Charleston, S.C. (November 20, 2025) — The National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) convened nearly 100 leaders from across the golf industry at its recent Golf Tee Time Summit, bringing together course owners, operators, technology providers, industry partners and subject matter experts in law, payment processing and artificial intelligence to address the rapid changes shaping today’s tee time marketplace.
The goal of the summit was to create a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities emerging in tee time distribution, data use, dynamic pricing, and the growing presence of third-party platforms. Four key subjects were illuminated for discussion in a workshop setting: healthy tee time commerce practices, reducing no-shows and short-shows, changes in merchant processing, and artificial intelligence’s impact on tee time booking. Discussions focused heavily on customer transparency, protection of course inventory, authorized vs unauthorized reselling, and the need for consistent standards that support a healthy and sustainable marketplace for all operators, from single-course owners to large multi-course companies.
“The Golf Tee Time Summit proved something we’ve all felt for years: golf courses must own their tee times, their data, and their destiny,” said Jason Pearsall, Founder and CEO of Club Caddie, and Managing Partner at Warren Valley Golf Course in Michigan. “What came through loud and clear is that the status quo—opaque practices, third-party control, and a lack of shared standards—is no longer acceptable. I’m proud to stand with NGCOA as we work to build a future where transparency is the norm, operators call the shots, and technology strengthens—rather than undermines—our businesses.”
Key outcomes from the Summit include:
- Broad agreement that golf course owners need clearer guidance and adequate tools to protect their businesses from unauthorized listings, data scraping, and improper resale of tee times.
- Recognition that the industry must work together to create standards, best practices, and “rules of engagement” for how tee times and course data are handled by technology partners and new platforms for mutual health.
- Consensus that legal clarity is essential, and that NGCOA should take a lead role in working with legal advisors to outline actionable protections for operators and technology partners.
- Commitment from participants to continue collaborating through NGCOA to ensure the tee time marketplace remains transparent, fair, and beneficial for golf courses, golfers, and their technology partners.
“We were able to cover a large amount of important, timely topics amongst key industry players in one room to see how everyone manages these everyday decisions,” said Shannon Martin, Director of Golf Operations at Foxchase Golf Club. “It also prompted us to analyze our operations in an effort to make calculated decisions to set up our future for success, with the abilities and challenges of changing technology ahead in our future."
Next Steps
NGCOA will begin drafting a comprehensive framework of recommended standards for mutually beneficial tee-time commerce, with input from operators, lawyers, and technology companies. In addition, NGCOA will work closely with legal counsel and others to develop a body of resources to help owners and operators better understand their rights, protect their inventory, eliminate no-shows and short-shows, and engage even better with the industry’s golf management software (GMS) providers and third-party platforms.
“The Summit confirmed what many owners and operators already know,” said Ronnie Miles, Senior Director of Advocacy for NGCOA. “The tee sheet is the financial heartbeat of every golf course, which also makes it the lifeblood of most entities in the golf industry. Ensuring operators remain in control of how their tee times are marketed and sold, while supporting the success of good partners, is essential for the long-term health of the industry.”
About the National Golf Course Owners Association
The NGCOA is the leading authority on the business of golf course ownership and management. The association represents and promotes the interests of golf courses as the principal businesses and economic assets of the game of golf. The not-for-profit organization is the only trade association dedicated exclusively to golf course owners and operators. Through advocacy, education, information resources, purchasing programs, and networking opportunities, the NGCOA helps golf course owners and operators run more successful businesses. For more information or to join, visit ngcoa.org or call 800-933-4262.
Media Contact: Renée Flowers, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications, NGCOA, rflowers@ngcoa.org