# Automatic renewals and failed payments

> Golf O'Clock renews memberships automatically. When a card fails, members are emailed, the charge is retried, and members can update their card themselves.

Source: https://golfoclock.com/help/membership-renewals-and-failed-payments  
Topic: Memberships  
By Golf O'Clock Team. Published 2026-10-07, updated 2026-10-08.

Golf O'Clock renews memberships automatically and does most of the work when a card fails: the member is emailed, the charge is retried and they can fix it themselves. Chasing failed membership payments is one of the most tedious jobs at a venue, and this takes it off your desk.

## Renewals

On each renewal date, the member's saved card is charged, their benefits are renewed, and they get a receipt by email. Nobody at the desk has to do anything.

## When a payment fails

- The member is emailed straight away.
- The charge is retried automatically over the following days.
- The membership shows as past due, and the member keeps their benefits while it's being sorted.
- The member can pay with a saved card or add a new one from their account.
- Your venue is alerted when a payment needs attention.

If every retry fails, the membership ends.

## Staff can help

From the member's [customer profile](https://golfoclock.com/help/customer-profiles-crm), staff can add a new card, retry the charge, or move the renewal date. Members can also [cancel their membership](https://golfoclock.com/help/cancel-or-pause-membership) from their account, and keep access to the end of the paid period.

## Why venues use it

A membership business depends on renewals going through. Automatic retries and member self-service recover most failed payments without staff involvement, which protects your recurring revenue and saves hours of follow-up each month.

That revenue matters most outside the busy months. Across 200+ venues on Golf O'Clock, high season runs November through May, so renewals are what carry a venue through the summer. If you're still deciding, compare [memberships vs pay as you go](https://golfoclock.com/blog/memberships-vs-payg).

## Common questions

**Does the member lose access as soon as a payment fails?**
No. They keep their benefits while the payment is retried.

**Can members update their card themselves?**
Yes, from their account, without calling you.

**Do renewals use promo codes?**
No. Renewals charge the membership's current price.