Uber Golf has arrived

Uber

Standing at a Midtown Manhattan corner several years ago, I saw two men waiting by a curb with golf bags slung over their shoulders. A car for hire suddenly drove up, they tossed their clubs in the trunk, and they sped away presumably towards a local course. Being from Southern California, I had never wondered before that very moment about how people in big cities get to suburban golf courses. After all, most people near my home find their own ride everywhere. So it dawned on me right then that these guys had to have ordered a car with a big enough trunk for their golf clubs. But how would they really know until the car shows up? And even if they saw on the app that it was, say, a four-door sedan, who’s to say that the driver didn’t already have his or her own things filling up the trunk? Was there even a way to let the driver know in advance they were toting golf clubs?

Well, Uber has finally figured that out for golfers. This morning, the ride-hail service officially launched its Uber Golf option, which is apparently available in the upper left-hand corner of its Services page within the app. The Uber folks say that “while the sport continues to surge in popularity, from standing weekend tee times to getaway trips and celebratory bachelor parties, getting to the course hasn’t exactly caught up. Squeezing clubs on the train and navigating group chat logistics before you’ve even teed off is all too common.” I agree.

And as more golfers like to enjoy adult beverages during and after their rounds, this is a great way to prevent them from getting behind the wheel to go home. Then there are golfers like me who don’t own a car. So now instead of having to ask my buddies for rides to the course or borrow a car, Uber Golf should serve as a welcome addition to my repertoire – that is, once I can figure out why the Uber app won’t actually work on my newest Android phone.

Uber Golf aims to make getting to and from the course easy and convenient, so you can spend more time focusing on your backswing. This new seasonal offering lets riders reserve a ride for up to four players and their clubs. You just book ahead – Uber Golf is part of Uber Reserve, so your ride to and from the course can be reserved up to 90 days in advance. Then you tap the Uber Golf tile in the app and reserve an UberX (up to two guests with two sets of clubs) or UberXL (up to four guests with four sets of clubs). And for any golfers who want to keep their swing sharp beyond the course, Uber has teamed up with Topgolf to give Uber One members 20 percent off Game Play. Starting later this spring, Uber One members can redeem the discount by navigating to the "Account" tab within the Uber app and selecting the "Uber One" tile. The unique code can be applied towards bay reservations made on Topgolf's app or website, as well as walk-ins.