Public Tee time bookings

[SeaOfGreen10]

[quote name='Fozzy325' timestamp='1438689211' post='12074804']
I would like your opinion on some thing that is urking me.

I live in a "city" that has several city owned golf courses. All of these courses are bookable via the Internet / phone or in person.

On nearly every occasion I have just turned up and walked on due to people not showing or cancelling at the last moment.

I feel this is not fair to people who could fill the space and play. I also feel that it's unfair to the city and it's staff.

Yesterday I was there waiting for a spot to open and I was talking to the staff and apparently there are around 50 people or groups of people who cancel each day. That is 2000 a day in lost revenue. 14000 per week.

I asked if they had a suggestion box.
I would have suggested that all bookings must be paid for in advance via credit or prepaid accounts/golf card upto a maximum of 4 weeks.
If you cancel upto a week before then ok but between a week and the day you want to play then you lose your payment. And if your not there 1hr before tee off you lose your spot and funds.

However if you book on the fourth/third week prior you get a discount on tee times and cart.
Every day it gets closer to the date it gets more expensive.

This us how economy airlines work and think it's a great way saving money for the golfers and keeping golf courses working to their optimum.
[/quote]

My city courses require registration before making a tee time. People who repeatedly fail to show lose the right to book tee times in advance. I believe this is the best way to do it, because it limits abuse while still allowing for the rare unforseen circumstance that causes you to miss a tee time.

But I disagree about it being "unfair" to the staff and golf course. Rude to other golfers, yes, but if a course has a policy not to charge no shows, then it is understood by both parties that this is a possibility. Since it sounds like the staff knows this happens and can quantify it with numbers, perhaps they also believe they would turn away too many customers by enacting this. I have a hard time believing those courses are watching 14k walk out the door every week and are too lazy/incompetent to change.

[GWD]

[quote name='seajohn' timestamp='1438715379' post='12077718']
[quote name='GWD' timestamp='1438712357' post='12077298']
As a single, usually I am denied the opportunity to make a tee time or even join another group online or by phone. It is just a show up and hope situation. So my tendency is to appear with the morning sun.

The only other recourse is to check the tee times online and try to show up when nobody is scheduled.
[/quote]

GolfNow.com has a lot of deals where you can make a reservation for 1 player but they don't always cover all the course in the area.
[/quote]

When I travel, GolfNow is used since I need to find a tee time on a certain day in an area of a multi-day trip.

The courses I play locally don't use GolfNow. And when they do it is usually a time that few people would want. Like a 2 PM tee time on a 110° summer day.

However, [b]Yocha DeHe[/b] allows singles to reserve a tee time on their website. Of course, they try to fill out the time to make a foursome. I'm playing there tomorrow.

[Fozzy325]

[quote name='Argonne69' timestamp='1438714272' post='12077556']
Curious, OP, do theses courses allow singles to book ahead of time, either online or by calling the pro shop?
[/quote]
As it's a public course here yes they do. But when I look online there is never a spot until early evening. But when I go there I jump right on as a doubles will cancel or 4 balls cancel.

[Argonne69]

[quote name='Fozzy325' timestamp='1438738932' post='12080190']
[quote name='Argonne69' timestamp='1438714272' post='12077556']
Curious, OP, do theses courses allow singles to book ahead of time, either online or by calling the pro shop?
[/quote]
As it's a public course here yes they do. But when I look online there is never a spot until early evening. But when I go there I jump right on as a doubles will cancel or 4 balls cancel.
[/quote]

OK, I was going to go with the theory that singles were booking 2 spots under a false name, and then showing up to play as a single knowing that the twosome would be a no-show. Obviously, if the courses allow singles to book, that theory doesn't hold water.

I believe the simplest explanation is that since there is no penalty for a no-show, groups book at more than one place and/or time, and then decide which time/place is best, and let the other reservations go unfilled. Once the courses start charging for no-shows, or at least blacklist them, the behavior will continue.

Most course in my area require a credit card to book a round. In two cases I had a last minute cancellation, and I was charged for the round, but given a raincheck. The course got my money, but I was allowed to play at a later date.

[Roody]

[quote name='seajohn' timestamp='1438714401' post='12077582']
If he's a friend, he would pay for his own problem. If he doesn't pay, you need to get a better class of friend. But since you are a threesome, maybe you should get a refund for the 4th since the course could fill in with a single if there are any around. Same thing they would do if you originally booked as a 3 some.
[/quote]
I agree, he should pay for it. In a perfect world, he'd happily step up and own up to it. I have friends who are great guys, trustworthy, etc. And I also have friends who can sometimes be flaky. Their reasons for being flaky can vary, but it doesn't necessarily make them bad people.

I'd be more on board with pro shops collecting credit card info to book the tee times if they were to collect the numbers from everyone in the group.

[ZBUCK]

[quote name='seajohn' timestamp='1438715113' post='12077682']
[quote name='comeffex' timestamp='1438694278' post='12075230']
Life happens and I'll be damned if a course is going to keep my money because I didn't foresee getting a flat tire on the way to the course (or any other situation)...
[/quote]

Not sure if you are talking about the proposed 1 hour rule which would be silly if you've already paid for your tee time. If you're talking about having to prepay for a tee time, do you [u][b]"let"[/b][/u] the people running a concert or ball game keep your money because you missed a game, where you already bought tickets, because of unforeseen problems getting to the venue? Should they give you a refund because you missed the concert or game?
[/quote]

Good point, didn't quite look at it like that... but usually a concert or a game is something you plan for a little further in advance... at least I do. Plus, with those types of events, you can show up a little late and still not miss much, can't miss your tee time and think you're still going to be able to play that day... at least at most places.