10 Small Things That Make A Golf Club 1% Better

The successful running of a golf club relies on a number of aspects and, along with factors like impeccable playing surfaces, friendly bar staff and a well-stocked pro shop, there are small details that can make all the difference.

Us golfers love to nitpick, especially within our home club, and it's often the little things we notice.

Realistically, this list could be endless, and there are aspects that I've left off, such as consistent sand in bunkers and cleanliness around the clubhouse, as I feel these are just basics that should be a given for every golf club.

Do you agree with the following list, or have I missed something? Let us know in the comments below...

A Working Golf Shoe Gun

Yes, I am really starting off by being this pedantic...

As I write this article from my home in Oxfordshire, we are currently experiencing weather that is either well below freezing, or involves rain pelting down and soaking the turf.

My golf has been scarce of late but, when I have been able to play, my golf shoes and trousers have ended up being caked in mud, which is where a properly working golf shoe gun is so handy.

There's nothing worse than walking around the course and finding out at the end of the round that the gun isn't working, especially as I'm now left to walk, or carry, my mud-infused footwear to the car.

That's not even the main problem. If the gun is working, I can clean my shoes and eliminate all thought of that mud ending up in my car and smudging into the carpet. Now, because the gun hasn't been firing, I am left to clean my footwear, by hand, to the best of my ability.

A working golf shoe gun is vital in the winter, and makes such a difference to any golfing establishment.

Properly Cut Golf Holes

You could have the best-kept greens in the world but, if the golf hole isn't cut properly, then by jove do people whinge and complain.

For the most part, though, the golfer is actually to blame for this one. When retrieving the ball from the hole, not enough due care and attention is taken, as people don't put the flag in properly, causing it to catch the edges and crown the hole.

Another reason can be down to the greenkeeper not cutting the hole out properly. They are busy people and, personally, I think they deserve all the respect in the world; however, rushing the process of cutting out the hole can lead to it being done incorrectly.

Either way, an incorrect golf hole can be extremely frustrating. You've hit a lovely putt on lovely greens, the ball is running on line but, at the last second, it dives away.

Just spend that extra second putting the flag in properly, or spend that extra few minutes cutting the hole out correctly, and it will make golfers so much happier.

The Halfway Hut Being Open

We've all been there: you arrived late to your tee time, you haven't had the chance to get any breakfast and you're now halfway through the front nine feeling low on energy.

Help is at hand, though, as a building in the distance appears. It's the faithful halfway hut. What will you have? A sausage roll? How about a coffee and a pastry? That'll keep you going until you reach the end.

Holing out your putt, you stride to the building but, all of those positive thoughts you had are now eliminated as, lo and behold, it's shut.

Obviously, this comes down to running costs. Not all clubs can afford to employ a member of staff to be on eight hours a day, or during quieter times, but a notice of when the halfway hut will be open, even if it's by the first tee, is always handy to have.

At least let me know that it will be shut by the time I get there. Don't let me have that disheartening moment where I can see what I could have had.

Good Signage

When arriving at a new club, you want to make the experience as stress-free as possible. You don't know where the changing rooms are, or the bar, so good signage is always a little thing that makes a difference.

Of course, you can always ask people where these facilities are but, ideally, you should be able to follow simple signage to the required destination.

Even going to the driving range or the first tee, you would much rather not be that person who walks back-and-forth like a lost dog trying to locate the intended place.

Even if it's just an arrow pointing in the rough direction, at least you know you're heading the right way.

Clear Yardage Markers

With the rise of GPS and rangefinders, yardage markers could be becoming redundant; however, how many times have you forgotten to charge your device before going to play your round? Sometimes the old-fashioned way is required, and that means using yardage markers.

Usually located on the side of the fairways, they can occasionally be found on sprinkler heads, measuring to either the front of the green or the middle of it.

Technology has the capability to mis-fire, so having a second port of call to bring peace of mind to your yardage is always handy, but what isn't handy is when you're scrambling around trying to locate a distance marker.

Not only does it slow the game down, but being unable to confirm the yardage causes indecisiveness and can affect your game.

Even if players don't use them, having clear yardage markers are a big-win and make it that 1% better.

Level Tee Boxes

You could argue that this is more than a small touch, but having a level tee box will make a huge difference to a player's overall experience when they are on the golf course.

To begin with, a tee shot is the one time when a player isn't going to be in trouble, and it's the one time when you can actually dictate your lie and stance.

Golf is meant to test you and force you to play different shots, but, on a tee box, the one crumb of comfort is knowing you are on a level-playing surface, in more ways than one.

Tee boxes will get worn down by players using certain sides more than others, but if tees are changed regularly, it will at least help limit the wear of the surface.

Nicely Cut Paths

Again, it's a very small thing, but nicely cut paths with sharp edges just make the course that little bit neater and tidier.

It might be a time-consuming task, but the cutting of the edges of the path so no grass encroaches looks very professional and shows that every bit of effort has been made to make the course as manicured as possible.

In terms of the paths themselves, how many times have you walked over a rocky surface with your clubs jangling and banging against each other in your bag? Obviously you can't expect tonnes of concrete to be poured over, but knowing your clubs will be protected on a flat surface always provides piece of mind.

Good Ball Washers

How often have you put your golf ball into a washer only for it to come out dirtier than when it went in?

During winter, your golf ball will collect plenty of mud and there's only so many times you can use a towel before it needs to be changed.

In theory, a golf ball washer should be the solution to this, but how often do you find it's either empty or full of dirty water.

For us golfers, there's nothing better than using a crystal-clean golf ball. Not only does it perform infinitely better, but it's just nice to look at before it inevitably gets damaged by trees and bunkers.

Having a few golf ball washers scattered around the course, especially on the tees of par 3s, is just another nice little touch.

Enough Rakes In Bunkers

Let's be honest, whether you play your home course or at a different track, it's often the case that the bunkers will take the brunt of the criticism from golfers.

They thin a shot and they'll say there's not enough sand. They fat it and there'll be too much. It's a lose-lose, but what can be done is to make sure a suitable amount of rakes are provided so at least people can leave the bunker better than how they found it.

Having a couple in each bunker should give the individual no excuse not to rake it, and it also shows the club cares as they want to keep their sand traps in the best possible condition.

Divot Mix On Tee Boxes

A final little detail is making sure the divot boxes are topped up with divot mix, especially on par 3s and short par 4s where irons are going to be hit regularly.

Ignoring a divot means it will take months to grow back and, although it's recommended to not replace your divot on a tee, filling it with mix means it will have more chance of recovering quickly.

I always feel bad when I'm unable to fill in my divots on tee boxes, especially when I think of the chat and potential abuse I'll be getting from groups behind who have seen this crater taken out of the turf.

Keeping divot boxes topped up not only helps the course, but also those playing on it. It's yet another simple thing that makes a layout that 1% better.