Expand your golfing horizons (2-Fore!-1 Golf Vouchers)

Member Name: dmandrew

Product:	2-Fore!-1 Golf Vouchers
Date:	10/04/08 (62 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: You end up playing courses you might not otherwise afford

Disadvantages: Best for even numbers of players. High postage costs.

2-Fore!-1 Golf vouchers have been around for at least ten years, and represent very good value if you like playing a lot of green fee golf, and if you have a regular playing partner. The idea is that you buy the vouchers in advance, and then you and a fellow golfer can both play at a course for half price. There is a little bit of work to do - you need to book a tee-time in advance, which is fairly normal for green fee golf, and you need to mention at the time that you want to use 2-Fore!-1 vouchers. Clubs have the choice to opt in to this scheme or not - those that do are usually doing so to boost their green fee takings. Those that don't have no need to do so.

You can find out which courses will accept the vouchers by going on to the website. 2-Fore!-1 is now run by Today's Golfer, and you can go on this link to see a course-finding map: http://www.todaysgolfer.co.uk/Golf/Book-Golf/2Fore 1-Landing/?src=affwin? This gives basic details of courses, with a rough price bracket (beware, because these can change by the time you play), an indication of when the vouchers can be used, and against whichsort of green fee (9-hole, 18-hole or all-day) the voucher is allowable. If you click further where it says "read the review" you get much more information - precise green fees, address, telephone number, yardage, type of course, website address and a list of facilities. Sometimes there are personal reviews written by golfers who have played the course. These are particularly useful. I haven't counted up, but I think there are about a thousand courses that accept these vouchers, and these are almost all in the British Isles.

You can also order booklets for £1.50 each that give details of the courses in hard copy. This is called the Factfile, and might be useful of you want to read in bed, but I would recommend going on the site to find out about courses, and then seeing whether the course has its own website.

Generally, the courses that subscribe to this scheme are pretty good. I have played some that are excellent, although you need to take note of restrictions that can be in place regarding days, times and seasons when the vouchers can be used.

There are a few guidelines:
At the time of booking your tee time you must check the following information with the course:
· The exact tee times 2-FORE!-1 vouchers are accepted
· The price you will pay using 2-FORE!-1 vouchers
· Whether 2-FORE!-1 vouchers apply to 9 hole, 18 hole or day ticket
· Whether handicap certificates are required
· The maximum number of people per 2-FORE!-1 booking
· Whether there are any special dress codes
When you order the vouchers, you also need to have an idea about how quickly you will use them up. There is a postage charge of £3.50, which encourages you to order a lot of vouchers, but they have expiry dates on them, so don't order too many. Mind you, if you do find yourself running out of time, then you can usually get rid of them at nearly cost price on Ebay! The maximum you can order in one go is twenty, although the website does mention that bigger volumes can be obtained with "premium delivery options" - you have to ring a phone number to find out. I haven't done this, but guess that the delivery charge would be higher.

I have found these great for getting to know a number of courses to play with colleagues from work.

Costs (May 2009)

2 vouchers and a Fact File £7
6 vouchers £14
10 vouchers and 3 golf balls (type not specified, so risky!) £24
16 vouchers and 3 golf balls £34
21 vouchers and 6 golf balls £44

There are 2-fore-1 tuition vouchers as well, so that you and a friend can have a golf lesson for the price of one - £2 per voucher.

Summary: Half price golf - well, nearly!