Monitoring Players On The Course

[Crazyface]

Just how does your place monitor who is out on the course? By which I mean, are they all members. Can the first tee be seen from the Pro shop? What if there is more than one starting point. What if, oh you get the drift. You see my current place on a Friday there is no one around in the shop of Sec's office and for all I know any day early doors. How then can they be sure that everyone using the place is a member? Also, the car park is close to the 17th and can be easily accessed but not seen from the shop. See what I'm getting at? Very poor design for monitoring who is using the facilities. My last place, the 16th and 18th tees could be accessed via the car park and not seen from the shop (next to 1st tee). Then the whole course, except 1st and 9th could be accessed without being seen. Sure other players could see you, but has ever questioned another player regarding right to be there? I think this is a bit of a problem for some clubs as people will be using the course and not paying. My lastest place has a starter!!!! Lovely old fella. And, as far as I can make out, only one way on to the course. There is a gap in the market, me thinks. How could this be filled?

 

[nickjdavis]

The first tee (which is the only hole easily accessible from the car park) cant be seen from the pro shop (though we used to have CCTV on the end of the clubhouse via which you could see the tee) but then there are multiple other access points to the course where someone could just walk on with a half set and start playing as there are loads of public footpaths bounding and crossing the course at various points. But we are out in the country so it would take a deal of concerted effort to get to us, be dropped off at a suitable access point and then picked up again later.

During busy periods there is no way of sneaking on....pretty much most people know each other....people would notice a strange golfer(s) suddenly appearing in front of them when previously there wasn't anyone. Also the course generally isn't set up in a way where you could sneak on at hole X and then sneak off say nine holes later.

I'd say the the problem is utterly insignificant compared to the cost/resources needed to prevent it from happening.

I'd say we have more issues with members turning up and just walking out to the first tee when its quiet without informing the pro-shop or someone in the bar. Big health and safety issue if no-one knows you are out on the course.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Our's is terrible for being able to monitor and if you are so inclined you could easily drive into the car park, go on the 1st and play for free. Very difficult to monitor due to the layout of the club, course etc. We have no starter, no rangers or whatever they are called, so it really is left down to the honesty of people.

I suspect if the owner thought it was becoming an issue then he may start roaming in a buggy but it is a weakness in the design of the place.

Interstingly enough we got an email last week reminding members to book before playing or cancel if deciding not to. Not to check in as there is no constant person in the club, we don't have a pro, so the booking system is the key for them. This was highlighted as a H & S issue if we had to find someone out on the course.

 

[patricks148]

We have a starter from April to Nov, but most evenings you could just walk on and play if you had the brass neck to do so, I do sometimes see guys you have never seen before playing late evenings in summer and wonder.
We did have a an Ex members playing the loop of 14,15,3rd,4th 15 and 13th on a Sunday afternoon just as it was getting dark over the winter, wasn't using a mat and hitting 20 or 30 ball onto each green and not repairing pitch marks. he used to park up the farm track at the back of the 13th Green, I believe the head green keeper went up caught him and had a word.

The local course to me here in Inverness was pretty bad a few years ago. the course is in 3 sections and the first section 1-8 is next to the clubhouse, the rest well away and plenty of places to park and play a few holes. when i was a member a few years ago Friday afternoon was a prime time for guys nicking on and not just the odd guy, groups of guys in work vans playing 4 balls etc. doesn't help its next to two housing estates and the canal next to it, if you challenged them you just got threatened or abused, so they turned a blind eye. the new course there should stop all that, as its in one section with little access to it apart from up the Great Glen Way footpath at the highest point.

 

[Coffey]

I know fine rightly this happens at our course. You could quite easily park at the top of the car park and walk onto either course. We get a lot of dog walkers using the car park as well as mountain bikers as there is a trail very close by.

Nothing is done about it and not too sure what could be done apart from members questioning people they suspect have not paid.

I know my last course had the same issue and another course in the area has a dreadful issue with it. They say you MUST have a valid bag tag or you will be asked to leave (even if you are a member). This is due to the location mostly, lots of houses back onto the course and people walk on through there.

 

[Capella]

At our course you can easily go from the parking lot to the first tee without being seen by anyone from the clubhouse. But I don't thinks there are people taking advantage of that, to be honest. Also, I think if any of the long term members saw this happening, a stranger who they have never met before, sneaking onto the course, they would investigate, probably asking at the front desk if they know him or just confronting the guy head on. This is Germany. Everyone is a wannabe police officer.

Actually, I don't have my bag-tag for my second golf club yet, and since I normally go there in the evenings after work, I am kind of nervous that someone will confront me about it and I specifically cleared it with the club secretary that it is okay for me to be out there without the bag-tag (but so far, no one has called me out).

So yeah, on both courses where I am a member it is possible to sneak onto the first tee without being spottet (or, when it is quiet, to hop on on some of the other holes without even starting from the car park, if you are so inclined). but I don't think anyone would do this. In Germany, pretty much anyone who does play golf is organized in a golfclub of some kind and would not risk his or her good standing by illegally free-riding somewhere else.

 

[bobmac]

At our course you can easily go from the parking lot to the first tee without being seen by anyone from the clubhouse. But I don't thinks there are people taking advantage of that, to be honest. Also, I think if any of the long term members saw this happening, a stranger who they have never met before, sneaking onto the course, they would investigate, probably asking at the front desk if they know him or just confronting the guy head on. This is Germany. Everyone is a wannabe police officer.

Actually, I don't have my bag-tag for my second golf club yet, and since I normally go there in the evenings after work, I am kind of nervous that someone will confront me about it and I specifically cleared it with the club secretary that it is okay for me to be out there without the bag-tag (but so far, no one has called me out).

So yeah, on both courses where I am a member it is possible to sneak onto the first tee without being spottet (or, when it is quiet, to hop on on some of the other holes without even starting from the car park, if you are so inclined). but I don't think anyone would do this. In Germany, pretty much anyone who does play golf is organized in a golfclub of some kind and would not risk his or her good standing by illegally free-riding somewhere else.

I wish I could go back to live in Germany again

 

[HamiltonGuy]

Our course until recently it was just ball in the chute so who was to say if you were a member or not. I play 2/3 times a week and continually see people I don’t know. We now have a booking system where you go into the pro shop and get allocated a tee time (but primitive for me) but even still there’s people I see I don’t know so who knows if people did rock up and weren’t members

 

[Orikoru]

I've played loads of courses where people could easily walk on the course. Played West Middlesex last week, to go from the 2nd green to the 3rd tee you go out of a gate, cross a main road, and then in another gate. Literally anyone could walk in through the gate and start on the 3rd. At Ruislip there are some people's back gardens that have a gate in their back fence which goes directly onto the course by the 9th tee! I often wonder if golfers live there and just waltz onto the course, tee off the 9th, do 18 holes for free and then go straight back into their garden.

Haste Hill is a public course, has public footpaths going through, so people could very easily get on for free I'm sure. No idea how that would be monitored. You could even hop the fence from the 11th/12th to get onto the neighbouring Northwood Golf Club which is vastly more expensive!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

We have the pro shop and office by the 10th tee so green fees are directed towards the first and left mainly to their own devices. We use to have a marshal at weekends although I've not seen him on duties for weeks, or even around the club so not sure what's going on there. He was brilliant at pulling up anyone trying to slip on without paying (especially mid-late afternoon) and checking members bag tags to see if they had this years sticker on (paid their fees). You could simply park up and wander to the first if you were brazen enough. I have challenged faces on the practice ground that are using it without being members.

It is a potential issue but we don't get a huge number of green fees (nor do we actively pursue them) and the issue is more prevalent with jumpers on in the summer but short of having someone by the first until late I can't see how the club can do anything proactive to stop it and the onus would be on members to question strangers. Not sure this is great where they are legitimate fee payers for encouraging them to return or look into membership and not sure what members could/would do if they found someone that hadn't paid. That sounds like a recipe for confrontation and no-one wants that trying to have a few holes after work

 

[garyinderry]

If you could all post the names of these clubs too that would be very helpful indeed. Thanks

 

[bladeplayer]

1st tee is long way from clubhouse i could play 1 -8 or 11 to 17 and never b noticed..

 

[Imurg]

We're miles from the nearest humanity, up a narrow country lane with no roads close by. There is a footpath that goes through the course but you'd need to walk a mile or so with your clubs, crossing a couple of stiles and gates to get there.
Pro shop looks out over the 1st and 10th - realistically the only start points...

 

[cookelad]

The course I was at last year had CCTV everywhere, fairly sure they have a video collection of members answering natures call somewhere.

Whereas the course I've just joined doesn't seem to have either that or they just hide the cameras better, and the course is across the road plus 100yards or so from the clubhouse/proshop behind a wall. The onle place you can see the clubhouse from the 7th green, you can see upper floors of the 'palace' from a couple of spots on the back9 and the whole of the 18th is in view of the palace. Not sure what security they have but it seems anyone could just walk on, I guess they must have marshals once the season kicks off.

 

[IanM]

When I was first playing I used to sneak on a course on the way to work and play the loop of 4 holes across a main road, miles from the clubhouse! (very early in summer!)

I don't condone that behaviour and apologise etc etc

 

[Liverbirdie]

Can people with lax security please advise what clubs they are members of please.

I'm doing, an er, dissertation for my polytechnic masters diploma/doctorate thingy........

 

[Liverbirdie]

If you could all post the names of these clubs too that would be very helpful indeed. Thanks

Beat me to it....

 

[Scozzy]

If the tides in you need your swimmers at mine! If not you walk past clubhouse and pro shop overlooking the 1st.potentially you could go to far end of course and jump a fence on the 11th tee and play in but you'd be playing back to clubhouse and v close to people on their way out so tricky without brass neck but I've no doubt a few here and there jump on either v early/late

 

[GB72]

You have to walk past the clubhouse and pro shop to get to the starting points so that helps but I also suspect that any uknown golfers would be picked up ny members. During the summer evenings there is a volunteer out in a buggy checking memberships when the pro shop is closed.

 

[Wolf]

At my old course you could easily walk onto either the 2nd or 14th tees and play most of the course as it was on the opposite side of the road from the opening and closing holes.

At my place now the course is nearer to the car park than clubhouse but you can see the 1st tee from pro shop window, there's also a starters hut I believe that's used in summer months, plus the fact through a tiny village in the virtual middle of nowhere so unless you have the balls to drive to the course park in the car park that's visible to everyone and then get to the 1st tee you're not really going to get a freebie.

Only way onto back 9 would be same as the first or somehow get all your golf gear across a very wide and deep stream runs down the whole side of the back half outward holes.