Golf

If your round gets rained out, should you expect a full or partial refund?

Golf course refund insurance policies are as variable because the climate

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Neither rain nor sleet nor snow can keep mail carriers from their appointed rounds.

Golfers, however, usually bail in dangerous climate.

Which raises the query: What about a raincheck? Can you cancel with out penalty? Get a full or partial refund for your round?

The brief reply is that insurance policies fluctuate. The barely longer reply is that some programs make it straightforward. If it’s dumping on the day when you are slated to play, you can name earlier than your tee time and cancel, no questions requested. (Often, these are programs on the decrease finish of the value scale that don’t require a deposit or a bank card quantity when you ebook.) Many different programs strike a center floor: They gained’t refund your cash, however they’ll give you full credit score, which you can use on one other day.

Much depends upon the kind of course, its point-of-sales capabilities and the way you made your reservation. If you paid prematurely by way of a third-party tee time service, you’ll be topic to that firm’s insurance policies, which are sometimes much less lenient than these of the course. In many instances, third-party companies solely provide refunds if situations are deemed harmful (as an illustration, lightning within the space) or if the course has been compelled to shut that day.

Still different variables come into play if the climate turns foul in the course of your round. Here, once more, insurance policies fluctuate. Some programs will give you a pro-rated rain test or refund, primarily based on the variety of holes you’ve performed. But at many others, as soon as you tee off, you have dedicated to the round and are now not eligible for a voucher. That’s the coverage, as an illustration, at Bandon Dunes.

Like dangerous photographs, dangerous climate occurs. For the latter, no less than, you should purchase insurance coverage. Third-party tee time companies like GolfNow promote safety plans which might be one thing akin to journey insurance coverage; you pay a little further to safeguard your self towards the weather. The PGA of America companions with a firm known as Sensible Weather to supply a Weather Guarantee, which, for a price of 8 to 12 % of the whole reserving value, gives refunds (many golfers desire these to raincheck vouchers) for rounds interrupted by the weather, even when you nonetheless resolve to play.

Some golfers, in fact, don’t fear concerning the climate. Former USGA chief Sandy Tatum was like that; he would play in something. Same with the priest from “Caddyshack.” But if you’re the kind of participant who detests getting moist and doesn’t like shedding a down cost, educate your self earlier than you ebook a tee time. Either name the professional store or look on-line, the place many programs submit their cancellation insurance policies.

Also: Keep some rain gear in your trunk.

Josh Sens

Golf.com Contributor

A golf, meals and journey author, Josh Sens has been a GOLF Magazine contributor since 2004 and now contributes throughout all of GOLF’s platforms. His work has been anthologized in The Best American Sportswriting. He can be the co-author, with Sammy Hagar, of Are We Having Any Fun Yet: the Cooking and Partying Handbook.


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