MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. | The golf landscape certainly changed in 2020.
As players adjusted to their ever-changing schedules and freedom to play the game, so, too, did their styles in booking. We’ve seen it first-hand, as last-minute rounds are being purchased maybe more than ever.
But for those who have the luxury of time and flexibility on their side, they’re finding that being able to make those plans in advance are seeing the benefits in more ways than one. As we near the Spring 2021 booking season that usually goes full-bore around the holidays, take heed and reap the rewards

MONEY DON’T LIE
Those last-second deals that courses offer to try to get more bodies on the courses during the dry parts of the calendar? Guess what: They’re often just as good – if not better – if you book months out.
Balancing the ledgers has always been a tricky part of the business equation for course owners. They deal with weather cancellations and maintenance schedules more often than they’d like to admit.
However, the knowledge of players already being on the tee sheets well in advance of a specific day does wonders for their own budgeting and planning. As such, they’ll shave a few bucks off the standard rate to gain that knowledge. (Don’t discount the value of knowing what actual tee times are going fast, either.)
The same goes for hotel and other accommodations, as well. It all keeps more of that paper in your wallet.

TIME SAVERS
If you’ve go the ability to pick up and go the next day, chances are you also have the ability to spend a few hours on the web searching for better deals or courses that have tee slots remaining.
Most of us, though, simply don’t operate in that way.
We know what we like and want to get it in stone. That’s where booking your courses and hotel now can really save you some serious time. More than likely, just about any course you’re looking for has availability for just about any day in the spring. And since the weather that time of year is ultra-forgiving for players, the morning and/or afternoon sessions will be open.
Whether you’re flying solo or part of a large group, the courses will welcome you with open arms – again, thanks to the reasoning above.
Add all that up, and it could be the difference between a 15-minute internet or phone session with an agent or a full afternoon in your cubicle pretending you’re doing what you’re supposed to.

OFF THE COURSE
When you’ve got your golf and stay ducks in a row early, you can tinker around with everything else.
Where do you want to eat? Are there new restaurants you haven’t tried yet? Is there any good shopping not available in your home town? Will the water in the Atlantic be warm enough to swim in yet?
Tackling it all doesn’t require some multi-tooled spreadsheet, either. This is trip-planning 101. But with a little effort on the front end, you may find that getting the core portion of your trip lined up in advance will crank up the enjoyment level a few notches.
The forward-thinking types among us could map out an entire week of golf and entertainment and leave the scrambling to the last-minute bunch.