Car park golfers

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

But where do you stop when it comes to imposing beliefs or actions on others? Where in any club rule book does it say you must use the bar?

At a previous club, where I was a member for almost half of my life, the card system was introduced. At the end of the year the Treasurer printed off the bar card usage by member for a discussion at the finance committee meeting. There were less than a dozen car park members who were perceived to have gone on to use the bar more regularly after spending the then levy of £25. I can't remember what the total spend was of that group but it was dwarfed by the discount given to the 10 highest spenders. One member, who I often had a pint or two with, spent over £8k in the year - you can imagine his discount, closely followed by another who spent almost £7k.

I agree with Bachache's point that more people in the bar make for a better atmosphere, and that is definitely a win, but I'm not convinced that it works financially at every club, or even the majority.

To be fair, the club I'm using as an example has always had a vibrant, welcoming well run bar as Fish can attest to.

No argument at all with any of this. It's really just the same argument that bounces around in respect of taking children on holiday during term time. OK if a few do it - not OK if everyone did it.

Clubs thrive and prosper, live and die, by their offering and how attractive it is for members and visitors. And if members don't use facilities and the facilities cost ££ to run - then the club may just stop providing any such facilities and that can make a club less attractive to members, new members, visitors and societies. And eventually too many bricks removed and the wall collapses. So be it.

And so I am not suggesting that anyone's beliefs should be imposed on others (other than when in a members club a committee of elected members makes a decision on behalf of all members). Simply that every member should be aware of where a club requires the support of it's membership for facilities provided to be maintained.

As you - I am fortunate to be a member of a thriving, welcoming, forward-looking and vibrant members club. I recognise that 'good fortune' as not simply being something I get for paying my £1750/yr (eeek) but that it is something that has been engendered and built by the members. And so I do my part in maintaining it.

 

[Crow]

I tried car park golf but there were too many complaints about broken wing mirrors and scratched doors.

 

[IanM]

I think it is up to folk how they use their club..... within reason! Riding a trail bike over the greens isn't part of the deal!!

Clubs moaning about "car park" members should look at why folk are not using other facilities. Maybe the services offered are not good enough or priced wrong. One club (with a hotel) had a wonderful food offering... but the cheapest thing on the menu was £15 or so... after 9 holes on a Wednesday, all I want was a toastie!

Ultimately it is up to them...one of our guys has a 90 year old mum he has to dash off to. so he can cook her lunch. No one minds, and why would they?

 

[Orikoru]

What the heck is a car park golfer? I tend to play golf on the course, not in the car park.

 

[GB72]

Over the years I have become what many would call a car park golfer. At previous clubs I have used the facilities more but that tended to be before a round rather than after. I used to enjoy a coffee and a weekend treat of a bacon sandwich before a round. Current club does not have the kitchen open until after I tee off and so that has gone out of the window now. I suppose that the question is why I have become a car park golfer.

First reason is pretty simple. I expect to get flack from this but in general, I like playing golf but I do not like golf clubs. I have posted on various threads about elements that I do not like or enjoy so no need to go over them. Simplest to say that there are places I would rather socialise than at a golf club. Does that make me a bad member, in some people's eyes, probably and I am not going to disagree with them. Still, to play the course I want to and to enter comps I need to be a member of a club and so I abide by the rules, follow the procedures and etiquette but do not hang around the place for long after a round.

The other reason is the same as many others, I simply have other things to do at weekends. Part of this is due to my wife working away so I do not see her for much of the week. In general though, I have plans for Saturday afternoon after a round of golf and I would rather get going with those than hang around for another hour drinking a coffee that I do not really want. Alternatively, I can head off to somewhere else with my playing partners, somewhere where I families feel more comfortable, and have a drink and something to eat.

The exception is that if I am playing with people I do not normally play with then I will always stay for one if that is what they are doing as I feel that is only polite.

To a number of people, the golf club is the centre of their life and I can understand that, the rugby club used to be the centre mine but the golf club is really a very small part of mine. If I did not enjoy playing golf so much, there are few other elements of the golf club that I would miss. Strangely, I actually even socialise more at the gym than I do at the golf club, often staying for a coffee and a chat after a workout.

 

[Wolf]

Over the years I have become what many would call a car park golfer. At previous clubs I have used the facilities more but that tended to be before a round rather than after. I used to enjoy a coffee and a weekend treat of a bacon sandwich before a round. Current club does not have the kitchen open until after I tee off and so that has gone out of the window now. I suppose that the question is why I have become a car park golfer.

First reason is pretty simple. I expect to get flack from this but in general, I like playing golf but I do not like golf clubs. I have posted on various threads about elements that I do not like or enjoy so no need to go over them. Simplest to say that there are places I would rather socialise than at a golf club. Does that make me a bad member, in some people's eyes, probably and I am not going to disagree with them. Still, to play the course I want to and to enter comps I need to be a member of a club and so I abide by the rules, follow the procedures and etiquette but do not hang around the place for long after a round.

The other reason is the same as many others, I simply have other things to do at weekends. Part of this is due to my wife working away so I do not see her for much of the week. In general though, I have plans for Saturday afternoon after a round of golf and I would rather get going with those than hang around for another hour drinking a coffee that I do not really want. Alternatively, I can head off to somewhere else with my playing partners, somewhere where I families feel more comfortable, and have a drink and something to eat.

The exception is that if I am playing with people I do not normally play with then I will always stay for one if that is what they are doing as I feel that is only polite.

To a number of people, the golf club is the centre of their life and I can understand that, the rugby club used to be the centre mine but the golf club is really a very small part of mine. If I did not enjoy playing golf so much, there are few other elements of the golf club that I would miss. Strangely, I actually even socialise more at the gym than I do at the golf club, often staying for a coffee and a chat after a workout.

I can see a lot of what you've written there applying to my own feelings and circumstances of how i use my club.

Our bar/catering isnt open before we tee off in the mornings so no chance of brekkie or a coffee unless you want an awful machine one, plus my wife often works weekends so on those occasions i either am playing in the morning whilst my oldest daughter (19yrs old) is at home with the little ones so i leave straight after playing to get home so she can do what she wants or if my wife is working a late shift to get home and take over the parent duties so she can head off to work. Similarly if she happens to get a weekend off work I'll head home early to spend time as a family we won't often get.

If we do then do something after golf as a family its at a local pub which is more welcoming and accomodating to families. I really dont enjoy the social aspect of golf clubs anymore, I still enjoy playing and having a chat during the round, but the clubhouse element doesn't interest me at all anymore. I much prefer to sit and have a coffee at the gym with people having a chat etc which ironically im doing as i type this, theres a good coffee shop in here where a much more diverse range of people come. This is obviously my own feelings and experiences, but i can also bring the kids for a swim and they can sit in here have a hot chocolate and feel comfortable.

We're all at clubs for different reasons and we all pay our subs so are all members we just choose to use less of the facilities and truth be told till my kids are grown up and i have more spare time i will likely continue to be car park member for a long time to come.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

@Wolf and @GB72 - what happens when a society or visitor rolls up before kitchen open and the visitors are fancying something to eat?

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Its tricky, and not sure what could be really done to appeal to members that don't use the clubhouse. We fall somewhere in between the two camps, sometimes we do, probably on average we don't(ignoring the rounds we play in evenings etc, when the clubhouse isn't open so not an option). Why would I want to sit in the clubhouse, I have asked myself many a time...

But to be truthful, I would rather sit at home and eat at home. I'm not a great socialite and more at ease at home. You either get that or don't, but it is what it is.

We even have times when we have travelled a long way to courses to play and other than for a quick nose around, we don't stop in the clubhouse for a drink or food after or before golf, even when we aren't in a great rush. Waterville/Muirfield are such examples.

Some places also just 'make' you want to go in, Burnham-on-Crouch, Ganton and Formby are such prime examples recently. Why not 100% sure, but Welcome probably has a lot to do it but would have to have a think about

 

[GB72]

@Wolf and @GB72 - what happens when a society or visitor rolls up before kitchen open and the visitors are fancying something to eat?

Provisions are made for ore booked societies. We do not have many individual pay and play golfers

 

[Lord Tyrion]

@Wolf and @GB72 - what happens when a society or visitor rolls up before kitchen open and the visitors are fancying something to eat?

My place is probably similar to the two you have asked as our catering does not open early either, at a guess it is around 10am. For small groups of visitors, tough. For larger groups they could probably pre-arrange to open for them if that was part of the package they booked. Not sure what the tipping point is for numbers.

 

[Wolf]

@Wolf and @GB72 - what happens when a society or visitor rolls up before kitchen open and the visitors are fancying something to eat?

Societies are provided for as pre booked and paid as part of their package for breakfast, club will also arrange for half way hut to be open, normal visitors if they want to play early then they can use machine for coffee or eat after the round breakfast is only provided during normal kitchen/bar hours..

Half way hut is generally open only on weekends to members when there is a comp on.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Yes

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?

Yes, food and is optional, not mandatory.

Email, social media and WhatsApp are great ways of spreading information. Noticeboards have their place but only make up part of a communication strategy for a club.

 

[jim8flog]

I would say because a lot of people come straight off the course, bang their shoes together at the back of the car and leave a mess on the car park and, as seems to be the case in so many areas these days, once it hits the floor it ceases to be their problem. However, this debris builds up and makes the car park look scruffy and can produce slipping hazards, especially when it's icy. As a member you have a responsibility to the club and that includes not leaving the car park covered in grass and mud.

This is something our course manager often moans about.

We have a blower that can be used for cleaning shoes and trolleys but there are probably a lot than never use it because it is next to the clubhouse.

 

[Deleted member 23270]

There are still a lot of older golfers out there that are not really computer savvy or social media users. I think there is still a place for notice boards for a few years yet.

 

[Jacko_G]

There are still a lot of older golfers out there that are not really computer savvy or social media users. I think there is still a place for notice boards for a few years yet.

My 87 year old uncle has an email address, banks online, shops online and has all his lights, heating etc set up to be controlled from his phone when he's at the bowling club.

He is probably the exception to the rule right enough.

 

[RangeMonkey]

I’ll probably join a club proper in 2021, and my current “access partnership” gives me full access to club facilities.

I don’t, ever, go into any other bar, so why should I be expected to go into the golf club bar? I’m coming for the sport of golf. Nothing else.

 

[MadAdey]

I think that people need to understand that being a car park golfer is the only way some people can get to play the game. People have busy work schedules, that means they do not spend much time with their family during the week. So playing golf at the weekend then sitting around the clubhouse drinking is probably not going to go down well with the better half, especially when she is sat at home with the kids waiting for you to get back so you can do things together.

What do people want? Ban the car park golfers, loose a chunk of the membership, the guaranteed income that is used when working out the finances for the year.

 

[Smiffy]

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!

Washing up, hoovering or ironing????

 

[chrisd]

I’ll probably join a club proper in 2021, and my current “access partnership” gives me full access to club facilities.

I don’t, ever, go into any other bar, so why should I be expected to go into the golf club bar? I’m coming for the sport of golf. Nothing else.

Please understand that you are entitled to play golf that way, but, if your club has a bar levy because it suits, say 95% of the members and raises several thousands of pounds for the finances then your club subscription will be a small amount higher initially than for other members but ultimately they will probably put much more cash in to the club which benefits you as well in the long term

 

[AmandaJR]

Washing up, hoovering or ironing????

Definitely none of the above...life's way too short for all three