If your loved one spent many happy hours playing golf, why not celebrate this by planning a golf-themed funeral? The idea of having a themed funeral may sound strange to you, but personalized funerals are definitely gaining in popularity.
Whether your loved one spent hours on the links or a motorcycle, there are ways to incorporate those hobbies and interests into their funeral plans.
Jump ahead to these sections:
- Golf-Themed Funeral Ceremony Ideas
- Golf-Themed Funeral Flowers Ideas
- Golf-Themed Burial, Urn, or Casket Ideas
Let us help you plan your golf-themed funeral by giving you ceremony or service ideas. We’ll also give you ideas on how to incorporate golf into floral displays. Finally, we’ll discuss the golf-themed urns and caskets available online.
Your loved one’s funeral can still be a dignified, heartfelt affair even if you choose to use a golf theme. It can also reflect your loved one’s religious faith. There are many facets to a person’s life and a modern funeral can celebrate several of them.
Golf-Themed Funeral Ceremony Ideas
Are you looking for ways to introduce the golf theme into your loved one’s funeral service? Here are some ideas. Don’t forget to talk with the officiant and funeral director.
These individuals have probably seen many themed funerals throughout their careers. If golf is a popular pastime in your community, these professionals may have previously assisted in a golf-themed funeral.
1. Hold the service at the clubhouse or on the 18th hole
If possible, you may consider hosting the funeral service for your loved one in a place he liked best: his local golf course. Of course, this may not be allowed since there’s a possibility that it would damage the greens.
In that case, you may consider asking if you can hold the service at a clubhouse. There may also be a golf-themed restaurant nearby to host the reception after the funeral services.
2. Use golf imagery during the prayer
Ask your officiant to pepper the service with golf references, even during prayer time.
The minister may mention that your loved one is playing on the ultimate fairways in heaven. The officiant may also refer to the death as “the last putt being dropped in your loved one’s cup of life.”
2. Use appropriate golf-sounding religious text verses
If your golfer was a Christian, consider using this verse in 2 Timothy 4:7. In some translations, it reads, “I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith.” This verse would be especially appropriate if your loved one suffered from a lengthy illness before dying.
Of course, the reading could also be personalized by using any verse or poem that was especially important to the deceased. Look for markings in your loved one's religious text to try to determine which verses were especially significant.
4. Have a fellow golfer read a golf-themed poem at the funeral
You need a golf-themed poem that would be appropriate for a funeral! Check out “The Golf Course in the Sky” by Michael Ashby or “A Blessing for a Golfer” by Daniel Mark Extrom.
You could also have a golf-themed poem printed in the funeral program. If you can’t find a poem that uses the right sentiments, consider writing one yourself.
5. Use golf stories in the eulogy
Golf brings out a wide variety of emotions, so you may have quite a few golf stories to share in your loved one’s eulogy. If you aren’t writing the eulogy, make sure you share the accounts with the person who is.
Don’t hesitate to use a bit of humor in the eulogy. You could say that golf made the deceased closer to God because he prayed every time he had to sink a tricky putt.
6. Choose appropriate songs
You may have a difficult time finding golf-related songs that are appropriate for a funeral. Instead, consider this list of the top 50 funeral songs of all time.
You may find it appropriate to play a song that celebrates the great outdoors, such as “What a Wonderful World.”
7. Use a golf-themed funeral program
Check with the funeral home to see if they can help you with a golf-themed funeral program. Even if you can’t find a pre-designed program that uses a beautiful rolling green in the background, you could consider using several photos of your loved one golfing on the front and back covers.
You may also consider using golf quotes in the program. One famous quote is by Greg Norman: “In golf, as in life, it is the follow-through that makes the difference.”
8. Pass out golf-themed memorial items
In some modern funerals, the family distributes small memorial tokens or funeral favors for those in attendance.
Consider doing this at your loved one’s golf-themed funeral. Personalized balls or ball markers would make appropriate gifts.
9. Create a golf-themed display
If your loved one traveled the country or world playing their favorite sport, consider marking the locations on a giant map. Create a display of your loved one at each of the courses.
You may also want to use the opportunity to brag about your loved one’s golf skills by sharing information about holes in ones or particularly good rounds.
Golf-Themed Funeral Flowers Ideas
Tell your florist that you would like your loved one to have a golf themed funeral, complete with the perfect funeral flowers. Of course, you may need to be prepared to provide the golf clubs for the display.
Here are some options to discuss with your florist.
10. Shape white flowers in the form of a golf ball
The white flowers, like daisies, could be shaped into a ball and placed on an oversized tee. Personalize the floral display with your loved one’s name.
11. Hang a memorial wreath on your loved one’s golf clubs
Place your loved one’s golf bag near the urn or casket and attach a wreath or some other flower arrangement to it.
12. Cross golf clubs on the back of an upright floral arrangement or casket spray
Talk with your florist about ways to secure golf clubs on the floral display. This would be appropriate for larger arrangements.
13. Create a miniature green
Those who are creative with flowers may figure out a way to depict a golf green using green and white blooms.
14. Attach golf balls and tees to smaller arrangements
While adding golf clubs to a large floral display would make a dramatic statement, you could also consider adding golf balls and tees to smaller ones. Decorate all arrangements with golf-themed ribbon.
Golf-Themed Burial, Urn, or Casket Ideas
Yes, even golf urns and golf caskets exist. The theme can be subtle or obvious, and you can find appropriate products in a wide variety of price ranges.
Here are some golf-themed burial ideas. We’ll also include descriptions of golf-themed urns and caskets.
15. Bury your loved one wearing golfing gloves and holding a favorite driver
If you can’t imagine your loved one being without his clubs, consider burying him with a favorite.
16. Buy an engravable urn
Engravable urns come in a wide variety of shapes, styles, and colors. Some urns allow you to engrave on the body or face of it, and others allow you to add engravable metal plates to the side.
Most companies will enable you to choose from hundreds of images when personalizing the urn. Select a golf bag, ball and tee, or a picture of a golfer swinging a club.
17. Painted golf urn
While you may consider hiring an artist to paint an urn specifically for your loved one, you can also buy one on the online marketplace.
Such urns may show a golfer teeing off with a bright blue sky in the background. Other painted urns may be more subtle and less colorful.
18. Photo urn
Do you have several beautiful photographs of your loved one enjoying a round? Consider purchasing a golf-themed photo urn that allows you to add your own pictures.
Be cognizant that most golf photos are taken as a portrait instead of landscape, so find a photo urn that can accommodate such pictures.
19. Golf caskets
You can purchase brightly-colored, painted golf-themed caskets for your loved one. Some look like a box of golf balls, and others show a beautiful day on the links.
You may also consider taking a less subtle approach and ask for an engraving of a golfer to be added to the top or the side of the casket. An image of a golfer may also be embroidered in the lining in the lid of the coffin.
Plan Your Own Themed Funeral
Your loved ones may hesitate to host a themed funeral after you pass because they may worry that it would seem too lighthearted or disrespectful. Put their fears to rest and plan your own themed funeral.
Your plans can be theoretical, with only your final wishes written out in vague detail. Of course, you can also write detailed plans, where you even choose the funeral music, purchase the urn, pay for your cremation, and write your own obituary.
If you are the type of person who wants your end-of-life services to look a particular way, make your funeral plan today.