Club's dress code crackdown leads to a violent uprising - Weston CC near Boston

[boogielicious]

from golfdigest.com

http://www.golfdigest.com/blogs/the-loop/2014/11/weird-golf-news-of-the-week-cl.html

This is in my neighborhood.  Very ritzy private club for corporations, millionaires and retired sports stars.  I went to a function there.  The first cut was nicer than most fairways I have played on!

Weird Golf News Of The Week: Club's dress code crackdown leads to a violent uprising

By Luke Kerr-Dineen

Don't get the powers-that-be at Weston Golf Club started on jeans in the clubhouse.

Back in September, the President of the Boston-based golf club began a McCarthy-esqe crackdown on those members who didn't adhere to the club's dress code, which strictly prohibits any form of jeans apart from white jeans for lady members.

The President opened an "investigation" into potential violations and as a result suspended 10 members for three months, according to the Boston Globe, who first reported the story.

And it turns out, the harshness of the crackdown actually led to a violent uprising. Stephen and Charlotte Weeple, two guests planning on meeting one of their member-friends, were walking into the clubhouse on a Saturday in September (the report has just been made public). That's when Tom Ferry -- the president -- stopped the couple in their tracks and informed them they were in violation of the dress code. Things came to blows not long after, and the police were called to help cool things down.

Basically everyone involved declined to comment to the Boston Globe except for a spokesperson for Weston Golf Club, who offered this nugget:

“The dress code is meant to encourage people to present themselves in ways that engender pride in the club."

[Foursum Golf]

Crazy. I wonder if the member who invited the guests is still a member.

[Abu3baid]

Yes, pride in the fact that your president has stooped down to just another low life who fights when things don't go his way. Way to go buddy!

[bkuehn1952]

I had to laugh at this.  My parents used to be members at Weston Country Club back before the exclusivity went through the roof.  For decades the club was a community country club.  Our high school golf team played there, the initiation fee was around $2,500, and most of the members lived in Weston.  The club was kind of stuffy but most of the members were neighbors and too polite to make a fuss.  My how times changed.

[Patch]

I was headed to the county owned muni  practice greens wearing cargo shorts, and a sleeveless tank top shirt. I had no intention of playing that day, just practicing. As I walked by the office a guy came out and informed me I was not dressed correctly. I told him no problem, that I had a collared shirt in my bag, and pulled it out in front of him. He then informed me he was not concerned about my shirt, but my cargo shorts. He did let me stay to practice, but said cargo shorts would no longer be allowed. His ban on cargo shorts lasted all of a couple of days as I recall. Just too many folks wearing them.

[newtogolf]

Country clubs need to change with the times if they want to continue to attract families and younger members.  My club had stricter dress codes in the past which resulted in a decline in membership.  Recently they've gone more casual, including jeans and it's improved membership and more family involvement.  My kids wouldn't want to spend much time at the club if they'd have to wear a button down shirt, jacket and slacks every time they went there.

The president was wrong, you don't confront the membership in a hostile way even if they are violating the dress code unless what they are wearing is offensive.

[rkim291968]

My wife was warned of wearing jeans twice by a marshal.  Both times, it was a friendly reminder and not a 3 month ban.   The ban above seems to be just too harsh.

I've always wondered why the policy, rule is still needed?  There are worse things golfers do on the course - not fixing divots & ball marks, smoking when clearly there is no smoking sign, getting drunk on the course, use of foul languages in presence of children/family, ..., too many bad behaviors to mention.

[bste]

I've always wondered why the policy, rule is still needed?  There are worse things golfers do on the course - not fixing divots & ball marks, smoking when clearly there is no smoking sign, getting drunk on the course, use of foul languages in presence of children/family, ..., too many bad behaviors to mention.

Amen to that brother ( Hulk Hogan voice).

They're lucky we come dressed at all.

[David in FL]

Don't join a club if you're not willing to abide by the rules of the club, whatever they may be. It's just that simple.

[Big C]

Don't join a club if you're not willing to abide by the rules of the club, whatever they may be. It's just that simple.

I agree, although a 3 month ban seems excessive for a first time offense. The article is very light on details, so it's tough to say whether the offending members were given written warnings before penalties were handed out. If they weren't, I'd say they have a right to be ticked.

[MrFlipper]

From the article in the Boston Globe linked above---

And like other private clubs, Weston GC has an extensive dress code policy, with a ban on denim at the top of the list of forbidden clothing. Whether $50 dungarees or $200 designer jeans, blue denim of any kind is forbidden. The one exception: female members can wear “neat, not torn, white denim.”

It’s unclear what kind of denim people in the group were wearing that September night, but as Stephen and Charlotte Weeple walked toward the clubhouse around 10:45 p.m, they were intercepted by club president Tom Ferry. The Weeples are not members but they and other guests were meeting Weston GC members for a nightcap in the clubhouse bar.

Ferry believed the Weeples were in violation of the dress code and used profane language to tell them jeans are not allowed on the grounds, according to a letter the couple wrote to the club’s directors.

Charlotte Weeple declined to comment, but in her letter to the board, obtained by The Boston Globe, she said she thought Ferry was joking until he called her derogatory names, igniting an animated shouting match between her husband and Ferry.

At 10:58, Weston police received a 911 call reporting a fist fight in progress.

“When I arrived, I observed two men . . . engaged in a loud, verbal argument,” patrolman Joseph Kozowyk wrote in his report, noting that “neither man had any signs of a physical altercation.”

The incident broke up when the Weeples left Weston GC without joining their friends inside.

Afterward, though, Charlotte Weeple complained to the club’s directors about her treatment and insisted that neither she nor her husband was wearing jeans. Moreover, Weeple bristled at the implication she did not know the rules of proper attire.

“Having grown up and spent much of my life in golf clubs around Scotland and officers’ clubs in the military, I am fully aware and respectful of dress code and etiquette,” Weeple wrote.

Within days of the incident Ferry volunteered to take a one-month suspension. But after a number of other members organized a petition calling for a clubwide meeting, Ferry resigned as president in early November. He issued a contrite statement to the Globe in which he apologized for his behavior that night.

“I am sorry that the ongoing discord over enforcement of the club’s policies has reached such an embarrassing level,” said Ferry, who is chief executive of Curaspan Health Group Inc., a Newton software company. “Most importantly I wish to repeat publicly the apology I gave to the people with whom I interacted outside of the club that night. It was wrong of me to have spoken that way, I have no excuse, and I sincerely regret having done so.”

Meanwhile, the Weston GC directors began their own investigation a week after the incident, having learned that others in the group the Weeples planned to join, including club members, also were wearing jeans that night. The board sought interviews with eight couples and subsequently suspended five couples for three months, for either wearing jeans or being involved in dress code violations.

The 10 members still owe club fees during their suspension.

In a letter they wrote to the club’s board, obtained by the Globe, the five couples said, “we are sorry and apologize if we did not adequately convey our remorse in our interviews.”

“One thing we can promise you is that this group does not lack integrity,” they added. “We are all parents of young children (15 in total) and you can be sure that conversations concerning the imperativeness of kindness, truthfulness, respect, honesty, humility and accountability fill our homes each day.”

So it was late at night, folks been drinking (prob a lot). What a mess, members and guests.

[bste]

Don't join a club if you're not willing to abide by the rules of the club, whatever they may be. It's just that simple.

+1 If the rules are in place at the time of your joining, you have nothing to complain about. If you wish to change the rules, take it to the rules committee.

If you don't agree with the rules, go elsewhere.

[Fourputt]

Don't join a club if you're not willing to abide by the rules of the club, whatever they may be. It's just that simple.

Ta-daaaahhh.  That's why I never have and never will join such a club.  I'm a casual guy and I live in a state where casual and formal tend to intermingle freely.  I do play the occasional course where collared shirts and non-denim slacks and shorts are the code, but even those places don't make a peep about cargo shorts.

Most of my play these days is on a couple of rural courses where they won't turn you away if you show up in bib overalls - some farmers will take off a couple of hours after lunch and play 9 holes, then back to the field for 4 or 5 more hours.

[ay33660]

Policies of the club are set by the Board of Directors and not just the President.

The Board of Directors (BOD) should reflect the general attitude of the members.

Often the BOD do not because - 1) there is no set time limit that a director can remain on the BOD and an established group maintains control for years and years or 2) even with set term limits, a set group of members (usually the older members) could maintain control over the BOD for long periods of time.

This is usually not good for the members.

At my club there are set term limits and at least three directors are replaced each year.

Clearly in the above case the 3 month suspensions were not strictly due to the dress code violation. The BOD wanted to teach them a lesson because, in the suspended couples words, they " did not adequately convey our remorse in our interviews " .

[Fourputt]

I find it a bit sad that the members who were put on 3 month suspension were that desperate for whatever it was the the club membership gave them that they would not only take the punishment meekly, apologizing for their misdeeds, and even apologizing for the apology, and still pay the monthly fees without appealing it.  That sort of neediness is foreign to my world.

[mcanadiens]

Ta-daaaahhh.  That's why I never have and never will join such a club.  I'm a casual guy and I live in a state where casual and formal tend to intermingle freely.  I do play the occasional course where collared shirts and non-denim slacks and shorts are the code, but even those places don't make a peep about cargo shorts.

Most of my play these days is on a couple of rural courses where they won't turn you away if you show up in bib overalls - some farmers will take off a couple of hours after lunch and play 9 holes, then back to the field for 4 or 5 more hours.

I'm with you. Even if I had the eleventy-billion bucks at my disposal, I would not join a club like that for the same reason.

On the rare occasion when I play a fancy course, I just look them up online. Most of them will have a list of rules to follow and I've never had a problem.

[rkim291968]

+1 in following the rules.

The member who invited the couple should have mentioned the dress code to the would be members.

The club membership must be in hot demand for the club president to treat an would be member in such a way.   A common sense tells me that a friendly "we have a strict dress code" warning would be more appropriate in this case.  If the guest still joins the club and violates the rule, he deserves the penalty.

[Abu3baid]

I'm all for abiding by rules that exist in a club, but my main concern is the white trash like behavior exhibited by the president. If it were me I would be cancelling my membership the next day!