How Do You Know a Club is Good?

[Lord Tyrion]

Bit of fun. I was at Alwoodley today, warm and muggy, and I had a 2 hour drive home. I'd decided to have a shower post round. I got into the locker room and found it had free towels available for anyone wanting a shower. I instantly thought, classy. Silly but whenever I go to a club that offers that it elevates it in my eyes.

The day before Moortown had free balls to hit at the range by the 1st. Again, not the norm and a nice touch.

What works for you in terms of little touches at a club that elevate them above regular clubs? It can be something quite irrational but you notice it as soon as you see it.

 

[pokerjoke]

A warm welcome,a hello or even someone just acknowledging you makes an immediate impact for me.

 

[IanM]

Members say “morning, and enjoy your day” in the car park.... and all the other stuff!

 

[Blue in Munich]

The notice by the first tee at North Berwick (West Links), which reminds visitors that their green fee makes them a member for the day and as such they are entitled to use all the facilities including the clubhouse where the other members will make them welcome. And they did. :thup:

 

[Deleted member 15344]

No segregation for visitors and members in the changing room - when a visitor is treated like a member for the day they are there.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Members say “morning, and enjoy your day” in the car park.... and all the other stuff!

This, along with one locker room for all. A warm welcome in the pro shop and particularly in the 19th after.

 

[SaintHacker]

The notice by the first tee at North Berwick (West Links), which reminds visitors that their green fee makes them a member for the day and as such they are entitled to use all the facilities including the clubhouse where the other members will make them welcome. And they did. :thup:

Nice touch

 

[richart]

Played a four ball at Sunningdale, and there was a notice board just inside the clubhouse welcoming our group. Can’t wait to play there again on Thursday.

 

[HankMarvin]

One of the club's I am a member at has a guy greet you when you arrive at the Dormey House entrance, we have a driving range which is free for you and your guests and you get free tees pencils and a stroke saver from the starter. We also have half way houses on all 3 course which is a compulsory stop where you can have something hot to eat/drink or you can have a cold beer. The changing rooms have all the mod cons and towels are all free along with shower gel shampo etc plus there are a few guys work in the locker room who keep it tidy and will get you drinks from the bar while you shower and get ready and they also clean your golf shoes if you ask. Really is a great set up:thup:

 

[r0wly86]

Haven't been fortunate to play too many top courses, but have to say Bearwood Lakes was fantastic.

All the staff were super friendly, when I was down in the pro shop I had a good chat with the pro about PXG, Mizuno and golf in general when in walks the General Manager who again was really friendly and chatty, he was telling me about the course and the facilities, rightly proud of them and wanted to tell me all about the club.

The new driving range has free balls, tees and alignment sticks in every bay. Tees cost sod all but a lovely touch. Changing rooms had free towels, deodorant and other toiletries if you needed them. You could even get your golf shoes cleaned by someone whilst you were getting changed.

I was made to feel welcomed the whole time I was there, considering the exclusivity of the club that makes it even more special in my eyes

 

[Slab]

Locker rooms; yeah embroidered towels, complimentary toiletries/deodorant etc, (one has a towel shaped into a different animal each time I visit) and a TV in the locker room is always good. Ice cubes in the urinals (for some reason that tickled me when I first saw it) and shoe cleaning is a great service

Range balls set in pyramids is another simple one but still gives me a kick

But more than anything I guess it’s when a club I’m not a member of cares enough to use my name and remembers what I drink etc (even more with the guys at bag drop)

 

[ademac]

Haven't been fortunate to play too many top courses, but have to say Bearwood Lakes was fantastic.

All the staff were super friendly, when I was down in the pro shop I had a good chat with the pro about PXG, Mizuno and golf in general when in walks the General Manager who again was really friendly and chatty, he was telling me about the course and the facilities, rightly proud of them and wanted to tell me all about the club.

The new driving range has free balls, tees and alignment sticks in every bay. Tees cost sod all but a lovely touch. Changing rooms had free towels, deodorant and other toiletries if you needed them. You could even get your golf shoes cleaned by someone whilst you were getting changed.

I was made to feel welcomed the whole time I was there, considering the exclusivity of the club that makes it even more special in my eyes

Sounds brilliant!
Did you play with a member or can you play it as a visitor?

 

[r0wly86]

played at an event. Bacon buttie and coffee on arrival, 18 holes and a three course meal afterwards. Felt like a millionaire.

The course is incredible, shame we couldn't play when we had our fitting

 

[ademac]

played at an event. Bacon buttie and coffee on arrival, 18 holes and a three course meal afterwards. Felt like a millionaire.

The course is incredible, shame we couldn't play when we had our fitting

I have been wanting to play it since our fitting but I think its invited guests only.
Will have to look for events next year.

 

[r0wly86]

yes normally it's by invite only. Definitely worth it if you can get on

 

[Orikoru]

Bit of fun. I was at Alwoodley today, warm and muggy, and I had a 2 hour drive home. I'd decided to have a shower post round. I got into the locker room and found it had free towels available for anyone wanting a shower. I instantly thought, classy. Silly but whenever I go to a club that offers that it elevates it in my eyes.

The day before Moortown had free balls to hit at the range by the 1st. Again, not the norm and a nice touch.

What works for you in terms of little touches at a club that elevate them above regular clubs? It can be something quite irrational but you notice it as soon as you see it.

I was really hoping that story would end with a member coming out of the shower shouting "WHAT ******* HAS NICKED MY TOWEL??"

For me the food is all I care about really. If the food is nice it's a nice club, haha. :lol:

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I was really hoping that story would end with a member coming out of the shower shouting "WHAT ******* HAS NICKED MY TOWEL??"

For me the food is all I care about really. If the food is nice it's a nice club, haha. :lol:

Sorry, mine was a poor punchline . The extra touch I liked was that they were not folded up in a big pile but rolled up like scrolls of paper. You just pulled one out of the rack, again like a scroll or a bottle of wine from a rack. It looked really smart.

 

[nickjdavis]

I think the main thing is being made to feel welcome.

One of the worst things often happens before you even get in the clubhouse and that's the dreaded "visitors parking" sign. There's nothing to make you feel more unwelcome than a scruffy old sign directing you to a poorly maintained area of wasteland tucked out of sight from the rest of the club.

 

[r0wly86]

I think the main thing is being made to feel welcome.

One of the worst things often happens before you even get in the clubhouse and that's the dreaded "visitors parking" sign. There's nothing to make you feel more unwelcome than a scruffy old sign directing you to a poorly maintained area of wasteland tucked out of sight from the rest of the club.

Played Moretonhampstead now Bovey Castle once, we were asked if we wouldn't mind kindly if we had our coffee in the corridor so as not to disturb the members in the bar area. All with a look like we had trapsed dog muck through the entrance.


Never been back surprisingly and have heard that since becoming Bovey Castle the have only disappeared further up their backside

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Played Moretonhampstead now Bovey Castle once, we were asked if we wouldn't mind kindly if we had our coffee in the corridor so as not to disturb the members in the bar area. All with a look like we had trapsed dog muck through the entrance.

Interestingly yesterday at Alwoodley I got talking to the bar manager about the club house, it is a funky shape. Apparently re-done about 20-25yrs ago and the bar was re-done just 2-3 years ago. It previously had separate mens rooms, members rooms etc. Even when these were abandoned visitors did not enter these rooms as they gave the feel of being members only. They re-vamped the whole bar area to open in up, put more glass in the doors between rooms to make moving between them more inviting. The doors can now also be opened fully to allow a flow between rooms. It made for a much more inviting space. The day before we played at an old style club, red leather chairs, dark wood, small rooms with heavy doors etc and they still had the old members feel to it. We felt far more uncomfortable there, not sure where we could and could not go. The psychology of it was very interesting.