The problem
A club pro on the range or out on a playing lesson can't answer the shop phone, and lesson inquiries left as messages often go cold. If 4 lesson inquiries a week are lost that way and half of them would have booked a $53£40€48A$77C$75 lesson, that is $106£80€95A$154C$150 a week, about $458£344€409A$660C$647 a month, going to the next pro.
What the AI does
Square Appointments' Free plan, for a single location, includes an online booking site, automated reminders and prepayments, with no limit on staff calendars. Set up your lesson types, such as a 30-minute lesson, a playing lesson and a junior lesson, with lengths and prices. Link the booking site from the club website and social pages, and pupils pick a free slot themselves at any time. Reminders go out automatically. You can ask for payment at booking; online card fees are 1.4% + 25p for UK cards. Cancellation fees and a waitlist are on Plus ($39£29€35A$56C$55 a month per location), not Free.
A worked example
A PGA professional at a members' club in Shropshire gives about 15 lessons a week and misses calls while teaching. They move lesson bookings onto Square Appointments' Free plan and put the booking link on the club website and a card on the shop counter.
Before
About 4 lesson inquiries a week lost to voicemail and unanswered messages
After
Pupils book online at any time; about 2 extra $53£40€48A$77C$75 lessons a week, around $458£344€409A$660C$647 a month
What it's worth
About $366£275€327A$528C$517 a month in profit, at an assumed 80% margin on $458£344€409A$660C$647 of extra lessons (2 extra $53£40€48A$77C$75 lessons a week, times 4.3). Square Appointments' Free plan costs nothing; if those lessons are paid online, card fees come to about $9£7€8A$13C$13 a month (8.6 lessons at 1.4% of $53£40€48A$77C$75 plus 25p each). The margin allows for range balls and any share of lesson fees the club takes, so adjust it to your own arrangement.
How to set it up
- Sign up for Square Appointments on the Free plan and add each lesson type with its length and price.
- Set your teaching hours around competitions, course bookings and shop duties, and block out time you're not available.
- Turn on automated reminders and decide whether pupils pay when they book or at the lesson.
- Put the booking site link on the club website and social pages, and a card with a QR code on the shop counter.
- Check new bookings each morning and keep the calendar up to date when your plans change.
What goes wrong
- The Free plan covers a single location. If you also teach at a driving range or another club, check whether you need Plus at $39£29€35A$56C$55 a month per location.
- Cancellation fees and a waitlist need Plus, so on Free a late cancellation leaves a gap unless you fill it yourself.
- If the range or course shuts for frost or flooding, contact booked pupils yourself; the reminders don't know about the weather.
- Check with the club how lesson income is shared before taking payment online through your own Square account.