Joining your first club

[DanFST]

Hello all, this is my first post so i hope it's in the correct section. I did have a search to see if i could get any answers.

I've been playing this horrible game for 15 odd years on and off. And now i'd like to join a club, for the first time. Previously i've been playing randomly through the year, on various courses. However, i'm not certain i'm good enough. For example i played today, and hit 97. (which is quite good for me). And i played on Saturday and hit 120 odd, albeit very hungover. So i'm not too consistent.

The only thing putting me off is the informal 9 holes, as i don't have a handicap. I get quite embarrassed when i hack a shot into the tree's, and feel like i'm slowing people down. The fact i laugh most of it off people seem to get the idea that I don't care, when I really do want to improve, it's just a game! I've also had a bad experience with a local more prestigious club where as a visitor. So that's kind of put me off also.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, also any suggestions for local clubs in Ipswich that have decent facilities and a friendly atmosphere (i.e, not Purdis)

Apologies for the essay. :blah:

 

[Digging a hole for myself]

So, the first question is why do you want to join?

I'm in a similar position myself. My scores hover around the 100-105 mark, largely because I'll play/practice determinedly for 3 mths then get waylaid with work or family for the next 6 or more months! To me, membership doesn't make sense because I don't play enough. A good benchmark is will you get out at least once a week averaged over the year? That is the only way that it makes (financial) sense to be a member in my neck of the woods. Otherwise, it's far better to do as I do and pay and play - I get to access exactly the same courses, albeit that weekend mornings can be tricky (which is fine with me anyway) and I don't get to have a handicap (which doesn't upset me either, at the moment).

Having said that, there are a lot of reasons other than it making financial sense. You might want to play in regular club competitions (a good way of improving, I'm sure) or just want to "belong".

Certainly when I'm hitting consistently around the 100 mark, I don't feel out of place with my friends who have handicaps ranging from 6 to 18. Yes, I do sometimes hit it wildly off the track, but so do they. Where we tend to differ is that their putting and short game is considerably better than mine. I'm working on that! Our long games aren't too dissimilar, although mine is just that bit shorter.

I'll be interested to hear your views and those of others on this post. I've kept meaning to join a club since I started 3 years ago. I will one day, although it may well be in a restricted membership category (e.g. post 3pm only) until I can justify something else to myself.

 

[SGC001]

I wouldn't worry about not been good enough, been able to break 100 sounds plenty good enough to me. As for hitting bad shots we all do, so I wouldn't worry about that either. Not sure what your bad experience was, but if you enjoy the game I'd try not to let it put you off.

I know it can be intimidating, a disabled relative of mine joined a club a few years ago and they were a bit self conscious worrying about a couple of carry's and feeling exposed. They were fine when they finally did it, a best card of just below 100. A nightmare on 1 hole on another round when they wanted to take an unplayable because of a lie they couldn't deal with and felt pressured into trying it by the card marker who really should have known better, but that was of their own doing through not trusting themselves. So go for it, but trust yourself.

Don't know about clubs in Ipswich I'm afraid.

If I was to try and get a handicap I'd do well to break 120 atm and it wouldn't bother me any.

Edit: spelling

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

The only thing putting me off is the informal 9 holes, as i don't have a handicap. I get quite embarrassed when i hack a shot into the tree's, and feel like i'm slowing people down. The fact i laugh most of it off people seem to get the idea that I don't care, when I really do want to improve, it's just a game! I've also had a bad experience with a local more prestigious club where as a visitor. So that's kind of put me off also.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, also any suggestions for local clubs in Ipswich that have decent facilities and a friendly atmosphere (i.e, not Purdis)

What 'informal 9 holes' - do you mean a 'trial by golf' with a committee member before they offer you membership? Don;t worry about that - they just want to check that you are not an club-throwing ignoramus and that you understand the basics - and I mean the real basics. So for instance - which end of club to hold and clubs not really intended for use on the green - and most importantly where you should stand when you playing partner is teeing off (I jest)

And you had a bad experience with a prestigious club? I think you'll find that most (if not all) here will tell you that any such issue you will have had will have been nothing really to do with you and more to do with that club being too far up itself. So on that dinnae fash yersel'

 

[Twin Lakes]

Dan just go for it.
There are plenty of golfers out there who take it very seriously and can't consistently break the 100 when it counts.
Just enjoy it and you've got as much right to be out there as anyone else.

 

[Chisteve]

Hi Dan

You sound like me, I was bad and felt very intimidated to start with and worried about joining a club been playing over 3 years now and just starting to hit under a hundred but did get very nervous in the few comps I've entered, silly really as the chaps I played with were fine.

The club I belong to have a credits type membership that's great for me as I simply cant play that often due to work, I also play at a number of other clubs as a guest and with a small group of chaps

I was very worried about holding people up at first but soon realized a lot people have similar problems with losing balls so best not to worry too much, I have also experienced an unpleasant moment due to holding a 4 ball when I first started - not nice and silly really looking back at it

I have a congu handicap of 28 due to not playing many comps or handing in score cards at my club as I tend to play only 9 holes, I enter my scores on all clubs I play at on golfshake have a 25 handicap on there

I intend to play more this year and my official handicap down

Hope this is of help

Steve

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I assume you have a club in mind. My place holds open days throughout the summer. Come along, play nine holes with a committee member, have a mingle and a drink. a look around the place and pay your money. Most of these, nine hole rounds are there to make sure you have an idea what you are doing and how to behave. Just hit it, find it and hit it again and enjoy it. They need you and your money more than you need them so if they start making it a pain to join look somewhere else

 

[pbrown7582]

Dan just go for it.
There are plenty of golfers out there who take it very seriously and can't consistently break the 100 when it counts.
Just enjoy it and you've got as much right to be out there as anyone else.

this ^^^^^

BY THE WAY hello and welcome to the madhouse enjoy

 

[DanFST]

Thanks for the advice guys, I guess I just need to man up. As regards to why i want to join:

Financially it makes great sense: I'm a lazy 22 year old student student, who's living at home this year. I can get memberships at most places locally for under £200! I never realised how cheap it would be being a student! We play as a group at a minimum every 2 weeks, so it should save some money there. However, 2 of my friends are not students. So it makes the excision bait more difficult on where we join.

I don't know if you'll have the feeling in a golf club as I have no experience. But at my local cricket club i got to know everyone, and would just go down for a beer in the evenings, to catch up and relax. The club turned into my local, but annoyingly it's the other side of town. Whereas the golf courses are very close.

Most of the clubs only have one course. Now i've been under the impression that no two rounds are the same. And i won't get bored, but will it start to drag that there is only one? Theres a more expensive one with 2, but it's 10-15 miles away. So i couldn't sneak over for a pint if i wasn't playing.

And also Would you say it's best to talk to the club and register my interest, and then play the courses to see if theres anything I don't like. Or play the courses first via teeofftimes, then go talk to my favourite?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have only ever been a member of clubs with only one course and it never gets boring. Try spicing it up if you fee it gets stale. Try taking an iron off a tee you'd hit 3 wood on and leave longer shots in. If you can get away with it, play a couple of balls. Hit some chips around the greens and putt as much as you can on the course and learn the breaks. Every day is a school day

 

[GPS]

I joined my first club in May last year having taken the game up towards the back end of 2012. When I joined I couldn't break 100 but was still able to play a round without feeling pressured by other members. Perhaps I'm lucky and the members of my club are considerate, I'm not sure. I managed to break 100 within a couple of months and shot my lowest score of 86 a few months later! I wouldn't worry, sign up and enjoy!

 

[golfdub]

Dont worry about your score, im a club member and before xmas I had 2 rounds in the 70's but my last two rounds I didn't break 100 so we all struggle with our scores from time to time. Just get out there and play I'm sure you won't regret it and watch those score's tumble as you play more regular.

Oh and welcome to the forum

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

Firstly welcome.

Secondly, don't be intimidated, clubs want new members.

Thirdly, EVERYONE hits bad shots.

Fourthly (?) I have been a member at my club for 20+ years, I still look forward to every round.

Join a club, embrace the club, at 22 you are the clubs future.

 

[DanFST]

Thanks chaps.

I finally took the plunge and went in to discuss. I can't stress how friendly everyone i spoke to was. I'm due to play a round with a committee member this week. But i'm actually looking forward to it. Speaking to him before it's not a test of ability, more a friendly Q&A, and to check you arn't an idiot. Thanks everyone for giving me the push up the backside I needed. Hopefully by the end of the summer I shall see my scores dropping!

 

[pbrown7582]

Thanks chaps.

I finally took the plunge and went in to discuss. I can't stress how friendly everyone i spoke to was. I'm due to play a round with a committee member this week. But i'm actually looking forward to it. Speaking to him before it's not a test of ability, more a friendly Q&A, and to check you arn't an idiot. Thanks everyone for giving me the push up the backside I needed. Hopefully by the end of the summer I shall see my scores dropping!

Good for you! Get out and enjoy now

 

[Break90]

Thanks chaps.

I finally took the plunge and went in to discuss. I can't stress how friendly everyone i spoke to was. I'm due to play a round with a committee member this week. But i'm actually looking forward to it. Speaking to him before it's not a test of ability, more a friendly Q&A, and to check you arn't an idiot. Thanks everyone for giving me the push up the backside I needed. Hopefully by the end of the summer I shall see my scores dropping!

Having recently been through the same situation I can empathise. I joined my new club a month ago, and everyone so far has made me feel very welcome. My advice would be to be pro-active, get involved as much and as quickly as you can. If people see you making an effort to integrate yourself into the club they will (in my experience) make the effort back.

Good luck at your new club.