How can I verify a driving range’s league and corporate event bookings?

Request every record the seller has: contracts, emails confirming dates, invoices, deposit slips and the calendar itself. Match several bookings to payments in the bank statements. If events are paid on the day, ask how that cash is recorded and who reconciles it.

Next, split the bookings by type. A weekly league that has run for years behaves differently from a one-off company outing. Ask which organizers return each year, and which came through a single staff member’s connections. If a relationship depends on the current owner, think about how it will carry over. With the seller’s permission, call a few organizers. Ask what they like, what bothers them, whether they have a contract and whether they would book again after a sale. Ask about any deposits already taken for future dates, since you may be expected to honour them. Finally, look for gaps. Weather cancellations, rescheduled dates and refunds say a lot about how reliable the income is. Your accountant can help you read the revenue pattern. Ask how the seller finds new groups each year, whether through advertising, a sales call or referrals, and what share of event customers also buy food or lessons that day. Request a short written list of every booking already confirmed for the next season, with dates and deposit amounts, so you can check each one yourself before you finalize anything.

Key takeaways

• Match booking records to actual bank deposits.
• Speak to league captains and corporate organizers yourself.
• Ask about future deposits already collected that you may need to honour.