How to book a tee time

Three ways to book

Nearly every course in Golf Metric's directory takes visitor bookings one of three ways: an online booking system linked from the club's own website (usually BRS Golf or intelligentgolf), a phone call to the pro shop, or email. Pay-and-play and municipal courses often add a fourth option: turn up and play, subject to space. A large group, such as a society day, is usually its own conversation with the club rather than a standard online booking, since group rates and deposits are handled separately; see our page on organising a golf society day for more on that.

BRS Golf

BRS Golf, rebranded BRS by GolfNow, is the tee sheet behind clubs including Formby, Hillside, Royal Liverpool, West Lancashire and Royal Lytham and St Annes in our directory. Its own site describes it as "the most installed tee sheet in the world, with 3,500+ customers across 14 countries", covering "online tee time booking, payments and communication". You book through a widget on the club's own booking page; Formby's page confirms all major credit cards are accepted.

intelligentgolf

intelligentgolf runs the booking system for clubs including Wilmslow, Warrington, Heswall and Grange Park. It's aimed at "simplifying the tee time booking process, allowing members and guests to easily secure their preferred slots", according to its own site, and offers members a separate app, igMember, for bookings and competition scoring.

Phone, email or the club's own page

Not every club uses BRS Golf or intelligentgolf. Royal Birkdale, for instance, takes bookings through its own visitor booking system as well as by phone (01704 552020) or email (secretary@royalbirkdale.com). Ringing the pro shop is always a fallback if a course's online system won't take your dates, or if you'd rather talk through options for a group.

Photo to followA golfer booking a tee time on a smartphone

Pay-and-play booking windows are shorter

Council and pay-and-play courses tend to book closer to the day than a members' club. Haigh Hall, Wigan's council-run course at Haigh Woodland Park, lets visitors book online "up to 2 weeks in advance" with payment taken at the time of booking, while members can reserve tee times up to 7 days ahead. Its own site adds that "'Turn up and play' golf will be permitted however we recommend pre-booking online to guarantee a tee off time", and that in winter you can turn up and pay only "during quieter times". It also doesn't take phone reservations, so online or in person are the only routes in.

What you'll be asked for

Whichever route you use, expect to give your name and contact details, how many are in your group, and your preferred date and tee time. Online systems take payment by card at the time of booking; phone and email bookings are usually confirmed first and paid closer to the day, or on arrival at pay-and-play courses.

Deposits and cancellation

Terms vary by club, so read the specific course's booking terms before you commit, especially for a group outing. Royal Birkdale publishes a clear example on its own visitors page: full payment secures a booking for groups of eight or fewer, while groups of nine or more pay a 50%, non-refundable deposit with the balance due 60 days before play. Cancel more than 60 days out and you lose the deposit; cancel within 60 days and the full green fee is forfeited. Bookings held provisionally are released after 14 days if unpaid. Smaller pay-and-play courses typically don't ask for a deposit at all, since you pay on the day.

Golf Metric's own booking links

Every course page in Golf Metric's directory links straight to that club's own booking page or provider, with no fee added on our side. If a course doesn't have online booking, the page says so and gives the phone number instead.