The Chelsea tee time system is an online reservation and lottery-style tee time platform used by many bundled golf courses to fairly allocate tee times during busy periods. Instead of a pure “first-come, first-served” model, it uses a points-based algorithm to rank reservations and determine who gets tee times when demand exceeds supply.
Key features of the Chelsea system:
- Golfers submit tee time requests within a predefined window (typically 3–8 days in advance, depending on club policy).
- The system runs a lottery/placement process once the request window closes, assigning tee times based on the combined points history of all players in the group.
- Groups with lower average points are usually placed earlier on the tee sheet, rewarding those who haven’t played as often recently (a form of fairness).
How Points Work in Chelsea
General Points Mechanics
Although specific point rules vary by club, the common principles are:
Points are earned when you request or receive a tee time via the Chelsea system.
Many clubs assign points based on play history over a rolling period (e.g., last 10–14 days).
Points are used to calculate group averages: Chelsea averages the points of all players in a foursome to determine placement priority.
Lower total points = better priority to receive desired tee times.
Some clubs also:
- Assign additional points for no-shows or late cancellations.
- Assign guest points when you bring guests into a Chelsea tee time.
Men’s Day & Women’s Day Events
How league days and gender-specific events are treated in Chelsea varies by community, but there are two common models:
1) No Chelsea Points for Club Events
Many clubs explicitly do not assign Chelsea points for organized member events, including Men’s Day, Women’s Day, couples’ events, and club tournaments. In this model:
- Playing in these events does not add points to your history.
- They are treated separately from regular Chelsea tee times.
Under this model, men’s day/women’s day events do not affect your Chelsea point ranking.
2) Points May Be Assigned for Event Tee Times
Some courses (e.g., Bonita National Golf & Country Club and similar clubs) specifically state that:
- Men’s/Ladies Days do count for Chelsea points.
- Regular club tournaments and other special events do NOT give play points for Chelsea, but the men’s and ladies’ days do.
So whether points are assigned depends on how the club has configured Chelsea in that community.
Check your specific club’s Chelsea policy: Some grant points for Men’s/Ladies days, others exempt all club events, and a few assign point values differently for special events.
Special Club Golf Events (Tournaments, Leagues)
Tournaments
Most clubs that use Chelsea will:
- Let you sign up through the Chelsea system for member tournaments or events.
- But not charge Chelsea points for playing in these tournaments.
This ensures that competitive events don’t penalize or elevate your Chelsea ranking unfairly compared to normal tee time play.
Club Leagues & Organized Play (Men’s, Women’s, Couples, etc.)
Clubs generally handle these in one of two ways:
- Excluded from Chelsea point totals: Play in a league or club tournament doesn’t change your Chelsea points.
- Included as standard play: Some communities count any play that goes on the official Chelsea tee sheet toward your points (unless exempted).
Each community can set these rules, so the exact treatment varies.