Reciprocals....what's normal?

[Mandofred]

We have 16 on our list, 4 that want a bit of money as well. There are two of them that our group uses occasionally (no money) since our club books so many "occasion days" that block us from using our own course. That sounds like a lot to me....but I have no idea what other courses do. My old course had a few, but not that many.

 

[Neilds]

We have 14, only used 1 as the others are a fair distance away

 

[Lord Tyrion]

If they are free reciprocals then yes, that is a lot. My club has 2 free ones and others at a reduced rate as it is part of the James Braid society, course designer. Other clubs I've been a member of up here have been part of a group in the region that allow you to play at the guest rate rather than pay the full fee. I think this is a good deal, it's a benefit to the club as well as it encourages you to be a club member rather than purely a nomad.

 

[wjemather]

Around 15 clubs in the (very) wider Bristol area (from Cheltenham all the way down to Taunton) are members of a local "RAG scheme" - there's a £20 green fee (so better than guest rates) with some restrictions on tee time availability that vary from club to club.

 

[YandaB]

We have 12 available and I've made use of 5

 

[Mandofred]

We have 14, only used 1 as the others are a fair distance away

Yeah, I think that is one of the issues. The 2 we use are a 30min drive for me (and I'm on the wrong side of town)....but less for most of the other guys. I quite like those 2 courses we use. I can handle 30 min, more than that and I just can't be bothered unless there are dancing girls (yes, I realize that is sexist) and free beer (beer-ist?). It's just golf....I can't be bothered to regularly drive further than that.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Yeah, I think that is one of the issues. The 2 we use are a 30min drive for me (and I'm on the wrong side of town)....but less for most of the other guys. I quite like those 2 courses we use. I can handle 30 min, more than that and I just can't be bothered unless there are dancing girls (yes, I realize that is sexist) and free beer (beer-ist?). It's just golf....I can't be bothered to regularly drive further than that.

Have you managed to many courses with dancing girls?

 

[Mandofred]

Have you managed to many courses with dancing girls?

Actually....when I typed that I was thinking back 20+ years in the US. Quite often courses in my area would hire college girls to drive around in golf carts selling beer/candy etc... they would often wear clothes that were...uh.....eye attention. I figure they were very well paid in tips. Hot dry weather (eastern washington).....cold beer served by attractive girls...... Heck, a few years ago my old course here had a photo shoot with topless girls for some reason....there are still old farts wandering around wondering what hit them. OK....I'll shut up now....

 

[Voyager EMH]

We have 4 courses - 2 are in Leicestershire and 2 further afield. Mon to Fri only and £10 green fee all year round.
Haven't bothered since they put it up from £5 a few years ago.
Used to have 2 or 3 goes a year when it was £5.

 

[KenL]

We have loads where you pay what looks about their own guest fee. I'm happy with that as there are some real crackers on the list.

 

[KenL]

OK....I'll shut up now....

That's probably a good idea.

 

[jim8flog]

At one time in this region there was a nominal fee and it was donated to Junior golf. However it became obvious that certain clubs were abusing it some what e.g booking a Society and then tacking on reciprocal just before of after the society from the same club. Several clubs in the area have dropped out altogether

Clubs now set their own fees.

At one time we had arrangements with 14 but now there are only 7 and 2 of those are a very long distance away. The club charges a £10 booking fee per group and it is then up to the other club to decide if they charge.

 

[clubchamp98]

We have seven .
It’s £10 if not with a member. For local charity.
Free if your playing with a member of host club.
Can’t see why £10 standard isn’t going to kill you.! And it’s for charity.

 

[CliveW]

It would appear to be where past captains have been on holiday! We have 6 in Australia, 2 in Canada, 1 in Hong Kong, 2 in South Africa and 1 in New Zealand.
(We also have 11 in the UK.)

 

[backwoodsman]

We have 6 free reciprocals, plus reduced rates at Harry Colt Society courses. Of the free ones, two are local, two more distant on the south coast, and the last two are a bit inconvenient being Royal Delhi, and Titirangi in Aukland. Me & my PPs make frequent use of the local two.

 

[IanM]

We have about 6. All free, but only one start time per day, bookable through the pro shop

 

[Backache]

We're a Braid course and member of the association but apart from that we have one in France.

 

[Deleted member 23344]

We have 5 free ones (used to be 6) … two nearby and three further afield. You can play then no more than once a month each.

 

[Sats]

We've got about 7 or 8 on the list, I used to use them quite frequently but since lockdown some have been asking a ridiculous price to play that I wonder if it's even bothering with anymore.

 

[3offTheTee]

We have around 60 reciprocal as we are part of The Clubs founded in 1895.


I find in general the better the club is perceived, eg Blairgowrie, Royal Aberdeen, the better the reciprocal arrangements.