Cheap Golf Courses Near Me: How to Play for Less

If you are searching for "cheap golf courses near me", the quickest way to play for less is to compare green fees at every course within a short drive rather than ringing clubs one at a time. Prices for the same day can differ a lot between courses a few miles apart, and the time you play matters as much as where. On Tee Time you can search 1,432 golf courses at 1,347 clubs by distance from where you are, see each tee time's green fee per player, and sort by price, so the cheaper rounds near you come to the top.

What makes a round of golf cheaper

Every club sets its own green fees, and most change them through the week and the day. The same course can cost noticeably more on a Saturday morning than on a Tuesday afternoon. The things that usually lower the price are:

• The day. Weekday green fees are usually lower than weekend ones, because weekends are when most people want to play.
• The time. Many clubs cut the price for tee times later in the day, often called twilight golf. Clubs set their own start time for twilight rates, usually earlier in the winter, when the light goes sooner, and later in the summer.
• The number of holes. A 9-hole round usually costs less than 18 and takes about half the time.
• The type of course. Golf centres, public courses and short courses often charge less than members' clubs.
• The season. Many courses charge less in the winter months, when the days are short and the ground is softer.

None of these is a rule: some clubs keep one price all week. That is why comparing live prices helps more than any general advice.

Golf centres and public courses

Golf centres are mostly run for visitors rather than members, so their tee sheets are usually open to anyone, and their green fees are often among the lower ones in an area. Many have a driving range and a short course alongside the main course, which makes them a good choice for beginners and for a practice session before a round. Golf centres you can book on Tee Time, from our club records, include:

• Stockwood Park Golf Centre in Luton
• Metro Golf Centre in Hendon, north London, a 9-hole course
• Tilgate Forest Golf Centre in Crawley
• Exminster Golf Centre near Exeter in Devon, a 9-hole course
• Bromsgrove Golf Centre in Worcestershire
• Leeds Golf Centre in West Yorkshire, with an 18-hole course and a 12-hole course

Public courses work the same way: you book a tee time and pay for that round only. For more on playing without joining a club, see pay and play golf without a membership.

Short courses and 9-hole rounds

If the aim is simply to get out and play for less, a shorter course is often the cheapest round you can book. Par 3 and academy courses have short holes, so you need fewer clubs, lose fewer balls and finish sooner. They suit beginners, juniors and anyone working on their short game. Tee Time lists 31 par 3, academy and pitch and putt courses, such as the par 3 courses at Oakmere Park near Southwell in Nottinghamshire and Fynn Valley near Ipswich.

A 9-hole course gives you a proper round on full-length holes for less money and time. There are 221 9-hole courses you can book; see 9-hole golf courses for how they work and where they are.

How to find cheap tee times near you on Tee Time

1. Set your location. Use your device's location or type a UK postcode. Distances are worked out on your device, and anything sent to us is rounded to about 1 km.
2. Choose how far you will travel. The distance filter goes from 5 to 50 miles.
3. Pick a date, the number of players and a time of day. Choosing "Afternoon" or "Evening" is a simple way to find later, often cheaper, tee times.
4. Sort by "Deal". Tee times a club has promoted as a hot deal come first, then the rest from the cheapest price per player.
5. Set a maximum. The price box in the filters takes the most you are happy to pay at the club for your whole group, and hides anything above it.
6. Try 9 holes. The holes filter shows only 9-hole or only 18-hole rounds.

You can also search tee times by region if you are planning a round away from home.

Deals and the weekly deals email

Some clubs put a special price on a tee time to fill a quiet slot. On Tee Time these show a hot deal mark, and the "Deal" sort puts them first. If you would rather not check every week, sign up for the weekly deals email from the deals link at the foot of any Tee Time page. It arrives on Wednesday evenings and covers courses within 10, 25 or 50 miles of your postcode. A deal is a special price a club has set, or a tee time that costs well below that course's usual price over the coming week. If there are no good deals near you that week, no email is sent.

Other ways to keep golf costs down

• Play with others. A green fee is per player, but a fourball shares the cost of travel and a buggy if you hire one.
• Ask about junior, student and young adult rates. Many clubs charge younger golfers less, and the club's own website says if so.
• Compare membership if you play a lot. If you play the same course every week, a membership can work out cheaper per round than paying green fees. See golf memberships near me for the types of membership and what to ask.
• Keep your kit simple. You don't need a full set of clubs to start: a half set, or hiring clubs where a golf centre offers them, is enough for a short course.

Find a course near you

Browse golf in the East of England, London, the South East, the South West, the West Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber or the East Midlands, or search by distance from where you are and sort by price.