Moral Dilemma

[HowlingGale]

Booked a round for Sunday afternoon. Local(ish) course. Did the usual, looked on Golfnow for rough prices then contacted the club directly. The Hot Deal was for £15 a head but I don't normally book through Golf Now as I want the club to get all the money. They couldn't match the Hot deal price but gave me a price that was in line with Golf Now's normal price, which was £24 a head. So we've gone with golf now at £15.

The guys I'm playing with were adamant they want the best deal for themselves rather than bothering about the club not getting any money. From an old thread on here it was stated that the club will probably get no money when booking a hot deal.

We're all nomads but if I were a member somewhere I'd probably want the best value for me. As a nomad though my argument was we need to support clubs. I may be in the minority but I'd happily pay the higher rate to ensure the longevity of our nomadic lifestyle.

What do you guys do? Pay the absolute cheapest rate or support the club? We'll be spending money in the bar and Pro shop so contributing in a small way.

 

[Beezerk]

Cheapest 100%, the money is better in my pocket than someone elses.

 

[garyinderry]

Any club I've spoken to are happy to match the hot deal price and one have even bettered it recently.

One club who we Booked a hot deal tee time even scolded us and told us to ring them first rather than use the golf now as they wernt getting the coin.

If the club dont want to play ball then that is their choice.

 

[clubchamp98]

Booked a round for Sunday afternoon. Local(ish) course. Did the usual, looked on Golfnow for rough prices then contacted the club directly. The Hot Deal was for £15 a head but I don't normally book through Golf Now as I want the club to get all the money. They couldn't match the Hot deal price but gave me a price that was in line with Golf Now's normal price, which was £24 a head. So we've gone with golf now at £15.

The guys I'm playing with were adamant they want the best deal for themselves rather than bothering about the club not getting any money. From an old thread on here it was stated that the club will probably get no money when booking a hot deal.

We're all nomads but if I were a member somewhere I'd probably want the best value for me. As a nomad though my argument was we need to support clubs. I may be in the minority but I'd happily pay the higher rate to ensure the longevity of our nomadic lifestyle.

What do you guys do? Pay the absolute cheapest rate or support the club? We'll be spending money in the bar and Pro shop so contributing in a small way.

That’s a dilemma !
If you did pay the £9 higher price every week you would be costing your self a lot of money.
I think there is a off the record deal between the club and golfnow that they won’t match the price.( but lots do).
The free fourballs are golfnows revenue for sending golfers to the club.
Just pay the lower amount and if the club won’t budge why should you.

 

[Grant85]

I'd almost certainly take the hot deal, unless the club were going to match it.

But personally feel clubs make a rod for their own back by entering into these agreements.

 

[patricks148]

personally i wouldn't book through these booking sites its just fueling the race to the bottom, clubs slightly to blame, but also the faling cost to nomads is great for non members but what are all the nomads going to do when all the struggling clubs have gone out of business??

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Having never booked a round via golfnow, I totally agree with you, small golf clubs need supporting.

I always think, that most of the kind of courses on the website actually need the money more than say a club that isn't and therefore I consider I would rather pay the club direct and help the golf club out.

Always thought like that, I'm not always after the cheapest deal. In your case if the golf club said no, then that's fine.

Sounds weird typing the above really, as it sounds a bit mad, which I suspect your playing partners thought of your comments.

 

[Coffey]

100% the hot deal.

You went above and beyond what most people would do by ringing the club and asking them to match it.

They didn't so would 100% take the deal.

A friend of mine had the same issue.

Looked up golf now and got a price, rocked up at the club as a 4 ball and the club asked for £65 a head (bare in mind this was a Monday evening at 6pm). My mate said, look i saw on golf now you have a hot deal at 22.50 which i could book but though id give you guys the money directly.

They said no, cant do that, its £65.

He was like, so i can literally book it on my phone right now, standing right here for £22.50 yet you wont take it from me.

He said, yep go ahead and book it on your phone. No issues with that.

So he booked the hot deal.

No idea what goes through some peoples heads, maybe he didnt have the authority to reduce the green fee, who knows???

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I won’t ever touch the “hot deal” type websites - they aren’t great for golf clubs and mainly used by clubs desperate for money or struggling

For the sake of £9 and to ensure all the money goes to the club it’s got to be better to deal with the club


Nomads whilst they have a place in the sport aren’t helping some clubs survive - clubs need regular income and these sites by undercutting the clubs won’t help keep clubs alive and then when the “cheaper pay and play” clubs start to swindle and the standard starts to drop and nomads struggle to find somewhere to play then it’s because of the drive for cheaper tee times from these websites

We need to support the clubs as much as possible - without them we wouldn’t have anywhere to play , there will also be great deals directly with the club - but for the sake of £9 ?! Go to the club

 

[williamalex1]

I might be wrong here, but i thought the likes of Golf Now, BRS and other providers were only given a limited number of cheaper tee times for each club per month.
In return for services they provide to individual clubs.

 

[robinthehood]

I won’t ever touch the “hot deal” type websites - they aren’t great for golf clubs and mainly used by clubs desperate for money or struggling

For the sake of £9 and to ensure all the money goes to the club it’s got to be better to deal with the club


Nomads whilst they have a place in the sport aren’t helping some clubs survive - clubs need regular income and these sites by undercutting the clubs won’t help keep clubs alive and then when the “cheaper pay and play” clubs start to swindle and the standard starts to drop and nomads struggle to find somewhere to play then it’s because of the drive for cheaper tee times from these websites

We need to support the clubs as much as possible - without them we wouldn’t have anywhere to play , there will also be great deals directly with the club - but for the sake of £9 ?! Go to the club

guff, tot has in excess of 1600 clubs in the UK advertising tee times on there, many are simply using it as a means to get their course noticed via a well known portal. lots of the times are the same as what you'd get going via the club direct.
I'd say the reverse is true, in that many clubs are missing out by not taking advantage of what the internet can offer them.

 

[Blue in Munich]

I won’t ever touch the “hot deal” type websites - they aren’t great for golf clubs and mainly used by clubs desperate for money or struggling

For the sake of £9 and to ensure all the money goes to the club it’s got to be better to deal with the club


Nomads whilst they have a place in the sport aren’t helping some clubs survive - clubs need regular income and these sites by undercutting the clubs won’t help keep clubs alive and then when the “cheaper pay and play” clubs start to swindle and the standard starts to drop and nomads struggle to find somewhere to play then it’s because of the drive for cheaper tee times from these websites

We need to support the clubs as much as possible - without them we wouldn’t have anywhere to play , there will also be great deals directly with the club - but for the sake of £9 ?! Go to the club

What when it's a bit more Phil? When Chris & I were away earlier, the standard rate at the course next door was $180, the hotel guest rate was $165 & the website (GolfNow or GolfPass, can't remember) was $90.

If that course wants to bring it down to a reasonable price I'll book direct, but why are they happy to probably take less than $90 off of the booking site when I'd quite happily pay them that direct; is it not the greed of the clubs that is creating the market for these websites?

 

[Marshy77]

I don't really see the dilemma. You've rang to see if they'll match it and get the money and they declined.

No brainer for me.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Another one who would take the Hot Deal every time.

Agree with BiM's last point. Not uncommon to see a club green fee of £45 and an online booking site offering at £15-£20. The gap is too big to ignore.

 

[Slab]

Think you did enough to make the booking with the club, if you still feel a tad morally torn when you get there make sure you have another round or two at the bar

 

[Marshy77]

I won’t ever touch the “hot deal” type websites - they aren’t great for golf clubs and mainly used by clubs desperate for money or struggling

For the sake of £9 and to ensure all the money goes to the club it’s got to be better to deal with the club


Nomads whilst they have a place in the sport aren’t helping some clubs survive - clubs need regular income and these sites by undercutting the clubs won’t help keep clubs alive and then when the “cheaper pay and play” clubs start to swindle and the standard starts to drop and nomads struggle to find somewhere to play then it’s because of the drive for cheaper tee times from these websites

We need to support the clubs as much as possible - without them we wouldn’t have anywhere to play , there will also be great deals directly with the club - but for the sake of £9 ?! Go to the club

Not really. If you go on Golf Now you'll see loads of very good courses offering similar priced rounds or discounted slots.

Interesting view on Nomads.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I admire the OP for his diligence in trying to get the club to match the price but as a nomad golfer, I'm afraid I'd take the callous approach and want the best deal every time so my £ goes further and I have as much money available to spend on green fees.

I don't play nomadic golf too much other than when playing social golf with some mates and regularly use places like Tee off Times. To suggest the courses on here are struggling, more so those offering hot deals is a joke. Just look at some of the names based on a search for today that come up https://www.teeofftimes.co.uk/tee-times/hot-deals#date=Jul+31+2019 and it smacks of some kind of snobbery to relate hot deals to a club that must be in desperate need of cash or they aren't worth playing

 

[HowlingGale]

Ha. Thought I'd be in the minority. It's probably 60/40. My PP's think I am mad which is why I posted.
Some interesting thoughts on the greed of clubs. I know a lot of the clubs up here are really struggling so I think they're on these websites to garner some much needed revenue rather than increasing exposure.

I'm usually all for getting the very best deal but it just doesn't sit right with me.

I do appreciate both sides of the argument though.

 

[TheJezster]

I don't understand the issue? It's quite simple, they wouldn't give you the price but you can get the same product, literally, from another website for £9 cheaper. That's £36 between the 4 of you.

This isn't even a discussion. If you wanted to support the club you could then spend that £36 with them on other stuff

 

[USER1999]

Looking at that list, I am glad I am not a nomad.