Question for people who have played ultra-exclusive courses like...

**Happy Dragon** · September 16, 2009

The Golf Club, Pine Valley, Augusta, Winged Foot, Shinnecock, etc.

What are some of the nice little touches they do at exclusive clubs for serious golfers? Just curious. Do they have ProV1's on the range?

**Danny Noonan** · September 16, 2009

The Golf Club, Pine Valley, Augusta, Winged Foot, Shinnecock, etc.

Can't imagine it. Even rich guys enjoy stealing the "extras" at nice places. Can't see how that would pencil out even for an exclusive club.

Awesome thought, though. - DN

**right handed phil mickelson** · September 16, 2009

Can't imagine it. Even rich guys enjoy stealing the "extras" at nice places. Can't see how that would pencil out even for an exclusive club.

I really don't think that answers his question. Awesome thought, though. Some of the very very nice courses down where I live (Treviso Bay, Tiburon) have Pro V1's on the range, extensively lavish bathrooms, gourmet restaurants, and somewhat nice workers. I can't imagine what those courses have that's better than that. I'm assuming there's a secret Outback Steakhouse in the locker room.

stickygreens · September 16, 2009

You will find the staff to be super friendly always. Range balls of playing quality stacked in pyrminds on a real grass practice tee. Higher end courses also mostly employ caddies. Playing a round with a caddie that knows his way around makes the round all the better.

**Joeyvee** · September 17, 2009

I caddied at winged foot for a couple years when I was a wee rabbit. To start there are 2 courses. East and west. Both gorgeous. And I mean gorgeous. The facilities were top notch. I think it was free club cleaning, repairs etc. The clubhouse was OLD brick and slate and really had that old school english charm. Most players preffered the east course. As a caddy I preferred the west. I thought it was prettier, less hilly and shadier with more shortcuts. lol.. The caddy master Pat Collins was a character. Great guy though. I asked someone recently if he was still there and I forget what they told me. he never got any caddies names right but he remembered your face if you were good. Hey Jimmy uh Petey, Johnny, Tommy
go get mr. Fugazis bag and get over to 9 east. lol.. Mr Fugazi was REAL cool. We all loved him. I ended up dating his grandaughter. Sweet girl.
Some of the nice little touches they do..
The two that I think are the best is they let the caddies play on Mondays if you asked nicely and were a good caddie and they also let police and fireman (my dad) play on mondays and even some other days Very cheaply. Caddy day was a blast. I must have played 50 holes one year. lol. As far as playing it as an adult I can only hope when I visit NY in the summer next year I can get someone to get me on there.. Oh yeah. You didnt go out without a caddie. And at 13 I knew more about that course then most members did.
Now here in Hawaii I can play whatever damn course I please pretty easily except for the military courses..

**billm408** · September 17, 2009

IME... not much. I've played two of the most exclusive clubs in NorCal- Cypress Point 10+ times and about 5-6x at SF Golf Club- and it's the golf not the ammeneties that make them what they are.

**clubchamp** · September 17, 2009

Almost all the really high end country clubs have a lot of nice touches to them. Real grass ranges with high end balls, caddies, friendly staff, high end restaurants, and my personal favorite no cell phones allowed. Infact pine valley will ask you to leave even if you get a cell phone out on club grounds.

**VOX** · September 17, 2009

I have played all of the courses that you mention except Augusta (although I hope to get there this fall). The great old courses often have the most beaten up range balls and old worn locker rooms. It is not about flaunting wealth. They tend to be very understated. The courses with the most lavish over the top amentities are usually the neveau courses that need to try too hard to impress.

stickygreens · September 17, 2009

None of the courses that Happy Dragon listed have worn locker rooms or beat up range balls my friend.

**Happy Dragon** · September 17, 2009

I have played all of the courses that you mention except Augusta (although I hope to get there this fall). The great old courses often have the most beaten up range balls and old worn locker rooms. It is not about flaunting wealth. They tend to be very understated. The courses with the most lavish over the top amentities are usually the neveau courses that need to try too hard to impress.

That's a very interesting point. I'm more interested in learning about the old traditional clubs.

**lionking** · September 17, 2009

not sure if medinah qualifies as ultraexclusive, but...

they have all the service you'd expect- from bag drop to shoe cleaning, it's just top notch. their food tastes really good (i just had the hot dog but it was really, really good), they have free divot tools, markers, tees, crackers/nuts/pb&j; at the turn, and cold bottled water every few holes.

**Joeyvee** · September 17, 2009

I didn't want to use the term "old money" for winged foot because noone there ever really seemed snobby but looking at the place you definitely get that feel. And the locker rooms werent worn down but they werent like what you see in a good health club. they were very normal. Supposedly they still have the original metal lockers from like 1920 something.

**Happy Dragon** · September 17, 2009

not sure if medinah qualifies as ultraexclusive, but...

Yes, Medinah counts.

thebignasty · September 17, 2009

one of my friends caddies at oakmont cc. and he said that 1 the members are ridiculously rich and throw money around like its nothing. 2 the range balls are pro v1s and taylormade tp balls. other than that ive never asked him about the special things that members get.

**WUTiger** · September 17, 2009

As a former caddie and a recent volunteer at a national event, I am familiar with guest procedures for a couple of the upscale courses in St. Louis area.

Basically, you get to be "member for a day." One course posted guidelines for guests on its website:
* No changing shoes or clothes on the parking lot. You will be assigned a temporary locker before the round.
* Shirttails will be tucked in while on the course.
* No tipping or money changing hands during your visit. Your host will cover that. (That doesn't include losing a $50 Nassau, which is between you and your host, not the club.)

The staff members are polite, well trained professionals. No victims here. They will subtly coach you if you look flustered, or ask for advice.

Also, you can always call ahead to the club if you have any questions about your visit.

RC · September 17, 2009

These examples are not always the same at every famous course, but here are some experiences from some pretty exclusive clubs with famous tracks.

There may well be armed guards at the entry gate. You don't just drive up and ask to play. At one of them, if you inquire about membership, you may be assured you will never be allowed to become one. Proper attire and golf behavior are essential. History and traditions are to be respected.

You hit essentially new Titlist balls on the range. The caddies carry your clubs -- some places you are not even allowed to pick up your bag, at anytime. The caddies know the yardages like the back of their hand. They clean your clubs after each shot, and the really good ones are a great help -- they quickly figure out your capacity and tendencies, and read putts and chips like magicians. I was surprised to find one caddy had stocked my bag with additional balls for me (exactly the ones I was playing) and on a tee, he handed me a new one because the one I putted out with had a very slight blemish.

Good caddy teams split up so two go to the tee with all four bags and two go down the fairway as fore caddies. Losing a ball is a lot more difficult because they know where it is. They rake bunkers perfectly and repair ball marks and divots like surgeons.

When you come in or go out, there is compressed air to blow foreign grasses or dirt from your shoes and they shine them for you. If you spend the night on one of the courses, you can call the office and have past major championships played on your TV.

At one place, an "after-crew" and little green caddie truck actually followed behind us and made sure ever divot was fixed perfectly, even though the caddies (who carry pouches of sand and grass seed on their belts) had already done it, and they actually caned the green after we putted out and left each one.

At another course, they mowed and rolled the greens three times during the day. I watched the stimp meter measurements at a consistent 14 -- that is super, super fast (one reading was 14.5).

The club houses and food services are always impeccable. And the the way stops are always stocked with whatever you may want to drink or snack.

Surprisingly, at one course, there were no tee times, you put a ball on the tee when you go to breakfast, and as each new groups showed up they place their ball in a nice line in order of arrival, then head off to eat -- amazing.

One club had only single digit handicappers. Another only 237 members in the world, and a five year waiting list I was told.

It is a different, surreal world -- you know it is extravagant but it sure is enjoyable.

**2bGood** · September 17, 2009

These examples are not always the same at every famous course, but here are some experiences from some pretty exclusive clubs with famous tracks.

Very cool -I have managed to play on a few "nice" courses over the years.The kind where you drop your bag and shoes off at the door, andwhen you see your shoes again they are polished and your clubs are cleaned, and there are PRO V1 on the range. Very cool. But I have never played anything as high end as you describe. The club I belong to is "mid range" great conditions always, fast pace of play, my clubs have always been cleaned when I pick them up - but no fancy range balls or caddies or anything - to dream.

**6iron** · September 17, 2009

I guess I can only dream of playing on a lavish course like the ones you all have mentioned. I'm a retired railroad conductor and my wife is a retired school teacher so I play regular courses around my area of the state. I've been invited to go on a five day golf trip to Myrtle Beach so I guess I could find a nice course up there to play.

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