How to Play More Golf for Less Money

1. Play twilight rounds

This is the number one tip and it's not even close. Twilight rates, usually available from 2pm or 3pm onwards, are typically 30-50% cheaper than morning rates.

Real example: a course that charges £45 for a morning round might drop to £22 for a twilight tee time. That's a saving of £23 per round. Play twice a month and you've saved over £500 a year.

From late March through September, you've got enough daylight to comfortably finish 18 holes on a twilight booking.

2. Go midweek when you can

Weekend rates are almost always higher. If your schedule allows even one midweek round a month instead of a weekend one, you'll save money every time.

Typical difference:

• Weekend morning: £35-£50
• Midweek morning: £20-£35
• Midweek twilight: £12-£25

That midweek twilight slot is the sweet spot. Quiet course, low price, lovely golf.

3. Embrace pay and play

Club memberships are great if you play 3-4 times a week at the same course. But if you play once a week or less, pay-and-play courses are almost always better value.

A decent membership near a city costs £800-£1,500 a year. If you play 40 rounds, that's £20-£37 per round. Sounds reasonable. But plenty of pay-and-play courses charge £15-£25 per round anyway, and you get variety thrown in.

Do the maths on your own situation. A lot of golfers are paying for memberships they don't use enough.

4. Book online and in advance

Almost every course charges more for walk-ups than online bookings. It's the same round of golf, just a different price because you booked 48 hours ahead.

Savings are usually £5-£15 per round. Set a reminder on Friday to book your weekend round online and you'll save without thinking about it.

5. Join a golf society

Golf societies get group rates that individual golfers can't access. We're talking £15-£20 per head for courses that would normally charge £35+, often including food.

Most societies play once a month. It's also a great way to meet new playing partners. Check out societies on Golf Match or ask at your nearest course.

6. Look for two-for-one and bundle deals

Loads of courses run "bring a mate" offers, especially midweek. Some booking platforms offer multi-round bundles at a discount. And a few courses sell 10-round cards at a reduced rate, even to non-members.

Always worth asking. The worst they can say is no.

7. Buy balls and gear second-hand

This isn't about green fees, but it makes a big difference to the overall cost of golf.

• Lake balls are perfectly fine. You can get grade A Pro V1s for about £1 each instead of £4.50 new.
• Second-hand clubs are incredible value. A set of irons that cost £800 new two years ago can be picked up for £250-£350 on eBay or Golf Bidder.
• End-of-season sales at pro shops and online retailers are worth watching. October and November are the best months for deals.

8. Let Golf Match find you deals

We built Golf Match partly because we were tired of checking five different websites to find the best price for a weekend round.

Set your location and what you want to spend, and we'll surface deals at courses near you. We also match you with playing partners, so you can split buggy costs and make the whole thing more sociable.

It takes about two minutes to set up your profile. After that, deals come to you.

What does a budget golf year actually look like?

Let's say you play twice a month, 24 rounds a year:

| Approach | Cost per round | Annual cost |

|----------|---------------|-------------|

| Weekend morning, walk-up | £45 | £1,080 |

| Mix of twilight and midweek, booked online | £22 | £528 |

| Smart mix with deals and Golf Match | £18 | £432 |

That's a saving of over £600 a year just by being a bit savvy about when and how you book.

The bottom line

Playing more golf for less money comes down to three things: timing (twilight and midweek), booking (online, in advance), and knowing where to look (pay-and-play, societies, Golf Match).

None of this means playing worse courses or having a lesser experience. It just means being smart about it.

Sign up to Golf Match and start getting matched with deals and playing partners near you.