How to Collect Player Payments for Your Golf Event (Without the Headache)

Collecting payments might be the least glamorous part of organizing a golf tournament, but it’s one of the most important. Whether you’re planning a corporate outing, charity scramble, or club event, getting paid early and clearly can make or break your experience as an organizer.

In this guide, we’ll walk through how to streamline payments, avoid chasing people down, and offer flexible options—without turning into a full-time accountant.

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1. Set Expectations Early

The best way to avoid confusion later is to explain how payments work upfront—right on your event website or registration form.

Be sure to include:

• Ticket price and what it includes (golf, cart, meals, merch, etc.)
• Refund policy, if any (e.g. no refunds after a certain date)
• Payment instructions for each method
• Deadline to pay to secure a spot
  

Pro tip: Avoid vague language like “you’ll be contacted later” about payment. Clarity builds trust—and saves time.

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2. Use Online Payments for Simplicity

For most events, online payments through Stripe (or similar) offer the smoothest experience.

Benefits:

• Players get instant confirmation
• You don’t have to manually track who paid
• Built-in receipts, refunds, and reporting

Using Stripe with Partaake:

If your event is set up through Partaake, you can connect Stripe once and start collecting credit card payments securely. The funds go directly to your account—no middlemen or holding periods.

Note: Stripe does charge a small transaction fee, usually around 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction.

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3. Offer Offline Options (If Needed)

For smaller or internal events, some players may prefer Venmo, Zelle, or even cash or check. It’s okay to offer these—but make sure to explain exactly how and where to send payment.

Common offline methods:

• Venmo: @YourHandle
• Zelle: your@email.com
• Cash/Check: Payable to Your Name, collected on the day of the event
  

Just be aware that you’ll need to manually confirm who has paid, which can be error-prone if you don’t have a system in place.

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4. Track Payments Clearly

Whether payments come in online or offline, it’s critical to track them.

If you’re using Partaake, you can:

• See who has paid and when
• Manually mark offline payments as “Paid”
• Allow sponsors or organizers to bypass payment with custom codes
  

No more chasing spreadsheets or wondering who paid via Venmo with no name attached.

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5. Final Tips for a Smooth Payment Process

• Send reminders a few days before your payment deadline
• Offer multiple options, but recommend the simplest (e.g. credit card)
• Keep communication centralized—confirmations, receipts, and reminders should all go through the same system

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Wrapping Up

Getting paid shouldn’t be painful. With the right tools, you can give players flexibility while keeping your records organized—and your inbox free from “Did I pay yet?” messages.

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Want a payment experience that just works?

Set up your event with Partaake and get payments, RSVPs, and tracking all in one place.