few to spare.)
For the most part, yes they can. If the giveaway is alcohol, please speak with Bob Kick about the details of the giveaway. We have limited tables and chairs, so your vendors may want to bring their own.
Planning Assistance
Not only are we in the business of Golf, we also love the game and love to be a part of a great tournament when we can get away from the course. Most of us here have organized and/or run our own Golf Tournaments.
We love helping people organize their first golf outing. Particularly when they aren’t golfers. It just takes someone with dedication and some organization skills to produce a great outing. No golf skills required!