The deal breaker(s) when joining a new club?

[Oddsocks]

It would be interesting to hear what people class as deal breakers when joining new clubs or remaining at an existing club, pick three.

Obviously everyone has different requirements (half way hut, good greens, etc etc) but I’ve noticed from recent emails notifying of members passing away at my current club that a lot of these have been there for a long period up to 39yrs. It seems that they struggle to retain newer members for more than 2-3 years, yet the old guard are part of the foundations.

Clearly golf views and requirements of younger members are changing.

If I can to list only three or would be.

1) good tee boxes during the main summer season - fed up with playing small & uneven areas that are over used and would have no issue playing on decent mats in wetter months.

2) a regular roll up at sensible times (730/800 onwards)

3) ideally one that’s prepared to close when it’s too wet rather than turning the course onto a mud pit.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Must have an online tee booking system for all bookings inc comps

Relaxed, or at least lightly enforced, dress code

 

[HPIMG]

1. Top quality greens, last place I was at had horrible greens and I left as a result.

2. Easy to get a tee time, I have heard some courses are brutal for getting a time.

3. A good layout that’s enjoyable to play and also a real test.

 

[Ian_George]

Ability to get a tee time, at a time I want, with ease!

 

[Banchory Buddha]

Are you looking for new members to be dropping dead?

1. Plenty competitions, both matchplay & medal play

2. Good condition, especially of course the greens

I don't think there's anything else that would stop me from joining a club

 

[Bdill93]

1) A grounds team that actually give a rats backside

2) An ownership/ membership that care about constant improvement

3) Inclusive members who will include newbies

4) Price

Got number 3 in abundance at my place but 1 and 2 are lacking.

Price - because I've got a young family and more than anything, money talks!

 

[Oddsocks]

Are you looking for new members to be dropping dead?

Older members are dropping like flies, I don’t think there has been a single month where I’ve not had a notification of death email and there has been three in the last ten days, I’m sure our club only has the flag at full mast to clean it.

I was just curious as to what would make someone stay at a course for 39yrs

 

[BiMGuy]

The course must be a good test, interesting layout and in good condition.

Good practice facilities.

Normal greens all year.

I can play from whichever tees I want outside of comps.

No stupid dress code rules.

Online booking with availability at times to suit when I play.

I’ve no interest in meeting other members or “being integrated” into the club.

I’m not fussed about comps or how they are run. I’ll play in them if the timing suits or the format is of interest.

 

[Oddsocks]

1) A grounds team that actually give a rats backside

2) An ownership/ membership that care about constant improvement

3) Inclusive members who will include newbies

4) Price

Got number 3 in abundance at my place but 1 and 2 are lacking.

Price - because I've got a young family and more than anything, money talks!

I hope you don’t put stableford points on an OP’s score card… that’s 5!

 

[Imurg]

An interesting enough course that I'd be happy playing 3,4 or more times a week.
It being open and playable virtually every day of the year
Preferably a booking system butnif there isn't one then it should be fairly easy to get on the course.
Think I just described Ellesborough

 

[Orikoru]

I mean, price is obvious. If it's too expensive I won't be joining. Unfortunately nowhere is especially cheap around my area, but I chose one of the cheaper ones.

I wouldn't join somewhere if the course was really long. I don't my weekly game to be an arduous slog. My current course is on the short side and I like that because we can whip round it in 3 hours. When we play elsewhere we can go for somewhere a little bit more challenging. Condition-wise I wouldn't say I was fussy, but if the greens were very bobbly and poor that would get old quick.

Stuck-up rules regarding dress code etc. Our club does have a fairly typical dress code, but thankfully not rigidly enforced and I can't recall being moaned at for having my shirt untucked or my socks being the wrong length or anything like that.

We left our old club largely because there was no active clubhouse for over two years, so I guess you can put that down as a deal-breaker. Wouldn't be very common to encounter that though I shouldn't think.

 

[GB72]

I think now, if and when I go back to membership, the main deal breaker for me will be how the club deals with new members. Too many clubs that I have been a member of take your money, point you in the direction of the course and that is it. I will want roll ups and ways to get introduced to playing groups as I am too old now to be bothered with the old task of hang around the club looking for a game or going out on my own hoping that another group will include me or leaving my name and number on the allocated board for new members that everyone ignores.

Sounds selfish I know but I have been through the new member rigmarole too many times and so if I decide to go to the not inconsiderate expense of joining a club, I want the basics of inclusivity handed to me on a plate or I will stay a nomad or non golfer.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Plenty of competitions with far more medals than stablefords.
Very active and well organised seniors section.
A good club pro with a well stocked shop.

Bunkers in the middle of fairways.
Tatty greens.
Too much GBI on the course. (GBI = Ground Being Ignored)

 

[Backache]

I've now been a member at my club for a little over 20 years. The biggest factor for me in joining a club has been proximity and I'm less than half a mile away.
Things that would put me off joining a club would be an inability to get tee times fairly easily and poor condition of the course.
Things like dress code I have no interest in either way unless its so restrictive as to be absurd.

 

[Dando]

a ban on pink castle tees

 

[Banchory Buddha]

Older members are dropping like flies, I don’t think there has been a single month where I’ve not had a notification of death email and there has been three in the last ten days, I’m sure our club only has the flag at full mast to clean it.

I was just curious as to what would make someone stay at a course for 39yrs

My new away course has had a similar year, lot of members passing away.

As it happens my home club, I've been a member for exactly 39 years . Even when I moved around the country I stayed a member. Why???
1. Good competitions with fairly small fields, and good inter-club league
2. It's my local club, or was, and it'll always be "my club", again helps that it's small and has a local membership that I've grown up with
3. Easy to get onto
4. Good, sometimes great condition

 

[Captain_Black.]

In order of importance for me

1. Not too far from home.

2. Reasonably flat, I don't mind the occasional hilly course, but I wouldn't want to play one as my home course 4 or 5 times per week.

3. Online tee booking as must.

4. 2x loops of nine, as sometimes I only have time to play nine.

5. Lots of comps & a well structured & well run club.

6. Good practice facilities

 

[nickjdavis]

Biggest deal breakers would be...

Inability to get a tee time - booking system whereby tees are filled up within minutes of them being made available, ability to book other people in to fill the tee times would be frowned upon. A system where there is some flexibility (especially in comps) where tees up to a certain time can be booked but after that then you can roll up and play would not be unacceptable.

Not having a decent amount of comps (preferably mostly on a Sunday) would be a negative.

Lacklustre uninteresting course.

 

[Voyager EMH]

a ban on pink castle tees

I've dipped some of mine in purple paint, just in case...

 

[Sats]

For me and not in any particular order;

• Poor course condition
• How welcoming the club was
• Location/price