INTRODUCTION
Feature Summary: Public Bookings allows clubs to offer reservations and event registrations to the public through a simple, mobile and browser-friendly booking flow. Below are answers to commonly asked questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What Are Public Bookings?
Public Bookings make it easy for players to book with a club without downloading the app, creating an account, or logging in, by using a dedicated public link to book reservations or register for events.
2. Who Can Benefit From Public Bookings?
Eligible clubs located in the United States and Canada on the Legacy, Grow, Scale, or Enterprise plans with an active payment processor can enable Public Bookings.
Clubs benefit because Public Bookings:
Reduce friction for first-time and non-member bookings
Eliminate staff-assisted scheduling
Apply consistent pricing and rules via existing memberships
Improve communication with automated SMS confirmations
Reduce abandoned or fraudulent bookings through phone verification
Players benefit because they:
Book quickly without creating an account
See availability and pricing upfront
Book from any device (mobile or desktop)
Don’t need to download an app
Easily share bookings or event details with friends
3. How Do I Enable Public Bookings?
Navigate to Settings → Portal Settings → Public Bookings
Enable Public Bookings
CourtReserve generates a dedicated Public Bookings URL
4. How Do I Share the Public Booking Link?
Share the Public Bookings URL via:
Club website
Social media
Email campaigns
Marketing materials or QR codes
The link directs players into the public booking flow
Find it under Settings > Portal Settings > Public Bookings
5. Do Public Bookings Require Text Alerts (SMS)?
Yes, SMS is required
SMS is automatically enabled when Public Bookings is turned on
Used for confirmations, updates, and phone verification
Cannot be disabled while Public Bookings is active
Billing notes:
Standard SMS usage rates apply
Text verification (phone validation) messages are not billed
6. What Can the Public Book?
This is controlled by two settings under Settings > Portal Settings > Public Bookings:
Allow Public Bookings for Reservations
Allow Public Bookings for Registrations
Clubs may allow:
Reservations only
Event registrations only
Both
Important: Team registration events are not supported and will not appear in the public booking registration flow.
7. Do I Need to Create a New Membership for Public Bookings?
Not necessarily. Clubs can link an existing membership to Public Bookings, which determines pricing, booking rules, schedulers, and cancellation policies.
If different pricing or rules are needed for public users, clubs can create a separate membership that is not visible to members.
8. Can Public Users Log In?
No account is required for public users
There is an optional setting: Allow Log In From Public Bookings
When enabled, existing members can log in using a Log In button displayed, but it is not required
When disabled, the login option is hidden
9. Is Payment Required Up Front?
Yes, upfront payment is required and cannot be disabled
Players have 15 minutes to complete payment
Unpaid bookings are automatically canceled
10. What If a Player Does Not Receive the Text Verification Code?
SMS messages may occasionally be delayed or filtered as spam
Players should check their text spam folder and device settings
Admins should reference this article
11. Can I Add Custom Messaging to the Confirmation Page?
Yes, admins can add custom content below the receipt in public booking settings
Common uses include:
Codes of conduct
Day-of instructions
Parking or arrival details
The receipt is always included and cannot be removed
Learn more here.
12. Can Team Events Be Booked Through Public Bookings?
No, team registration events are not supported
Team events will not appear in the public booking flow
These events must be booked by logged-in users in the usual CourtReserve registration flow
13. Can I Turn Off Certain Events From Public Bookings?
Yes, individual events can be hidden from Public Bookings
In the event setup, enable Hide Event from Public Registration in the event settings found via Event Setup → Additional Setup tab → General Information
Hidden events:
Remain available to logged-in members
Do not appear in the public booking flow
14. What Information Is Always Required During Public Event Registration?
After clicking Register Now, players are prompted to enter personal information
By default, the following fields are required:
First name
Last name
Phone number
An Email field is always included but not required
15. Do Custom Fields Appear in Public Bookings?
Yes, custom fields are shown during the booking process
They appear in the Additional Information section
Players are prompted to complete them before confirming the booking
16. Do Event Registration Restrictions Apply to Public Bookings?
Yes, event registration restrictions apply to public users. The only exception is member group restrictions.
Note: Member group restrictions are not supported in public bookings. If an event includes member group restrictions, the event will not be displayed in the public booking event list.
Players must meet the event’s requirements to complete registration
Required restrictions appear under Player Eligibility during the booking flow
If the club has DUPR ID integration enabled and the event includes DUPR-based restrictions, players will be required to validate their DUPR ID as part of registration. Learn more here.