Amateur golf events – event branding

Amateur events & Open qualifiers

The Amateur Events team work on up to 17 events each year, categorised from A+ to E based on the event’s profile. The category determines the event’s setup, operations, and equipment requirements. For instance, a Category A+ event features 6 LED screens, while an E category event requires only one.

Infrastructure & equipment:

Currently, we utilise 13 shipping containers filled with event kit and equipment. PPL stores and maintains all this equipment at our premises in Liverpool. Before each event, containers are packed with all the necessary infrastructure and equipment and then shipped to the respective venue(s).

Most of the infrastructure design is standardised across the amateur events, enabling items to be reused for multiple occasions.

The event infrastructure kit comprises:

• Archways
• Flags and Flag Poles
• Banner Boards (Event, Sponsor, and R&A Messaging)
• Range Markers
• Media Backdrops
• Wayfinding Signage
• First Tee Decorations, including the setup of a picket fence, starting lectern, and digital clock
• LED Screens
• Electronic Scoreboards
• Manual Scoreboard
• Trophy Cabinets
• Marquee Branding (if necessary)
• Caddy Bibs
• Large-Format Printers (enables us to print on-site if required)
• Programme Booths* (Cat A event such as the Walker Cup will have a programme)

While some branding elements remain consistent across all events, such as certain R&A and some sponsor branding, each golf event necessitates unique branding tailored to the venue and date. We print the event branding in Liverpool and ship it alongside the infrastructure kit to each event.

Player name plaques, given the dynamic nature of player qualifications, are printed in Liverpool and then couriered to the venue. Any late additions are printed on-site.

During each event, we set up a large format printer on-site, providing us with the flexibility to accommodate any last-minute changes or signage requirements.

 

Services provided by The PPL Group for R&A amateur golf events:

• Pre-event planning:
  • Collaboration with the R&A to categorise events.
  • Conducting site visits to create an event infrastructure plan.
  • Printing event branding and signage materials.
  • Organising logistics for transporting infrastructure and equipment.

• Event build (1-4 days, depending on event category):
  • Constructing event infrastructure, including archways, flagpoles, and signage.
  • Installing event branding, such as banner boards, signage, media backdrops, and wayfinding.
  • Decorating the first tee.
  • Placing range markers.
  • Erecting LED screens, electronic scoreboards, and manual scoreboards.
  • Implementing marque branding, if necessary, for specific areas like the media centre, championship office, medical centre, physio room, and gym.

• Live event management (during practice days and tournament):
  • Event scoring is conducted by PPL with trained volunteers using tablets and radios.
  • Volunteers stationed on tees 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 17, enter scores into the system or via radio if connectivity is unavailable.
  • Double-checking and uploading information to the live electronic scoreboard.
  • Updating manual scoreboards every 30 minutes.
  • Trophy caretaking, responsible for moving and displaying the trophy, ensuring it’s in place for the trophy ceremony at the end of the tournament.

 

2024 Season calendar

The 2023 season ended in September, once the last event was packed away, the PPL Golf Team headed back to Liverpool and immediately started the planning for 2024.

 

• October / November
  • Infrastructure inventory takes place, any replacement kit is ordered/built, the damage is repaired etc.
  • Planning for the season ahead, R&A provide a schedule of events they would like The PPL Group to work on.
  • The PPL Golf team will work with the R&A to categorise the events and start planning the infrastructure required for each event.

 

• December / February
  • A site visit is conducted for each event/course to make a detailed event plan.
  • Event branding is created and signed off by the R&A for each event/course.
  • Event-specific branding is printed.

 

• March / April 
  • The event infrastructure kits for the first six or so events are compiled, and tournaments held later in the calendar will reuse the infrastructure kit from earlier events.
  • Late April / Late September
  • Events take place.
  • The team is spread across the county, often working on multiple events simultaneously.
  • Some event-specific printing will be briefed to the team at Liverpool to print and dispatch, this is mostly player-related with names only available shortly before the event/s.

 

The Open Championship

The PPL Group have also been involved in branding The Open for over 40 years, more details can be found here.

Over the years we’ve worked on many smaller events for club, corporate or charity golf days, get in touch for more information.