How to claim and protect your Google listing

How to claim and protect your Google listing

Why this matters

Your Google listing (what shows in Google Search and Google Maps) is often the first place golfers find you. If you don’t control it:
  1. Third parties can add unauthorised “Book Online” buttons
  2. Incorrect pricing or availability may be shown
  3. Customers may book through resellers (often at commission or inflated pricing)


 

Step 1. Check if your club already has a Google listing:

  1. Go to Google
  2. Search your club name (e.g. “XYZ Golf Club”)
  3. Look at the panel on the right-hand side (desktop) or top (mobile)
What to look for: “Claim this business” or “Manage now”. Or if no control options are there at all it means someone else may already manage it. 


Step 2. Claim your Google Business Profile

If it’s unclaimed, Go to: https://business.google.com/add
  1. Search for your club name
  2. Select your listing
  3. Click “Claim this business” → “Manage now”
  4. Follow the steps to verify [support.google.com]
If it doesn’t exist: You can create a new listing and add your details [support.google.com]


Step 3. Verify your club (critical step)

Google will ask you to prove you run the club. Typical options include: Phone/email verification or video verification of clubhouse/location. You must complete this step to take control and make changes. Important to note that verifying your listing allows you to edit details, remove links and prevent misuse:


Step 4. If someone else already controls your listing


This is very common (e.g. former staff, agencies, or third parties). What to do:
  1. Go to https://business.google.com/add
  2. Search for your club
  3. Select it
  4. Click “Request access”
  5. Submit the form [support.google.com]
What happens next:
  1. The current owner is notified
  2. They have a few days to respond
  3. If they don’t respond, you may be able to claim it yourself after that period [support.google.com]

Once you have control of your listing:
  1. Go to your Google Business Profile
  2. Click Edit profile
  3. Go to Bookings / Reservations
  4. Select the provider
  5. Click Remove provider [onlineownership.com]


Please note you can turn off booking links completely if that would be preferable and best practice would be to use club owned email address for registration of the google listing. This will ensure there are no future access issues. 



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