Overview
Calendars allow members to reserve a block of time for simulators, lessons, courts, pool lanes, or other reservable spaces. This article explains how members book Time-Based Reservations online, how availability and pricing display, and how staff can troubleshoot common member-reported issues.
Preconditions
Before members can book Time-Based Reservations online, confirm the following setup is complete:
- Online Booking is enabled for the reservation calendar.
- Calendars are created.
- Day Templates and operating hours are configured.
- Pricing, price classes, seasons, and timeframes are active.
- Members are logging in with the account connected to their membership, when member pricing or member-only booking access applies.
⚙️ Note: The booking options members see may vary based on calendar setup, Reservation Group, Day Template, pricing rules, online booking settings, login status, and selected duration.
How Members Book
Step 1: Open the online booking portal
The member opens the booking link provided by your facility.
If your facility uses aggregate booking, multiple calendars may be grouped into one booking experience. For example, all simulator bays may appear together so the member can view available simulator times without checking each bay separately.
Step 2: Select the reservation type or calendar
Depending on your setup, members may select from one or more reservation calendars.
Examples include:
- Simulator Bay 1
- Simulator Bay 2
- Lesson Calendar
- Courts
If multiple calendars are grouped together, the member may see availability for more than one calendar at once. For example, a member booking a simulator may see available times for both Bay 1 and Bay 2 in the same booking experience.
Step 3: Select a date and reservation duration
Members use the date modal to select a specific date to view open time slots.
For Calendars, members select how long they want to reserve before choosing a start time.
The available duration options depend on your facility’s calendar setup.
Duration options may vary based on:
- Calendar increment
- Minimum reservation length
- Maximum reservation length
- Time of day
- Reservation Group
- Online booking rules
For example, a facility may allow 30-minute reservations during slower hours but require a minimum of 60 minutes during peak hours.
💡 Tip: If a member cannot see the time they expected, ask which duration they selected first. Longer durations usually show fewer available start times.
Step 4: Review and select a time slot
After the member selects a duration, the system displays only the time slots that can support the full reservation length.
For example, if a member selects a 2-hour reservation, the system only shows start times where 2 full hours are available.
Members may not be able to select a start time first and extend the reservation afterward. If a member wants a longer reservation, they may need to return to the duration selector, choose the longer duration, and search availability again.
The member selects the desired available time.
A Time-Based Reservation represents a block of time, not only a start time.
| Start time | Duration | Reservation time |
|---|---|---|
| 2:00 PM | 90 minutes | 2:00 PM–3:30 PM |
Step 5: Review reservation details and complete the booking.
Once a time slot is selected, a hold is placed within that time block. Before completing the booking, the member should review:
- Date
- Start time
- Duration
- Calendar or location
- Price
- Capacity information, if displayed
Members may add a custom note to the reservation if desired.
The member confirms the reservation by selecting Book Now.
After booking, the confirmation page displays the reservation details. Members may also be able to view the reservation later from their account under My Reservations.
If your facility offers both golf tee times and Time-Based Reservations, members may see both booking types in their account.
Availability, Capacity, and Pricing Details
How availability is displayed to members
Availability is generated based on the setup of each calendar.
The system considers:
- Operating hours
- Day Templates
- Calendar increments
- Minimum and maximum reservation lengths
- Existing reservations
- Blocks
- Reservation Group rules
- Online booking settings
- Pricing timeframes
- Aggregate booking setup, if applicable
How increments affect available start times
The calendar increment determines how often reservations can start.
| Calendar increment | Possible start times |
|---|---|
| 60 minutes | 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM |
| 30 minutes | 10:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 11:00 AM |
| 20 minutes | 10:00 AM, 10:20 AM, 10:40 AM |
If a member says they cannot see a specific start time, confirm that the time aligns with the calendar increment.
For example, if the calendar uses a 30-minute increment, a member may see:
- 1:00 PM
- 1:30 PM
- 2:00 PM
The member would not see start times that do not match the increment, such as:
- 1:15 PM
- 1:45 PM
How duration affects available time slots
The selected duration controls which time slots appear.
For example, if Bay 1 is available from 1:00 PM–2:00 PM, it can support a 60-minute booking.
However, if the member selects a 90-minute reservation, that same 1:00 PM start time may disappear because the bay does not have enough open time to support the full duration.
This behavior is expected.
How existing bookings affect availability
Existing reservations and blocks reduce available inventory.
Example:
| Existing reservation | Member wants | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 3:00 PM–4:00 PM | 2:30 PM–4:00 PM | The 2:30 PM start time does not appear for a 90-minute booking because it overlaps with the existing reservation. |
How capacity displays
Calendars can display capacity information online.
Examples include:
- Up to 4 players
- 1–4 people
- Up to 6 guests
This information helps members understand how many people the reservation can accommodate.
⚙️ Note: Capacity is informational only. It does not automatically mean the price changes based on the number of people, the system charges per player, or the system splits the cost between participants.
For example, a simulator bay may cost $100 for 2 hours, regardless of whether 1, 2, or 4 people attend.
How Reservation Groups affect member booking options
Reservation Groups allow your facility to offer different booking options to different customer types.
Examples include:
- Public
- Members
- Staff
- League Members
- VIP Members
Reservation Groups may affect:
- Which times are available
- How far in advance members can book
- Minimum reservation duration
- Maximum reservation duration
- Online booking access
- Pricing eligibility
Example:
| Reservation Group | Minimum duration | Maximum duration |
|---|---|---|
| Public | 60 minutes | 120 minutes |
| Members | 30 minutes | 180 minutes |
In this example, members may see more duration options than public users.
If a member cannot see expected times or durations, confirm that they are logged in to the correct account and assigned to the correct customer group or Reservation Group.
How pricing is presented during booking
Pricing appears during the booking process so members can review the cost before confirming.
Time-Based Reservation pricing is typically based on:
- Reservation duration
- Price per increment
- Time of day
- Price class
- Applicable Reservation Group or customer pricing rules
Pricing across multiple timeframes
Some facilities charge different rates at different times of day.
| Timeframe | Example price |
|---|---|
| Morning | $25 per 30 minutes |
| Evening | $35 per 30 minutes |
If a member books a reservation that crosses from one pricing window into another, the system calculates the total based on the increments included in each timeframe.
Example:
| Reservation segment | Example price |
|---|---|
| 3:00 PM–4:00 PM | $25 per increment |
| 4:00 PM–5:00 PM | $35 per increment |
The total may appear higher than a flat hourly rate because the reservation spans multiple price periods.
Member pricing
If members receive special pricing, confirm their customer profile and online account are configured correctly.
If a member is not receiving expected pricing, check that:
- The member is logged in to the correct account.
- The customer profile has the correct membership or price assignment.
- The price class is active for the selected season and timeframe.
- The selected reservation time qualifies for that pricing.
Best Practices
Keep duration options simple
Use clear, predictable duration options whenever possible.
For example, 30-, 60-, 90-, and 120-minute options are easier for members to understand than many small variations.
Explain that members are booking a block of time
Recommended member-facing language:
For simulator, court, lesson, and other time-based bookings, select how long you want to reserve before choosing your start time.
Explain that availability depends on duration
Recommended member-facing language:
Available times may change based on the duration you select. A time may be available for 30 minutes but not for 90 minutes.
Explain capacity clearly
Recommended member-facing language:
Capacity shows how many people may attend the reservation. Pricing is based on the reserved time, not the number of participants, unless otherwise stated by the facility.
Explain member pricing requirements
Recommended member-facing language:
To receive member pricing or member-only booking access, log in using the account connected to your membership.
Test the member experience
Before publishing or changing booking rules:
- Test the booking experience as a public user.
- Test the booking experience as a member.
- Confirm member groups are configured correctly.
- Review pricing displays before publishing changes.
- Add helpful booking notes to reduce confusion.
FAQs
Why do members choose a duration before selecting a time?
The system uses the selected duration to determine which start times are available. If a member selects 2 hours, the system only returns times where 2 full hours are open.
Why did some times disappear when a member selected a longer duration?
Longer reservations require larger open blocks of time. A time slot may be available for 30 minutes but unavailable for 90 minutes.
Why can’t a member extend a reservation after selecting a time?
In the online booking flow, the member may need to go back and choose a longer duration first. The system then recalculates availability and displays only the times that can support the new duration.
Why does one member see different availability than another member?
Different members may have different booking rules.
This may happen because of:
- Different Reservation Groups
- Membership status
- Booking privileges
- Login status
- Online booking settings
- Different duration selections
Why does the price change when a member chooses a different time?
Pricing may vary by time of day, season, or reservation length. For example, peak evening simulator times may cost more than morning times.
Why does the price not change when a member adds more people?
Time-Based Reservations are usually priced by the reserved time or space, not by participant count.
For example, if a simulator bay is $100 for 2 hours, the price may remain $100 whether the member brings 1 person or 4 people.
Why does a simulator reservation look different from a tee time?
Golf tee times and Time-Based Reservations display different details because they represent different booking types.
A tee time may show:
- Holes
- Players
- Tee time
A Time-Based Reservation may show:
- Start time
- Duration
- Calendar or bay
- Capacity
Troubleshooting Tips
Member cannot see any available times
Possible causes
- The selected date has no availability.
- The calendar is closed.
- Online booking is disabled for that timeframe.
- The selected duration is too long.
- The member is viewing the wrong calendar or booking link.
- The member is not logged in to the correct account.
- Reservation Group rules are limiting access.
Recommended troubleshooting
- Confirm the member is using the correct booking link.
- Confirm the selected date.
- Ask what duration the member selected.
- Check whether shorter durations show availability.
- Confirm the member is logged in.
- Review the member’s Reservation Group or membership assignment.
- Check the staff calendar for blocks or existing reservations.
Member sees fewer times than expected
Possible causes
- The selected duration requires a larger open time block.
- Existing reservations are limiting availability.
- The calendar increment limits available start times.
- Timeframe rules change later in the day.
- Reservation Group rules are restricting access.
Recommended troubleshooting
- Ask which duration the member selected.
- Test the same date with a shorter duration.
- Review the internal calendar for existing reservations.
- Confirm the Day Template and timeframe settings.
- Confirm the member’s Reservation Group.
Member cannot select the duration they want
Possible causes
- The requested duration is below the minimum.
- The requested duration exceeds the maximum.
- The duration does not align with the configured increment.
- The member’s Reservation Group has stricter rules.
- Peak-time rules require a different minimum duration.
Recommended troubleshooting
- Check the calendar’s minimum and maximum reservation length.
- Confirm the calendar increment.
- Review timeframe-specific rules.
- Confirm whether the member is public, member, staff, or another group.
- Adjust the configuration if the duration should be available.
Member says the price is wrong
Possible causes
- The member is not logged in to the correct account.
- Member pricing is not assigned to the customer profile.
- The selected time falls into a different pricing window.
- The reservation spans multiple pricing windows.
- Seasonal pricing is different than expected.
- The reservation duration includes more increments than expected.
Recommended troubleshooting
- Confirm the member account.
- Review the assigned price class or membership.
- Check the selected date and time.
- Check whether the reservation crosses a pricing change.
- Confirm the duration and increment pricing.
- Review the price shown before booking confirmation.
Member pricing is not applying
Possible causes
- The member is not logged in.
- The member is using a duplicate or incorrect account.
- The member profile is missing the correct membership, pass, group, or price assignment.
- Member pricing is not active for that season or timeframe.
Recommended troubleshooting
- Confirm which account the member used to log in.
- Search for duplicate customer profiles.
- Review the customer profile setup.
- Confirm member pricing is active for the selected time.
- Test booking while logged in as the member, if appropriate.