Whether you're a beginner golfer or an experienced player that has relocated to a new area, joining a golf club can be a daunting experience, especially if you don't know anyone. Here are some pointers to help you settle in as quickly as possible and to get the most out of your club membership.
Play Golf!
Don’t be afraid to put your name up on the tee timesheet alone in any gaps you see and let others join you. Don’t worry about your handicap (or theirs), just use it as a way of getting to know new people in the club.
Show Willing
Offer to help out with club charity fundraisers. Bake the cakes. Sell the raffle tickets. Man the tombola. Attend the charity coffee mornings and be helpful.
Volunteering
Volunteer as a ball spotter at your Ladies Open or Invitation Day. Help to run the halfway hut or pop-up refreshment stand. Volunteer on the sign-in desk. These are all great ways to get your new face visible. Make an effort to say hello to every group that you meet. Be friendly and approachable.
Book A Lesson
Take lessons with the club professional and practice. The pro is the hub of the club and will help introduce you to other members who they think you will enjoy playing golf with. Plus, if you make frequent trips to the practice ground, especially if the putting green is near the clubhouse, you’ll get chatting to other golfers.
Talk To The Bar Staff
One of the best ways to meet people at a golf club is to chat to the staff and tell them about your desire to meet new people. As they spend so much time at the club they will really know the members and have a very good understanding of the personalities, likes, and dislikes of all the people at the club. See if they can recommend a game for you to get involved in.
Find Your Tribe
Join a WhatsApp group. If there are a few new members, find out who else has joined in the last year and create a 'New Members' WhatsApp group to organise some friendly games together.
Play In Everything You Can!
Match Play, Stroke Play, Stableford, Greensomes, Texas Scramble, weekly medals - there are so many options. Be confident and put your name forward for club team matches as well. Even if you don’t get picked at first, show willingness. Why not see how many different competitive formats you can tick off in your first year of membership? Don’t be afraid of drawn competitions either. Handicaps don’t matter. Simply play in anything which gets you interacting with other members.
Make Yourself Visible
Ask the Lady Captain to introduce you at prize-giving. Circulate the room and chat to members. If you are receptive to making friends and interested in attending social type events, you can make lots of friends at a golf club. Go along for happy hour; themed supper nights and mingle.
Embrace Social Media
It’s not always to everyone taste but if the club has a Facebook page join it. Getting involved in social media will help make your name known as a new member.
Network Is Your Net Worth!
If you are a working woman then golf is a great way to combine business with your pastime. The clubhouse is also a great location for meetings. It isn’t easy to find a reason to spend four hours in someone’s office, but if you can play a round of golf together and have a working lunch after, you can mix business with pleasure and accomplish a lot.
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