Hello and welcome to the Revenue Alert newsletter series, presented by Noteefy!
Here we summarize the best ideas, strategies, and insights in the world of golf course operations and revenue management. If you are looking for fresh tactics from some of the industry’s best leaders to grow your course or portfolio’s profitability, this is for you.
At Noteefy, we process data on thousands of tee time cancellations across 700+ courses. Recently we took a look at what days the most cancellations occur to understand patterns in behavior, and what operators can do about it.
Here is what we found: Tee time cancellations spike late in the week, with Thursdays and Fridays far outweighing every other day in the week on volume of cancellations.
Why does this matter? The closer the cancellation occurs before a tee time, the less likely it is to be filled.
As every course operator knows, tee times are perishable. A golfer who cancels a Thursday or Friday tee time leaves operators scrambling to fill that slot right before the busy weekend.
The cost of a last-minute cancellation going unfilled is not just the green fee, it is also all the ancillary spend.
According to the latest National Golf Foundation data, roughly 50% of a tee time’s value is in spend beyond the green fee (think: F&B, merchandise, cart fees, etc.). This means that a canceled tee time doesn’t just cost you a green fee; it’s potentially half the total revenue that would have been spent.
What can course operators do about the frequency of last-minute cancellations? A combination of policy and technology.
Having the right cancellation policy, and educating golfers about the detrimental impacts of cancelling inside that window can have a positive impact.
Policy Enhancements That Have Proven to Be Effective
1. Credit Card Collection on Booking: Helps reduce no-shows and secures payment for late cancellations.
2. Strict 24-Hour Cancellation Policy: A modest cancellation fee (e.g., $20 per person) can reinforce commitment.
3. Call Required to Cancel Inside 24 Hours: A human conversation discourages casual last-minute cancellations.
Technology Solutions That Mitigate Last Minute Cancellations Going Unfilled
Modern technology can also help with mitigating the impact of last minute cancellations.
Specifically:
1. Automated Reminders & Confirmation Texting: Tech like Confirm gives golfers a gentle nudge—keeping them aware of their reservation and reducing no-shows.
2. Digital Booking Assistant: Waitlist / Booking Assistant Technology Streamlines the rebooking process for your staff and your golfers.
3. Open-Integration Tee Sheets: Working with a tee sheet that has open APIs ensures your system can quickly adapt and connect with third-party tools for maximum efficiency.
The Key Takeaway
Late cancellations on Thursdays and Fridays are compressing the rebooking window and chipping away at your potential weekend revenue. By combining well-structured policies with smart technology like Noteefy Confirm, course operators can proactively tackle this challenge—improving tee sheet utilization, capturing ancillary revenue, and keeping golfers (who truly want to be there) on the course.
Interested in learning more about mitigating no shows and last-minute cancellations at your course? Reach out to contact@noteefy.app or visit our website: Noteefy.com
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