If you are a golf course owner or manager, you may have noticed that in November of 2023, Google and Golfnow teamed up to add a BOOK ONLINE button to many golf course’s google business listing. This is an effort by “Reserve with Google” to add the golf industry to their current list of industries they are working with including restaurants and hospitality to direct consumers DIRECTLY to the online booking portal.
READ ABOUT IT HERE
READ GOLF TEC TECHNOLOGY REVIEWS TAKE HERE
READ THE SAGACITY GOLF WRITE UP ON THIS HERE
The goal, according to the Google rep in charge of this golf industry integration, is to have people searching to book a tee time “skip” going to the course website and go DIRECTLY to the booking engine.
While this is a “save a click” intention, not driving people to your course website has many disadvantages including learning about your facility, reading you online booking policies, reducing website traffic volume (which contributes to your SEO ranking), and can create a broken link in the future if you change booking engines.
If you would like the BOOK ONLINE button to remain, Step 1 is to contact your teesheet provider and ask them if they currently work with Google and if they can update the link on your BOOK ONLINE button if it is not currently going to your current booking engine. Google will NOT link to your website from this button - only directly to your booking engine. As of March 2025, Tenfore, foreUP, ClubCaddie, Sagacity, Quick18, Play18 and Lightspeed can work with Google to update that link.
If you would like the BOOK ONLINE button removed, contact your teesheet provider FIRST and ask if they are able to have your course REMOVED FROM THE “RESERVE WITH GOOGLE” PROGRAM. If not, contact GolfNow support to request removal of the BOOK ONLINE button. Here is the contact info for a Golfnow Sales Representative that has been able to assist courses in Minnesota:
Scott Biggers
Area Sales Manager, Golf
E scott.biggers@nbcuni.com
M 407.450.2607
Support 844.800.4653
