Diary Of A Secret Club Golfer: Visitors Should Be Welcomed With Open Arms, Not Treated Like Second-Class Citizens

I find golf clubs to be fascinating places. Often, it’s like stepping back in time, whether that’s the outdated decor in the clubhouse or the attitudes of some members – emphasis on some – who feel they should get the best tee times, juniors should be seen and not heard and visitors are a scourge.

At these clubs, conversations around whether visitors should be treated as equals are almost as common as debates on dress codes, the World Handicap System and slow play (I should point out these topics are also oft-discussed at clubs that move with the times, too).

I’ve always found some members’ attitudes towards visitors perplexing. Obviously they should be treated as equals – as everyone should – and obviously they should be welcomed – as everyone should.

I’m not sure if they’re seen as an existential threat, or whether it comes down to some members wanting the place all to themselves and believing it should be cordoned off to outsiders.

I understand wanting a controlled environment and to feel comfortable in your surroundings with people you recognise, but visitors bring far too much to exclude them. They should be sought out, encouraged and welcomed with open arms. As far as I’m concerned, it’s a case of the more the merrier.

There are two caveats to that statement, though. Members should always be given priority and the course should never be so jam-packed with visitors that slow play becomes an issue (more of an issue is probably a more accurate way of wording it given how omnipresent the problem seems to be).

I appreciate it’s hard to accommodate more visitors from a planning and logistical point of view, especially at clubs where members turn up to the first tee and put a ball down. Maximising paying guests and releasing last-minute tee times is far easier at clubs with electronic tee-booking systems.

But, as far as I see it, if the course isn’t full, let them come, even if it’s a Saturday or Sunday.

Numerous benefits

The benefits of visitors are numerous. First and foremost, every tee booking is revenue for the club. Rising costs across the board – everything from cooking oil and fertiliser to greenkeeping equipment and wages – mean this money is most welcome. It’s very difficult to fund course improvements or clubhouse renovations without a club’s finances being in a healthy position.

Visitors also spend money on the property, too – on food and drink in the clubhouse, at the halfway hut and on equipment/apparel and potentially even lessons in the pro shop.

Most clubs aren’t in a position to turn away this combined revenue because some members like to sit in their favourite chair in the bar and don’t want to share their facilities with – or talk to – outsiders.

Visitors can also contribute to the long-term health of a golf club. Even if your golf club appears to be in a good place right now, things can change quickly. There are many threats to golf clubs, both internal and external, and leaving members need replacing.

A warm conversation over a pint or a friendly playing partner could be the difference between someone opting to remain a nomad or taking the plunge into club membership. Don’t underestimate the power of word of mouth, either.

On a personal level, I thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to interact with new people, whether it’s in the clubhouse bar or a jokey exchange on the practice putting green.

Visitors can also provide valuable insight and views on club life, sharing success stories from their own club or courses they’ve visited and examples of initiatives that have proved popular with other memberships. It’s a chance to learn lessons and potentially implement them.

Atmosphere is also important at a golf club. I don’t want a staid environment that’s akin to a doctor’s waiting room. I want to be around people laughing and enjoying themselves – it makes the club feel alive.

For me, the benefits of visitors massively outweigh the negatives and it genuinely baffles me that all club members don’t share that view. Simply being pleasant and welcoming – which is extremely easy to do – can boost your club’s coffers and deliver long-term benefits.

It’s time this snooty attitude towards visitors ended once and for all.