Car park golfers

jim8flog

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Following on from the thread about bar cards.

Those that are car park golfers.

Do you ever go in to the clubhouse to read the notices? How do you get to know about new local rules etc?
 

SwingsitlikeHogan

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I tend to put my shoes on in the car park but almost always use the clubhouse for eats and drinks before and after golf - and even when not playing.

We get all our club info and notices by Email or by logging on to our website - which is always fully up-to-date.
 

AmandaJR

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I seldom go into the clubhouse - perhaps 2 in 10 times I play. Club website is the best source of information rather than the notice boards.

I round of golf takes long enough for me without adding extra time afterwards. I'm always keen to get home!
 

Jacko_G

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Following on from the thread about bar cards.

Those that are car park golfers.

Do you ever go in to the clubhouse to read the notices? How do you get to know about new local rules etc?

I'm not a "car park" member but we also get emails for news, competition entry dates, enter competitions online etc etc.

Every person has different reason for using or not using the clubhouse, I've been a member at clubs previously where I didn't enjoy the atmosphere or feel welcomed in the clubhouse and tended to avoid it unless playing a competition where I would use it for a social drink with my playing partners.

As individuals we're all different I guess.
 

Wolf

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Another one here that doesn’t like the term car park golfer and the way many other clubs and members look down upon people that just want to play golf and go home to be with families or do other things.

I probably use the clubhouse facilities once every dozen rounds due to family or Work commitments that are more important to me than a pint or coffee in the clubhouse.

There are many ways to get the info, email, club website, club social media pages, when going into pro shop to pay comp fees etc.
 

SwingsitlikeHogan

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I'm not a "car park" member but we also get emails for news, competition entry dates, enter competitions online etc etc.

Every person has different reason for using or not using the clubhouse, I've been a member at clubs previously where I didn't enjoy the atmosphere or feel welcomed in the clubhouse and tended to avoid it unless playing a competition where I would use it for a social drink with my playing partners.

As individuals we're all different I guess.

There's a good and healthy 'club' ethos in my place - I can go in to the clubhouse and almost invariably if I want I can sit with other members and have a chat - or I can grab a coffee, pick up the Daily Telegraph - and sit in a quiet spot by myself and have a read. It's one of the things that prospective members spot straight away when in the clubhouse or playing complimentary round with members, and what new members comment on.

You could extrapolate from this, that if fewer members used the clubhouse, then we'd be less likely to attract new members (and societies); less likely to have the excellent 'in-house' bar and catering facilities that we have (and that are always commented upon in complimentary terms by visitors and visiting societies); less likely to attract societies and visitors - and more likely to have an increase in subs to compensate for loss of income.

My view is simply that by being a member of my club I buy into it as a whole. And if the club (it's a members club) consider it appropriate to have a food and drinks 'levy' - though unlike many levies members are recompensed fully in kind - then that is OK by me. Nobody forced me to join my club.

We also have a course improvement levy (£40 a year) at the moment - it is not set in stone but levied on a year-by-year basis to pay for specific course improvement projects. The last two years the funds have gone towards a complete rebuilding and remodelling of our bunkers and building of some new ones - plus building three proper teeing grounds on our range - with built in artificial turf areas on each so they can be used all weather and all year round.

Now I don't use our range much at all - maybe used it on three occasions this year (and I don't intend to 'use' our remodelled and new bunkers ;) ) But does the fact that I don't use the range mean that I should be able to opt out of that part of the levy assigned to that project. Of course not.

I am a member at the moment - for the last 16yrs and maybe for only another 2 or 3. But I consider myself to be a custodian of the club and course - looking after it and developing it for future generations of members. That I will not be a member for long after these projects are completed to fully appreciate what my money is being spent on matters not a jot to me.
 
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Kennysarmy

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In this day and age of connectivity and social networks it always amazes me that I have to trawl through pages of our club website just to see if anything new has been added!
 
D

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What is a better term than car park golfer then?
 
D

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I quite like 'club golfer' and 'car park golfer'.

I think that differentiates quite well.
 

IanM

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I quite like 'club golfer' and 'car park golfer'.

I think that differentiates quite well.

Not sure why there is a need to differentiate. There are some weeks where I have to go straight off. But it is the exception. But we are all different.

Would the retired folk who play 4 times a week say that I don't support the club as I only play on Saturday as I work?
 

ger147

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Not sure why there is a need to differentiate. There are some weeks where I have to go straight off. But it is the exception. But we are all different.

Would the retired folk who play 4 times a week say that I don't support the club as I only play on Saturday as I work?

There is no difference at all. They are all members in the same way as retired golfers are members even though they pay smaller membership subs than younger members who may still work full-time and therefore play less often and perhaps not have time to visit the bar in the clubhouse as often.
 
D

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I think you have missed the whole point, whoosh, why do we need a special 'term' for them ;)
Like ger147 said, we don't. I just asked the question because someone else objected to the term so I asked what the alternatives are.
 

Jacko_G

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There's a good and healthy 'club' ethos in my place - I can go in to the clubhouse and almost invariably if I want I can sit with other members and have a chat - or I can grab a coffee, pick up the Daily Telegraph - and sit in a quiet spot by myself and have a read. It's one of the things that prospective members spot straight away when in the clubhouse or playing complimentary round with members, and what new members comment on.

You could extrapolate from this, that if fewer members used the clubhouse, then we'd be less likely to attract new members (and societies); less likely to have the excellent 'in-house' bar and catering facilities that we have (and that are always commented upon in complimentary terms by visitors and visiting societies); less likely to attract societies and visitors - and more likely to have an increase in subs to compensate for loss of income.

My view is simply that by being a member of my club I buy into it as a whole. And if the club (it's a members club) consider it appropriate to have a food and drinks 'levy' - though unlike many levies members are recompensed fully in kind - then that is OK by me. Nobody forced me to join my club.

We also have a course improvement levy (£40 a year) at the moment - it is not set in stone but levied on a year-by-year basis to pay for specific course improvement projects. The last two years the funds have gone towards a complete rebuilding and remodelling of our bunkers and building of some new ones - plus building three proper teeing grounds on our range - with built in artificial turf areas on each so they can be used all weather and all year round.

Now I don't use our range much at all - maybe used it on three occasions this year (and I don't intend to 'use' our remodelled and new bunkers ;) ) But does the fact that I don't use the range mean that I should be able to opt out of that part of the levy assigned to that project. Of course not.

I am a member at the moment - for the last 16yrs and maybe for only another 2 or 3. But I consider myself to be a custodian of the club and course - looking after it and developing it for future generations of members. That I will not be a member for long after these projects are completed to fully appreciate what my money is being spent on matters not a jot to me.

Not sure if you picked me up wrongly or I didn't word it correctly.

Firstly I am not what you would term a car park golfer, we're not even allowed to change our shoes in the car park! Therefore I must must the clubhouse on every visit.

As I said in the other thread I easily spend £30 a month as likewise we're a very sociable club where "sweeps" and matches seem to start with a cuppa and a roll or a bowl of soup after the golf. I'm more than happy to use the facilities and the course.
 
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