Accepting payments
How to collect entry fees for tournaments and leagues — cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or cash at the course.
Last updated: September 28, 2026
Three ways to collect entry fees
Connected Stripe
Players pay by card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay when they register. Money goes straight to your own Stripe account. GetFairways takes no platform fee.
Stripe Payment Link
Paste a fixed link from your Stripe account. Good for a one-off event with a single price. No per-player tracking.
Pay at the course
Players register online and pay you directly — cash, the pro shop, Venmo, whatever you tell them. You mark them paid in the roster.
You can use more than one. Many organizers run Connected Stripe and still allow "pay at the course" for members who prefer it. Choose under Settings → Payment option.
Setting up Connected Stripe
Stripe is the same payment processor used by Amazon, Shopify and most online businesses. Your GetFairways account connects to your Stripe account, so entry fees never pass through us.
- Create a free Stripe account at stripe.com if your club doesn't have one. You'll need a bank account for payouts and basic business details (a sole proprietor or a club's tax ID both work). This takes about ten minutes.
- In GetFairways, open Settings → Stripe payments → Connect Stripe. You'll be sent to Stripe to approve the connection, then returned to GetFairways.
- Set your entry fee on the tournament's Setup tab and turn on registration. That's it — the registration page now shows a secure checkout.
- Watch it come in. Paid players are marked automatically in your roster. Payouts land in your bank on Stripe's schedule (typically two business days after each payment, daily thereafter).
Turning on Apple Pay and Google Pay
Both are built into Stripe — no extra integration, no extra fee. When they're enabled on your Stripe account, a player on an iPhone sees an Apple Pay button above the card form; on Android, Google Pay. One tap, no typing.
- Sign in to your Stripe Dashboard.
- Go to Settings → Payments → Payment methods.
- Turn on Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Link (Stripe's one-click wallet for returning players). Cash App Pay is worth enabling too.
- Nothing to change in GetFairways — the checkout picks them up automatically.
Venmo and PayPal are not available through Stripe in the US. If your players want Venmo, use the "pay at the course" option and put your Venmo handle in the payment instructions (below).
Payment instructions for "pay at the course"
Under Settings → Payment option there's a free-text box: Payment instructions for players. Whatever you write appears on the registration success screen and in the confirmation email for anyone who chooses to pay at the course. For example:
"Pay at the pro shop before your tee time, or Venmo @HarvestHillsGolf. Include your name in the note."
Mark players paid from the Register tab as the money comes in.
Fees
| Method | What the player pays | What you receive |
|---|---|---|
| Connected Stripe | Entry fee + $2.50 processing | Entry fee, less Stripe's fee (currently 2.9% + 30¢ per card payment). The $2.50 covers most of that on typical entry fees; GetFairways keeps none of it. |
| Stripe Payment Link | Whatever your link charges | Per your Stripe account |
| Pay at the course | Entry fee | Entry fee, in full |
Your GetFairways subscription ($599/year, or a $99 single-tournament pass) is separate and covers the software. There is no per-player or per-transaction fee to GetFairways.
Refunds, disputes, and payouts
- Refunds are yours to give. Because entry fees go to your Stripe account, you issue refunds from your Stripe Dashboard (Payments → select the payment → Refund). GetFairways cannot refund entry fees.
- Disputes (a player's bank reverses a charge) come to your Stripe account. Stripe walks you through responding; your GetFairways roster and confirmation email are useful evidence.
- Payouts follow your Stripe schedule. New accounts usually see a short initial hold, then daily or weekly deposits — set this under Stripe → Balances → Payout settings.
- Rain-outs. Decide your policy before the event and put it in the tournament description. Refund from Stripe if you choose to; the roster tells you who paid.
Frequently asked
Do my players need a Stripe account?
No. They just pay — card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay — like any online purchase.
Can I take payment for fundraising add-ons?
Yes. Mulligans, raffle tickets, and donations can be enabled per tournament and are charged in the same checkout.
Is it secure?
Card details are entered on Stripe's own checkout page and never touch GetFairways. GetFairways stores only whether a player has paid and the amount.
Can I switch methods later?
Any time, under Settings. Players who already paid stay marked paid.
Questions? support@getfairways.com