Country Clubs gone public

[3 wiggle]

I would find a new club if the one i were a member at started allowing the public. Keep in mind...im not a member of a c.c. I grew up a member and my parents are members of one...but i am not. I can guarantee i will be however just as soon as i can afford it. Around me the public courses are full of low lives that do not rake traps, do not fix ball marks, do not fix divots, get drunk and crash carts, hit into other groups, and tear up the greens. I have never seen this behavior at a private club on that scale. Ill take a well maintained course, golfers with proper etiquette, and a generally pleasant atmosphere any day of the week. It is very frustrating for any serious golfer to deal with the "public" on the munis in my area.

That being said...im off to my local muni to battle the drunks!

[golferelle]

Thanks all for the info. It was very helpful, I used some of the pro/con responses in my article. I've found 15 membership courses in the Phoenix area that offer limited tee times to the public. I've tried two so far and will let you in on them, please leave a tee time for me! Sun City Golf Club and Palmbrook Golf Club. Both are nice, Palmbrook is REALLY nice. Range balls are included, the prices are right. Look them up on Golf Now, Phoenix NW area.

So far, the private club courses are lacking in drinks carts, water fountains, and bathrooms. Other than that, they are a real pleasure to visit. For the ladies, they seem more woman-friendly (aside from the lack of facilities on the course). Red tees are well positioned rather than an afterthought. Palmbrook has ball washers at the ladies tees as well as the whites.

And although I'm a public player I fix divots, don't get drunk and crash my cart, and don't hit into other groups or tear up the grass (see 3 wiggle comment above), although I do sometimes see those issues on the muni courses too.

[David K]

I don't belong to a country club but there is a private course that I live very close to. They consider it "private" but you can play on weekdays if you aren't a member. Weekends are reserved for members only and members take top priority on weekdays. Its a pretty short course but has beautiful scenery because its right at the base of the blue ridge mountains. I've played there three times with a friend who is a member and its one of my favorite courses out of the many to choose from around here. If I made more money I'd join but I like to play a variety of courses. So I wouldn't be playing on a single course often enough to make it worth the membership cost.

Unfortunately for the members of private clubs I guess they need to do whatever it takes to get business. If keeping the doors open means going public than I guess they have no choice. Would you rather your private course go public or would you rather them close all together?

[Sincraft]

A local club just opened up, and well, I expected much better. The staff was a bit rude. The people at the 19th hole were drunk, and it looks like its a gathering of guys that have been there before time. They seemed annoyed at people they didn't know sitting near them or using their facilities.
The course was just ok, the shape of the cartpaths was bad. The neighborhood is going down hill quick. They forced landlords into renting to low income years ago, and it spread like a plague. Now the entire area is mid lower class at best with large pockets of below poverty surrounding it. So of course, the roads that traverse near the club, are also plagued with the same people that feed off of the people that work for a living, so these people can lounge around all day. And of course, they enjoy beeping their horns and flicking cigarettes out toward the golfers....the people that pay their rent, healthcare, etc.

Thankfully, I did not have anything to throw that I didn't care to keep.

I wont go back there for a long time. And from what I've heard, the cops don't do anything because they are busy keeping these same people from killing each other. I say let them.


Another course about 15 minutes from me, has a famous designer (name slipped), was 18k per year to join and suddenly went public. Greens fees are only 65 and a monthly membership is only 200 now for unlimited golf!!! I'm hopefully going to check them out this weekend or possibly friday. we shall see. Looks like a wonderful course. Fairly new too. 2001, public as of last year.
S

[jcard71]

I find it ironic and pretty sad that you stereotype a whole group of people. One could easily stereotype you and your upbringing - would that be OK?

As a member of a Private Country Club, this pretty much sums it up! I could never go back to playing on public courses every day...

[FHopper]

I grew up playing CC golf, as a young adult I belonged to a very nice club on an under 30 nepotism program. I am now 60 and probably exactly who a club hopes will show up if they allow public access. Knowing what club membership is really like I question how it can be done with equity to the real members. Belonging to a club means your clubs are cleaned after every round, your shoes are shined regularly. You play cards with buddies and order from the grill with a signature. The family comes for Sunday brunch and the kids turn into fish at the pool. It seems like a slippery slope to try and limit non-member access unless they are limited to the parking lot and pro shop only... well that makes it tough to hang with the foursome after the round when you don't belong. It is an interesting conundrum to resolve well.

[yenner]

do have the occasional jerk or cargo short wearer.

Oh and I don't like seeing cargo shorts on the course either! And if I were in a CC I would look to have the dress code spelled out to eliminate them and un-tucked shirts. Just my opinion and personal preference.

I wear cargo shorts most times and wear them proudly. Sorry if that offends. Well, not really, but I'll be cordial anyways. :) I also have been wearing, and will be wearing,

Tattoo Golf apparel.

Oh and I don't like seeing cargo shorts on the course either! And if I were in a CC I would look to have the dress code spelled out to eliminate them and un-tucked shirts. Just my opinion and personal preference.

My exact situation. The same people that look down on cargo wearers wouldn't dare let a guy like the one mentioned in the strangers thread play along and would miss opportunites to meal real, authentic, great human beings.

I find it ironic and pretty sad that you stereotype a whole group of people. One could easily stereotype you and your upbringing - would that be OK?

Is that not what is being done against those of us that can't afford Izods and yachts?

I'm not mad. :) I'm definitely not cut out to be a CC member now or ever. I don't drink or smoke, I respect everyone else as well as the course and all equipment, clean out my cart after a round, and generally just respect the game. I don't feel cargo shorts is disrespectful to anyone. The only thing in this world that should require a uniform out of respect is our great military. Aside from that the rest is bickering over personal opinion. If I am playing to enjoy a nice round of golf I should be able to dress comfortably as long as it's within reason. My Adidas golf shoes, cargos, and polo with a tucked in tee underneath seems to please my local courses enough. I guess my money is green enough for them and thats good enough for me. :) To those of you that don't appreciate myself or others like me: That's ok. We can co-exist. You can have your yachts, BMW's, Izods, and Taylormades. I'm gonna kick back with my ATV, 8 year old VW, Wal*Mart polo, and Rams. :) No need to down others jsut because they dono't live your lifestyle. Can't we all just get along? :) To stay on subject, our local CC went public this year. Haven't played it yet and I've gotten mixed reviews. One of my good friends works there, is a ~4 handicapper, and dresses very well. It's great that we can play a round together on a local, privately owned course and now maybe this course and he still treats me like I'm a human. :)

[markpf189]

My C.C isn't open to the public, but it is always having tournaments that non-members can be in and it's really annoying. It seems like whenever my dad an I want to go out there is some tournament going on. We live with it though because it's super cheap and the course is a lot nicer than other C.C's around here that cost 3x the amount.

[Lefty-Golfer]

I am a memeber of a club, I don't want public golfers. The course is well maintained and the memebers take good care of it. That doesn't happen at public courses. I have seen it, there is just something different about taking care of "our course" as opposed to how people take care of a public course. Plus if a round takes 4 hrs i am thinking we are a little slow today...and that is on a Friday afternoon. That is not public golf!! Thanks but i will vote to continue to pay our own bills.

[mrmiller8]

Ok, I have read every post on here and so far refused to post, but I do have a few points. Let me give you my background as well I currently work in the Golf Industry (and no I do not work at Dicks sporting goods or golf galaxy as "pro") I am currently registered in the PGA program to become a teaching professional. With that said here are my thoughts.

1. Cargo Shorts- could care less.....Golf is a business and if "johnny" wants to wear cargo shorts when he plays and has the 60 bucks to pay the fee...I could care less. Khaki's are khaki's unless they are mesh shorts....

2. There is a reason that people in this world don't get along. Typical country club member likes the drinks and special treatment he gets from the cart staff and wants everyone to know how much money he makes and doesn't care about anyone else but himself and his few buddys that play in their weekly game. My opinion: Not generally a guy who I give two Sh*ts about. Now I have worked at both types of courses private and public and there are exceptions in all situations. I had members at some of the private clubs who I absolutely loved and would do anything in the world for and others who I wanted to piss on because of their lack of respect and thinking they owned the world. As for the course, our course was very very nice and it wasnt becuase the members took care of it, it was because we had the funds to care of it because our initioniation fees were outrageous.

3. Public courses (which i prefer the people at) are the places where golf was meant to be played. A lot of great players don't need fancy memberships. Just some clubs and course. There are great players at crappy courses and there is a lot of players that can't play for their lives and pay thousands and thousands of dollars for a nice club and pay the club pro for lessons....I love guys like that. The best golfers are never at the best clubs...unless they are touring pros. Great players come from all types of clubs and yes contrary to popular belief people who play public courses do know the rules of golf.

4. For you CC members out there, enjoy your fancy club with no public play now because you will not have in the next two years. You will either be closed, considered a "semi-private" with public play, or asked to pay to "development fee" in order to keep your club afloat in this economy, or closed.....

[James_Black]

What is a club that has members and accepts called?
I'm not up to terms with the different names.

My old club shut down so now I'm a member of a cheaper course (only 50 euro for my junior membership. That's around 70 dollars)

[Lefty-Golfer]

Ok, I have read every post on here and so far refused to post, but I do have a few points. Let me give you my background as well I currently work in the Golf Industry (and no I do not work at Dicks sporting goods or golf galaxy as "pro") I am currently registered in the PGA program to become a teaching professional. With that said here are my thoughts.

response above

[augafan48]

I normally play at the local country club here, its semi private, but its very, very busy. The course stays maintained alright, but it can only be so nice with the number of rounds it receives everyday. I also play with a buddy of mine occasionally who lives on a private course, big gated community with the pool, grill, great course designed by pete dye jr., etc. The condition of that course is fantastic, and its never terribly crowded. It was a U.S. open qualifying site for the 08 Open, and the layout is wonderful, , nothing like my local course.

The people are equally nice at both, but its a much more close knit atmosphere at the private club, everyone practically knows everyone, and if I had the money, I'd much rather be a member there simply for the course quality and pace of play. I wouldn't mind paying extra money for that, and also for having a tight group of friends always close by.

And as for the cargo shorts, not at a private course. Muni i'd expect, but at a private course dress decent, it shows respect to the game and the people around.

[yenner]

And as for the cargo shorts, not at a private course. Muni i'd expect, but at a private course dress decent, it shows respect to the game and the people around.

I can be respectful of everyone while I'm in cargos. Why can nobody be respectful of

me if I'm in cargos?

[David K]

I am a memeber of a club, I don't want public golfers. The course is well maintained and the memebers take good care of it. That doesn't happen at public courses. I have seen it, there is just something different about taking care of "our course" as opposed to how people take care of a public course. Plus if a round takes 4 hrs i am thinking we are a little slow today...and that is on a Friday afternoon. That is not public golf!! Thanks but i will vote to continue to pay our own bills.

It would be nice if the players around here would take better care of the putting greens on the public courses. It seems like no one fixes their ball marks if they make it on the green so I usually end up looking over my line and fixing someone else's divot. The one other problem I have with the public/municipal courses around here is some people are complete a**holes. Most people that I get paired with are great but once and a while I meet someone that needs to see a therapist.

In my opinion slow play shouldn't be a problem anytime your playing golf. Golf is a game to relax and enjoy the course on a nice day. If your in such a hurry to get your round over with maybe racing is a better way to spend your time? (which I also do myself)

[Oldstyle]

As long as they arnt jean shorts or ratty and torn up, I dont think it really matter what kind of shorts they are. Just tuck in your collared shirt, wear your hat forwards. Pretty much it.

[augafan48]

I can be respectful of everyone while I'm in cargos. Why can nobody be respectful of

I would still be respectful, you're a guy like everyone else, but I wouldn't agree with the cargo shorts you had on, it just looks sloppy, not what I'd expect to see when I come to play golf.

[Lefty-Golfer]

Honestly I think the Cargo concern is silly. I don't see then being an issue. We are not allowed to wear them at our club but does it really matter? As long as they are neat and clean who cares?

Funny story is according to our rules you have to wear a "golf shirt" a few years back when tiger started wearing the mock T's on TV people started walking around in them. One of members, a great guy and very wealthy walks into our pro shop and sees them on the rack...he buys like 5 of them instantly. Goes to the locker room and changes into one. He is on the putting green waiting for his match and the GM comes and sees him. He walks over and says Mr X you need to proper golf cloths...Mr. X turns around and tells him it is proper for golf. The GM says no your shirt needs a collar according to our rules. Mr X tells him that Tiger Woods wears one every weekend, our proshop is selling them, the one he is wearing has our club logo on it and it is going to take the police coming here to remove him off the premisis to get him to take it off....LOL. The GM? well he was about a speechless and walked away. Golf style mock T's in good taste are now approved clothing!! LOL