The Best Golf Tee Time Apps

If you play often enough, you already know booking a tee time can feel like a guessing game. Prices shift by the hour, service fees pop up when you least expect them, and the best weekend slots disappear faster than you can text your group chat. But once you understand how the major golf tee time apps really work, you can start using the system to your advantage and save real money without missing out on good times or courses.

Let’s walk through the big players and the subtle differences that can make or break your booking. I have tested each of them myself, from small local municipal courses to big resort tracks, and there is one strategy that consistently leads to better deals.

What’s The Best Golf Tee Time App?

Golfers who want to get the best prices need to know which golf tee time app to use, but they also need to know when to use it. I’m sharing the four best options here. These are the ones I use personally. They take into account convenience fees, availability of times, and overall value. The goal: Help you book tee times as cheaply as possible.

Note that these aren’t scorekeeping apps. They’re not made for post-game analysis. They’re built for convenient booking and, when used properly, provide incredible savings. That’s the goal. We have a guide for the best Apple Watch golf apps, too.

The four best golf tee time apps, shown as a collage: Supreme Golf, TeeOff, GolfNow, and Chronogolf.

The GolfNow App for Rewards

GolfNow is the largest and most recognizable tee time site in the United States. It dominates major metros and vacation destinations with a massive course list and dynamic pricing that changes based on demand. The platform is perfect for casual or frequent public golfers who want quick options without calling the pro shop.

You will find nearly every course that takes online reservations here, but there are a few catches. The biggest one is the player booking fee added at checkout. It is small enough to ignore once or twice, but if you play a lot, those fees add up quickly. And if you’re easily frustrated by nickel-and-diming, this could be a dealbreaker. Note that you can get GolfPass+, which waives the fee on eligible bookings and gives you cancellation protection on many tee times.

Hot Deals are GolfNow’s signature feature, and they can look like steals, but remember that they are prepaid and non-refundable. If your plans change, you will be looking at a voucher instead of a refund. You’ll also want to check out GolfNow rewards if you end up using this app regularly. They say their rewards are part of their “unmatched benefits” in the app store.

My advice: commit to your tee time on GolfNow. Their customer service is not built for changes or exceptions. Use it when you are sure you will play, and check the app around lunchtime the day before. Courses that did not fill their morning slots often drop rates in the afternoon to attract last-minute players.

TeeOff for Special Offers

TeeOff.com lives under the same corporate umbrella as GolfNow but runs its own deals and rotating promo codes. You will often see similar tee times listed on both platforms, though occasionally TeeOff edges GolfNow on price once you factor in service fees.

This site is ideal for organized players who do not mind checking two tabs to find the cheaper rate. Florida, Arizona, the Carolinas, and Southern California all shine here thanks to high course density and heavy competition. If your favorite courses are in these areas (these are some of the best winter golf destinations), it’s worth checking here.

The best deals usually show up midweek, especially Wednesday evenings, when courses finalize weekend pricing. Always log in before searching because some promo codes and discount rates appear only for registered users. This same thing is true if you’re used to booking hotels. Sometimes the hidden rates are much better than public, so it’s worth an extra tap of the finger if you use the app. If you plan your next round a few days ahead, TeeOff can be the difference between paying full price and saving enough for post-round drinks.

Chronogolf for Accuracy

Chronogolf works a little differently. Instead of operating as a third-party marketplace, it connects directly to the course’s own reservation system. That means you are essentially booking as if you called the shop yourself, often without the added booking fees or middleman markups.

Many Canadian and Northeast U.S. courses use Chronogolf, along with a strong presence in Europe. When you book there, you will see live availability, walking rates when allowed, and even senior or student categories that the big aggregators rarely display.

The advantage is transparency. The price you see is usually the same one the pro shop would quote you. The trade-off is that cancellation and deposit rules vary widely by course. Some require a small deposit, others full prepayment, and a few still handle rain checks manually.

If you are the type who values accuracy and direct contact, this is your best bet. I always recommend clicking the course’s calendar to spot recurring events, leagues, or aeration weeks before you book. That way, you can target quiet windows for faster rounds and fewer surprises.

Supreme Golf for Overall Great Golf Deals

Now for the hidden trick. My top recommendation for finding cheaper tee times is Supreme Golf. Think of it as the search engine of golf bookings. Instead of locking you into one partner’s prices, it aggregates listings from multiple providers, including GolfNow, TeeOff, and Chronogolf, so you can compare them side by side. The search capabilities are solid, and this is the easiest way to score the lowest prices.

You will often find the exact same course and time slot listed twice, but with different fees or totals. Supreme flags those duplicates and highlights which one is cheaper after fees. That comparison power is where the real savings come from.

For most golfers, including weekend foursome planners, trip coordinators, and players who do not want to waste time switching between apps, Supreme Golf is the best starting point. It saves time and often saves money without sacrificing coverage. Its reach mirrors its partners, meaning excellent options across the United States and decent access in popular international destinations.

Blockouts on Supreme depend on the underlying course or partner, not Supreme itself. But here is the advantage: if one provider’s pipeline sells out, another might still have openings for the same course. It is a small detail that can make a big difference when booking busy weekends or resort rounds.

The Best Way to Use a Golf Tee Time App

Here is how I plan my own rounds using these platforms:

  1. Start with Supreme Golf. Use the map view to set a realistic driving radius and filter by final price after fees.
  2. Cross-check on TeeOff. If I see a strong deal, I double-check TeeOff.com to see if a promo code or other special offers to knock a few dollars off.
  3. Use GolfNow for last-minute fills. Around lunchtime the day before play, I check for price drops as courses try to fill their afternoon sheets.
  4. Scan the course’s calendar. If there is a league or event that blocks prime hours, I pivot to a nearby course early.

Dynamic pricing means costs change constantly. Service fees, cancellation rules, and cart inclusions vary not just by site but by individual course. Before confirming any booking, always click through to the final screen to verify the total and cancellation terms. When the weather looks questionable, prioritize flexible listings or pay-at-course options.

For golfers who travel, this strategy works everywhere. Whether you are booking a midweek round in Arizona or chasing an early tee time in the Carolinas, this method keeps you in control and keeps a few extra dollars in your pocket.

Final Thought

Tee time booking is part timing, part patience, and part knowing where to look. The hidden trick is not a single coupon or app. It comes from understanding how these systems interact and using that overlap to your advantage. Start broad, compare carefully, and watch the patterns. The deals are always there for golfers who know when and where to look.

Clint is PGA-certified and was a Head Teaching Professional at one of Toronto's busiest golf academies. He was also featured on Canada's National Golf TV program, "Score Golf Canada," twice. He graduated with a degree in Golf Management from the College of the Desert in California and studied under Callaway's co-founder, Tony Manzoni. He has a handicap index of 6.2 and spends the winters near Oaxaca, Mexico, where he plays twice a month at the Club de Golf Vista Hermosa. He's written over 100 articles at GolfSpan since 2021. You can connect with Clint at LinkedIn, FB, his website, or Clintcpga@gmail.com.

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