The Rising Adoption of Tee Time Waitlist Technology in Golf (2026 Update)

Updated September 2026. Originally published December 2024.

The golf industry has traditionally been slow to adopt new ideas, especially those rooted in technology, which makes the rise of tee time waitlists all the more notable. Early pioneers like Noteefy, Golf Geek Software, Loop and Gallus proved the value of dynamic waitlists for both operators and golfers. By 2026, waitlists have gone from a specialty add-on to a standard feature: tee sheet companies, GolfNow and even Google are building them in.

Jake Gordon, CEO of Noteefy, described the shift when we first wrote about this topic: "We've moved from being just a waitlist company to a full revenue management platform." That move from alerts to demand and revenue management has defined the category since.

What changed in 2025 and 2026

• Noteefy kept scaling. Noteefy grew from roughly 60 facilities to more than 760 locations in about 16 months, and later acquired Metolius, bringing co-founder Ross Liggett on as VP of Data. It has added tools like Confirm, which rebooks cancelled times automatically, and a generative AI Pro Shop Assistant.
• GolfNow added Tee Time Alerts. In April 2025, GolfNow launched Tee Time Alerts in its TeeItUp white-label booking engine, bringing waitlist-style notifications to its partner courses.
• Tee sheet companies built their own. TenFore Golf launched NextUp in July 2025, with optional auto-booking, operator control over when payment is collected, and reporting on conversion rates and golfer preferences. In January 2026 it added Tee Time Confirm, which asks golfers to confirm before their round and offers any cancelled time straight to the waitlist.
• Sagacity Golf added priority and demand data. Sagacity's Waitlist lets golfers choose dates, time windows and text or email alerts, while operators set the notification order (members before public, for example) with alerts that cascade down the list. Its reporting tracks waitlist conversions and demand by date, time window, day of week and group size.
• Lightspeed Golf introduced On Deck. In September 2026, Lightspeed launched On Deck, which emails golfers when a tee time they requested opens up, alongside new 48-hour Tee Time Reminders that prompt golfers to confirm or cancel early.
• More tee sheets include one at no extra cost. Proshop Tee Times included a waitlist at no additional cost, and newer platforms like Easy Tee Golf shipped a waitlist as a core feature.
• Golf District turned the waitlist into a marketplace. Golf District's PricePoint, launched in August 2026, lets golfers make offers on sold-out tee times. The course gets a 10-minute window to accept and add a "squeeze time"; if it passes, the offer goes to golfers holding prepaid times, who can sell theirs. Offers can't fall below the original price. Black Gold Golf Club in Yorba Linda, California was the first course to use it.
• Google is building a 24/7 AI waitlist. At Google I/O 2026, Google introduced Search agents that can monitor tee time availability around the clock and act on a golfer's standing request. Read what that means for your tee sheet.

Early pioneers: Noteefy, Golf Geek Software, Loop and Gallus

In the early days of waitlist technology, companies like Noteefy and Golf Geek Software set out to solve a basic problem: golfers wanted better access and convenience, while courses wanted to fill every available slot, especially those opened up by a cancellation. These platforms let players join waitlists for specific tee times and get real-time notifications when a slot opened. Courses saw more revenue from tee times that would have gone unused, and golfers appreciated the convenience and transparency.

Mike Woods, PGA Director of Golf at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex, described the impact: "The waitlist feature integrated into Golf Geek's booking engine has transformed how we manage our tee times at Haggin Oaks. It's seamlessly connected to both our booking system and marketing efforts, enhancing how we fill cancellations and manage golfer demand. It's not just a tool for efficiency; it significantly enhances our golfers' experience by ensuring they never miss an opportunity to play."

Noteefy has done an excellent job telling the revenue story, and management companies have noticed. It remains the clear leader in the category and works exclusively with operators to manage supply and optimize revenue. Loop, by contrast, focused on connecting golfers to hard-to-find tee times at nearly any course with an internet-accessible tee sheet.

Nick Marrone, owner of Wachusett Country Club, put it simply: "The best thing we ever did was add Noteefy at our course."

The results can be significant. Pacific Springs Golf Club in Nebraska, managed by Landscapes Golf Management, combined a cancellation policy, Noteefy Confirm and online-only booking in early 2025. It reduced no-show rounds by 58% and increased revenue by 12%, despite worse weather than the year before.

Gallus's waitlist work integrates with Club Prophet, as Jason Wilson discussed on the Tech Caddie podcast. CourseRev has built waitlist options into its AI voice attendant and booking engine, showing how waitlists are expanding into new contexts.

To compare solutions side by side, see our feature comparison page.

Private clubs embrace waitlist technology

A surprising area of growth has been private clubs. In 2021, Whoosh developed waitlist functionality for premier clubs that traditionally take tee time "requests" rather than reservations. In December 2024, Whoosh announced a Waitlist Requests feature that lets golfers request unavailable times and get instant notifications when club staff approve the request. Staff see an icon on the agenda when a group requests a specific time, which makes it easier to fill requests and add members to the tee sheet.

Club Unity's waitlist was initially designed for revenue-focused public courses, but it has become indispensable for private clubs. As Roger Kingkade, Managing Partner of Club Unity, noted, "We were blown away by how much private clubs use this feature. For members, it's a heightened level of service, and for operators, it's a way to avoid the inefficiency of sticky notes and forgotten phone calls."

Kingkade shared an example: a member who missed out on a ballot draw for a Saturday morning tee time can set a cancellation watch and get an instant notification if a spot opens. No premium slots go unused, and operators have found the feature "ridiculously sticky" because members trust it.

Proshop Tee Times took a similar approach. As CEO Jay Snider explained, "Proshop Tee Times has been approached by several clients asking about adding Noteefy to their operation. Instead, we opted to build a tee time waitlist feature directly into our tee sheet platform. Our clients have expressed how happy they are with this enhancement, especially since we're not charging anything additional for the feature. It's saved them both time and money while improving the golfer experience."

Benefits of integrated waitlist technology

1. Revenue optimization: Golfers can easily claim vacated tee times, so slots that would go unused get filled.
2. Better player experience: Golfers no longer have to keep checking for availability. Automated notifications tell them when a time opens.
3. Operational efficiency: Waitlists built into the tee sheet cut administrative work, freeing staff for other tasks.
4. Competitive advantage: Courses with waitlists stand out to golfers who value convenience.
5. Smarter pricing: Waitlist requests show demand for specific time windows, which supports better dynamic pricing decisions.

What to ask your vendor in 2026

• Is a waitlist built into our tee sheet or booking engine, or do we need a partner like Noteefy?
• Can golfers join the waitlist from every channel we use, including our website, app and Reserve with Google?
• Does the waitlist rebook cancelled times automatically, or only send alerts?
• Can we set the notification order, for example members or loyalty golfers first?
• Does the waitlist report conversions and unmet demand by day and time, so it can inform pricing?
• Who owns the golfer data the waitlist collects?
• How will the waitlist work alongside AI booking agents from Google and others?

Final thoughts

The rise of tee time waitlists shows how golf is using technology to solve practical problems. Noteefy, Golf Geek Software, Loop and Gallus deserve credit for pioneering the space, but the real signal is that waitlists are now expected. Tee sheet vendors like TenFore, Sagacity and Lightspeed now build them in, GolfNow offers them, Golf District is testing whether a waitlist can become a price signal, and Google is building its own version for golfers. For operators, the question in 2026 is no longer whether to offer a waitlist, but which one captures the most demand and keeps the golfer relationship with your course.

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