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How do you fill your foursomes?

BagBoy
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filla

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My friends and I play a mix of public and private golf. Each time we want to book a tee time or plan to golf at one of their clubs, it is a challenge coordinating everyone's availability. Furthermore, people will commit to playing without realizing they have some prior commitment they forgot about.

How do you ensure you fill your foursome prior to booking a time or filling out a tee time you already reserved? Are there any apps out there that help make this easier?
 
I haven't used the option but I think GolfNow allows you to split the cost of the round so each player pays their own.
 
I call the pro shop, rather than booking online and pre-paying. I give everyone's name and if they're a no show or a late cancel, they are on the hook for the fee. Everyone I play with understands and accepts this.

It works out to make new golf buddies as well as when someone does bail, we often get a roaming single added to our group.
 
We have been using Golf Genius for our sign ups - works great for our club and course.
 
always with people inferior to me..... who enjoy playing quickly..... want to bet money .... and love shouting every time the food/drink cart turns up
 
Don't have a foursome......

Usually solo or me and the Mrs.
 
Very rarely do we have a no show if we book a round. We have 'fillers' to reach out to if our main group is unavailable.

I also call the course or book through their specific website. Rarely use golfnow, pricing and availability appears no different to me in my area.


If someone would no show and we did end up prepaying or being charged. They would cover it.
 
troyefl said:
Very rarely do we have a no show if we book a round. We have 'fillers' to reach out to if our main group is unavailable.

I also call the course or book through their specific website. Rarely use golfnow, pricing and availability appears no different to me in my area.


If someone would no show and we did end up prepaying or being charged. They would cover it.
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People in our group who no show/bail too late without a replacement pay cancellation charge, as well. However, the real frustration for us comes not from the potential cancellation charges but from the back and forth via text and group chats trying to confirm 4 golfers for the round. In your case, it sounds like you have your core 4 group? Are these fillers you mention not always itching to get in on that group? Also, don't you enjoy playing with the fillers when the opportunity arises?
 
CorvetteGuy said:
We have been using Golf Genius for our sign ups - works great for our club and course.
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This seems interesting. I will look into it. Is this a service provided through your club?
 
filla said:
People in our group who no show/bail too late without a replacement pay cancellation charge, as well. However, the real frustration for us comes not from the potential cancellation charges but from the back and forth via text and group chats trying to confirm 4 golfers for the round. In your case, it sounds like you have your core 4 group? Are these fillers you mention not always itching to get in on that group? Also, don't you enjoy playing with the fillers when the opportunity arises?
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We have a core group who has right of first refusal. Since the same people take the burden on of setting up times and the fillers do not, I dont have heartburn not inviting some of the irregular group.

Sometimes we do get multiple tee times but that takes more planning. Early tee times are a premium these days and need to book well in advance.
 
troyefl said:
We have a core group who has right of first refusal. Since the same people take the burden on of setting up times and the fillers do not, I dont have heartburn not inviting some of the irregular group.

Sometimes we do get multiple tee times but that takes more planning. Early tee times are a premium these days and need to book well in advance.
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No kidding! Our core group are typically the ones who are logged into Bethpage's reservation system refreshing at 6:59 PM 7 days prior to when we want to play. However, especially these days during Covid, it has been so difficult to get a time even with 4 people trying to book. What often happens is that someone will find a time on the reservation system when another group cancels then text the group to check availability. At that point, its always a ton of texting with the core group and inevitably the fillers because it isn't everyone's preferred time. Wouldn't it be easier if we could all just see each other's availability to play golf and or existing tee times with open spots in real time. Rather than all this texting.....
 
I almost never try to get a foursome together any more as it's not worth the hassle to coordinate with everybody.

I'll go solo or book the last spot to play with a 3 some on a golf app.
 
I have a small group here at home that follow my two rules, 1) Play Fast, 2) Dont be a Dick.

Granted, most who check that list are my former HS golfers :ROFLMAO:
 
Carolina Dundee said:
I almost never try to get a foursome together any more as it's not worth the hassle to coordinate with everybody.

I'll go solo or book the last spot to play with a 3 some on a golf app.
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That’s unfortunate and I feel your pain. I am trying to avoid the same end result! When I am actually on the golf course with a group of friends it is a blast despite whatever planning frustration it took to get there.

If it were easier to coordinate with friends do you think you would have continued/will continue trying to get foursomes?
 
We have a large rack and get 3-4 consecutive tee times on Saturdays. But if you bail or no show a few times you stop getting emails, much easier to do with a large group than a small 4-some.
 
filla said:
That’s unfortunate and I feel your pain. I am trying to avoid the same end result! When I am actually on the golf course with a group of friends it is a blast despite whatever planning frustration it took to get there.

If it were easier to coordinate with friends do you think you would have continued/will continue trying to get foursomes?
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It would have to be a lot easier.
 
Jmk202 said:
We have a large rack and get 3-4 consecutive tee times on Saturdays. But if you bail or no show a few times you stop getting emails, much easier to do with a large group than a small 4-some.
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This is awesome! So do you just send an email blast with times that you booked and everyone responds when they are available? Do you ever find yourself proactively trying to fill unfilled times or do you just cancel those?
 
filla said:
This seems interesting. I will look into it. Is this a service provided through your club?
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yes -- and we use it for logging scores and running totals for tournaments.. quite a few clubs use it in various versions out here in the PNW.
 
filla said:
This is awesome! So do you just send an email blast with times that you booked and everyone responds when they are available? Do you ever find yourself proactively trying to fill unfilled times or do you just cancel those?
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Email goes out on Tuesday "whos in for Saturday" then we book enough times to cover who responds. Its out our local CC so it simplifies the payment part, but we'd still catch a lot of heat if we take up prime tee times and leave them empty. Hence the self policing on attendance.
 
CorvetteGuy said:
yes -- and we use it for logging scores and running totals for tournaments.. quite a few clubs use it in various versions out here in the PNW.
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Seems like it is more geared toward leagues and outings rather than coordinating casual rounds among members. Is that accurate? Does your club use it for the daily tee time reservation system?
 
Jmk202 said:
Email goes out on Tuesday "whos in for Saturday" then we book enough times to cover who responds. Its out our local CC so it simplifies the payment part, but we'd still catch a lot of heat if we take up prime tee times and leave them empty. Hence the self policing on attendance.
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Any reason for doing this via email rather than group text? Also, how much time do you give people to respond?

Have there been any situations where you have taken heat from the club/other members because people committed and then pulled out without enough notice?
 
We have a core group of 3 guys in our friend group that are good for golf just about every weekend. We fill the fourth with people that we know, on a rotating door policy. Only gets hairy when my inlaws are in town as my FIL always likes his cousin to play with him, so we either get multiple tee times or someone figures out their own deal.

We don't have a lot of issues with backouts or no-shows. I can count the number of times it's happened on one hand. If something comes up we always fill the spot or call ahead to the course to let them know so they can open the spot on the tee sheet.
 
The group I play with mostly, 2 of them are retired so pretty much when I can golf they are good to go.
 
I also manage our hockey team and use BenchApp. For golf, I book a tee time and the app will send a push text and email to the roster. First come, first served. Players can check in or out through the app.

It also tracks any league dues owed or drink rotation. Super handy!
 
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