New Rewards updates for GolfNow VIPs in 2018
GolfNow Rewards updates are coming in early 2018 to help you play more of your favorite sport and earn more free golf!
Earning GolfNow Rewards
We’ve heard your feedback and are updating GolfNow Rewards so you can earn more points for your money. Beginning in early 2018, our members will earn one point for every dollar spent on Hot Deals tee times and paid convenience fees.
As a GolfNow VIP member, you’ll still enjoy waived convenience fees and will now earn 1.25 points for every dollar you spend to book Hot Deals tee times.
So, for example, if you booked a $40 Hot Deals tee time for yourself in 2017, you would have earned 25 GolfNow Rewards points. But beginning in early 2018, the same $40 Hot Deals tee time will earn you one point per dollar, plus your 25% extra Rewards points. That is a total of 50 GolfNow Rewards points for the same tee time – double the amount you earned in 2017. And you’ll be halfway to earning your next $10 GolfNow Reward code!
Redeeming your Rewards
As a GolfNow VIP with an active membership, any Rewards codes that you earn will continue to be good toward Hot Deals tee times on any day of the week, as long as you book three or more days in advance. GolfNow members who do not have a VIP membership will be limited to using their Rewards codes on Hot Deals tee times available Monday through Thursday after 2:00 p.m. and booked three or more days in advance.
GolfNow VIPs will continue to enjoy all the same current benefits, including 25% more Rewards points, waived convenience fees and cancellation protection with Worry-Free Tee Times. Plus, we’re rolling out even more great benefits in early 2018. Get ready for your best year of golf yet as a GolfNow VIP!
Looking back through the terms and conditions, I can’t say that Im thrilled about these changes. I joined when the VIP membership benefits were DOUBLE rewards points (20 per round, 40 for a hot deal round). Then unbeknownst to me, on September 30th of this year, they changed to the 2017 version of program benefits. Now you only earn 25% extra rewards points (12.5 per round, 25 for a hot deal). And now in 2018, we will see 1.25% (which is the same as 25%) points for the DOLLARS SPENT for Hot Deal rounds. So this is only beneficial if your hot deal round cost is more than $20 per player. In 2016 you got 40 points, in 2017 you got 25 points, and now in 2018 you’ll get 19 points for a $15 hot deal, 25 points for a $20 hot deal, 50 points for a $40 hot deal and so on. So if you’re someone who likes to pick up those crazy cheap $15 hot deal rounds, this won’t benefit you. Its also important to point out that early in 2017, GolfNow changed what was required to use those rewards points. Now you must book your round a minimum of 72 hours in advance to use rewards points. In 2018, that stands for VIP members. But for non-VIP members they will only be able to use rewards points on weekday Hot Deal rounds after 2pm. Currently, the VIP membership is worth it just for the free convenience fees. But GolfNow has strong competition in the market and courses seem to be adopting competitors fast. Regardless, can’t say I’m too pleased with the any of the changes. To make matters worse, things seem to be going in the direction of getting worse, not better.
Edit: Its also clear now from the graphic that non-VIP members will only be making 1 point per dollar, so a $40 hot deal will get them 40 points. But a $20 hot deal will only get them 20 points. [sarcastically] Just think, 4 more of those hot deal rounds and you’ll have a reward voucher for $10 off of a hot deal round between 2p and sunset from Mon-Thurs —if there is one.
I agree completely, and you’d think they would waive the 3 day rule for VIP members.
A very thorough review Billy, and i agree with you 100%, I dont see how the new changes benefits me at all…..Now it will take me longer to earn the 100 points i need to get a discout on less disirable golf tee times….
The 3 days rule is really, really annoying !!!
This is worse than the 3 day advance to use your rewards. They are even changing the promotinal rewards to stupid tmes. Mon thru Thursday after 2 pm is the latest deal. Who is going to use them? They are losing a Vip here.
I hardly doubt you listened to us golfnow. This change is basically the last nail into your reward program coffin. It went from being a really rewarding deal. To spend 100 dollars Get 10 dollars off if you book 3 days in advance when hot deals are 20 dollars more expensive.
– very displeased vip member
Thanks. And I agree, I just booked a round (where ill likely freeze to death) for tomorrow. It was a $23 round, so technically next year id earn more than the current 25 points. But most of the HotDeals this time of year are below $20. Not to mention, I wasn’t even aware that I was no longer receiving double points as of October. The 2017 changes were bad enough. And I can’t even use rewards for a round this Friday morning
Worst part of it for sure. I usually book the night before
sure would be nice for the GN members who joined the Golf Channel Am Tour to get some swag back.
135.00 x 1 day tournaments or 450.00 x 2 day tournaments = 0 GN rewards.
I’d think it’d be a nice way to cross pollenate both entities.
Many times it’s cheaper to book online directly with the course and you get a better tee time. Most of the tee times through Golf Now are too late in the day to be able to play a full 18 holes in the winter months, and in the summer it makes it during the hottest part of the day and I don’t care to play golf in 100 degree heat. The rewards were the main selling point to book through Golf Now but it seems like they are making it less advantageous to use the site
This is not “Exciting.” Over time the Rewards program has only gotten worse. I am very frustrated that they make it sound like it has improved. I signed up for VIP this year but wont renew. M-Th after 2 pm? It gets dark at 5 pm now in the winter
I agree. The 3 day advanced booking is insulting. These are my points as a supposed “VIP” I should be able to use them when I want. That is why I bought a VIP membership. Slowly but surely GolfNow is not only taking away my desire to be a VIP but to use GolfNow at all. Shame on GolfNow!
GN is my exclusive website tee time booking vehicle. I fully support GN. yes, GN could make it easier for joe schmuckatelli (like me) to earn a free round, but you don’t give away 1 free new car for every 50 you sell.
tiered rewards? say, if your booking history is 12 rounds per year, u get 1 free round
if you go over 12, no freebie until 30 rounds
if you go over 30, no freebie until 60 rounds and you get 1 round plus a guest. etc, etc..
personally, I loved the Cleveland golf equip give-aways after x amount of rounds
but that’s just me….
Hi all, I got an email from golfnow stating that in 2018 new VIP membership will cost $197 per year. Current VIPs will renew at $99. This VIP program is going down hill fast, I will never pay $197 per year for a VIP membership. The three day advance booking to use a promo code only serves to devalue your $10.
As for new membership I don’t believe golfnow will see much interest.
I agree. This is absolutely ridiculous. You get me to join as a VIP making me think I will save so much money and earn points for rewards so much quicker and it lasts not even a year. This 1.25% per $ garbage is just that garbage. This added to the having to book 3 days in advance together will I PROMISE YOU….lose me as well as thousands of other VIP memberships. Not to mention your raising the VIP price to $197 a year??? I mean get real….. I personally know golf courses whom are trying to figure some other place to use. Which shows how far this is reaching up,and down the ladder. There is always some money hungry company or group whom always ruins a good thing for those of us that arent rich and still enjoy playing lots of golf. Just may be time to start paying the golf course there actual rates again. May you change your greedy minds and let the fruits of the game of golf be plentiful for all!!!!!!