Organising a golf trip as a group

Groups bring their own dynamic into a golf office. At best one person speaks for everyone, and check-in takes minutes. At worst everyone books for themselves, and in the end the group pays twice. I have seen both often. These are the rules I give groups from that experience.

One person speaks for everyone

A group works best when one fixed leader holds the strings. This person books, changes and cancels, and only this person. It ran especially smoothly for us when a golf pro led the group. The pro knew what the students wanted and handled check-in for 8 to 16 people in no time.

When a group arrives without a spokesperson, things get lively. Everyone brings their own ideas, and the golf office staff become moderators. That costs you time in the morning that you would rather spend on the range.

Agree before you book

Too often I have seen single members of a group change tee times without asking the rest. The times were gone afterwards, and the others knew nothing about it. It gets expensive when costs arise, for example from rounds on courses outside the resort.

A binding contract can also come about by e-mail once the course confirms the booking. Cancellation terms apply if they were agreed. A quick e-mail from the hotel room is therefore not a small thing.

Avoid double bookings

An example from the golf office. Two couples travel together. Both husbands book a round for four people independently of each other. The course has now reserved two groups and charges eight green fees instead of four. With a package of several rounds, this small mistake quickly turns into a large amount.

The same happens when a tour operator and the guests contact the golf office in parallel. Suddenly the group is in the system twice, once as “Gentlemen’s Group Brunswick” and once under the name of its leader. Whether both bookings must be paid depends on whether both were confirmed and which terms apply. You have the trouble either way. So decide who books and tell the tour operator.

Players, money and cancellations

• Book for exactly the number who play. If you book a group of four and turn up as three, you may have to pay for the fourth place.
• Agree who pays. Decide before the trip whether one person pays for everything and settles up afterwards or whether everyone pays for themselves.
• Agree on cancellations. Discuss who covers the costs if someone drops out at short notice. The cancellation terms of the course and the hotel tell you how much is at stake.
• Fix the courses. Who plays which course on which day is settled before you leave. Once you are there, courses can hardly be swapped in busy regions.

When to go to the golf office

Before 11 a.m. a golf office is at its busiest. Guests check in, the phone rings, the tee sheet runs. If you want to change plans or discuss something in peace, come at midday or in the afternoon. Then the staff take time for your group.

Template for your group request