How Do You Know a Club is Good?

Lord Tyrion said:
Slab covered most of this but for me if anyone at a club treated me like dirt it would leave a sour taste, no matter the quality of the course. It is about the whole experience, not just one aspect. I would totally agree that the course is the reason to go to any club, the clubhouse is secondary by a long way, but once there I expect to be treated with courtesy and a smile. Having read your posts previously I am sure you must have played at Turnberry. By crikey they have got it right on and off the course and that makes you feel special for every moment you are there, not just when you are playing the 18 holes.
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i get what you are saying, but the club house etc, are way down the list of why i go to a course.

For instance, Skibo you get treated like a king. from the moment you arrive, a guy takes your clubs and makes sure they are ready on the range /putting green then first tee. Locker with your name on and goody bag, bag tag again with your name one. a few refreshment huts out on the course where everything is free. when you finish a guy takes your clubs and shoes and cleans them and takes them to your car. Food and wine and service are excellent, locker room is like very classy and everything you would need there is layed out for you. But at the end of the day, i don't think the course is that great TBH apart from the front 9 of course, so would not rush back TBH
 
patricks148 said:
i get what you are saying, but the club house etc, are way down the list of why i go to a course.

For instance, Skibo you get treated like a king. from the moment you arrive, a guy takes your clubs and makes sure they are ready on the range /putting green then first tee. Locker with your name on and goody bag, bag tag again with your name one. a few refreshment huts out on the course where everything is free. when you finish a guy takes your clubs and shoes and cleans them and takes them to your car. Food and wine and service are excellent, locker room is like very classy and everything you would need there is layed out for you. But at the end of the day, i don't think the course is that great TBH apart from the front 9 of course, so would not rush back TBH
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If the course is no up to it then no amount of great service will make a difference. Totally agree with that.
 
Yant said:
My playing partner is adamant that the sign of a proper golf club is when you see members playing golf and walking their dog at the same time.
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That is the kind of post I was looking for. Makes no sense but it makes a difference in the eyes of your pp. Love it.

I do enjoy watching a perfectly behaved dog on a course, it is great to see. I have a spaniel and would take her at my old club when the course was empty in the evenings. She would run everywhere, chasing the scents of the different animals. Ran around like a headless chicken, zig zagged all over, but would always come back to me. I couldn't take her if anyone was around, I had no control over her on the course, but she loved it.
 
HankMarvin said:
Gleneagles
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Honest question - how good are the courses? (Ryder Cup course aside)

I know the hotel and service and everything about the place is top top class but don't know anyone who's actually played there* - we all seem to head to the links when north of the border

(*Obviously I don't move in the right circles!)
 
shortgame said:
Honest question - how good are the courses? (Ryder Cup course aside)

I know the hotel and service and everything about the place is top top class but don't know anyone who's actually played there* - we all seem to head to the links when north of the border

(*Obviously I don't move in the right circles!)
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Both The Kings and Queens are very good courses and worth playing if you get a chance, The Kings has one of the best opening holes in golf, great big wide fairway but it's all about where you put the second shot
 
Come on Spanky, you can hardly compare Gleneagles to your run of the mill local club can you ?

As for the courses, Queens is fantastic, not played any of the others but I'm told the Kings is ace also though a few blind approaches from what I recall of when the Scottish Open used to be there, I'm still awaiting my invite on to the PGA course I was promised....eh Spanky.
 
Cabby said:
Come on Spanky, you can hardly compare Gleneagles to your run of the mill local club can you ?

As for the courses, Queens is fantastic, not played any of the others but I'm told the Kings is ace also though a few blind approaches from what I recall of when the Scottish Open used to be there, I'm still awaiting my invite on to the PGA course I was promised....eh Spanky.
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With the exception of the 3 hole on the Kings the rest are visible, PGA on Friday half past five if you want, bring a mate (if you have any :rofl:)
 
williamalex1 said:
Almost as good as Royal Bellshill :whistle:
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Ah - now there was me thinking your place was Royal Bells Hills Golf and Country Club....;)

Should be easy for the expensive green fee clubs to make you welcome - with freebies etc. But these things matter little to me compared with the personal welcome that even the lowliest of clubs can offer. That for me is the making of a club - not what they can lavish on my for nowt...as I'd be paying for it indirectly in any case.

And so Billy's Royal Bells Hills G&CC is a splendidly welcoming and unpretentious golf club, in what can only be considered quite humble surroundings.
 
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Blue in Munich - Glad you had a good day at North Berwick - that sign also reminds the members how to behave!

HankMarvin said:
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:
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Gleneagles really get the balance between being high-end and welcoming just right. The only time I've been lucky enough to play there everything was done to make our day special and the atmosphere of the Dormy clubhouse made spending a couple of hours there after our round very enjoyable. The prices were also not the eye watering numbers one might expect at Gleneagles, and they had a decent selection of beers which, as I was not driving, I managed to sample a few :D.

We played the Kings course which is simply wonderful. Hope to get back to sample the Queen's one day.
 
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Lord Tyrion said:
That is the kind of post I was looking for. Makes no sense but it makes a difference in the eyes of your pp. Love it.

I do enjoy watching a perfectly behaved dog on a course, it is great to see. I have a spaniel and would take her at my old club when the course was empty in the evenings. She would run everywhere, chasing the scents of the different animals. Ran around like a headless chicken, zig zagged all over, but would always come back to me. I couldn't take her if anyone was around, I had no control over her on the course, but she loved it.
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Yeah i love watching these perfectly behaved dogs, trudge along obediently behind their master. Fantastic.
 
HankMarvin said:
Gleneagles
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Thought as much ...

Was impressed by them when we went there. We had a piece of paper that said we had a 2pm slot on the Kings. They had a computer that said we didn't. Not their fault but the internediate booking system. They bent over backwards to try to sort things. They could not get us on Kings at 2 but offered a variety of alternatives for the day. We settled on the PGA at 2 rather than Kings or Queens at alternative times. (This just 2 months prior to the Ryder Cup there.) They chucked in buggies as a "sorry" even though it wasn't their fault. They simply did not want us to be disappointed by our experience with them. A good course is a good course, but good service makes it special. Not surprisingly, our next "Scottish visit" included a trip to the Kings.

And by the way, the halfway house on the Kings (& Queens?) is the best halfway house in the known universe ...
 
HankMarvin said:
Gabby

I made a mistake it's the Kings I have booked for Friday night and not the PGA, anyway just let me know what day suits you and I will get the PGA booked
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I'm no fussed about the PGA, Kings is all good, same price or cheaper, no paying dearer.
 
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