New golfer - needs advice after an "incident" on my first lesson

[USER1999]

I don't see what is wrong with wearing trainers for a lesson. Every one has to start somewhere, and if you have never hit a ball, you aren't going to spend £50 on a pair of special shoes that you might never wear again if you don't get on with the game. That would be stupid.

 

[viscount17]

I suspect I may know which club you were at, if so my society is playing there later this month and forewarned etc. (Also I suspect we work for the same people! send me a pm if you wish)

There are a lot of clubs in the area, depends on how far you're prepared to travel; don't know Chalgrave though.

The guy was wrong, plain and simple, as was the pro. Rest assured, these people are not the norm. It is your misfortune to have got these two right at the start.

I assume that you didn't just drop in cold but had booked the lesson, in which case the pro knew you were an absolute beginner and should have briefed you on any requirements.
If this was an introductory lesson I'm not sure why it was conducted on the course. Most places I know usually do the starter lessons in the range or video room.

Since you will now have no intention of joining that club, (which if I am correct in my assumption ain't cheap) I would suggest a formal complaint about old fa*t and pro and stressing the loss to them of not only your membership but also of potential company business - lay it on with a trowel.

 

[peteward15]

Hi Mushroom

You must be very local to me, I am about half a mile from Chalgrave Golf Course. I am a member at Woburn, but sometimes knock around Chalgrave on a thursday evening with a mate of mine.

Not a bad course at all. Only been around for 5-7 years I think and it seems to be improving all the time.

One thing you will find there is they are a great bunch, I cannot imagine getting a dressing down for the way you were dressed up there.

If you are thinking about joining a club I would reccomend it. However depending where you are I would look at The Millbrook over near Ampthill.

I learnt to play golf there and it is a superb track. Can't speak highly enough of it. Recently been bought from the (slightly mad) previous owner and is now a members club.

Anyway, I ramble. If you ever want any advice on the local courses you know where I am.

Pete Ward

 

[Imurg]

A lot depends on your club. I turned up at our club the other week in jeans and trainers to have session on he range and a chip'n'putt on the practice green. Had my hour on the range and was going to the green but the Club President told me that it was being cut and wouldn't be available for a while. He told me to go up to the 13th green (the one nearest the clubhouse) and practice there. if anyone queried it he said "tell 'em I said you could and they have a problem they can come and find me".

Result!!!

Not all clubs will let you do this. To be fair it was quiet with not many people around but at a friendly club anything can happen.

To be honest, the Pro was at fault in your case. if you didn't have the right shoes he should have either lent you some or explained that you couldn't go on the course.
Play a few more before deciding on your home club

 

[Herbie]

The main point I see from this post is that ill mannered people often display their arrogance and ignorance at golf clubs.

People like this are all around, I once had a round with one chap in the group like this, it started raining lightly so out came my lightweight waterproof which had a grubby grass/mud stain where Id slipped in a previous round getting out of a bunker. This old git snootily said, 'Surely your not going to wear that on the course looking like that?' I paused, said no!, wiped it in the wet grass, pretended to slip then wiped it onto his jacket making it look worse than mine did and said sorry! Then I said'Surely your not going to wear that on the course looking like that?' He went purple, ranted but strangely never removed his waterproof........W****r!

 

[TonyN]

Haha love it, do u know me herb! This is the kinda stuff I love to see. My mate dropped some cheese cake last night fighting with his dad. O how I laughed, then the bugger knocked mine on the floor. I swear it was a scene right out of friends. I laughed last though cause I still ate the top bit he just stood there gutted

 

[RGuk]

mushroom, bad luck....you're not the first or the last.

I'd try to look at both sides of the argument. Most club members are pretty fed up of the gradual erosion of the dress rules and I feel that clubs could do better at making the rules clear and encouraging folks to stick to them.
At mine, there is a clear no trainers/jeans policy and it is 99% observed, but there aren't any members (to my knowledge) that don't overlook the odd thing from time to time. If a member is out and about with his family or similar and needs to pop in, he will not be unwelcome in any dress as long as he's not going out on the course or up to the bar/dining area. Similarly, if an "unknown" was seen to be making an enquiry or visiting the pro or management, I wouldn't expect anyone to make a comment. It is actually in the constitution of our club that matters relating to dress and conduct are put through the management first, so if a fuddy or stickler challenges any visitor, he is outside of the protocol and therefore would not get support automatically.

This chap was clearly out of order and insensitive to you. The question is, can you let it go? and accept that these things happen and it most probably isn't any reflection of the club attitude or type of member.

I notice you are quick to point out your social/professional standing......you know, i.m.h.o. golf courses (for the real players, not ego-obsessed socialites) are not about anything other than taking folks on face value. I couldn't tell you what half my regulars do for a living, I don't care to ask. They are either good chaps and keen players worth a knock with or not. Just because you are fortunate enough to command respect at work, doesn't mean you're entitled to any special consideration. So, it's a double edged sword really....he shouldn't have spoken to you in this way and maybe, just maybe (I'm not having a dig, you sound a good bloke) you should just let the incident pass and learn from an innocent error. I made exactly the same error (to the letter) and was chastised by a junior asst' pro which was embarrasing but not the end of my history with that club. I went on to join it, take lessons, enjoy the social life and never had any reason to look back at the event.

Good luck with your golf.

 

[RGuk]

I don't see what is wrong with wearing trainers for a lesson. Every one has to start somewhere, and if you have never hit a ball, you aren't going to spend £50 on a pair of special shoes that you might never wear again if you don't get on with the game. That would be stupid.

I agree. I would suggest that a solution (for teaching pros) might be to make it a rule of any club that all matters relating to dress should be left at the pro's discretion when clearly giving a lesson. If someone turns up in work shoes and changes into trainers on the practice ground, it's obvious he either doesn't have shoes or is a novice. Let him be.

 

[vig]

Wouldn't it be sensible if the pro kept some over spikes in a few sizes. These strech 2 or 3 shoe sizes so he wouldn't need to keep many.