Slightly miffed at myself

[PhilTheFragger]

Last year was a very busy golf year, we seemed to accumulate 4ball vouchers left right and centre.

Gradually got through them all bar one, 4 ball voucher for Harleyford GC near Marlow, Tyrrell Hatton’s home course.

I thought it expired at the end of October and had booked a date next Sunday afternoon, dug out the voucher yesterday to find it expires on Tuesday 1 October.

Entirely my fault, I claim full responsibility, anyway I phone Harleyford who are unwilling to extend the term of the voucher even for 5 days. Which they are within their rights to do. So I cancelled the booking.

And then it got me thinking,

What would it have cost Harleyford to be a tiny bit flexible? Answer....nothing.

What have they lost as a result? Well obviously
Revenue from 4 lunches, I always buy a course guide and a marker, plus a drink afterwards.

But the biggest thing they have lost is goodwill in a challenging market.

I won’t be rushing to play there anytime soon

 

[ademac]

Poor form from them IMO

 

[Slab]

You are right in that it might not have cost them much to accommodate you and they probably should’ve… (although your ‘happy path’ scenario of what’ll happen on the day is a nice picture, it’s certainly not a guarantee & you must agree it’s not the only way things could’ve turned out, but they probably should’ve taken the risk)

There's a bunch of imponderables though with the most obvious being, did they sell the voucher for full price or give it (& others) away for free with stricter terms of use? The former & you’re thinking they should really think about accommodating your group. The latter… and maybe I'm not quite so keen to hang them out to dry

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Can see your point and how hard would it have been to pick a date and time over the following five days that suited them and gave you that as a take it or leave it sort of middle ground. Does seem a little narrow sighted but I imagine there is also a element of protecting themselves or they could have people phoning up trying to get additional time on all their vouchers

 

[Imurg]

I called him a Tw......

 

[Slab]

I called him a Tw......

Oh wait, were you named as one of the 4-ball? Cos that might just explain....

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Its an interesting post, looking at it from the golf business point of view:-

Assuming it was a charity or good cause voucher, they probably gave the voucher for free to the person who 'sold' it off
For a clearly defined certain period

So in many ways the golf club did a good deed.

I do understand what you are saying as well but.

Personally I think you are being incredibly harsh on the club, as they gave the voucher probably for free and could understand fully if such golf clubs decide not to issue free vouchers, if they get such bad publicity from doing a good deed.

I do think it is bad form naming and shaming the golf club IMHO in this kind of voucher situation.

(this isn't a rant and hopefully doesn't read as such, just my point of view. )

 

[Dando]

It’s clearly brexits fault

 

[patricks148]

Its an interesting post, looking at it from the golf business point of view:-

Assuming it was a charity or good cause voucher, they probably gave the voucher for free to the person who 'sold' it off
For a clearly defined certain period

So in many ways the golf club did a good deed.

I do understand what you are saying as well but.

Personally I think you are being incredibly harsh on the club, as they gave the voucher probably for free and could understand fully if such golf clubs decide not to issue free vouchers, if they get such bad publicity from doing a good deed.

I do think it is bad form naming and shaming the golf club IMHO in this kind of voucher situation.

(this isn't a rant and hopefully doesn't read as such, just my point of view. )

i would tend to agree, if you have had the Voucher for over a year and not used it there is only one party at fault here... and its not the club

 

[IanM]

No doubt about fault...Frag said as much himself....

But, the Club have lost both goodwill and actual cash. (unless every tee time is booked this week!!!) How is that in their interest? Poor training and policy. If i was the Manager there, i would be offering reasonable extension. I'd expect my team to do that too.

 

[Hobbit]

Mmm, it wouldn't have cost the club anything to extend for 5 days. And bearing in mind the time of year you'd hardly expect it to be rammed. It just seems a little picky. And hiding behind an attitude of the computer says no is unintelligent.

Off at a tangent, on the odd occasion I had a customer come to me saying they had a faulty bit of kit, even up to a month out of warranty, I always said no problem. Its also about repeat business, the harder business to win.

If the visit had gone well, there's a chance the chuckle brothers might have revisited at their expense. I wonder if that might happen now?

 

[richart]

I buy quite a few 4 balls at charity auctions, and have had to extend the date of a few of them, including Tandridge, without absolutely no problem. We also always have lunch, few bits from the pro shop, so club still makes money.

Perhaps they had seen Fragger play before, and wanted to protect their course ?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

The first issue about extending the voucher is prob a little poor but can see why the club would do it. Must be a hard situation for them - for all we know they might have given out a lot of vouchers for free and then get loads asking for extensions etc - they are within their rights but most clubs normally give a little extension even more so when it’s just a handful of days

What I don’t agree with is the naming of the club when ultimately they haven’t done anything wrong - they were kind enough to give the voucher for free and anytime I have played there they have been superb

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Perhaps they had seen Fragger play before, and wanted to protect their course ?

Good point well made sir. Although in his defence parts of Tandridge are largely undamaged. Mainly the fairways as he wasn't on them

 

[TheJezster]

Would they even have asked for the physical voucher when you turned up?

I know, we've played places before when they don't want to see it, they take our word. You did the right thing in phoning them, and I think they should have offered you a little leeway.

Maybe they don't need the business or thought you'd 'buy' a 4 ball anyway....

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I can see both sides of the arguement, but I would ask how long has the voucher been in your ownership or been active for?
If its 2 months, then I see the club as being a little stingy, if however it's been 12 months or more, then sorry but I feel the club has been fair and there's been plenty of time to use the voucher.

 

[User20204]

Get on trip adviser and post your comments, they will have little effect posted on here but to a world wide audience, it'll shake em up a bit I suspect.

 

[pool888]

Can see both sides of the argument, but 5 days over at this time of year I think most clubs would just have been glad of the footfall. I think most people are inclined to spend a bit more if they have a "discounted" round and a visiting 4 ball with voucher more likely to have lunch and buy souvenirs than many full paying visitors.

 

[RW1986]

Aldwickbury Park in Hertfordshire accepted our voucher which was 2 years out of date.
Was just misplaced, they gave us a 10 day time frame to use it otherwise it would be void.

Really appreciated it as they didn't have to do that and we have been back since.

I really don't know why Harleyford wouldn't extend it for a week/10 days as it'll still be money going through the tills.
I think it is poor customer service from Harleyford as just extending it for a week prevents posts like this and he may have posted a positive one instead.

 

[HankMarvin]

I am 100% behind the club, you should have checked the T&C's

Why should they go giving up a time after the offer has expired and let's face it what proffit would they really make from 4 steak pies