Yes, golf course rates are priced per person, but some courses will only let you book all four tee spots and can pair you up with others if the course is busy—however, different golf courses have varying policies.
If you’re on a limited budget and planning to visit a golf course for the first time, one of the things that’ll be on your mind is the cost policy of the course. Even with friends or colleagues, you’ll still want to know if the tee time prices are per person to calculate the total cost for the entire group.
In this post, I will walk you through how the per-person pricing policy at golf courses works, how to save money on tee times, and the best ways to get tee time bookings, regardless of location.
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Tee Time Prices Per Person Structure
Tee time prices on golf courses are typically quoted on a per-person basis.
When you book a tee time at a golf course, the price you see is usually the cost for one individual to play a round of golf.
However, the pricing structure may vary depending on the golf course and your tee time. Some courses may offer discounted rates for specific times or days of the week, while others may have different pricing tiers based on factors such as peak hours or weekends.
The pricing structure of any golf course will depend on its location, popularity, amenities available, and overall demand.
If you’re new to golf course pricing, here are some essential terms of structure you should familiarize yourself with:
How Can You Save Money On Tee Times?
The standard money-saving tip for golf courses is to play on weekdays since weekend tee times are generally more expensive due to higher demand. So if your schedule allows, consider playing on weekdays when golf courses offer discounted rates.
But in addition to that, consider these five intelligent, budget-friendly ideas to save money on tee times:
1. Play at municipal or public golf courses
Private golf courses like Kemper Lakes and Beverly Country Club in Chicago are more expensive than municipal or public courses like The Glen and Mistwood.
often offeringConsider playing at public courses in your area, often offering more affordable tee-time rates.
2. Walk instead of using a cart
Riding a golf cart often incurs an additional fee. If you are physically capable, walk the course instead of using a coach to save money. See it as a form of exercise.
3. Use online booking platforms
Online booking platforms like GolfNow and TeeOf often offer competitive rates and allow you to compare prices across multiple golf courses. Later in this article, I’ll show you more of these, along with local websites that offer online tee-time reservations.
4. Book in advance
Many golf courses offer early bird discounts for those who book tee times well in advance. Plan your golf outings ahead of time and take advantage of any booking discounts available. This will save you extra money, especially on a limited budget.
5. Have a nose for hot deals and promotions
Many golf courses and booking platforms offer special deals, discounts, and promotions. Watch for these offers, which can help you save money on tee times.
You can subscribe to newsletters or follow the social media accounts of your favorite golf courses or booking platforms to stay updated.
How Many People Can Golf At A Tee Time?
Generally, the most common number of golfers in a tee time group is four, although some courses may allow fewer or more players per group. It all depends on the policies and regulations of the specific golf course.
Since each golf course sets its policies regarding tee times and group sizes, there’s no specific list of restrictions, as they’re often based on course capacity, pace of play, and customer demand.
If the course has limited space or high demand, the course manager will stipulate smaller group sizes to avoid congestion in the course.
Remember, golf courses often have tee time intervals (usually between 7 and 15 minutes) to manage the flow of players throughout the day.
The number of players per tee time can be adjusted to accommodate these intervals and distribute golfers evenly.
Still, four is the most common number for a tee time group. But I recommend you check with the golf course you plan to visit regarding their policies on group sizes during tee times.
Why Are Tee Times More Expensive In The Morning?
Tee times are often more expensive in the morning because it’s prime time for golfers, so the higher the demand, the higher the prices for tee times. Many golfers prefer mornings due to the cooler temperatures and fewer crowds. Ironically, this is when the price goes up.
Also, golf courses typically undergo maintenance during the early morning hours. So, when they charge higher prices, it offsets the costs of preparing the course for play, including mowing fairways, manicuring greens, and setting up tee boxes.
What’s The Best Tee Time Booking App?
If you want a booking app for the tee time for your next trip to the greens, there are tons of golf apps out there, but they’re not all created the same.
I highly recommend the GolfNow mobile app from NBC, which I currently use. It’s an all-in-one platform where you can find the best deals on booking tee times at over 9,000 different golf courses worldwide.
My favorite part of using GolfNow is saving my favorite courses. It allows for quick access. They also provide exclusive Deals with GolfPass+, and you can book 24/7 and pay in the app.
GolfNow is free and available in both the Google and iOS stores, but they offer a Premium membership for $99 per month.
Alternatively, you can try the Tee Off mobile app. Like GolfNow, it has millions of tee times from thousands of courses and many deals to grab. The best part of TeeOff is that they don’t charge booking fees, so there are no hidden extras while paying.
My favorite thing about using TeeOff is that the location feature is highly effective, and reviews of courses are super informative and genuine.
Other booking app options like TeeWatch and ClubV1 also top the charts and are worth considering if you’d like an alternative lying around.
What App Tells You Open Tee Times?
Any booking apps for tee times would provide information on open tee times for specific golf clubs. But if you’re particular about an app heavy on the available tee times feature, consider using SupermeGolf.
SuperemGolf’s website does all the hard work on your behalf to provide the best open tee times for golf courses based on the location you select and their respective best deals.
On the website, you simply enter your location details and desired tee time, and it will then provide you with a list of courses near your location.
Key Takeaways
- Tee time prices are quoted per person but can vary depending on the time of day, day of the week, location, popularity of the golf course, and demand.
- Meanwhile, according to the Golf Channel survey, the average tee times cost $36 for an 18-hole, with cart inclusive.
- Private clubs are costlier, with annual membership dues and additional fees, but ideal for avid golfers. On the other hand, Municipal golf courses, city-owned, usually run about $10 cheaper than other courses on average and are suitable for recreational golfers.
- You can save big on your golf rounds by playing on weekdays, using public courses, walking instead of a cart, using booking apps, and looking out for hot deals and promotions.
- GolfNow, TeeOff, and SupremeGolf are the best booking app for tee times and where to get open tee times regardless of your location.
I hope you found this article helpful.