Very difficult trying to find a Club to join

[medwayjon]

This is going to be a huge problem for me in January

My most local club is a private members club 5-minutes from my door, with a decent enough course for a good price too. The problem is, it is very cliquey indeed, medals are always made-up of the same 4-balls that have medalled together for the last 20yrs. I really do not like this to be honest, it leaves new members as outsiders, and makes it tricky for them to get a medal game, once, I even had my name scrubbed off the call sheet so someone could put a 4-ball in the last remaining spot.

The next-nearest 2 are average pay & play jobbies, and I cant be doing with being stuck behind hoardes of people shooting 160 in the better weather.

So, Im looking for recommendations close to home. I dont want to join a cliquey place where getting a game is impossible, and I would like a place where comps are drawn.

Anyone know what West Malling / Bearsted are like on these fronts.

Ta muchly.

 

[medwayjon]

Also are drawn medals a rare thing generally?

And ref the clubs above, does anyone know if they have regular open roll-ups?

Thanks

 

[spongebob59]

Have you considered Wrotham Heath ?

 

[medwayjon]

Have you considered Wrotham Heath ?

Love the look of it, but too far from home/work as can be an hour drive on a bad day

 

[davidy233]

Love the look of it, but too far from home/work as can be an hour drive on a bad day

At my club (and most others locally) virtually none of the medals/stablefords are drawn - a major reason why I've not played much stroke play golf in recent years as I can't commit to playing at a regular time every week.

My previous club in Aberdeenshire drew everything and I played a lot when I was there - within a year of joining I knew pretty much everyone.

I intend playing a lot more next year as I've decided that I'm going to play a fair few opens as well as anything I can at my home course.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

At my place if I want to play in a medal I put my name down on the sheet at a time that suits me. If I am first on the sheet in the timeslot I choose I will almost 100% certain get another two joining me. So OP would simply have to get in there when medal sheet first goes up and get his name in there in the timeslot he wants - and if the cliques don't like it then tough - they need breaking up. And btw - 4 ball medals? Eeugh!

 

[medwayjon]

I agree ref 4-ball medals, but its been that way forever, and the old-boys club wont change thats for sure. The thing that did it for me there was when I was 1st name on a time-slot, the last AM remaining, and someone crossed by name out and put their long-established 4-ball in.

Also, Im going to need to get cards in for h/cap purposes, and at the old place it took 3-months to get 3 cards in.

So I need somewhere friendly where I can get a game and some cards signed!

 

[USER1999]

If you join somewhere with BRS online tee booking, only you or the secretary can change it.

Welcome back, by the way!

 

[medwayjon]

If you join somewhere with BRS online tee booking, only you or the secretary can change it.

Welcome back, by the way!

Thanks!

Bearsted is also part of the 1895 network which looks good

Anyone on here a Bearsted member?

 

[spongebob59]

Thanks!

Bearsted is also part of the 1895 network which looks good

Anyone on here a Bearsted member?

Contact the sec or pro shop and arrange to go in for a chat.

My club only has draws for the major comps, medals and stablefords are roll ups as there's no tee booking in place

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I agree ref 4-ball medals, but its been that way forever, and the old-boys club wont change thats for sure. The thing that did it for me there was when I was 1st name on a time-slot, the last AM remaining, and someone crossed by name out and put their long-established 4-ball in.

Also, Im going to need to get cards in for h/cap purposes, and at the old place it took 3-months to get 3 cards in.

So I need somewhere friendly where I can get a game and some cards signed!

Well I know what I would have donew to these ignoramus's. Absoutely you should have scored teh four of them off and reported them to the secretary. You are talking as if you are currently a member and looking to move?

 

[philly169]

we are quite lucky that during the season all competitions are drawn (except team comps), so sign up on HDID and they put you into a 3 or 4 ball so you play with different people. Its only in the winter when comps are non-drawn.

I'd hate playing qualifying comps with the same groups.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Only drawn competitions we have are the knockouts. Everything else is done on basis of sticking your name on the competition sheet - I thought that was what most clubs did. I'm guessing what you can do if your club is registered on HDID is equivalent to actually writing your name in - and assume you can do that without having to go via HDID.

Mind you - I'm one of those who think that if you make the effort to get to the club when the comp sheet then you should get priority to getting your name in the slot you want. And we don't allow any individual to write in entries for more than one slot.

 

[GB72]

At my place you have to book a time for the comp but can sign up in anything up to a 3 ball. In all honesty I would far rather that every competition were drawn as it is far easier to meet new members and it guarantees a round every week even if you regular group are not around. Unfortunately it is the same for all of the clubs that I would consider that are near me. It was a bigger problem at my old club as you just pitched up in your group and entered the comp. As some of my group played cricket as well they were not available every week and it was a nightmare getting a round when the regular group was away.

 

[medwayjon]

As always some good advice which is appreciated

GM Forum always comes up trumps and glad to be back!

 

[spongebob59]

Out of interest, what is the private club you mentioned ?

Would you consider clubs along the A2,.either towards the coast or London ?

 

[MikeH]

As always some good advice which is appreciated

GM Forum always comes up trumps and glad to be back!

echo Murph's comments - welcome back MWJ!

 

[medwayjon]

echo Murph's comments - welcome back MWJ!

Thank you Mike

 

[medwayjon]

Out of interest, what is the private club you mentioned ?

Would you consider clubs along the A2,.either towards the coast or London ?

Gillingham is the club in question, apparently they are struggling for members so Ive been told.

As for up the A2, theres not a lot of choice really, Sittingbourne or Rochester & Cobham, the latter of the which I dont want to join.

 

[golfdub]

Gillingham is the club in question, apparently they are struggling for members so Ive been told.

As for up the A2, theres not a lot of choice really, Sittingbourne or Rochester & Cobham, the latter of the which I dont want to join.

wrotham heath is next door to west mailing ( well near enough) iv only just joined as I had the same problem as you and they have been so helpful in making sure I met new people and got me into a weekly swindle, this was just what I was looking for. As for rochester it seems a bit stuck up but I live 2 minutes away so it was a real contender and gillingham gc I hear suffers bad in the winter which results in it closing a lot BUT does have a cheap membership.