If you think about it: golf is the sport that heals the world.

What other sport has more charitable events? You could absolutely play in a charity tournament every day of the golf season if you wanted to.

That said, it’s important to realize that charity golf outings are a bit different than your usual round. Because they’re designed to raise funds for important programs and missions, charity golf tourneys are designed to keep everyone happy.

From (usually) not needing a handicap to formats that somewhat level the playing field, a charity golf set up is designed with two goals in mind: Raising funds and making it fun.

Before I played golf seriously, I played in a lot of charity golf tournaments. There, while I’d yet had a chance to fall in love with the sport, never mind take lessons, I got to experience success. I got to savor the beauty of being on the course. I got to revel in the camaraderie, In other words: I got to have almost all the feels a true golfer has out there, all while making the world a better place.

Win-win, if you ask me.

So how is one to go about finding good charity tournaments and then being a top participant? It’s easy once you know how. Here are some steps toward finding and then championing a great charity golf event.

Find your passion: First, if you don’t have a friend or loved one who supports a certain tournament, a great starting spot to find upcoming tourneys is at Massgolf.com. There you’ll find an extensive list of upcoming tournaments in the Bay State and links to learn more about what they support. From kidney treatments to sports programs at local schools, there’s a tourney for just about everything that needs support out there.

I suggest you think about what you’re passionate about: A cure for diabetes, perhaps? Support a new playground in your community? Addiction recovery? Think about what you care about and then see if you can find a tourney that supports that. If one doesn’t come to mind right away, peruse what’s upcoming and see which one speaks to you.

Understand your role: Most charity tournaments are played as Scrambles, a set-up that gives everyone on the team a chance to shine, and every team a chance to win. In it, each player on a team tees off, and the team selects the best shot. All players then play their next shot from that chosen spot, repeating this process until the ball is holed out. Have a ringer in your foursome? A scramble means no one player can make or break a total score.

So, if you’re the least experienced of your team, you can be a hero by volunteering tribute at certain points of the match. For instance, when it’s time to putt, since everyone will be putting from the same spot, volunteer to go first. You’ll give the rest of your team clues on how the green is breaking and how to get the ball to the hole best. In other words, even if you miss, you’re helping the team with a chance to sink the putt.

And when teeing off, rather than going all out for the greatest distance, the least experienced player can instead go for accuracy: Place your drive on the fairway, even if it’s not a great distance, and you’ve given your stronger players permission to go big , since if they end up in the woods or the drink, you have a solid, well-placed drive to take the second shot from. Look at you, advanced beginner: Setting your team up for a great score.

Great players need to understand their role too. Having an off day? Don’t bring the team – and the tourney – down with angst and theatrics. Stay positive and enjoy the company and the act of helping the charity. A grouchy player can ruin the entire round.

And do not coach or lecture the weaker player on your team. Nothing makes someone freeze up and play worse than that. Your role is to make the key shots, sure. But when you cannot? Just go with the flow. As the player the rest of the team looks up to, you’ll be setting the tone.

Bring your wallet: There will be betting, silent auctions and other chances to donate to the cause, and that’s the main reason you are there. Be generous and take part in all those little extras. Not only is it fun (and you can win or score some great prizes), it ensures success.

If a friend has invited you and paid your entry fee, be generous and offer to pay into some of the side games (putting contests, closest to the pin, ball drops and more) for them. Even if you miss that long putt for first place, you’ll be a winner with your generosity.

Golf can feel like a selfish game sometimes. It takes a lot of time and costs a decent amount of money. Play charity here and there and it all comes around to helping. Heal the world with your fairway shots? Sounds like a win for everyone.