The Secret to Getting More Direct Bookings
Many golf clubs lose tens of thousands of dollars each year to third-party booking platforms. While these platforms help fill tee sheets, they also take a cut of your revenue—money that could stay in your club’s pocket.
The solution? More direct bookings. The more players book through your own website, the more revenue you keep.
The Problem: Over-Reliance on Third-Party Booking Platforms
Third-party platforms charge commissions of 10-20% per booking. That might not seem like much, but over time, it adds up:
💰 Example:
- If your club does 5,000 bookings per year at $100 per round, that’s $500,000 in revenue.
- If 20% of those bookings come through a third party at a 15% commission, you’re paying them $15,000 per year—money that could be yours!
How to Increase Direct Bookings (and Keep More Revenue)
Here’s how to shift more bookings to your own website and reduce dependency on third-party platforms:
✅ 1. Make Your Booking Button Impossible to Miss
- Your “Book Now” button should be clearly visible on every page of your website.
- Use a contrasting color to make it stand out.
- Keep the booking process fast and simple—no logins, no unnecessary steps.
✅ 2. Offer Exclusive Perks for Direct Bookings
- Give direct bookers priority tee times or small perks like a free bucket of range balls.
- Run occasional discounts or special rates for players booking on your site.
- Promote these benefits through emails, social media, and in-person signage.
✅ 3. Retarget Website Visitors Who Don’t Book
- Many golfers visit your site but don’t complete the booking.
- Use retargeting ads on Facebook & Google to remind them to book directly.
- Example: Show ads to users who visited your booking page but didn’t finalize their tee time.
✅ 4. Use Email Marketing to Drive Repeat Bookings
- Send automated emails to past players, offering them an easy link to book again.
- Include personalized offers based on their playing history (e.g., “Come back this weekend and get 10% off!”).
- Automated reminders for returning guests increase direct bookings significantly.
The Revenue Impact of More Direct Bookings
🔴 Scenario:
- Your club does 35,000 bookings per year at $100 per round.
- If you shift 10,000 of those bookings from a third-party platform to direct, that’s an extra $150,000 - $250,000 in revenue saved from commission fees (assuming 15–25% commission).
- Over 5 years, that’s $750,000–$1.25M in extra profit—just by making small adjustments!
Are You Letting Third Parties Take Your Revenue?
If your website isn’t optimized for direct bookings, or you’re relying too much on third-party platforms, you’re giving away money that could be yours.
The good news? A few simple changes can drive more direct revenue—starting today!
Partner with Growth G&CC – $4,900/Month
Stop guessing and start growing. With a dedicated team of marketing, AI, data, and conversion specialists, we take the burden off your shoulders and turn your golf club into a revenue-generating machine—all for less than the cost of hiring one full-time employee!
✔ More direct bookings – No middlemen, just maximized revenue.
✔ Smarter pricing strategies – Optimize rates for peak profitability.
✔ AI-driven automation – Less manual work, more efficiency.
✔ Proven marketing strategies – Attract more guest players effortlessly.