Should we be EXPECTED to use the clubhouse bar

[Fish]

So, we've forked out a lot of money to join our club and play golf, but, should we be expected to spend money in the clubhouse bar?

Should we make a token gesture towards an overpriced cup of tee, soft drink or pint of beer or should we be able to play golf and leave if we so wish without being judged?

There may be many reasons that some people don't like using the clubhouse religiously after a round, do you have any?

 

[Wenglish]

With all the complaints about slow play i dont see how anyone has time to go to the bar after a round.

 

[Val]

No one is expected but the social aspect of golf shouldnt be over looked.

 

[the smiling assassin]

yes, we should make use of the facilities if able - however, the club has a responsibility to provide good facilities if they expect members to use them. £50 added to your membership each year isn't unreasonable.

tbh, members should be encouraged to set up a monthly dd to their pro-shop, support the local pro too!

 

[Fish]

No one is expected but the social aspect of golf shouldnt be over looked.

This isn't just a general time though, this is targeted at members who play early, for reasons of their own and then possibly need to leave straight away, hence why they play so early, but, these members wind up Homer as they are obviously not contributing anything else to the club, but should they feel obliged to?

http://threeoffthetee.blogspot.co.uk/2012/08/car-park-golfers-do-clubs-need-them.html

 

[Junior]

I use the bar after a round to have a beer with my playing partners. I also have some lunch (or a meal in the evening) a couple of times a week in the summer. I dont normally mind if someone has to shoot off straight after. They may have to work, or they may have a young family etc. We also (and a lot of clubs do this) have a bar levy as part of the annual fee, so most people use the bar at our place anyway. Unfortunately, due to the location, its gets little passing trade from the public but its well supported by the members.

 

[Twire]

I don't think anyone's expected to use the clubhouse, but I'd rather they did contribute with the running costs by using it now and again. The other alternatives are to lose the clubhouse altogether or put the subs up to cover the running costs.

Our club did some number crunching and came up with a figure of what it costs per member to keep the clubhouse open, from memory it was about £160 - £170 something like that. It's not a great deal over the year for a clubhouse facility.


Edit: Not sure why we need the link to Homers blog either, it's only his opinion.

 

[Wayman]

Nearly all he time I do specially if I've played in a comp but if I've had a quick 9 or just go up for practice I don't

Most the times I don't go in clubhouse after a round at my 2nd club because its a bit of a drive but I go in before get food or a drink

But I don't seem the problem with these "car park golfers" no problem to me

 

[HomerJSimpson]

So, we've forked out a lot of money to join our club and play golf, but, should we be expected to spend money in the clubhouse bar?

Should we make a token gesture towards an overpriced cup of tee, soft drink or pint of beer or should we be able to play golf and leave if we so wish without being judged?

There may be many reasons that some people don't like using the clubhouse religiously after a round, do you have any?

Again, you make a generalisation. With our 15% discount on the swipe card our prices are significantly cheaper than most local pubs and the food is the same so is it really a token gesture or does it actually represent value for money and economy of scale particularly on food means more can be offered at a competitive rate

The blog does clearly say that if crack of dawn golf is the only way you can get a round and the clubhouse isn't open then fine. Similarly if you have pressing family committments and can't stay for a drink that too is fine. However I am sure there are times when you COULD use the bar or stop. I made it very clear it isn't a one fit suits all problem

 

[palindromicbob]

I nearly always get at least a drink when I'm up at the club. Nice chat with the bar staff and other members and get to know the people around the club. Thing is though it is far from overpriced. In fact it is cheaper to drink there than anywhere in the town.

It should not be an expectation though. If a clubhouse wasn't getting used much I'd question why is it rather than expect members to go. If the atmosphere is poor then people aren't going to go. END OF. If it is a welcoming place with a good vibe then it will be busy.

Personally I think a balance is good. Don't mind the early riser , car park golfer. They have paid thier fees and tend to never go to the bar at any time so the £50 bar levy gets absorbed and that is thier contribution. If the majority of members were going to the club house then I'd probably become a car park golfer.

I am glad to see the club house push itself as a function venue more. I had my wedding party in it and it was excellent and cheap. £1800 for a DJ and 2 courses (3 choices for each course) with tea and coffee for 120 invited guests. Actually ended up with about 140 arrive and everyone got fed including the regulars that prop up the bar. Many actually got seconds. The guys I invited from work were shocked just how far thier kitty went as well!

 

[cookelad]

It's your hard earned cash you have to do what you want with it! I go into the bar after the round because I want to, if I didn't want to I'd go straight home/work/etc and I wouldn't give a toss what anybody said about me doing so!

 

[DCB]

If your club can't price it's bar more competitively than the local pubs etc then you have a serious problem. I almost choke when I buy drinks in town or elsewhere compared to golf club prices.

And


Yes, you should be expected to support YOUR club by using Your clubs facilities. If you don't it won't be your club for long

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I think any level of expectation is set be the fact that we are talking about golf clubs. Club - a group of people organised for a common purpose. And in that we have the word group. I think as a member of a club - where everything is done towards the common good of the members and the club - then every member has a responsibility to partake in advancing and promoting that common good rather than simply 'leech' off of it.

That does not mean that everyone is expected to use the bar - members can contribute to the common good of the members and the club in other ways - like going on a committee or using whatever skills they have outside of golf to the benefit of the club. Being a member of a club and contributing to its good health does not start and stop at the car park gate.

 

[StrangelyBrown]

No, it shouldn't be expected that we use the clubhouse bar.

The facilities, food and drink should be of a standard to make us WANT to use the clubhouse bar.

 

[bluewolf]

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I'm one of your "Car Park Members". If I want to play golf then I have to get up early. I'm currently working 5-6 nights per week and I usually only get to bed at 5am, so I have to be up at 10 to get to the club for 10:45. This is to ensure that I can tee off at 11. I the have 4 hours of golf that I have paid the club for. At 3pm I have to be at the kids school across the road as they are both young (9 & 5). Then I take them home. Make their Tea. Help with homework etc. If I'm lucky, I get to sit down with my wife for an hour before I have to go to work again.

On my Nights off, I prefer to spend as much time as possible with my family as I don't get any other real quality time with them. Sometimes, rather selfishly, I'll sneak off to the course for a comp or a quick 18. I don't stick around after the round as I know that I'll be missing something special. like Movie night (Kids get to pick a film and we order in a takeaway), or a visit to see friends (who I rarely get to socialize with due to my anti social hours of business). I would rather sell the clubs than miss this family time.

It won't last long. Soon, the kids will be out with their friends and I'll be the Dad Taxi. On call till the wee small hours. Maybe at this point, I'll have more time to sit in a golf club, talking golf to people I only see in passing once or twice a month. More likely, I'll be doing exactly the same thing and spending my precious free time with good friends who I've known for many years. People who don't want to talk about golf, but about Teenagers, BMW's, Holidays in Devon and the best new Police shows on TV.

If, whilst I'm selfishly taking part in this party atmosphere, my club decides it can do away with my £1000 per year, then I would expect a nice phone call from them. A genial conversation about how the economy has upturned so much that they don't need it. Maybe they will find Oil under the practise grounds. They obviously won't need my continued support. My willingness to bring in visitors, who may go on to become members. My lessons with the Pro and my purchases through the Pro shop. What they would obviously prefer is my £5 per month behind the bar, because thats the important thing. None of the other stuff counts.

Just in case I was too subtle, If someone approached me and labelled me as a second class citizen, fit only for the local pay and play, just because I prioritize my family life, I would smile politely, chuckle a little inside and walk away knowing that when Golf dies, this person will be at fault.

 

[Slab]

Aren't many car park golfers often overpaying for their subs?

Only out once maybe twice a week V the 'club' guy who uses the course 5-6 times (& then may/may not buy a drink) sounds like the latter golfer is benefiting from reduced subs made available by the car park golfers

I like the social aspect after but no way it should be frowned upon if you don't ( I never used too)

Oh & if you want to have them enter comps etc then open the shop & all other facilities when the course opens, not 3-4 hours later!

 

[bluewolf]

As a little aside, I joined a golf course, not a club. Being a social member at my place costs £50. Maybe us car park golfers should request that our fees are reduced by this amount? Or maybe we could leave it there and all the regular bar users could thank us for subsidising their much loved clubhouse............. I'm waiting............ No one?

 

[GB72]

No, it shouldn't be expected that we use the clubhouse bar.

The facilities, food and drink should be of a standard to make us WANT to use the clubhouse bar.

This is my feeling exactly. As with any place serving food and drink, it is their job to make it somewhere that people want to visit and nobody should be obliged to. In my case, sometimes I have a drink, sometimes I have food, sometimes I head home but that is my choice and I should not be expected to frequent somewhere if I do not want to.

I have often said that one of the main reasons that I do not use the clubhouse more is the dress code. It is not an issue to me so much as I am in my golf gear. What is an issue is that I play in the morning so as I can get back at a reasonable time to spend the rest of the day with my wife. If the club accepted smart jeans then I would get my wife to meet me after golf and we would have a drink and a spot of lunch. As she cannot wear jeans, she will not come up as she does not wear trousers or dresses but lives in smart jeans. On that basis, if the round has taken a bit longer that anticipated etc then I will not stop.

The other issue I have is that I do not enjoy sitting in a bar environment drinking soft drinks (which are extortionately expensive as well). I also will not touch a drop of alcohol if I have the car as I know that there is a temptation not to stop at one pint and as I drink cider, one pint is not definitely under the limit. On that basis, the attraction of clubhouse bar is limited. I have a put round the corner from my house and if I fancy a pint I head for there, sometimes with my playing partners in tow.

I am willing to take the flack for this one but it is also the case that the clubhouse is not the sort of social environment that appeals to some. I for one prefer the less staid atmosphere of a good pub. Hell I even like a place with a bit of music going on or some sport on the TV (no Sky at my club). I get little enough free time as it is so if I am going to spend a couple of hours somewhere after my round of golf then I would rather it be somewhere that I really enjoy being with good friends in comfortable clothes rather than passing the time of day with acquaintances in what is the equivalent of a very quiet, very formal pub.

So, I do use the clubhouse occasionally and often I could be classed as a 'car park golfer'. The simple fact is that at weekends I want to spend time with my wife and the clubhouse is not suited for that, there are types of drinking establishment that I would rather be at and, unlike too many at many golf clubs, I will not have a beer if I have the car with me. There are things that the club could do to make it more attractive proposition for me to eat and drink at but that would offend those who have a coronary at the sight of a pair of jeans or a smart trainer and so it will remain a place that I frequent occasionally but not religiously on a weekly basis.

 

[blackpuddinmonster]

Personally i use the club quite a lot. During the week when i go up in the morning after work i'l have a brew and a bacon butty before going home. At the weekend before a comp i like to get there a good hour early, and have a brew and a butty before i start. At the end of the round its always nice to have a pint with my FC's, and discuss were it all went wrong.
But, thats MY choice.
To "expect" other members to do like wise is imo wrong. They have contributed to the club by paying their subs.

 

[jpenno]

I use ours IF I have time, Golf has to fit around my work and family commitments, that does not always mean I can stay after a round and that can always be hampered IF its been a slow round or your soaking wet!

Isnt there also another issue here as to the type of club - IF its not a membership club then the only people benefitting from any additional spends are the shareholders no guarantee any of the profit will be reinvested