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Stock aerial photo of Swaneset Golf Course Pitt Meadows, Canada

<h3>Is GolfNow Helping Your Course or Hurting It? </h3>For many public golf courses, GolfNow seems like an easy solution. Free software. National exposure. More bookings.But look closer and you’ll see the real cost. GolfNow doesn’t just help you sell tee times. It controls them. And that control comes at the expense of your revenue, your brand, and your long-term independence.The result? You fill your tee sheet, but make less money per golfer. You attract more players, but lose pricing power. You gain bookings, but lose the customer relationship.If you’re serious about maximizing revenue and creating a sustainable business, it’s time to rethink your relationship with GolfNow. <h3>The Real Cost of GolfNow’s Model</h3>Many public golf courses believe GolfNow gives them free software and extra exposure. That’s how it is presented. In reality, the model is built around barter inventory, and that inventory has real value. When you sign a typical agreement, you give GolfNow a set number of tee times. They sell those rounds, and you receive no revenue from them.Yes, technically you receive their software “for free.” That is the pitch. But free only works if what you give up is worth less than what you receive. In most cases, the barter inventory you hand over is worth far more than the software itself. And if we are being honest, there are significantly better technology alternatives on the market today.The other promise is visibility. National exposure. More eyeballs. More bookings. But visibility is not free either. The real question is simple: at what cost? If you are giving away six figures of prime inventory annually in exchange for that visibility, it is no longer marketing. It is a trade, and often an expensive one.If you want to calculate your own numbers instead of guessing, GolfBack has a barter calculator that helps illustrate the impact: <a data-mce-href="https://golfbacksolutions.com/golf-barter-calculator/" href="https://golfbacksolutions.com/golf-barter-calculator/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://golfbacksolutions.com/golf-barter-calculator/</a> It is worth running your course through it. The results are often eye-opening. For an average public golf course, that barter inventory can easily represent around $100,000 per year in retail value. In stronger markets, it is more. These are real tee times, often in decent slots, that could otherwise be sold directly at your own rates. That value leaves your business before you even calculate additional commissions or secondary fees.On top of barter, many courses also accept other third-party marketplace bookings. Those rounds come with commission fees. Depending on volume, that can add another $30,000 to $50,000 annually. Now the real cost of the relationship is no longer abstract. You are potentially looking at $130,000 to $150,000 per year in value transferred out of your operation.The financial impact, however, is not the biggest long-term problem. The deeper issue is control. When a golfer books through GolfNow, you are not building your own demand engine. You are participating in someone else’s platform. The customer relationship, the marketing ecosystem, and the long-term leverage sit outside your business.Golf is not a one-time transaction industry. The real value of a golfer is lifetime value. A player who comes back five or six times per year, brings friends, spends in food and beverage, buys merchandise, and maybe joins a league is worth far more than a single green fee. But that only works if you can communicate with them directly, understand their behavior, and influence their return.If you do not meaningfully control the data and the booking relationship, you limit your ability to build that lifetime value. You become dependent on external traffic. If fees increase, if algorithms shift, or if competing courses are promoted more aggressively, you adjust. They do not. Over time, that dependency becomes structural.This does not mean third-party platforms can never play a role. In certain situations, they can help move distressed inventory or support a new facility that lacks brand awareness and needs initial exposure. Used carefully and strategically, they can serve a purpose. The problem begins when barter and commission-based bookings become a core pillar of your demand strategy instead of a tactical tool you control.If a course truly needs external demand support, it makes more sense to look at models that do not damage your economics. Newer players like RapidTee Golf are an example of a different approach. Instead of taking your tee times through barter or commission, they direct golfers straight to your own booking system. Golfers pay for the service via subscription, the platform earns from the golfer, and you keep your green fee revenue. Most importantly, you keep control of the customer relationship and the data, which is where the real long-term value sits.A healthy golf operation should aim to own its pricing, its data, and its customer relationships. That means driving traffic to your own website, converting golfers through your own booking flow, and building a database you can market to directly. It means understanding your customer lifetime value and optimizing for long-term profitability rather than short-term fill rate.A full tee sheet does not automatically mean a healthy business. What matters is who is booking, how much they are paying, and whether they will come back on your terms. If the majority of your demand flows through a third-party system, you are not fully in control of your own growth.The real question is not whether GolfNow fills tee times. The real question is whether your course is building independence or increasing dependency. One path builds long-term enterprise value. The other trades margin and control for short-term convenience.Every public course operator should at least run the numbers, understand the true cost of barter, and ask one simple question: are we building our own demand engine, or are we renting one?If this resonates and you want an outside perspective on your club, book a 30-minute call. Sometimes a simple conversation is enough to see where the gaps really are. <a data-mce-href="https://calendly.com/teemu-gate34/30-minute-meeting" href="https://calendly.com/teemu-gate34/30-minute-meeting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Just click this link and choose a time that works for you.</a>Teemu Founder Growth Golf &amp; Country Club Miami, FL, USA

The GolfNow Trap: Take Back Control of Your Club

Most public golf courses still price tee times the same way they did years ago. Same rate, same logic, regardless of demand. The problem isn’t that courses aren’t busy. Many are. The problem is that the tee sheet is being used inefficiently. The best-run courses don’t just aim to fill tee times. They focus on when they’re filled, at what price, and with which type of golfer.<h3>Two Different Problems That Often Get Confused</h3>When people talk about dynamic pricing, two very different opportunities tend to get mixed together. They should not be.The first is pricing optimization on existing demand. The second is creating additional demand in underused periods.They are separate levers. They create value in different ways.Let’s look at both.&nbsp; 1. Pricing Existing Demand Better Imagine a public course doing 40,000 rounds per year at an average green fee of $80.That’s $3.2M in green-fee revenue.A modest improvement in pricing, mainly by charging more during high-demand periods, can realistically lift average pricing by around 5–10% without reducing volume.That alone can mean an additional $160,000–$320,000 per year in green-fee revenue.This is not about selling more tee times. These golfers were already coming. It’s simply about capturing the true value of peak demand.And to be clear: this does not magically increase food, beverage, or pro-shop revenue. Those golfers were already spending on site. This is a pure pricing improvement.&nbsp; 2. Filling Tee Times That Are Currently Wasted This is a different problem, and a bigger one.Most courses have large blocks of unused or poorly used inventory. Mid-week afternoons. Late mornings. Shoulder seasons. Times that go unsold not because golfers don’t exist, but because pricing and presentation don’t match demand.When smarter pricing and packaging fill those tee times, the impact goes beyond the green fee.Every new round brings additional spending across the facility.If an average golfer spends roughly:<ul><li>$80 on a green fee</li><li>$25 in food and beverage</li><li>$15 in the pro shop</li><li>$10 on the range</li><li>That’s about $130 per round in total revenue.</li></ul>Filling just 5,000–10,000 additional rounds per year can mean $650,000 to $1.3M in incremental revenue, revenue that simply does not exist today.This is where secondary spending matters. And only here.<h3>&nbsp; Dynamic Pricing Is Not About Discounts</h3>Many operators hesitate with dynamic pricing because they assume it means lowering prices.That’s a mistake.Good dynamic pricing is mostly about charging more when demand is highest, not racing to the bottom when it’s slow.Weekend mornings should not be priced the same as Tuesday afternoons. When they are, courses train golfers to expect value where scarcity exists, and struggle to sell time where capacity is wide open.Poor pricing creates congestion, slower rounds, unhappy golfers, and unnecessary wear on the course.Smart pricing smooths demand, improves the experience, and increases revenue at the same time.<h3>&nbsp; Why This Also Improves the Golfer Experience</h3>Courses that price intelligently see more than just better numbers.Peak times become less congested. Rounds move faster. Expectations align with price. Golfers paying premium rates expect, and receive, a better experience.Off-peak times become more attractive without devaluing the brand.The course operates more smoothly. The experience improves. Revenue follows.<h3>&nbsp; The Bottom Line </h3>Static pricing doesn’t just leave money on the table. It creates operational problems and a worse golfer experience.Better pricing does two things:<ul><li>It captures more value from demand that already exists.</li><li>It unlocks revenue from tee times that are currently wasted.</li></ul>Those are different levers. Both matter. And together, they can easily mean six or seven figures in annual upside for a public course.If your tee-time pricing hasn’t been actively reviewed in years, you’re almost certainly under-optimizing your most valuable asset.Interested to learn more? <a data-mce-href="https://calendly.com/teemu-gate34/30-minute-meeting" href="https://calendly.com/teemu-gate34/30-minute-meeting" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-mce-selected="inline-boundary">Just book a 30 min call with me.﻿</a>Teemu Founder Growth Golf &amp; Country Club Miami, FL, USA

The Real Cost of Static Tee-Time Pricing

<h3> Tee-time bookings in the U.S. have become one of the most controversial topics in golf operations today:</h3><ul><li>GolfNow dominates the market but takes a huge cut of club revenue. </li><li>Third-party aggregators like Supreme Golf offer alternatives but still work within the GolfNow ecosystem.</li><li>Direct booking is gaining traction—but most golf club websites and tee sheets provide a terrible user experience, driving golfers back to aggregators. </li></ul>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.<h3>Who Controls Tee-Time Bookings in the U.S.? </h3>Despite competition, GolfNow (owned by NBC Sports) still runs the show.1. GolfNow &amp; TeeOff by PGA TOUR Who owns it? NBC Sports What you need to know:<ul><li>GolfNow acquired TeeOff (originally from EZLinks) in 2019. </li><li>TeeOff by PGA TOUR looks independent but is just another GolfNow brand. </li><li>GolfNow takes a significant revenue cut from courses in exchange for filling tee sheets. </li></ul>2. Supreme Golf (The Biggest Aggregator) Who owns it? Independent, but it aggregates inventory from multiple sources. What you need to know:<ul><li>Largest tee-time aggregator, pulling listings from GolfNow, TeeOff, and direct course providers. </li><li>Claims to offer the most tee times in one place. </li><li>Still distributes GolfNow inventory, meaning GolfNow benefits from its success. </li></ul>3. Other Players (Smaller but Relevant)<ul><li>Golf18 Network – Focused on discounted tee times like GolfNow’s “Hot Deals.” </li><li>Barstool Golf Time (by Supreme Golf) – Targeting a younger audience with Barstool Sports branding. </li><li>Troon Golf App &amp; American Golf – Booking tools for specific course management groups. </li><li>GolfZing &amp; EzLinks (legacy systems) – Still used by some regional markets. </li></ul>4. Direct Course Booking – The Trend That Could Change Everything<ul><li>More courses want golfers to book directly via their own websites. </li><li>Some offer discounts and loyalty perks to bypass GolfNow. </li><li>But most course websites and tee-sheet systems are outdated and nearly impossible to use, making direct booking a challenge. &nbsp;<h3>The GolfNow Trap: Why Many Courses Can’t Escape</h3>Even though many courses dislike GolfNow, they can’t just walk away.</li></ul>The reasons:<ul><li>They rely on GolfNow for visibility. Without strong marketing, courses struggle to attract direct traffic. </li><li>GolfNow uses a barter model. Instead of paying cash, courses give up prime tee times, meaning GolfNow profits from selling the best slots. </li><li>The downward spiral: The more a course relies on GolfNow, the less they develop their own direct booking capabilities. </li></ul>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.<h3>Direct Booking: The Future (But Why It’s Failing So Far) </h3>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 &amp; direct booking systems:<ul><li>Terrible mobile experience. Over 60% of bookings happen on mobile, yet most golf course websites aren’t optimized for phones. </li><li>Confusing navigation. Many websites make it hard to even find the booking page. </li><li>Outdated tee-sheet software. Even when golfers reach the booking page, many tee sheets are nearly impossible to use on mobile. </li><li>No incentives. Courses aren’t giving golfers a reason to book direct vs. third-party platforms. </li></ul>Compare that to GolfNow, Supreme Golf, and Barstool Golf Time, where the booking process is: - Fast - Simple - SeamlessThat’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.<h3>Change is coming</h3>Tee time booking is about to change, and for public golf courses that is good news. For years, golfers have bounced between platforms, comparing options and often booking through whichever intermediary makes the process easiest in that moment. In doing so, clubs have gradually given up margin, data, and direct visibility into their own customers. That structure is now under pressure because search behavior itself is changing. AI-driven systems are no longer just showing links. They are completing tasks. A golfer will ask for an available tee time within a certain window or price range, and the system will check live availability and book it instantly. The key question is not whether this will happen, but where the booking will be executed.In an agent-driven world, the advantage shifts back to the source of truth, the club’s own tee sheet. These systems work best when they can interact directly with accurate inventory and clear pricing, without needing a marketplace layer in between. That changes the economics. Instead of competing for placement inside someone else’s ecosystem, courses that maintain clean data, consistent rates, and frictionless booking flows can capture transactions directly. There is no need to “do AI” for the sake of it. The priority is getting the fundamentals right so that your tee sheet can be read, interpreted, and booked seamlessly.When that foundation is in place, bookings become more direct, margins improve, and the relationship with the golfer stays where it belongs: with the course. Interested to learn more? <a data-mce-href="https://calendly.com/teemu-gate34/30-minute-meeting" href="https://calendly.com/teemu-gate34/30-minute-meeting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Just book a 30 min call with me.</a>Teemu Founder Growth Golf &amp; Country Club Miami, FL, USA

The U.S. Tee-Time Booking Market: Who Controls It, Why Golf Clubs Are Losing, and What’s Next

Beautiful Backlit Desert Golf Course in Phoenix Arizona

Golfers book differently than they did ten years ago. Most bookings now happen online, and most of those happen on a phone. The expectation is simple: fast search, clear availability, instant confirmation. If the booking flow is slow, confusing, or feels outdated, people drop off and move on.At the same time, third-party platforms have made the process easy for golfers. They aggregate inventory, compare options, and reduce friction. That convenience has come at a cost for clubs. Commissions, barter inventory, and lost data have slowly shifted margin and control away from the course.The real question is not whether golfers are online. They are. The question is whether your own booking experience is strong enough to compete.The Real Gap Is Not Technology. It’s Execution. Most golf clubs are not behind because they do not care. They are behind because their focus has always been operations first: course conditions, staffing, events, member satisfaction. Digital strategy was rarely the priority. As a result, websites were built once and rarely optimized. Pricing was set seasonally and adjusted manually. Marketing became occasional instead of structured.Other industries went through this shift earlier. Hotels refined revenue management. Restaurants streamlined online reservations. Retail businesses optimized digital conversion. Golf is simply later to that evolution.This does not mean clubs need to become tech companies. It means they need a clear digital foundation. A booking engine that converts. Clean data they can actually use. A pricing structure that reflects demand. A plan for driving direct traffic instead of depending on marketplaces.The Talent Constraint Is Real Most clubs do not have a revenue strategist, a digital marketer, a pricing analyst, and a data specialist on staff. Nor should they. That is not how a typical golf operation is structured.The challenge is that modern growth requires skills that traditional club structures were never designed to support. If nobody is responsible for traffic, conversion rates, channel mix, and customer lifetime value, those areas remain unmanaged. And unmanaged areas rarely improve.The result is not failure. It is underperformance. Tee sheets that could be fuller. Rates that could be smarter. Direct bookings that could be higher. Repeat play that could be more predictable.This is not about blaming clubs. It is about recognizing that the market has changed. The golfers have changed. The booking behavior has changed. And the clubs that adapt structurally, not emotionally, will be the ones that strengthen margin and control over the next decade.After reading this, if you want an honest look, book a call. Sometimes a single structured conversation is enough to clearly see the opportunities in front of you.<a data-mce-href="https://calendly.com/teemu-gate34/30-minute-meeting" href="https://calendly.com/teemu-gate34/30-minute-meeting">https://calendly.com/teemu-gate34/30-minute-meeting</a>Teemu Founder Growth Golf &amp; Country Club Miami, FL, USA

Golf Clubs Are Falling Behind—And Talent Is the Biggest Reason Why

Junior Golfer Hitting Bunker Shot on Beautiful Golf Course

A golf club is not just a place to play. It is a business that sells tee times, memberships, food and beverage, lessons, retail, and events. Every empty tee time is unsold inventory. Every visitor who doesn’t convert online is lost revenue. Yet many clubs still operate with outdated systems, weak digital strategy, and limited visibility into their own numbers.If a hotel only filled two-thirds of its rooms, management would immediately look at pricing, marketing, and distribution. If a restaurant consistently left tables empty during certain hours, it would adjust reservations, promotions, and positioning. In golf, a 60–70% utilization rate is often accepted as normal without deeper analysis.The real issue is not demand. In many markets, demand exists. The issue is execution. How full is your tee sheet outside of peak times? How many website visitors actually complete a booking? How much of your demand comes through third-party platforms instead of direct channels? These are business questions, not golf questions.One of the biggest blind spots is data. Many clubs do not consistently track conversion rates, booking trends, channel mix, or repeat play behavior. Decisions are often based on instinct or habit rather than measured performance. Without clear data, it is impossible to improve systematically. You are adjusting in the dark.Digital strategy is another weak point. Too many clubs rely heavily on third-party marketplaces to fill gaps instead of building direct demand. If your website is slow, difficult to use, or poorly optimized for mobile, you are pushing golfers toward intermediaries. A modern booking flow should be simple, fast, and frictionless. If it takes too many steps or feels outdated, people leave.Pricing is often static as well. The same green fee across different demand periods might feel simple, but it rarely reflects reality. Other industries adjust rates based on demand patterns, seasonality, and timing. Golf has been slower to adopt this thinking, even though the economics are similar. Small pricing adjustments across thousands of rounds compound quickly over a year.There is also an internal resource challenge. Most golf clubs are built around operations: course conditions, staffing, member services. Very few have someone fully focused on traffic, conversion, and revenue optimization. That does not mean the club is poorly run. It means growth is unmanaged. And unmanaged areas rarely improve.None of this requires turning a golf club into a tech company. It requires clarity. Clear data. Clear booking flow. Clear pricing strategy. Clear responsibility for revenue performance.Golf is a great industry. Demand is healthy. Participation is strong. But the clubs that approach their operation with structured business discipline will separate themselves from those that rely only on tradition.Golf is a business. The clubs that treat it that way will build stronger margins, stronger independence, and stronger long-term value.

Golf Clubs Are Businesses—It’s Time to Start Running Them Like One

Think about the services people use daily. Netflix, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Prime, and YouTube Premium, all these platforms have one thing in common: a simple, flexible subscription model that provides access without massive upfront costs.Now, imagine applying the same concept to golf memberships. Instead of outdated, rigid annual fees, golfers could subscribe to a tiered model that fits their lifestyle, just like their favorite streaming service. This is the future of golf club memberships.The question is: Why hasn’t the golf industry embraced it yet?The Problem: Traditional Golf Memberships Are Outdated For years, golf memberships have followed the same outdated structure:<ul><li>Large upfront costs: Many traditional memberships require thousands of dollars upfront, making them inaccessible for younger golfers.</li><li>Limited flexibility: Fixed pricing means you either go all-in or remain a casual pay-as-you-play golfer.</li><li>No personalization: Golfers get the same benefits, even if they don’t need or use them.</li></ul>This system works for retired, high-income golfers, but for Millennials and Gen Z, who thrive on flexibility and digital convenience, this model feels prehistoric.<h3>The Solution: A Subscription-Based Golf Membership</h3>Instead of a single expensive membership, clubs can offer three flexible subscription tiers:🏌️‍♂️ PAR Plan – $XXX/month<ul><li>Play only on weekdays &amp; off-peak hours. </li><li>15% discount on pro shop purchases. </li><li>30% discount on range balls. </li><li>30% discount on F&amp;B </li><li>50% discount on green fees outside of subscription access. </li><li>One free guest pass per month.&nbsp;</li><li>Access to members-only events once per quarter. </li></ul>🐥 BIRDIE Plan – $X,XXX/month<ul><li>Play any day, but restricted to afternoon/evening tee times. </li><li>15% discount on pro shop purchases. </li><li>50% discount on range balls. </li><li>50% discount on F&amp;B&nbsp; </li><li>50% discount on green fees outside of subscription access. </li><li>Priority booking up to 7 days in advance. </li><li>Two free guest pass per month.</li></ul>🦅 EAGLE Plan – $XX,XXX/month<ul><li>Unlimited golf, any time.</li><li>Priority booking up to 7 days in advance. </li><li>30% discount on pro shop purchases. </li><li>Unlimited range balls. </li><li>Free cart included every round. </li><li>F&amp;B included (up to $500 per month; any overages automatically charged). </li><li>Access to VIP Eagle Lounge. </li><li>5 guest passes per month (no unlimited guest access to prevent abuse). </li><li>Preferred parking or free valet (if available). </li><li>Exclusive Eagle-level events &amp; experiences.</li></ul>This model would allow golfers to choose a plan that fits their budget and lifestyle, just like they do with their favorite digital services.<h3>Why This Works – Real-World Examples </h3>Netflix &amp; Spotify: Users love tiered pricing models because they pay for what they use. The same logic applies to golf—casual players won’t pay full membership prices, but they’ll subscribe if it’s affordable and flexible. Gym Memberships: Gyms have mastered multi-tiered pricing, where users can choose basic plans or premium access. Why should golf be any different Amazon Prime &amp; YouTube Premium: These platforms offer added perks like discounts, exclusive content, and priority access, which can easily be replicated in golf Golf Entertainment Venues: Places like Topgolf and indoor simulators already operate on a subscription-style model, offering monthly passes and VIP tiers.The demand is there. It’s time for traditional golf clubs to catch up.<h3>How to Implement a Golf Subscription Model</h3>1. Build a Digital Subscription Platform<ul><li style="list-style-type: none;" data-mce-style="list-style-type: none;"><ul><li>Golfers should be able to subscribe via a website or app, just like they do for Netflix. </li><li>Memberships should be auto-renewing and easy to manage. </li></ul></li></ul>2. Integrate Flexible Access Rules<ul><li style="list-style-type: none;" data-mce-style="list-style-type: none;"><ul><li>Peak vs. off-peak pricing ensures all tiers have value. </li><li>Priority booking for higher-tier members keeps demand balanced. </li></ul></li></ul>3. Offer Monthly or Annual Payment Options<ul><li style="list-style-type: none;" data-mce-style="list-style-type: none;"><ul><li>Allow golfers to pay monthly, quarterly, or annually, just like streaming services. </li><li>No long-term contracts—flexibility attracts younger players. </li></ul></li></ul>4. Leverage Perks &amp; Discounts<ul><li style="list-style-type: none;" data-mce-style="list-style-type: none;"><ul><li>Add-ons like guest passes, cart rentals, or dining discounts keep golfers engaged. </li><li>Exclusive events &amp; VIP perks make higher tiers desirable. </li></ul></li></ul>5. Create a Marketing Strategy for Subscription Golf<ul><li style="list-style-type: none;" data-mce-style="list-style-type: none;"><ul><li>Use social media, email marketing, and influencer partnerships to spread the word. </li><li>Offer a free trial period or first-month discount to encourage sign-ups.</li></ul></li></ul><h3>Final Thoughts: The Future of Golf Memberships is Subscription-Based</h3>Younger golfers buy into subscription models everywhere else—why not for golf?If clubs want to attract new players, increase retention, and boost revenue, they must modernize memberships with a flexible, digital-first approach.At Growth Golf &amp; Country Club, we believe the future of golf isn’t just about playing more, it’s about making the game more accessible, affordable, adaptable and fun.&nbsp;Are you ready to rethink golf memberships for the modern era? Interested to learn more? <a data-mce-href="https://calendly.com/teemu-gate34/30-minute-meeting" href="https://calendly.com/teemu-gate34/30-minute-meeting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Just book a 30 min call with me.</a>Teemu Founder Growth Golf &amp; Country Club Miami, FL, USA

Growth G&CC

Inside the Ropes

The GolfNow Trap: Take Back Control of Your Club

The Real Cost of Static Tee-Time Pricing

The U.S. Tee-Time Booking Market: Who Controls It, Why Go...

Golf Clubs Are Falling Behind—And Talent Is the Biggest R...

Golf Clubs Are Businesses—It’s Time to Start Running Them...

Why Golf Clubs Should Adopt a Subscription Model – And Ho...