For $5 a person, mini-golfers were able to play an 18-hole course specially designed for libraries, provided by a commercial vendor. She said she had heard about the company last March when she brought her kids to a similar mini golf event at the library in Bourne.

“It brings people into the library who haven’t been coming,” “In the winter time, there is not a heck of a lot to do. And so many families — unfortunately, kids — spend so much time in front of the television and with video games. This is like a nice family activity they can do in the winter. I love to see whole generations, grandfathers, sons and daughters. I like hearing them say, ‘Grandpa, watch this shot.’”

In addition to the admission fee, the Bridgewater Public Library raised funds by having 15 of the holes sponsored by a different local business.

This is not limited to libraries. Virtually any organization can hold one.  One school laid out 18 holes in the hallways of the school and had a weekend long competition at $10 a head. All you need is some Astroturf carpet, some putting cups, putters, and golf balls and you're good to go. Of course, you could create some great hazard holes as well, just to make it more challenging. How about instead of the windmill on the 18th hole, you have the principal swatting away shots with a broom?  It's a do it yourself fundraiser because you can put it all together on your own and use existing facilities. And another nice thing about it is that you can do it year after year while adding in lots of additional fundraising activities besides the mini-golf tournament.  It's perfect for northern states where winter lingers a little too long and spring fever hits.

The Jackson High's (Jackson, MI) indoor miniature golf course, was put on by the school's National Honor Society to raise money for the Haiti relief effort. Students formed teams and designed 10 holes. The course went up and down the four floors and twisted through hallways, taking visitors 30 to 45 minutes to complete. In one Christmas-themed hole, players hit their balls down a natural slope in the basement, through a pipe under a glowing, rotating reindeer, and into the hole inside a small present under a tree. There was a Moby Dick-themed hole with a papier-mâché whale, a crime scene with two young men in lab coats and a New York City scene with Spider-Man scaling one of the skyscrapers and students playing guitar, as if they were on the streets of the Big Apple. The final hole began on the third floor and sent the ball through piping propped up in the air in the stairwell to the second floor, where players hit it through another set of pipes to the final green on the first floor. Players had to take the elevator to go down to each floor.

The school conducted a similar fundraiser about three years ago. After planning out this year's event, the earthquake struck Haiti, so the students voted to send the proceeds there. Some students covered the cost of making the holes on their own or found sponsors, so the money from the $3 to $5 per person admissions could go to Haiti.

We have included a number of do-it-yourself fundraising ideas in this section such as an Indoor Mini-Golf Tournament that offer a break from traditional product sales.  They were developed by groups just like yours in an attempt have a little fun with their fundraiser. Some of them are tried and true while others show a lot of creativity ... and even wackiness in some cases.  All of them are obviously not appropriate for every group, but sometimes, with only a little modification, your might find some fund raising ideas that are perfect for your group. If you have an idea for a do-it-yourself fund raiser you are willing to share with others, please send it to us via email at . Include anything and everything you would want to know if you were hearing the idea for the first time.