Are some golf clubs OTT?

SteveJay

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I too would be miffed by the apparent tone and agree it would have been far more constructive to offer support to help integration.

As someone who has recently (well 6m ago now) joined a course, in a new area, where I didn't know any members and had no handicap to transfer, integrating is not easy.

Would welcome any advice on how to achieve that. Know I can just put my name down for a drawn comp but am a bit anxious that others may not welcome playing with someone without a handicap, even though I would hope to be 18-22ish!
 

Hosel Fade

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I too would be miffed by the apparent tone and agree it would have been far more constructive to offer support to help integration.

As someone who has recently (well 6m ago now) joined a course, in a new area, where I didn't know any members and had no handicap to transfer, integrating is not easy.

Would welcome any advice on how to achieve that. Know I can just put my name down for a drawn comp but am a bit anxious that others may not welcome playing with someone without a handicap, even though I would hope to be 18-22ish!

Ask the pro shop when the roll ups are and just turn up for them. They tend to be the "core" of the club anyways so that will take care of it.
 

Smiffy

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The course at Cooden was shut for quite a time during the inclement weather.
During that time the wife and I took the opportunity to pop down on a few Sundays to have lunch in the clubhouse.
She enjoyed it (gave her the opportunity to "dress up" and saved her cooking!), it put a bit of money back into the club, and it allowed me to meet and socialise with a few members that I might not otherwise have met.
I like to feel that I integrated with my "new" club.
 

patricks148

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don't know but this could be 50/50 here.

Maybe the club has allowed new members in just to integrate and boost numbers in comps etc.

but i suppose if you don't want to thats up to you, though i don't agree with that stance. after all if you join a club you should make an effort to be part of it and become part of it.

We have had an influx of under 30's ( reduced fee) the last few years and that was set up to get more guys playing comps.

i would say most have yet to even play a comp and just use it as cheap membership and sign their mates on for bugger all. they will be off as soon as they are not eligible for the reduced fee any longer.
 

virtuocity

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The club's letter in the OP sounds like it came straight out of UKIP HQ....

Happy for you, Mr Outsider, to join us, but you must adapt and make huge changes to fit in. At the same time, don't expect us to help you with this.
 

UlyssesSky

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Since we only know the story through the eyes of the OP's friend it's hard to judge the behavior of the club.

Does the club maybe have a policy that reads like "we expect our members to actively participate in the (social) activities provided by the club and to actively integrate in the club"?

If that's the case, that's what they signed up for when joining the club and what they should do.

So they've played weekend social golf with each other for the couple of months that they've been members. But they both intend to play in plenty of comps just as they did at their previous club.

They basically used the club like a pay&play course. You can play with other members outside of comps.

If the club expects a more active integration by its members and this is what your friends did, I can see why the committee mint say they are "disappointed" by the behavior of your friends.

They may have thought that planning to play in comps may be enough of "active integration", but you don't necessarily have to have a stick up your backside to disagree with this... ;)
 

TheAlbatross

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Having read the various rules infringement/confusion threads and the hard line some golfers seems adopt when dealing with such incidents (even in "friendly" games) is it any wonder than new members are somewhat apprehensive about integrating into competitions?

If and when I join a club, I will definitely have some anxieties about possible confrontation and having my integrity called into question during competitions, as it seems that a basic knowledge of the rules is not sufficient to prevent this. In fact the idea of joining with a close friend and only every playing the course together would probably seem very appealing until such time that I felt comfortable playing in a competition.
 

GB72

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I am a bit in disagreement with the line that everyone must integrate.
OK, if there was an interview for membership, the club stated that it would expect all members to integrate, take part in comps etc and the new member agreed that it was what they were looking to do then fine. If not, however, then I see no reason why it should be so essential.
Take the clubs near me. If you want to play one of the better courses at a weekend then you need to be a member as most are private clubs with a no pay and play at weekends policy. I will use my brother as an example again. He and his 3 mates want to play a social round every weekend on a nice course. They will enter a few comps etc but really have no interest in the golf club as a social thing, it is just somewhere they play golf and I see nothing wrong with that. They all pay their money same as everyone else, they cause no problems and, in fact, in a cost per round calculation probably play more than most other members. They all play cricket in the summer so cannot hang around after and it is the cricket club where their social life is.
As I said, if a club is very specific on what it expects of its members and explains sanctions if members do not do what they expect then fine but otherwise a golf club should be used how the member wants to use it. Some want to be involved in everything, some want to play with different people every week and some want to play a round of golf with their mates and go home. Nothing wrong with any of that.
 

Rooter

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I am a bit in disagreement with the line that everyone must integrate.
OK, if there was an interview for membership, the club stated that it would expect all members to integrate, take part in comps etc and the new member agreed that it was what they were looking to do then fine. If not, however, then I see no reason why it should be so essential.
Take the clubs near me. If you want to play one of the better courses at a weekend then you need to be a member as most are private clubs with a no pay and play at weekends policy. I will use my brother as an example again. He and his 3 mates want to play a social round every weekend on a nice course. They will enter a few comps etc but really have no interest in the golf club as a social thing, it is just somewhere they play golf and I see nothing wrong with that. They all pay their money same as everyone else, they cause no problems and, in fact, in a cost per round calculation probably play more than most other members. They all play cricket in the summer so cannot hang around after and it is the cricket club where their social life is.
As I said, if a club is very specific on what it expects of its members and explains sanctions if members do not do what they expect then fine but otherwise a golf club should be used how the member wants to use it. Some want to be involved in everything, some want to play with different people every week and some want to play a round of golf with their mates and go home. Nothing wrong with any of that.

I'm with you Greg. I play with the same mates and don't enter any comps that are drawn. I play when i want to play, with people i enjoy spending a few hours with. If i wanted to make friends i would download tinder. All i want to do is play some golf.
 

patricks148

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I'm with you Greg. I play with the same mates and don't enter any comps that are drawn. I play when i want to play, with people i enjoy spending a few hours with. If i wanted to make friends i would download Grinder. All i want to do is play some golf.

corrected that for you:rofl:

i get what you are saying, but what about people who join clubs that they don't know anyone at or have reg partners?

i think its all about being part of a club atmosphere and not a clique where everyone just plays with mates
 
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Likely outcome if you did go and join other members in a three ball is the other 2 would practically ignore you and want to chat to eachother, maybe tolerate a few pleasantries. They'll only start to be friendly if you're a really good player never stepping off the birdie bus.

Golf clubs.......sigh
 

Stuey01

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Likely outcome if you did go and join other members in a three ball is the other 2 would practically ignore you and want to chat to eachother, maybe tolerate a few pleasantries. They'll only start to be friendly if you're a really good player never stepping off the birdie bus.

Golf clubs.......sigh

Not my experience of any golf club I have been a member of, or indeed, a visitor to.
 

rosecott

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Likely outcome if you did go and join other members in a three ball is the other 2 would practically ignore you and want to chat to eachother, maybe tolerate a few pleasantries. They'll only start to be friendly if you're a really good player never stepping off the birdie bus.

Golf clubs.......sigh

Not my experience of any golf club I have been a member of, or indeed, a visitor to.

Ditto. I suspect the opinion is based on what he imagines it might be like.
 

TheJezster

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It's not like that at all! Unless the person I'm playing with was thoroughly unlikeable I'd feel terrible if I just ignored him for the round. Especially so if they're a new member. Couldn't imagine playing somewhere like that, why would anyone join??
 

Break90

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Likely outcome if you did go and join other members in a three ball is the other 2 would practically ignore you and want to chat to eachother, maybe tolerate a few pleasantries. They'll only start to be friendly if you're a really good player never stepping off the birdie bus.

Golf clubs.......sigh

Couldn't be further away from my experiences tbh
 

Hosel Fade

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Couldn't be further away from my experiences tbh

The same with myself to be honest. Only had such an experience at one club of the many I have been a member of and that was because they had a problem with the university boys in general when in reality we were of significant financial importance to them (which they immediately realised when we went elsewhere where they actually welcomed us) and most would not use the course during prime season.
 
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