Worst service you've ever had at a golf club in the UK

[Asian Dawn]

Merrist Wood in Surrey several years ago. Turned up on a quiet Saturday afternoon for a green fee, pro in the shop would not let me on saying they only took phone bookings. I ended up going outside, phoning the shop and booking a tee time for 10 minutes time. Then walked back in. Pro totally oblivious tells me that he now has a booking so I would have to wait. I did enjoy telling him it was me and that he was an a-hole.

 

[DeanoMK]

Rodway Hill. They accepted my tee booking.

Really? I know it's not the best course in the world but I've been there a couple of times and the service has always been fantastic.

 

[Tashyboy]

Man in black looked after us at Tyneside on the way up to Bamburgh, Foxton and Goswick golf clubs. On the way home we had a look at other courses to play on the way back. We rang Ripon and they gave us a price for the fourball. After a couple of hours drive we pulled up at Ripon went to pay and the pro said one of the assistants had given us the wrong price and we had to pay another £15 each. An extra £60. We told him we could have played a different course for that and we were there because of what they had quoted us. He wasn’t bothered. He went onto say that was the second time that day that golfers had turned up and been given the wrong price. I wanted to come straight home but the others said “ we’re here let’s play”. To be honest we were not blown away with the place. We never stayed for a drink and it didn’t help when they said “ we should have gone straight home” .

 

[inthehole]

Mid 80’s, visiting a club as part of a society. Approx 40 players, all of which were booked in for a meal too. “Sorry sir you can’t use the member’s bar. There’s another bar for visitors.”

A separate bar for visitors I don’t have a problem with but when it’s not much bigger than a store room with a window high up almost a ceiling level and can only, comfortably, take 20 I wasn’t happy. A little hatch to knock on to order drinks which, when opened, revealed a lovely member’s bar with great views over the course. Two members in there.

I wonder which club didn’t get a booking the following years I ran the society?

LA??

 

[Oddsocks]

Both dress code related:

Woodcote park, late Wednesday afternoon (4pm) with a customer in august, during a heat wave high 70s. we have a quick bite to eat in the bar, get our clubs and head to the pro shop to pay our green fees and commence play. Just as we walk out the pro shop, “ you won’t be playing in the socks, our members will go bonkers “. My customer who was a very polite gent in his late 50’s walks back to the pros desk as questions why at no point was this addressed with bar staff or picked up prior to us buying drinks and paying our fees, his defence was that he had socks for sale but at £10.00 a pair. My customer wasn’t to find another course on merit, we played but my customer really didn’t enjoy the experience.

Cherry lodge 2014, we’d returned home from a golf trip on an early flight and had time for 18 holes. Rolled up about 2.30, lunch and then out. Got told I couldn’t play as I was wearing trainer socks…. That I had purchased from their bloody pro shop!!!!! That conversation did not go well abd the three members I played with left the following week.

 

[Swango1980]

Both dress code related:

Wood ore park, late Wednesday afternoon (4pm) with a customer in august, during a heat wave high 70s. we have a quick bite to eat in the bar, get our clubs and head to the pro shop to pay our green fees and commence play. Just as we walk out the pro shop, “ you won’t be playing in the socks, our members will go bonkers “. My customer who was a very polite gent in his late 50’s walks back to the pros desk as questions why at no point was this addressed with bar staff or picked up prior to us buying drinks and paying our fees, his defence was that he had socks for sale but at £10.00 a pair. My customer wasn’t to find another course on merit, we played but my customer really didn’t enjoy the experience.

Cherry lodge 2014, we’d returned home from a golf trip on an early flight and had time for 18 holes. Rolled up about 2.30, lunch and then out. Got told I couldn’t play as I was wearing trainer socks…. That I had purchased from their bloody pro shop!!!!! That conversation did not go well abd the three members I played with left the following week.

Sometimes the club doesn't even have such a strict policy, but if you cross paths with the wrong member, they take it upon themselves to tell you what's what based on their own personal feelings.

Back in about 2006, I was on practice putting green of an away course before a league game. Their captain came up to me and said "make sure you tuck your shirt in, you can't go out like that", but it was in a fairly unpleasant tone. This course was one of the lower quality, cheapest courses in the county, in the middle of a council estate. It was shut down about 4 years ago.

 

[Crazyface]

I've had a few, one well documented and still referred to on here, but all others have gone about rectifying the problem and showing superb customer service. But the one that let us down is still referred to by me when asked, and I do not paint a good picture, and never will.

 

[Oddsocks]

@Crazyface - for someone who missed it, at least give me a clue

 

[Jigger]

Was that a long time ago? I'm a member there, have been for 2 years, and it doesn't feel like that sort of place. The way to access, way to pay, doesn't add up now either.

I believe it was stuffy back in the day so if this was a few years ago that would not overly surprise me.

Yes it was a while back

 

[rulefan]

Club outing to a club with a strong military association. Standing at the bar waiting for a member to be served, another member joined the queue but a few paces behind me. When the 1st member had been served the barman looked past me and called to the other member 'Your usual sir?'. I interrupted and said pleasantly to the bar man whilst looking at the member 'Excuse me but I think I am next'. The member spluttered something I didn't catch. The barman proceeded to serve him and as the member walked away told me 'We always serve officers first and you are only a visitor'.

Many years ago when I was working at the Royal Army Pay Corps computer centre I was allocated the honorary rank of Major so that I was able to give all the computer operators and staff orders (ie instructions).
Although I no longer worked there, I still had my Officers' Mess identification card in my wallet, which showed my then rank.

I took it out and showed the barman. Cringing apologies. Later, when I went back to the bar he addressed me as Major loudly enough for the other guy to realise I 'outranked' him.
I gathered he was captain.

 

[clubchamp98]

Club outing to a club with a strong military association. Standing at the bar waiting for a member to be served, another member joined the queue but a few paces behind me. When the 1st member had been served the barman looked past me and called to the other member 'Your usual sir?'. I interrupted and said pleasantly to the bar man whilst looking at the member 'Excuse me but I think I am next'. The member spluttered something I didn't catch. The barman proceeded to serve him and as the member walked away told me 'We always serve officers first and you are only a visitor'.

Many years ago when I was working at the Royal Army Pay Corps computer centre I was allocated the honorary rank of Major so that I was able to give all the computer operators and staff orders (ie instructions).
Although I no longer worked there, I still had my Officers' Mess identification card in my wallet, which showed my then rank.

I took it out and showed the barman. Cringing apologies. Later, when I went back to the bar he addressed me as Major loudly enough for the other guy to realise I 'outranked' him.
I gathered he was captain.

You need to change your name on here Major Sir.

 

[tugglesf239]

Club outing to a club with a strong military association. Standing at the bar waiting for a member to be served, another member joined the queue but a few paces behind me. When the 1st member had been served the barman looked past me and called to the other member 'Your usual sir?'. I interrupted and said pleasantly to the bar man whilst looking at the member 'Excuse me but I think I am next'. The member spluttered something I didn't catch. The barman proceeded to serve him and as the member walked away told me 'We always serve officers first and you are only a visitor'.

Many years ago when I was working at the Royal Army Pay Corps computer centre I was allocated the honorary rank of Major so that I was able to give all the computer operators and staff orders (ie instructions).
Although I no longer worked there, I still had my Officers' Mess identification card in my wallet, which showed my then rank.

I took it out and showed the barman. Cringing apologies. Later, when I went back to the bar he addressed me as Major loudly enough for the other guy to realise I 'outranked' him.
I gathered he was captain.

I don’t know who comes out of that story worst

‘My then rank’

Walt…

 

[PhilTheFragger]

Club outing to a club with a strong military association. Standing at the bar waiting for a member to be served, another member joined the queue but a few paces behind me. When the 1st member had been served the barman looked past me and called to the other member 'Your usual sir?'. I interrupted and said pleasantly to the bar man whilst looking at the member 'Excuse me but I think I am next'. The member spluttered something I didn't catch. The barman proceeded to serve him and as the member walked away told me 'We always serve officers first and you are only a visitor'.

Many years ago when I was working at the Royal Army Pay Corpsmen computer centre I was allocated the honorary rank of Major so that I was able to give all the computer operators and staff orders (ie instructions).
Although I no longer worked there, I still had my Officers' Mess identification card in my wallet, which showed my then rank.

I took it out and showed the barman. Cringing apologies. Later, when I went back to the bar he addressed me as Major loudly enough for the other guy to realise I 'outranked' him.
I gathered he was captain.

Ah Sainsbury’s at Worthy Down,
Happy memories

If you know, you know

 

[rulefan]

Ah Sainsbury’s at Worthy Down,
Happy memories

If you know, you know

Not knowing the ropes I spent my first month's pay in the officers' mess

 

[Deleted member 30522]

Not many TBH, usually only visit as a player in an Open tbf, but one does stand out, though not UK, it was close, Dundalk, right on the Irish/NI border, they weren't overly welcoming of 6 lads in their mid 30s rocking up in a mini bus and had one or two grillings from the locals. We'd been on a week long trip, and took in some opens on the bookend weekends, with Dundalk being a 4BBB Open.

We were booked in the first two times and had been for months, as we check in we're asked where our fourth pair was? "We don't have another pair, there's six of us". Pro - "But there's another pair in the first time with you, must be your mates"?
"No nothing to do with us mate, do you want us to shuffle up"
Pro - "No, you'll have to go out yourselves if your mates don't show up"
"They're nothing to do with us"
Pro - "They must be, they're booked in with you"

I cannot for the life of me fathom what was going on in his head, the rudeness and couldn't care less attitude was easily the worst I've seen at any open I've turned up to.

 

[Crazyface]

Man in black looked after us at Tyneside on the way up to Bamburgh, Foxton and Goswick golf clubs. On the way home we had a look at other courses to play on the way back. We rang Ripon and they gave us a price for the fourball. After a couple of hours drive we pulled up at Ripon went to pay and the pro said one of the assistants had given us the wrong price and we had to pay another £15 each. An extra £60. We told him we could have played a different course for that and we were there because of what they had quoted us. He wasn’t bothered. He went onto say that was the second time that day that golfers had turned up and been given the wrong price. I wanted to come straight home but the others said “ we’re here let’s play”. To be honest we were not blown away with the place. We never stayed for a drink and it didn’t help when they said “ we should have gone straight home” .

We played Ripon a few years ago and were followed around the course by a cloud of little black flies. Think Pigpen from Charlie Brown. It was horrible. The shower Bach at the hotel afterwards was horrible to as hundreds of the bluddy things were washed off. Blurg. Oh and the course was rubbish. The wife rufsed to play the last but told me to do so as, and I quote, "we will not be coming back". Lol .....not

 

[Boabie]

Two dress code ones for me. Two different clubs, both with high opinions of themselves.

First one I walked into the pro shop and the first words said to me were 'you can't go out in those socks'. No hello, no welcome to........... I had no intention of playing in those socks, I was going to get changed. I was an hour before tee off, no rush.

Second, walking into a clubhouse, an officious man comes towards me as I'm 2 steps in, 'are those golf shoes' in a stern voice. 'No, they are not' I replied, they weren't. Again, no hello, no welcome to..........just a hostile welcome.

First impressions...............

Could have been worse, both occasions could have been at the same pretentious club.

 

[Boabie]

Companion thread to the one currently running. These two occurred over the last two weeks at the same club.

1. Seniors' Open, players coming off the course until 7pm. We got into the bar around 4pm. I went to the bar & ordered burger & chips & paid for it. My partner came in just after me & ordered the same. "Sorry, the kitchen is closed" was the reply. I informed them that if he couldn't get his I didn't want mine. The bar lady went into the kitchen, came out and said "that will be OK". Don't think anyone else got served after that.

2. A mate won a fourball at the same course. It had rained a lot so he rang up the day before to check the course was open. "Yes, the course is open, you're OK for tomorrow" Great. The four of them arrived next day. "You need hedgehog wheels" the pro said. All four had them - at home! "Have you any hedgehog wheels to hire?" "No". "Are there any hedgehog trollies to hire? ". "No". "Can we go out without them?" "No" So off they went & played elsewhere.

Warm welcome or what?

Hmmm! Hedgehog wheels should be defined as a profit enhancement scheme.

 

[C&R]

Both dress code related:

Woodcote park, late Wednesday afternoon (4pm) with a customer in august, during a heat wave high 70s. we have a quick bite to eat in the bar, get our clubs and head to the pro shop to pay our green fees and commence play. Just as we walk out the pro shop, “ you won’t be playing in the socks, our members will go bonkers “. My customer who was a very polite gent in his late 50’s walks back to the pros desk as questions why at no point was this addressed with bar staff or picked up prior to us buying drinks and paying our fees, his defence was that he had socks for sale but at £10.00 a pair. My customer wasn’t to find another course on merit, we played but my customer really didn’t enjoy the experience.

Cherry lodge 2014, we’d returned home from a golf trip on an early flight and had time for 18 holes. Rolled up about 2.30, lunch and then out. Got told I couldn’t play as I was wearing trainer socks…. That I had purchased from their bloody pro shop!!!!! That conversation did not go well abd the three members I played with left the following week.

i had the exact
same experience at cherry lodge. Walked into the pro shop and was told I couldn’t play in trainer socks. I replied “ I bet you could sell me socks that would allow me to play today?” He said “ yes over there” i replied “ your course isn’t worth it”. We left and played at Westerham . Crazy

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I’ve had a (very) few occasions when I’ve been a little peeved with how I’ve been addressed or treated when visiting a club, though the few are far between. But to be fair to the club I’d not go naming them on a public forum…especially if on honest reflection I can see that I might have played a part in what happened and I was not totally innocent. And even if I was and though I might describe the experience, I still wouldn’t be naming.