How to collect league dues without chasing people

Decide what dues cover

Dues are the money the league collects to run the season. Before you ask for a cent, write down exactly what the number pays for. When golfers can see where the money goes, they pay without pushing back.

• Green fees for the nights played.
• Prize money and any end-of-season payout.
• Side games like skins or a birdie pool, if they are built into the dues.
• Anything else, for example a season-end dinner.

Set one clear number and a deadline

A single season number is far easier to collect than a few dollars every week. Add up the costs, divide by the golfers, and give people one amount and one date. Say the number in Canadian dollars so there is no confusion.

A deadline does the quiet work for you. "Dues are $160 CAD for the season, due by the first night" gets paid faster than an open-ended ask, because there is a clear moment to act.

Pick payment methods that are easy to pay

The easier it is to pay, the less you chase. In Canada, e-transfer (Interac) is the simplest for most leagues: it is instant, free for most people, and lands in your account with a name attached so you know who paid.

Keep cash as a backup for the golfers who prefer it. If your league is larger and you want cards, that is possible too, but for most weekly leagues e-transfer and cash cover everyone.

Make paying a one-step job

Put everything a golfer needs to pay in one message: the amount, the deadline, and exactly where to send it. If you use e-transfer, include the email or number to send to right there, so nobody has to ask.

The goal is that paying takes one tap and no follow-up questions. Every extra step is another reason it sits on someone’s to-do list.

Track who has paid

Keep a running list of who has paid and who has not. You cannot chase gently if you cannot see at a glance who still owes. A simple record also means you are never guessing, and never asking someone who already paid.

Keep the money as a record you add to, not a balance you edit. When you log each payment as it comes in, the total takes care of itself and nothing goes missing.

Nudge without nagging

A reminder is not nagging if it is short, friendly, and the same for everyone. A single line a few days before the deadline, then one more after, clears most of the list. Keep it warm and factual, never pointed at one person in the group chat.

For the last one or two who still owe, a quiet private message beats a public callout every time. Most people simply forgot.

Prize pools and payouts

If your dues include prize money, decide the payout up front: what each win is worth, and how the season pot is split. Pay it out promptly at the end and keep a record, so next season starts with a clean slate and a league that trusts you with its money.

How Standing handles dues

Standing keeps a running tally of who has paid and who still owes, so you can see it at a glance instead of digging through a chat. It tracks the money as a list of entries, so a balance is always worked out and never edited by hand.

For now, Standing tracks dues rather than taking payment for you, so you collect by e-transfer or cash as usual and mark it off. Courses and sim venues start with 30 days free, then the Season plan is $399 CAD a season or $59 CAD a month. Golfers never pay.