Becoming a member at a golf club is one of the greatest sporting decisions I have ever made, as playing regularly, competing against others and practicing on the excellent facilities has really improved my game.
Like anything in life, however, it only takes a couple of bad experiences to taint that positive outlook.
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Two Recent Incidents Left Me Concerned About Golf Club Culture
One of my favourite parts of playing golf at a member’s club is the opportunity to tee it up with new people and build relationships.
I have had so many positive interactions with new playing partners that have gone on to become friends in recent years, but I still don’t think we do enough mixing on the course.
The tee time booking sheet can feel a little bit cliquey, especially if you don’t have a regular person to play with, so jumping onto spare slots and joining others is a necessary but often daunting proposition.
To make matters worse, being shunned is a real and probable possibility. I recently joined on with a group of players in the hope of squeezing in 18 holes and entering a competition.
Sadly, within minutes of my booking, the group had decided to remove themselves and re-book on another slot that day. This was a direct and calculated decision – no, you are not playing with us, stranger!
I couldn’t even imagine so boldly indicating to someone that they are not wanted. The way I see it, I don’t own that tee time. It’s not ‘mine’. If there is space and someone wants to join – be my guest, more…
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