How to get paid for writing golf course reviews

If you've ever wondered how to get paid to review golf courses, the short answer until recently was: you can't. Top 100 lists in golf have always been the ultimate in golf course reviews. Then the internet came along, and with it, the chance for user-generated reviews.

Now, as a golfer, you can read both what the experts say as well as what everyday joes say and decide for yourself.

These days, there are many platforms that encourage regular golfers to write golf course reviews, from Google to Yelp. There are golf-centric companies that also use user-generated content, like GolfNow.

Then there are also hobbyist, niche sites that encourage course reviews. For example, WalkingGolfer asks for reviews from the walker's perspective.

And other golf apps have post-round review forms, too. But without any rewards or points mechanism, there is really no way to incentivize you to do it.

But other than providing a platform for your content and the potential network effects of sharing it with their community, none of these sites provides actual rewards for your effort, aside from a potential upvote or response from the owner.

But there is one platform that actually gives you a little something for your thoughts. GolfN is the only golf app that rewards golfers for their course reviews.

How to Get Rewarded for Your Golf Course Review

GolfN is a golf app that rewards golfers for engaging with the game by doing anything from playing golf, to going to pro golf tournaments, visiting simulators or golf retailers. The core belief at GolfN is golfers should share in the value they create for courses, manufacturers and off-course facilities. And that also goes for writing reviews, too.

When you use the GolfN app, you earn points. Then you can turn those points into redemptions for gear from some of the best brands in golf: L.A.B., Miura, Cobra, Srixon, Cleveland, and many more. Save up all year for a new driver, or redeem regularly for more boxes of ammo.

Here's how to do it:

1. Start a round in the GolfN app.

2. Either use the GPS and scoring on every hole, or just stick the phone in your bag and enjoy the course tech-free.

3. After your round, GolfN verifies the holes you played, and once you submit the round, you will be offered a 5% bonus to leave a review afterward. Complete the fields, leave some text and upload a picture for the maximum bonus.

These points add up. Play enough golf and you'll be surprised how fast they accumulate.

You can review the course from 1-5 stars (half-star ratings). Then, give the conditions, value and facilities a thumbs up or down. Also enter key attributes that will help golfers understand if this is an over-achieving muni or a lux resort experience.

Still not convinced? Each round you play enters you into a Bandon Dunes sweepstakes now through August 31.

Reviews on Your GolfN Profile

Each course you play is added to your course map, which you can view from your history and share with your friends.

Reviews also show up in the app social feed. Golfers who follow you or the course you reviewed will see the content. This is a great way to connect with like-minded or local golfers.

GolfN App: Authentic Play and Reviews

When I worked at another platform with user-generated reviews, we found that a lot of 1-star reviews came in from disgruntled employees who wanted to burn bridges on their way out.

On the flip side, we also regularly dealt with pressured management forcing all their staff to leave 5-star reviews. The funniest part is that they always arrived within a day of each other and from the same IP address. Imagine the general manager dragging their staff by the collar to a keyboard to write favorable things about his store before they were allowed to go home.

So here's another key differentiator of GolfN's course reviews: they are all verified. GolfN can identify the date and time of each review through the verification mechanism it uses to reward golfers for the round they played.

This means there are no dreamers who claimed to have played Cypress Point for clout when they didn't.

With GolfN, every review is verified. You can rest assured the reviews are authentic to the point that the golfer actually played the course on the day they said they did. That can prove to be very helpful if you're planning a trip to a new city and want the skinny on both the layout, and the latest on conditions and service.

Golf Course Nerd? Stay Tuned

If you love to write golf course reviews, stay tuned for the all-new golf course guide on the web, a desktop account center, as well as achievement badges for playing courses.

Make sure you get rewarded for sharing your expert opinion.

Ready to get started? Use my promo code 'BTUCK' for a free month of Silver tier rewards and make sure you get that bonus by writing a review after the round. Download GolfN here.