Changing Shoes in the Car park

[CMAC]

World of difference between "dislike" which would suggest a particular hatred and winding me up which they do. Semantics aside though it isn't the changing the shoes per se that is the REAL issue. It has a lot to do with them never using the clubhouse at all and therefore never contributing towards a club they already pay a huge fee to join. Surely it is simple economics that the more people using the 19th the more cash a club has and the less the fees need to go up year on year.

isnt that a contradiction....


I used to think the 'changing shoes in the car park' was a snob type rule, however I think it goes back to metal spikes which can tear up a tarmac carpark over the years, plus with people cleaning their shoes there it creates piles of grass/mud making it untidy, so I know feel differently about it and will adhere to the clubs rules even though it means a few trips back and forth to my car.

 

[talksalot81]

First time I have ever heard anyone talk about this...

I am a member (albeit house) at a club which would probably be considered one of the more 'snobby' in the area. I would say that the majority of members change shoes in the car park. There are insufficient lockers for all members and definitely not enough for visitors so going to the changing room would then involve most people returning to their car to put their shoes and valuables away. Bit pointless really.

Doing this does not make a person antisocial at all - the suggestion is absurd. We walk off the 18th, change our shoes and go up to the bar. Alright, we don't all go and have showers together but what has that to do with anything? There are plenty enough people who go into the locker room but will never go into the bar.

Club rules are club rules but, in the absence of a specific rule, to criticise is a bit like Lord Ballyramsbottom considering you to be a pleb because you drove yourself instead of getting your chauffeur to do it.

 

[GB72]

Generally I change my shoes in the changing room. I have no problem with changing in the car park but our club has a bit of an odd setup. We have a Spike Bar and you can buy coffee at the bar. The problem is that the bar does not open until later so you have to use a coffee machine if you are playing early. The issue is that the coffee machine is in the main bar so I have to keep my normal shoes on to have a coffee before I play.

Away from my club, I have to admit that I often change in the car park and that is because some clubs do not help themselves. You arrive and cannot find any signs to the changing rooms so you trek around to find someone to ask. Then you get to the changing room and find that it has a carded lock so it is off to the pro shop for a code etc. Too much hassle so I just put my shoes on and off I go. If clubs had better signs and instructions to take the faff out of simply getting to and into the changing room them I would use the facilities there.

I will save my comments on 'car park golfers' for the other thread.

 

[Martin70]

I always take my clubs and trolley back to the car after a round - I fell more relaxed locking everything away and so I change into my casual shoes at the same time then walk back to the bar and have a pint. Just seems logical to me.

 

[Khamelion]

I change my shoes on the car park evry time I play.

Pull up on car park. Get bag out of boot. Change shoes. Off to the practice area.

When I've had my round:

Blow grass/mud shoes off with compressor (... At designated point). Walk to car. Put clubs in boot. Change shoes. Drive home.

To be honest, I see no reason to change what I do.

As above but after the round and shoe have been changed, club house, full english and coffee, drive home.

 

[BRISTOL86]

Can someone please elaborate on the issue here for the benefit of a newcomer? Why is it frowned upon to change shoes in the car park?

when I played at my par 3 course I drove there and back in my golf shoes. Have I committed a cardinal sin?!

 

[ger147]

Can someone please elaborate on the issue here for the benefit of a newcomer? Why is it frowned upon to change shoes in the car park?

when I played at my par 3 course I drove there and back in my golf shoes. Have I committed a cardinal sin?!

2 shot penalty and drop within 1 club length of the locker room door, not nearer the hole.

 

[Pin-seeker]

World of difference between "dislike" which would suggest a particular hatred and winding me up which they do. Semantics aside though it isn't the changing the shoes per se that is the REAL issue. It has a lot to do with them never using the clubhouse at all and therefore never contributing towards a club they already pay a huge fee to join. Surely it is simple economics that the more people using the 19th the more cash a club has and the less the fees need to go up year on year.

Sorry but if this really winds you up then you need to get a grip. I usually roll up to the club early Sunday morning 7ish,change my shoes in the car park,play my round & finish 10:30ish. Straight in the car & home in time to spend the day with my family. Golf is a hobby to me. More important things in life :thup:

 

[Tiger]

I'm a car park golfer and if that fact winds anyone up then IMHO that's hilarious. When I can I will stop for a quick drink but most of the time I have to bounce straight after my round. Those who sneer at someone who pays fees but doesn't frequent the clubhouse clearly don't have kids. Golf is a hobby I try and fit around my priority which is my family...

 

[GreiginFife]

Not sure I have heard anything more absurd in a long, long time. On either count.
Unless a club has enough lockers for every member then it's more time economical to change shoes at the car rather than go change them just to bring them back to where you started. Absolute nonsense.
As for this car park golfer pish, people pay their subs which, by and large, is the largest single income factor for any club, a drink in the bar afterwards will help, indeed but by how much? If you take the price of a pint at my place (£3.10) how much of that goes to the actual club?
I don't drink alcohol so even if I bought a can of diet coke (other sparkling beverages are available) twice a week (representing my avegrage number of games per week) then I would contribute a whopping £104 per year of that only about £10-15 will be profit.
On the social side, the people I have just played golf with have just spent 4+ hours with me talking and being sociable out on the course. What benefit another half hour/hour of my time would they get from more talking?
Some days, time is very tight so I won't go in for a can of juice. As someone said, golf is a hobby and one of the most costly in both monetary and time terms so my family comes before anyone else, and so I become a car park golfer.
The alternative is that my family gets more of my time and I cancel my subs, the club loses out much, much more than it does by me not buying a drink afterwards.

 

[tugglesf239]

+1 here, as if I'd written that myself.

I get up at 5:30am every day and come to work. I get home between 6:30 and 7pm and spend a few moments with my 8 month old baby boy and my wife before he goes to bed. I get 4-5 hours to myself once a week where I like to play golf with my friends and then I get back to do food shopping/DIY/cleaning and spend some more time with my son.

That to me is more important than going to the bar for drinks.

Substitute 8 month baby boy, with 9 month baby girl and your schedule is a carbon copy of mine.

Sometimes i forgo any refreshments after a round (not that my club even has a bar, but that's a different story) and drive home with my soft spike on.

 

[chellie]

If not rushing off to do something else we sometimes go in for a drink and occassionally have something to eat. Prices at ours aren't cheap which does factor in to it if we've both played and are ready for food. I played golf 15 days out of 18 a couple of weeks ago and probably only went in the clubhouse 3 times. Shoes changed in carpark and rushed off home on the other days.

 

[Snelly]

When I play golf, I always have a coffee or a beer in the clubhouse before playing so it makes sense to bring all my stuff in to the changing rooms and change shoes there. 90% of the time, I will have a shower after playing and change in to a different set of clothes before going to the bar or having something to eat with my playing partners. It is not that I am particularly smelly or anything, I just think it is the right thing to do.

On the odd occasion where I am not doing this, I will often slip my shoes on in the car park and go to the first tee. I would still in most instances, shower and change before going to the bar afterwards though.

Finally, having a pint and a chat with my playing partners is an essential part of my day out playing golf and I would not want to rush off. I would not particularly want to play with a crowd of people who just want to go straight home. It is important to support the club from a social perspective and nice to relax in like minded company too.

We all want different things from our golf....

I could not care less where you change your shoes really...as long as you're not making a mess for someone else to clear up as that would be a little thoughtless.

 

[bluewolf]

nice sociable in-it-for-myself member...every club should have one...

Thanks for the attempted character assassination. You don't know my circumstances. You know nothing about me. Don't judge my actions until you've made the effort to learn something about me. I've posted more info on the other thread. Feel free to agree or disagree with my stance, but keep your "holier than thou" attitude to yourself. Have you considered that more people would frequent the clubhouse if it wasn't populated by judgemental snobs like yourself?

 

[Deleted member 18121]

Thanks for the attempted character assassination. You don't know my circumstances. You know nothing about me. Don't judge my actions until you've made the effort to learn something about me. I've posted more info on the other thread. Feel free to agree or disagree with my stance, but keep your "holier than thou" attitude to yourself. Have you considered that more people would frequent the clubhouse if it wasn't populated by judgemental snobs like yourself?

 

[Pin-seeker]

Thanks for the attempted character assassination. You don't know my circumstances. You know nothing about me. Don't judge my actions until you've made the effort to learn something about me. I've posted more info on the other thread. Feel free to agree or disagree with my stance, but keep your "holier than thou" attitude to yourself. Have you considered that more people would frequent the clubhouse if it wasn't populated by judgemental snobs like yourself?

Well said,obviously some people have a life out side of golf & some don't.

 

[bladeplayer]

Sounds like two separate issues. I always change my shoes in the car park, that's just more convenient, but almost always go into the clubhouse as well.

I don't have any issue with anyone who chooses to shoot off without having a drink. It can be hard enough to fit a round of golf into people's busy lives without adding another hour or two on for socialising afterwards.

I imagine everyone uses the bar sometimes and everyone heads straight off sometimes - different people will balance it differently according to their own situation. I'm a member of a golf club first and foremost to play golf.

The voice of reason , :thup:

 

[pheel88]

I change my shoes in the car park normally just because it is easier to do everything at once.

On the other issue about people not using the clubhouse after a round I just struggle to take your argument seriously about them not contributing to the club. Your blog guestimates that if this group of 10 golfers went into the clubhouse after then the club would make an additional £750 you firstly ignore the fact that there would be costs with this of about £500+ so the profit margin on £750 is pretty low at best around £200 at worst probably about £50. I don't know what the membership fee is at your club but lets assumer £800 with maybe a joining fee that is similar then these 10 golfers have generated 10 x £1500 (£15,000) in their first year alone. It just wouldn't make financial sense to launch a vendetta against the whole club because just based on your sample you would need to get 75-100 members using the bar 50 weeks of the year to make up for the offensive 10 golfers that leave early after a round.

Although they may not contribute very much to the social side of the club it also allows the club to accept more members as there will be spaces at the comps and social events. In times like these then clubs need to do all they can to keep membership high as this is the main source of income.

 

[Birchy]

What next? Criticising people for not playing in the snooker league or Bridge nights?

I mean for god sake :rofl:

If anybody ever frowned upon me for changing shoes in the car park I would laugh right in their face because its pathetic.

You pays your money, you takes your choice.

 

[bigslice]

no need i put my golf shoes on at my house, drove to the course played finished straight into my van and drove home. my crocs rock. #spikeless