Worried

[Lord Tyrion]

If you are likely to be answering the 'phone to potential 'clients' then (I would suggest) you aint "backroom staff"...

I suppose it depends what you mean back room staff. I was meaning someone in the office who you are not likely to come across on the day. Incidentally, all inexcusable. As others have pointed out, they are your first point of contact, they set the tone for your impression of the place.

 

[MegaSteve]

Thread reminds me of a young lad we know who picked the right numbers... Rocked up to a local dealership to purchase his dream wheels... Only to be told, by one of the sales team, to run along and come back when he has grown up and he's without a snotty nose... So, he made his way to the next nearest dealers and placed his order for an M5... On completing the deal he asked the salesman to call the other dealership and advise he had just sold a top of the range vehicle to a random snotty nose young man...

Believe the same call still gets placed each time he replaces his vehicle for the newer model...

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Cant wait for the update and what venue it was

Got to agree, we have had plenty of not so great experiences, some rude, some poor and so on. Thankfully have had plenty of very good experiences, that helps to keep the belief up.

When paying serious money(or any money at all really) to attend a top 'venue' (which includes the course, all the staff, the clubhouse, the pro shop, starter, members), I expect it ALL to be top notch, not just the course.

 

[Tashyboy]

Me I have had the opposite, when we played in the North east on the way back we chose a course to play. It was between Richond and another. We choose Richmond as they were so polite. Got to the club shop, and they say " oh we have quoted you the wrong price for playing and you will have to play the higher price or your not getting on". Quickly followed by " this is the second time this has happened today, how odd and funny is that" Tossers. Let's just say that ruined our day.

 

[User62651]

"Good Manners cost nothing".....Will Mackenzie.

Take your business to somewhere who sounds like they want it and offer decent customer service.

Also follow up, email the club and tell them you found customer services abrubpt/rude/unwelcoming. If you get a quick response with an apology/explanation reconsider, if not stay away.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Interesting that, in business, the 'first call' can often have a lot of importance... First impressions and all that...

Yup, My first question when training new staff was 'Who is the most important person at a golf club'.
I used to get some very strange answers but never the right one.

The person who makes first contact with a new customer/member.
Could be a greenkeeper, caterer, caddy, cleaner etc etc.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I have had this at so many clubs that I have enquired about joining (though quite a few never even bothered to reply to emails or return calls). It is a failing at a number of clubs that there is an expectation that the prospective member should be trying to persuade the club that they should be allowed to join rather than the club try and attract the prospective member. All well and good if you are at full membership with a waiting list but many clubs have learned that this situation does not last forever and that prospective members have a long memory about how they were dealt with in the past. Remember one club I enquired with when I was possibly relocating. Advised them that I worked full time, would normally only play at weekends and was looking to see what they had in the way of weekend comps and roll ups as I would be joining on my own. After much chasing for a response I was told that I would have to take a 5 day membership for several years first (it was appreciated that I would rarely be able to play in that time but I would be invited to play in the occasional weekend comp) and after that period I would have a chance to be invited to take a 7 day membership. That was unless I was a current county level golfer then I could join on seven day membership straight away.

The person I spoke with told me Hankley was full. I asked for an application form so I could go on the waiting list. I was told me that membership was by invitation only (it was 15yrs ago) - sod that I thought! Pity.

 

[Crazyface]

Well to all who snottilly dismissed my concerns, and due to restrictions, i cannot put this how I want to, you were way off mark.

From a miserable greeting in the pro shop to the 4 hours on the course, what an utterly shocking place. Whoever rates these courses should be sacked. I've NEVER EVER felt so cheated in all my life, and the wife played as well, and she said EXACTLY the same. For the money we shelled out, the fairways were a disgrace, the greens even worse. Unkempt bunkers. Bunkers with no sand in. If we'd paid £20, you'd shrug your shoulders and say, well what do you expect. But we didn't. and this place is rated, laughably, as a top 100 course. Get to........NOT A CHANCE !!!!!!! It is the WORST place I've ever had the misfortune to play.

DISGRACEFUL !!!!

 

[robinthehood]

It's like a cryptic Facebook post.

The ones that say 'absolutely fumin'

 

[Kellfire]

Do you ALWAYS speak in the manner of a headline in THE SUN?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Well to all who snottilly dismissed my concerns, and due to restrictions, i cannot put this how I want to, you were way off mark.

From a miserable greeting in the pro shop to the 4 hours on the course, what an utterly shocking place. Whoever rates these courses should be sacked. I've NEVER EVER felt so cheated in all my life, and the wife played as well, and she said EXACTLY the same. For the money we shelled out, the fairways were a disgrace, the greens even worse. Unkempt bunkers. Bunkers with no sand in. If we'd paid £20, you'd shrug your shoulders and say, well what do you expect. But we didn't. and this place is rated, laughably, as a top 100 course. Get to........NOT A CHANCE !!!!!!! It is the WORST place I've ever had the misfortune to play.

DISGRACEFUL !!!!

At least name the place

Anyone on here who has had either a good or bad experience has at least named the club - that way people can use reviews when looking for somewhere to play

 

[Crazyface]

Sorry but I'm not willing to name the place...yet. I'm not done. But rest assured I will name the place.

 

[Lazkir]

Well to all who snottilly dismissed my concerns, and due to restrictions, i cannot put this how I want to, you were way off mark.

From a miserable greeting in the pro shop to the 4 hours on the course, what an utterly shocking place. Whoever rates these courses should be sacked. I've NEVER EVER felt so cheated in all my life, and the wife played as well, and she said EXACTLY the same. For the money we shelled out, the fairways were a disgrace, the greens even worse. Unkempt bunkers. Bunkers with no sand in. If we'd paid £20, you'd shrug your shoulders and say, well what do you expect. But we didn't. and this place is rated, laughably, as a top 100 course. Get to........NOT A CHANCE !!!!!!! It is the WORST place I've ever had the misfortune to play.

DISGRACEFUL !!!!

You alright hun?

 

[Crazyface]

You alright hun?

I hope you're trying to add some humour to the post and not be sarcastic.

 

[Foxholer]

Thread reminds me of a young lad we know who picked the right numbers... Rocked up to a local dealership to purchase his dream wheels... Only to be told, by one of the sales team, to run along and come back when he has grown up and he's without a snotty nose... So, he made his way to the next nearest dealers and placed his order for an M5... On completing the deal he asked the salesman to call the other dealership and advise he had just sold a top of the range vehicle to a random snotty nose young man...

Believe the same call still gets placed each time he replaces his vehicle for the newer model...

I've heard 2 variations on the same theme.

First was from Michael Caine's autiobio where he rolled up to a West London Roller or Bentley dealership and got a similarly snobbish 'p off waster' response, then made a point of returning in the model he bought from another dealer. The second, from an old boss about how his brother got sacked for similar attitude when turning away a 'very hobo' looking guy interested in the latest top of the line Beemer - who returned in a top of the line Merc. A seriously wealthy farmer who updated his top of the line Beemer every 2 years!

As for Crazyface's round...Seriously disappointing! Definitely name and shame, even just to ensure others on here don't suffer the same appalling conditions and service!

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Well to all who snottilly dismissed my concerns, and due to restrictions, i cannot put this how I want to, you were way off mark.

From a miserable greeting in the pro shop to the 4 hours on the course, what an utterly shocking place. Whoever rates these courses should be sacked. I've NEVER EVER felt so cheated in all my life, and the wife played as well, and she said EXACTLY the same. For the money we shelled out, the fairways were a disgrace, the greens even worse. Unkempt bunkers. Bunkers with no sand in. If we'd paid £20, you'd shrug your shoulders and say, well what do you expect. But we didn't. and this place is rated, laughably, as a top 100 course. Get to........NOT A CHANCE !!!!!!! It is the WORST place I've ever had the misfortune to play.

DISGRACEFUL !!!!

Fairways are they poor due to last year extreme weather that meant some clubs were left with burnt fairways and no grass cover ? If that is the case its going to take 2-3 years for them to recover at a guess and you have to allow for that in your views ?

Weird question coming up.....Why do you play a top ranked course ? Interested to hear your reasons, as you seem to enjoy playing lesser courses as much or more ? (have wondered about that question myself and asked myself a number of times the question, especially when I play a course that doesn't tick the boxes for me. That said to balance the argument, there is often someone else on this forum that loves the course, as examples the old course or North Berwick being great examples of splitting opinion, I thought were average but others think they are brilliant. It is very personal and just a guide)

 

[IanM]

Unless the course is named, the thread is of very limited value. I also didn't see how much you paid...

Apologies, but currently, you had a game of golf and you think you overpaid. Not sure how you want us to react?

Speaking to members on our Sunningdale trip, they said the course condition a month or two earlier was "shockingly bad." Due to the previous summer and the cold Spring. So it does happen! Does it make Sunningdale a bad course, eh, no.

 

[Crazyface]

I've not put the price. Was Sunningdale craaaaap in August? I'll bet it wasn't! I paid £20 for a round on Monday, on the way back. They'd hollow tined the greens the week before and they were much better. In fact the whole course was MUCH BETTER!!!

That place was Druids Heath. Great interaction with the Pro on arrival. superb course!!!!!

TWENTY QUID!!!!

Now that place should be in the top 100 courses in place of the one that is. Just who decides this????? They're idiots !

 

[Crazyface]

I'm keeping my powder dry.

 

[IanM]

The point about Sunningdale was that if you made a first visit in May, you may have been disappointed with the condition.....that doesn't change the quality of layout, design and the history. Course rankings are subjective, but reputable golf mags use people with some savvy on their panels, or why do it?

And, I've never heard of Druids Heath... (blooming southerners! )