Golf Society Days in Kent: How to Organise One at Lullingstone Park

Organising golf society days in Kent is mostly admin, and the admin is what decides whether the day works. Get the tee window, the format and the food right and nobody notices you did anything; get them wrong and twenty people stand around a car park at half past eight. This guide covers how to plan a society or group day at Lullingstone Park near Eynsford, what to agree with the club before you commit, and the decisions that catch first-time organisers out.

If you are still choosing a venue, see our guides to green fees and tee booking at Lullingstone Park and golf courses near Sevenoaks.

Why Lullingstone Park suits a society day

Lullingstone Park sits in country park land in the Darent Valley at Parkgate Road, Chelsfield, BR6 7PX, which puts it within easy reach of Orpington, Sevenoaks, Dartford and the M25. It is a pay and play venue, so visiting groups are the normal business rather than a favour, and that matters when you are bringing a mixed bag of golfers who are not members anywhere.

The useful part for an organiser is having two courses on one site: the 18-hole Championship course for a full day, and the 9-hole Valley course for a shorter or cheaper outing. That flexibility lets you build a day around your group rather than forcing your group around the day. A society with several genuine beginners often has a far better time playing nine holes and eating properly than grinding out eighteen.

Get a quote first, not a price off a website

Society and group rates are almost never published, and Lullingstone Park is no exception: current green fees and group rates are not listed on the site, so you need to contact the club directly with your details and ask for a quote. That is normal across the county. What you want in writing is the green fee per player, what is included, the deposit and balance dates, the cancellation terms and the deadline for final numbers.

Be specific when you ask. A club can quote properly if you give the date and a fallback date, the number of players and how firm that number is, the tee window you want, whether you want food and when, and whether you need buggies. Vague enquiries get vague answers and slow everything down.

Tee times or a shotgun start

This is the decision that shapes the whole day.

• Consecutive tee times send groups out one after another, typically every eight to ten minutes. It is what most societies do, it fits alongside other visitors, and it is cheaper. The catch is a long tail: your first group can finish well over an hour before your last, which makes a sit-down meal and prize-giving awkward.
• A shotgun start puts every group out at once from a different hole, so everyone starts and finishes together. It is far better for a meal and a presentation, but it needs the whole course to be free, so clubs only offer it to larger groups and it costs more. Ask early; it is not something a course can add the week before.

If you have fewer than about forty players, expect tee times and plan the food around a rolling finish rather than a fixed sitting.

Choosing a format that fits the group

The format is how you stop the day being miserable for the worst player and pointless for the best.

• Texas Scramble: everyone drives, the team picks the best ball and all play from there, repeating to the hole. The friendliest option for mixed ability, because a duffed shot costs nothing and nobody holds anyone up. The default choice for corporate and charity days for good reason.
• Stableford: points per hole against your handicap, so a disaster hole costs you two points rather than your card. The standard individual format for society days.
• Betterball: pairs, counting the better score on each hole. A decent middle ground that keeps people playing their own ball while sharing the damage.
• Medal or strokeplay: every shot counts. Only worth it if your society is genuinely competitive, otherwise it is slow and dispiriting.

On handicaps: players do not need an official one to play, but you need something to level the field. Many societies keep their own internal list built from previous outings, which is fine and defensible. If you want handicaps nobody can argue with, players need a World Handicap System index through a club affiliated to England Golf.

Money, numbers and the bits that go wrong

Collect from your players before you pay the club, not after. The classic society disaster is the organiser personally covering four no-shows because the balance was due on the day and two people were ill. Take a deposit from every player when they commit, make it clear it is non-refundable once you have confirmed numbers, and give yourself a buffer day before the club's own final-numbers deadline.

Other things worth agreeing in advance:

• Buggies: limited in number and often needed on medical grounds. Ask early, and ask whether the course allows them at all in wet conditions.
• Catering timing: bacon rolls on arrival and a meal after are the standard shape. Confirm the kitchen can serve your finish window, especially with a rolling finish.
• Dress code and etiquette: check and tell your players. It is a pay and play course rather than a stuffy private club, but do not assume.
• Weather: agree what happens if the course closes. Know whether you get a refund, a credit or a rearranged date, and know it in writing.
• Prizes: nearest the pin and longest drive cost nothing to run and give the non-winners something to play for.

A working timeline

• Three to six months out: pick a date and a fallback, contact the club, get a written quote, pay the deposit. Weekdays in spring and autumn are cheapest and easiest.
• Two months out: open bookings to your players, take deposits, confirm the format and the catering.
• Two weeks out: confirm final numbers with the club, collect the balance from players, sort prizes.
• The week before: send everyone the address, the postcode, their tee time, the format, the dress code and your mobile number. Half the questions on the day come from people who never got this message.
• On the day: arrive an hour early, meet the pro shop, set up the scorecards and be the person standing by the first tee.

The honest summary

A good society day is not about the course being spectacular. It is about people knowing where to be, playing a format that suits them, and eating at a sensible time. Lullingstone Park gives you an accessible pay and play venue with two courses and room to shape the day around your group. The rest is your organisation, which is why the written quote and the final-numbers deadline matter more than anything on the scorecard.

Ready to enquire? Contact the club with your date and numbers, or start from the Lullingstone Park Golf Course homepage.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I book a golf society day in Kent?

Contact the course directly with your date, rough group size and preferred tee window, then confirm in writing. Society and group rates are usually negotiated rather than published online, so ring or email rather than relying on a website price. At Lullingstone Park, current green fees and group rates are not published on the site, so contact the club for a quote.

How far in advance should you book a society golf day?

Three to six months ahead for a summer weekend, and longer if your date is fixed and your group is large. Weekday dates in spring and autumn are far easier to secure and usually cheaper. If you can be flexible on the day of the week, you will get both a better rate and a better tee window.

What is a shotgun start and do you need one?

A shotgun start puts every group out at the same time from a different hole, so everyone begins and finishes together. It is ideal for a prize-giving and a sit-down meal, but it needs the whole course, so most venues only allow it for larger groups and it costs more. Smaller societies normally take consecutive tee times instead.

What format works best for a mixed-ability golf society day?

A Texas Scramble, where every player drives and the team plays on from the best ball each time, is the friendliest option because weaker players never hold the group up. Stableford is the usual choice when players want an individual score, since a bad hole costs points rather than wrecking the card.

Do society players need an official handicap?

Not to play, but you need some way to level the field for a competition. Many societies run their own internal handicap list built from previous days. If you want handicaps that hold up to argument, players need a World Handicap System index through an England Golf affiliated club.

Which course at Lullingstone Park suits a society day?

The 18-hole Championship course is the natural choice for a full day. The 9-hole Valley course is a good option for a shorter, cheaper outing, for a mixed-ability group with beginners, or for an afternoon nine after lunch. Having both on one site gives an organiser useful flexibility.