How To Book Tee Times After Lockdown

You can't turn up to a golf course without a tee time

How To Book Tee Times After Lockdown
(Image credit: Getty Images)

You can't turn up to a golf course without a tee time

How To Book Tee Times After Lockdown

Golf courses are open across the UK, barring Scotland where the date for re-opening is hoped to be 29th May.

The game is slightly different post-lockdown with a number of restrictions in place like the fact that clubhouses are closed, flagsticks can't be touched and things like rakes in bunkers, ball washers and benches have all been removed or placed out of use.

One crucial difference now in the UK is that you cannot turn up to the club without a tee time, where previously with casual games and roll ups you could arrive at the course and head out when it is quiet.

This is in part so golf clubs can manage contact tracing if there is a Covid-19 outbreak.

Golfers are itching for a game but, aside from in Northern Ireland where three-balls are permitted, only two-balls are allowed* so courses are very busy with limited tee times available.

*Note: some clubs will allow fourballs but only if they're made up of one household.

So, how do you book a tee time?

After the announcement that Coronavirus lockdown measures were being relaxed and courses could open, clubs across the UK all worked hard behind the scenes to ensure their online booking system was capable of managing the traffic it would receive.

There was an initial crash and log-jam but, and perhaps this is one good thing to come out of this pandemic for golf, clubs all now have booking systems in place.

If you're a member of a golf club, you can book via your club's online portal or ring up the pro shop or manager who will make the booking for you.

Be careful to not go over your allowance, as some clubs are only allowing members to play two or three times a week at the moment with 500-odd members all wanting a game.

If you're not a golf club member then you may struggle to book a round at the moment, especially if there are lots of private clubs in your area.

That's because whilst golfers are only allowed in two-balls, many private clubs are not allowing guests or visitors as there simply isn't room for them with all the members wanting to get out in twos.

However, public courses are open for visitors and they'll either have a booking system on their websites or you can ring up their pro shop or manager's office.

Another great way to book in a game is online via the GolfNow website, which has plenty of tee times all across the UK that can be easily purchased.

Tee times on GolfNow are usually very reasonable, especially on the Hot Deals section.

Once you've got your tee time, just remember to arrive at the course no more than 15 minutes before you're scheduled to tee off and leave as soon as you've completed your round.

Happy golfing!

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV