How much should a golf trip deposit be?
Short answer
Most buddies golf trips collect $150 to $300 per person, nonrefundable, on the day each person commits. Put it all in one pot, use it to lock lodging and tee times, and set the final payment for a few weeks before the trip.
Why collect a deposit at all?
A name in the group chat isn’t a commitment. People say “I’m in” to keep the conversation friendly, then back out when the dates get close or a cheaper weekend comes up. A deposit is the point where “probably” becomes “yes.” Golf Games Hub’s advice for buddies trips is to get hard commitments rather than maybes, and to collect the deposit the day people commit.
It also protects the organizer. Lodging and tee-time deposits are often due before everyone has paid, and the person booking shouldn’t be the one carrying everybody’s share.
How much should it be?
$150 to $300 per person covers most domestic buddies trips, per Golf Games Hub. Where you land in that range depends on what you need to book first:
- Lower end: a package trip or a destination where you can book late, like a Myrtle Beach stay-and-play.
- Higher end: a rental house with a large deposit, a resort that requires a multi-night stay, or premium tee times you need to lock in early.
A simple rule: make each person’s deposit at least their share of the first nonrefundable booking. If the house needs $2,400 down and there are 12 of you, $200 each covers it.
When should you collect it?
Collect it the same day the trip is decided. The longer the gap between “we’re going” and “send your deposit,” the more people drift. Then set the final payment for a few weeks before the trip, which gives you time to replace anyone who drops out.
Should it be refundable?
Make it nonrefundable, with one exception: if someone drops out and you fill their spot, the person who takes it pays them back. That keeps the pressure where it belongs. The group doesn’t lose money, and the person who drops out has a reason to find a replacement.
Put the rule in the first message, before anyone pays, so nobody can say they didn’t know.
How should you collect it?
Use one payment app, one pot, and one person in charge of it. Venmo is the default for most groups. Keep a visible list of who has paid, and don’t let one person cover the whole bill on a credit card while waiting to be paid back. Golf Games Hub recommends gathering the money up front into one pot for exactly that reason.
A message you can paste in the group chat
It’s decided: [place], [dates]. To lock it in, send me a $[amount] deposit on Venmo (@[your-handle]) by [day]. It’s nonrefundable unless someone takes your spot. Final payment is due [date]. If you haven’t paid by [day], I’ll assume you’re out and offer your spot to the next person.
Fill in the brackets before you send it. A firm date and a plain consequence do more than a reminder ever will.
What if someone drops out?
- Offer the spot to the next person on your list first.
- If someone takes it, they pay the person who dropped out directly.
- If no one takes it, the deposit stays with the trip, and it covers that person’s share of what’s already booked.
Whichever way it goes, update the list of who’s paid the same day so the group can see where things stand.
Sources
More guides
- How to plan a golf trip with friendsA step-by-step plan for a buddies golf trip: how many to invite, picking dates and a destination everyone can afford, deposits, and a four-day itinerary.
- Myrtle Beach vs. Pinehurst for a buddies golf tripCourses, cost, getting there, and what there is to do off the course: how Myrtle Beach and Pinehurst compare for a group golf trip, with sources.