Pay and Play Golf: Courses to Book Without a Membership

You can play golf in the UK without a membership at almost any course that takes visitors: you book a tee time and pay a green fee for that round only. Public courses and golf centres are built around this "pay and play" model, and many members' clubs sell visitor tee times too. Every one of the 1,432 golf courses you can book on Tee Time is booked as a visitor, so none of them needs a membership.

What pay and play means

At a pay and play course you pay per round rather than an annual subscription. There is no joining fee, no waiting list and usually no handicap requirement. You turn up at your tee time, pay the green fee (or pay it online when you book) and play.

The phrase covers a few different kinds of course:

• Public courses, often owned by a local council and run for anyone to use.
• Golf centres, run as businesses for visitors, with a driving range, a short course and lessons alongside the main course.
• Members' clubs that sell visitor tee times at quieter times of the week.
• Par 3 and academy courses, shorter layouts made for beginners, juniors and anyone short of time.

From a booking point of view they work the same way: a visitor tee time and a green fee. The differences are price, how busy the course is, and how strict the club is about dress and handicaps.

Golf centres: courses, ranges and short courses in one place

Golf centres are often the easiest place to start. Several on Tee Time have a driving range as well as a course, according to our club records (checked against public sources in October 2026):

• Chelsfield Lakes Golf Centre near Orpington
• Addington Court Golf Centre in Croydon, which also has an academy course
• Edwalton Golf Centre in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire
• Delapre Golf Centre in Northampton, which also has a par 3 course

Other golf centres you can book include Blackwater Valley Golf Centre at Yateley in Hampshire. In London, Richmond Park Golf Course is another course you can book as a visitor.

Members' clubs that take visitors

Many members' clubs keep some tee times for visitors, especially on weekdays. You don't need to know anyone at the club: you book the visitor tee time like any other. A few things are worth knowing:

• Weekend mornings are often kept for members' competitions, so visitor times are fewer then.
• Some clubs ask visitors for a handicap or for proof that they play regularly. The club's website says if so.
• Dress codes tend to be stricter than at a golf centre: a collared shirt, tailored trousers or shorts and golf shoes.

Tee Time shows only the tee times a club makes available to visitors, with the green fee the club sets, so if a time is listed you can book it as a visitor. If you enjoy a club and start playing it often, see golf memberships near me for what joining involves.

Short courses for beginners and a quick game

Par 3 and academy courses are shorter, so a round takes less time and needs fewer clubs. They suit beginners, juniors, and anyone practising their short game. If you are just starting out, golf courses for beginners covers where to play first, golf lessons near me explains how to find a coach, and some golf centres also have a course for footgolf. Tee Time lists 31 par 3, academy and pitch and putt courses you can book, shown below by region. For a quicker round on a full-length layout, see 9-hole golf courses: there are 221 you can book.

Keeping the cost down

The green fee is set by each club and changes with the day and time. A few ways to pay less:

• Play on a weekday. Weekday green fees are usually lower than weekend ones.
• Play later. Many clubs cut the price for late afternoon and evening tee times, often called twilight golf. Choose "evening" in search to see them.
• Set a budget. Use the top price filter in search to see only tee times you are happy to pay for.
• Play 9 holes. A 9-hole round usually costs less and takes about half the time.

Search across clubs rather than one at a time. Prices for the same day can vary a lot between courses a few miles apart. For more ways to pay less, see cheap golf courses near me.

How to book a pay and play tee time

1. Search by date, time of day, number of players and distance, or pick a region.
2. Choose a tee time. Each listing shows the green fee per player.
3. Book with your saved name, email address and phone number. There is no club account to create.
4. Pay the green fee online if the club asks for it when you book, or at the club when you arrive.

You can book up to four players in one tee time. For a step by step walk-through, see how to book a golf tee time as a visitor.

Find a course near you

Browse golf in London, the South East, the East Midlands or the North West, or search by distance from where you are.