Golf Club snobbery

[chrisd]

surley if they have “ members “ then certain times would be set aside.
At my club it’s before 9,30 am and between 12 to 2pm no visitors allowed to play.

But at these proprietary clubs I would have thought it was more important to have times as they get so many visitors.

The fact he was given a tee time means there must be some system in place!

My club is a members owned one and for visitors we give, I understand, what is known as an "indicative tee time" Given that members can rock up and play at any time visitors cannot book a specific time but just do what us members do and turn up and play. Clearly sometimes there will be a wait on the tee but never very long and we do have a 2 tee start depending on the numbers in the group.

 

[need_my_wedge]

We're a members club with no specific tee times, we can rock up and play any time unless there is a comp or a society booked in. There are a few swindles that can clog the tee a bit at times during the week, but you get to know when they go and either rock up outside them or join them. We get an email every morning with notification of any tee bookings, and the bookings are posted by the first and tenth tees. There may be the odd rush to beat a blocked out time on occasion - as long as you're away before the tee is closed there's usually no issue. Other than that, the system works pretty well. I wouldn't expect any booked in visitors to be pushed sideways to get members out first, but if a visitor turned up on the off chance of a game and the tee was booked out for a comp, then I would expect them to have to wait.

 

[patricks148]

sound like poor organisation rather than snobbery.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

IMO any club that appends the word 'National' to their club name fancies itself a bit much.

At my previous club (Filton in Bristol - a damn fine club and pretty good track - but nothing fancy) me and a mate would refer to the club as Royal Filton Hills Golf and Country Club - why? Because it was a golf club on the side of a 'hill' and it was in the country - the 'Royal'? Well we just fancied sticking Royal on the front to make it sound even grander than it was(n't)

 

[Orikoru]

I am not blaming the members.

Our time was booked in advance
Arrived 50 min early. Paid & received cards (no mention of any adjustment to tee time)
Came back from range 1st tee packed
To be told with no apology our time had been moved because they had to fit some members in who had turned up.

Best part of 2 hours before teeing up.

I never once blamed the members. If a club is run where people just arrive & are allowed to start when they wish not when a slot is free that's wrong.

Shocking organisation. If you had somewhere to be at 3pm or something then you wouldn't have been able to fit the round then, ruining your day. They should have at least offered you a discount.

 

[Lazkir]

Shocking organisation. If you had somewhere to be at 3pm or something then you wouldn't have been able to fit the round then, ruining your day. They should have at least offered you a discount.

That's a good point.
What if you had to be somewhere as said, and then said sod it, I'm not playing here now. Give me my money back?
I bet they'd have shoe horned you in or told you tough luck, no refunds!

 

[IanM]

Its not snobbery, it is dozy admin and poor customer service.

If they have fixed members' times (which we'd all want at weekends if shelling out an annual subscription) why did they book you in those times?

If they don't and you'd booked and paid , moving you is blooming rude.

As you said, they've lost your future custom and that of anyone influenced by your experience.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

sometime last summer me and my 4BBB partner turned up for a match on a Sunday midday. Our opponents were there. The tee was quiet - as we know it would be - as we milled around getting ready to go off a group of four guys we didn't recognise wandered up and asked us when our tee time was - they were green fee payers. Of course we didn't have one as we don't do tee booking at my club. They advised us that they had the tee booked for midday. Now we knew that green fee players could play at weekends but we were pretty sure it was only after 1pm on a Sunday. But we did the right thing and let the guys tee of before us. No point in arguing with them we thought as not their problem and as being arsy as we reckoned that that would just create a bad impression of us and the club.

 

[richart]

Never heard of the Surrey National and I live in Surrey.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Never heard of the Surrey National and I live in Surrey.

Me neither...and so do I - then again - it's other side of Dorking...!

 

[r0wly86]

I played there a few years ago, new course I think. Nice course though, can get some good deals on teeofftimes

 

[Pathetic Shark]

They had the Surrey Mid-Age there a couple of years back and generally p****d people off with their attitude about how great they thought their club was. Most of the people playing just competed in the 36-hole event (which wound up being shortened to 18 because of heavy rain) and then got the hell out of dodge. They were pretty arsey about people booking practice rounds before hand even though it was part of the entry fee.

 

[Khamelion]

Members do contribute to keeping a club open, but the footfall of guests also make a significant contribution to a clubs funds. A club know how much it needs to exist and how many members they need to make that number up. Guests provide a valuable income, not only in green fees, but over the bar in terms or drink and food.

A club should be looking after the guests as equally they do the members.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

They had the Surrey Mid-Age there a couple of years back and generally p****d people off with their attitude about how great they thought their club was. Most of the people playing just competed in the 36-hole event (which wound up being shortened to 18 because of heavy rain) and then got the hell out of dodge. They were pretty arsey about people booking practice rounds before hand even though it was part of the entry fee.

The whole place comes across as snobby because of the "National" tag. I thought Kingswood Golf "and Country Club" would be as bad but they have a great operation and really friendly to guests.