How Much Do You Tip the Golf Club Cleaner Boy?

[mcanadiens]

25 minutes ago, CarlSpackler said:

At the muni that I play, there are buckets of water on the range that might get changed a few times a month with brushes chained to them that appear to be 20 years old. There are hardly any bristles left on them.

Damn it. That brush was perfectly fine the last time I was there.

What happened?

Edited July 11, 2019 by mcanadiens

[Sandy Divot]

I usually don't play courses that provide this service, but in general, I like to take care of my clubs. I don't even like to use bag drops. I've seen too many bags fall off carts after an attendant puts them on.

[Patch]

The club cleaners at my home course(s) are highschool kids, who are members of their school's golf team. They do other things on the course's property too. I've sern them pick up trash in the parking lot, and the course. I have also seen them help elderly golfers manage their golf bags. Youngsters doing volunteer work is a good thing. 

My clubs don't usually need cleaning at the end of a round, since I clean them after every shot during the round. However, I do appreciate the effort in the service these kids provide. 

I usually tip them $10. One youngster gets a little more because he's a family friend. He goes the extra yard for me. Some of that tip money usually gets spent on my Granddaughter. 

When on a road trip, I will tip club cleaners, but the amount depends on the effort they put into it. 

[rehmwa]

37 minutes ago, David in FL said:

Guess who ultimately pays for those higher wages...

 

duh, the customers.  but now you don't have to worry about tipping, the employee doesn't have to worry either, they know their contract, everybody wins.  Tipping is a dumb concept.  Also, you aren't subsidizing the less generous member experience.  You don't have to worry about petty employees giving preferential treatment.  etc etc etc.

When you tip, you are trying to reward good performance.  That implies the converse is true (even if people deny that aspect).  So, if you don't tip, you should expect crappy performance?  Good thing we don't tip doctors and engineers.

Edited July 11, 2019 by rehmwa

[boogielicious]

Bet ya Kuchar doesn't tip the Golf Club Cleaning Boy! 

[colin007]

1 hour ago, CarlSpackler said:

At the muni that I play, there are buckets of water on the range that might get changed a few times a month with brushes chained to them that appear to be 20 years old. There are hardly any bristles left on them.

The water in our buckets only gets changed when it rains enough to overflow them. If it doesn't rain sometimes they run dry for days. No joke.

[FlyingAce]

The cart guys at my club will not lift a finger unless they see someone walking up to them with cash in hand. I don’t see why I should tip them when the carts are always dirty, cooler filled with water/trash, missing scorecards/tees. I return my carts cleaned and stocked, maybe I should get a tip for doing their job!

[David in FL]

32 minutes ago, rehmwa said:

  Also, you aren't subsidizing the less generous member experience.  

Not at all.

In fact, by tipping, I’m paying only when I get acceptable service, rather than paying extra (via increased fees) whether the service is acceptable or not...

...and if my relative generosity leads to even better, preferential service, it means that the money that I’m paying actually has an impact on the quality of my experience.  I like that.

2 minutes ago, FlyingAce said:

 I don’t see why I should tip them when the carts are always dirty, cooler filled with water/trash, missing scorecards/tees.

I agree!  

[Double Mocha Man]

Years ago every Saturday I played at the Augusta Country Club with a hole adjacent to Amen Corner at Augusta National.  I was young and somewhat naive.  Every Saturday when I arrived my clubs had been cleaned and my shoes polished by an older black gentleman who engaged me in some wonderful conversation.  I did not know that was something to tip for... and I regret it now.  Though nowadays I tend to over-tip to make up for past transgressions.

 

 

3 hours ago, mcanadiens said:

It should actually be it's own category of golf course. ... Golf-Club-Cleaner-Boy golf courses.

You have goat tracks, munis, daily-fee courses, resort courses, country clubs and then, at the top of the food chain, Golf-Club-Cleaner-Boy Golf Courses. 

That's when you know you've arrived.

Now that's some funny shit...

[Double Mocha Man]

1 hour ago, rehmwa said:

 Tipping is a dumb concept. 

When you tip, you are trying to reward good performance.  That implies the converse is true. 

Tipping is a great concept.  It's just too bad it's been institutionalized.

What is the opposite of giving a tip?  Can you ask for some money back?

[LightsOut]

I usually tip $5, but the guys at most courses here don't just wipe down clubs.  I don't have to do anything but walk to the truck and come by to pick up the clubs, which they usually put in back for me.  Kinda nice not lugging that stuff around after a day of golf in the hot sun.  

Quick question, do you tip the cart guys upon arrival, too?  Is that normal etiquette?  I usually only tip upon leaving but they are often a different crew from when I arrived.  Am I jipping the morning guys?

[David in FL]

6 minutes ago, LightsOut said:

I usually tip $5, but the guys at most courses here don't just wipe down clubs.  I don't have to do anything but walk to the truck and come by to pick up the clubs, which they usually put in back for me.  Kinda nice not lugging that stuff around after a day of golf in the hot sun.  

Quick question, do you tip the cart guys upon arrival, too?  Is that normal etiquette?  I usually only tip upon leaving but they are often a different crew from when I arrived.  Am I jipping the morning guys?

At least at my club, the outside staff splits the tips throughout the entire day, so no one gets left out just because they worked a different shift.

Knowing that, I tip at the end of the round based on the overall experience.

[Patch]

4 hours ago, rehmwa said:

duh, the customers.  but now you don't have to worry about tipping, the employee doesn't have to worry either, they know their contract, everybody wins.  Tipping is a dumb concept.  Also, you aren't subsidizing the less generous member experience.  You don't have to worry about petty employees giving preferential treatment.  etc etc etc.

When you tip, you are trying to reward good performance.  That implies the converse is true (even if people deny that aspect).  So, if you don't tip, you should expect crappy performance?  Good thing we don't tip doctors and engineers.

I look at "not tipping" because I already recieved crappy service. Not because I expected crappy service before it was performed. 

Semantics I suppose.  

[rob0225]

10 hours ago, David in FL said:

What people may not realize is that wiping down clubs is just one small service that the outside staff provides.

Depending on the club/facilities, they also manage the bag drop and parking, manage/clean carts, pick balls and maintain the practice range, keep the area clean and free of trash, keep water and ice coolers filled on the course, manage/start the first tee, marshal, meet and greet guests, clean restrooms, help load and replenish the beverage carts, provide daily course insight, etc...

And those are all things the course should be doing anyway and shouldn't rely on tipped employees to do.

[David in FL]

17 minutes ago, rob0225 said:

And those are all things the course should be doing anyway and shouldn't rely on tipped employees to do.

Whoever does them gets paid.

Ultimately, you and I pay them, however they get paid.

[dennyjones]

Tonight at a private club (bachelor party on the golf course) I tipped $5.   They guy started cleaning clubs without being asked.   I sorta felt sorry for him because a lot of the guys weren't tipping him.   

[Herkimer]

$5.00

[lastings]

All depends on whether I won or not.    If I just took $100 off my friends, I might give him $20.   If I lost, he's probably just getting a "thanks"..   all a roll of the dice for that kid.   might want to check on us at about hole 16 before he decides whether or not to grab those clubs off my cart.