Ken Rizzotto

Golf My Way, LLC

Event Management

 Ken Rizzotto has been directing golf tournaments for more than thirty years.  His attention to detail has made him one of the most respected tournament organizers in the country.  Ken began his golf tournament career in 1975 with an Italian/American social golf organization.   Ken incorporated his marketing skills with his knowledge of golf tournament organization and brought profitability to the tournament.   Over the next nine years under his leadership, the tournament raised millions of dollars for local charities, including the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center for abused children.

Ken was invited by Barbara and Frank Sinatra to become the Executive Director/Tournament Director for the Frank Sinatra Celebrity Invitational.   Once again, Ken raised the bar and the tournament grew in popularity and in financial reward.  Over the fourteen years that he directed the tournament, more than ten million dollars was donated to charity.  Ken was responsible for all phases of the tournament, including:

• Sponsors
• Players
• Celebrities
• Media
• Short & Long Range Planning
• Fundraising  
• Purchasing of Tournament Merchandise
• Staff/Volunteers
• And of course directing the Tournament

He was the Tournament Director for the Michael Douglas and Friends Celebrity Golf. The Tournament was held in April, 2007 at Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes, California and aired on NBC in June. 

Ken’s expertise doesn’t lie exclusively in golf; he is a premier fundraiser incorporating sponsorships and silent and live auctions to the tournaments he directs; adding substantial funds to the charity.   

Other Golf Tournaments he is or has been involved with include:

ESPY Celebrity Golf Classic for ESPN 

The Big Break Challenge

The Crosby, North Carolina                                                

The Vince Lombardi, Wisconsin

The Alice Cooper, Arizona                                                        

Friends of the Desert Mountains

Ken has authored a golf tournament procedures manual depicting every phase of tournament planning and execution.  The manual, along with Maestrosoft GolfMaestro Pro Software is available for purchase on line at www.Maestrosoft.com.

Be it a local charity event or a major nationally televised celebrity tournament, Ken and his professional staff at “Golf My Way, LLC” are available to provide the elements necessary for staging a first class event.  In his own words, “Anyone can run a simple golf tournament; I raise the bar and turn them into happenings”.

For more information or help with your tournament, Contact us and we will be glad to help!

If you prefer, you can contact Ken directly by calling 760-773-0022 

or by FAX 760-773-2117

Or email Ken at kengolfmyway@aol.com

How can I get help running my tournament?

USE ALL THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE

Just Contact Ken!  Whether ytou need just a few questions answered, need consultation and some hand holding, or complete tournament management, Ken Rizzotto Golf My Way, LLC is your solution and resource.

Why would I hire a professional?

LACK OF TIME AND EXPERIENCE

Organizing a first class golf tournament is not as easy as it may appear.   It may look easy and often people falsely convince themselves that they can do it.  What can be so difficult?  You put your players on the course and collect the score cards when it’s over.  I suppose that could be considered running a golf tournament. 

I can’t tell you how many times failure occurs because one or more people on a golf committee decide they can produce a charity golf tournament.  Many of them have only played in tournaments and the rest have worked as volunteers on various committees.  This is not a formula for success, but a classic mistake and sure failure. They are gambling that they can pull it together and make a profit.  The result is that the charity loses.  Leave the gambling to Las Vegas, hire a proven professional and you and your charity will be winners. 

When I am hired to produce a new tournament, I always ask why.  Here are the most common answers:

• Our lead volunteer left us and we don’t have anyone willing to take it over.
• We tried it last year with a volunteer committee and they could not agree on how to do it.
• Out staff is limited and they are stretched to the max.
• We thought the guy that runs the church raffle knew what he was doing, but he didn’t.
• We do an o.k. job with it, but we can’t make any money.
• We don’t have the time to contact sponsors and solicit auction items.
• We want to take our event to a new level, but we don’t have the time or experience to make that happen.
• We don’t know how to attract golfers or sponsors.
• Too much bickering between the troops.

And the most given answer is:  LACK OF KNOWLEDGE 

It requires knowledge, leadership and time to organize a first class golf tournament.  Most organizations do not have the manpower or can’t afford the time that it takes to be successful.  Many are using novice volunteers who really don’t know all of the inner-workings required to conduct a successful first class tournament.

Why would I hire a professional?  EXPERIENCE

My staff and I have organized successful tournaments for over thirty years.