The U.S. Tee-Time Booking Market: Who Controls It, Why Golf Clubs Are Losing, and What’s Next
Tee-time bookings in the U.S. have become one of the most controversial topics in golf operations today:
- GolfNow dominates the market but takes a huge cut of club revenue.
- Third-party aggregators like Supreme Golf offer alternatives but still work within the GolfNow ecosystem.
- Direct booking is gaining traction—but most golf club websites and tee sheets provide a terrible user experience, driving golfers back to aggregators.
This is the classic OTA (Online Travel Agency) vs. Direct Booking battle that hotels have fought for years. But in golf, most courses still haven’t figured out how to take control of their bookings—and the ones that don’t will continue losing money.
Who Controls Tee-Time Bookings in the U.S.?
Despite competition, GolfNow (owned by NBC Sports) still runs the show.
1. GolfNow & TeeOff by PGA TOUR
📌 Who owns it? NBC Sports
📌 What you need to know:
- GolfNow acquired TeeOff (originally from EZLinks) in 2019.
- TeeOff by PGA TOUR looks independent but is just another GolfNow brand.
- GolfNow takes a significant revenue cut from courses in exchange for filling tee sheets.
2. Supreme Golf (The Biggest Aggregator)
📌 Who owns it? Independent, but it aggregates inventory from multiple sources.
📌 What you need to know:
- Largest tee-time aggregator, pulling listings from GolfNow, TeeOff, and direct course providers.
- Claims to offer the most tee times in one place.
- Still distributes GolfNow inventory, meaning GolfNow benefits from its success.
3. Other Players (Smaller but Relevant)
- Golf18 Network – Focused on discounted tee times like GolfNow’s “Hot Deals.”
- Barstool Golf Time (by Supreme Golf) – Targeting a younger audience with Barstool Sports branding.
- Troon Golf App & American Golf – Booking tools for specific course management groups.
- GolfZing & EzLinks (legacy systems) – Still used by some regional markets.
4. Direct Course Booking – The Trend That Could Change Everything
- More courses want golfers to book directly via their own websites.
- Some offer discounts and loyalty perks to bypass GolfNow.
- But most course websites and tee-sheet systems are outdated and nearly impossible to use, making direct booking a challenge.
The GolfNow Trap: Why Many Courses Can’t Escape
Even though many courses dislike GolfNow, they can’t just walk away.
📌 The reasons:
- They rely on GolfNow for visibility. Without strong marketing, courses struggle to attract direct traffic.
- GolfNow uses a barter model. Instead of paying cash, courses give up prime tee times—meaning GolfNow profits from selling the best slots.
- The downward spiral: The more a course relies on GolfNow, the less they develop their own direct booking capabilities.
This is exactly what happened in the hotel industry with Expedia and Booking.com. Hotels that didn’t build their own direct sales channels early became completely dependent on OTAs—losing profitability and pricing control.
Golf clubs are heading down the same path.
Direct Booking: The Future (But Why It’s Failing So Far)
Many courses want to push golfers toward direct booking, but they’re failing because the user experience is terrible.
🔴 The biggest problems with golf course websites & direct booking systems:
- Terrible mobile experience. Over 70% of bookings happen on mobile, yet most golf course websites aren’t optimized for phones.
- Confusing navigation. Many websites make it hard to even find the booking page.
- Outdated tee-sheet software. Even when golfers reach the booking page, many tee sheets are nearly impossible to use on mobile.
- No incentives. Courses aren’t giving golfers a reason to book direct vs. third-party platforms.
Compare that to GolfNow, Supreme Golf, and Barstool Golf Time, where the booking process is:
✅ Fast
✅ Simple
✅ Seamless
That’s why golfers keep using them.
Until courses fix their direct booking UX and update their tee sheets, they will never break free from GolfNow.
The Rise of New European Players – Will They Disrupt the Market?
Change is happening, and new European-based software providers could be the ones to break into the U.S. market.
📌 Two names to watch:
Golfmanager – Already gaining traction in Europe with a focus on modern booking experiences and automation.
TeeControl – Prioritizes both golfer experience and club management, unlike legacy tee sheets.
From TeeControl’s website:
Booking tee times has never been so easy and fast with the help of this intuitive 'web app'. In a few simple steps: check availability, book and (if applicable) pay directly with credit card or any other payment system you prefer. You can book for yourself but also for your friends.
This type of golfer-first booking experience is exactly what the U.S. market needs. Our team met with both suppliers at this year's PGA show, so both are trying to break into the U.S. market, and our sense is that it will happen sooner rather than later.
If a software provider can combine better tee-sheet UX with effective marketing automation, they could completely disrupt the U.S. market.
What’s Next: Can Golf Clubs Finally Take Control?
To compete against GolfNow and Supreme Golf, golf courses must:
✔ Upgrade their direct booking technology. Use platforms with a modern, user-friendly tee sheet experience.
✔ Create incentives for golfers to book direct. Offer discounts, loyalty rewards, or exclusive tee times for direct customers.
✔ Invest in digital marketing. Relying on GolfNow’s marketplace isn’t a strategy—courses need Google Ads, SEO, and social media to drive direct traffic.
✔ Fix website UX & conversions. If a golfer lands on your site but can’t book within seconds, you’re losing money.
✔ Adopt dynamic pricing. Golf courses need to maximize revenue like hotels and airlines do.
This is the only way courses will break free from the GolfNow ecosystem and take control of their profits.
So, What Can Your Golf Club Do?
If you’ve read this far, you’re probably realizing that you’ve been trapped in an unfair system.
📌 GolfNow and Supreme Golf are eating into your revenue.
📌 Your direct booking system is frustrating golfers and costing you money.
📌 Your tee sheet software is outdated, making it nearly impossible to compete.
And worst of all? There’s no easy fix—unless you have the right expertise on your side.
This is exactly why Growth Golf & Country Club exists.
We’re not just here to help. We are the answer.
The Growth G&CC Difference: We Take Control So You Can Focus on Running Your Course
Imagine if you never had to worry about:
✅ GolfNow taking a cut of your profits
✅ Figuring out marketing, direct traffic, or website optimization
✅ Fighting with outdated booking systems and terrible tee sheets
Instead, imagine if your club:
🔥 Maximized revenue with advanced pricing strategies—so you never underpriced peak times again.
🔥 Turned your website into a revenue machine—where golfers booked in seconds, without frustration.
🔥 Used AI and automation to drive effortless bookings—so tee times filled themselves.
🔥 Had a world-class direct booking system—so golfers booked with you, not a third party.
This isn’t some far-off dream. This is what we do 🔥
🚨 The only question is—will you take action before it’s too late?
Growth G&CC: Your Golf Club’s Competitive Advantage
We don’t just consult.
We don’t just “do marketing.”
We fix the entire revenue problem from the ground up.
🔹 We rebuild your tee-time booking experience.
🔹 We take over your digital marketing, so you OWN your customers.
🔹 We optimize your pricing, so every tee time is maximized.
🔹 We drive direct traffic to your website, so you stop paying GolfNow’s ransom.