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

[rkim291968]

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!

... if canceling is allowed without heavy financial penalty.   For example, if I violate my club rule (one of them is no foul language used in the course which I broke a few times, well more than a few times), the club has right to revoke my membership without refund.

[Dave2512]

Don't like the rules don't join seems simple enough to me. I frequent a couple private courses as a guest. Always make sure I am dressed appropriately. More about not creating a problem and being respectful to my host than conforming. Pretty easy to avoid denim for a day. Some of it is just not wanting to stick out. I wouldn't wear a hoodie and ball cap to a 5 star restaurant just like I wouldn't wear a tux to a heavy metal concert.

[MrDC]

Maybe I'm missing something but is there any proof the President wasn't just defending himself? maybe he was attacked? why it assumed he did something wrong? he has every right to stop the members and tell them to get the dress right.

[Abu3baid]

... if canceling is allowed without heavy financial penalty.   For example, if I violate my club rule (one of them is no foul language used in the course which I broke a few times, well more than a few times), the club has right to revoke my membership without refund.

Of course I wouldn't leave money on the table if I had a say in it, but I would start looking for another club, there are so many out there why deal with LLSB?

[Lihu]

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!

What started the fight:

Sorry, but I have to laugh because "the Weeples" sounds like such a proper New England Upper Class name, I can only imagine what happened that instigated the police to have had to be called in.

[MrFlipper]

Of course I wouldn't leave money on the table if I had a say in it, but I would start looking for another club, there are so many out there why deal with LLSB?

You make it sound so easy, but its really not until you actually try to leave a country club. It is not fun.

You may have to forfeit your initiation fee (maybe $50,000 in this place)

Or you pay dues (maybe $800/month here for a family) until they sell your membership, which could take years or never happen.

Plus all your buddies, your wife's buddies, your kid's buddies are there, your family doesn't want to leave.

And you get to come up with another $50,000 to join a new ritzy club like this one. Where your whole family knows no one.

Better to suck it up and let it blow over, I sure understand why the suspended members knuckled under.

[Abu3baid]

You make it sound so easy, but its really not until you actually try to leave a country club. It is not fun. You may have to forfeit your initiation fee (maybe $50,000 in this place) Or you pay dues (maybe $800/month here for a family) until they sell your membership, which could take years or never happen.  Plus all your buddies, your wife's buddies, your kid's buddies are there, your family doesn't want to leave. And you get to come up with another $50,000 to join a new ritzy club like this one. Where your whole family knows no one. Better to suck it up and let it blow over, I sure understand why the suspended members knuckled under.

Well, since you put it this way. I wouldn't be joining a 50k initiating fee club if it wasn't disposable income right! At that point it would be a drop in the bucket for me, so I stand by my reaction... coming up with another 50k wouldn't be an issue obviously, but this is all hypothetical anyway right?

[iacas]

Well, since you put it this way. I wouldn't be joining a 50k initiating fee club if it wasn't disposable income right! At that point it would be a drop in the bucket for me, so I stand by my reaction... coming up with another 50k wouldn't be an issue obviously, but this is all hypothetical anyway right?

Eyad, the point is you might be able to join one $50k club but not be able to join TWO. Plus, just because you have disposable income doesn't mean you are smart to just burn it or something.

C'mon. There are plenty of reasons someone could still have principles and yet not leave the club.

[Lihu]

Well, since you put it this way. I wouldn't be joining a 50k initiating fee club if it wasn't disposable income right! At that point it would be a drop in the bucket for me, so I stand by my reaction... coming up with another 50k wouldn't be an issue obviously, but this is all hypothetical anyway right?

This is a moot point regardless, you wouldn't have to worry.

I'm sure the first thing the Weeples would have done as new members is to remove the president of the club from that role, but according to the article the president already resigned from that post.

They were only prospective members, as far as I understand they did not already join. The person who invited them probably was suspended for 3 months, which is no big deal because it's winter in New England. I suppose they could miss out on the clubs Christmas and New Years celebrations, but most people prefer to spend time with their families and go to New York for New years or something.

[Dave2512]

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.

My guess is the no denim policy is for the entire property and the guests weren't there to golf. I don't see many people wearing jeans to golf unless it's really nasty weather. Even here in CO where jeans are acceptable just about anywhere I don't see many wearing jeans to golf. At the two clubs I go to jeans are allowed in the bar and grill but not the dining room. They aren't crazy about enforcement it just makes sense. If the dining room is open it's usually a special event or holiday etc. I don't even own a pair of slacks, no Dockers, nothing, golf clothes are as nice as it gets for me. But I understand why people attending a chefs dinner with a string quartet or whatever would expect the dress code to be enforced and why the management would do what they could to enforce it.

[MrFlipper]

Well, since you put it this way. I wouldn't be joining a 50k initiating fee club if it wasn't disposable income right! At that point it would be a drop in the bucket for me, so I stand by my reaction... coming up with another 50k wouldn't be an issue obviously, but this is all hypothetical anyway right?

I wish it was The numbers are a little higher, my club wasn't swanky like this one, but this is a combination of my experience and my golf buddy who left my club and joined another where it blew up on him again.

I didn't join another club, I just ate the initiation fee cost. My club just let me walk, quit charging me dues. My buddy's new club made him pay dues until his membership sold, he and others took the club to court, and lost.

And most people who join country clubs don't have as much disposable income as you think.

[MrFlipper]

This is a moot point regardless, you wouldn't have to worry.

I'm sure the first thing the Weeples would have done as new members is to remove the president of the club from that role, but according to the article the president already resigned from that post.

They were only prospective members, as far as I understand they did not already join. The person who invited them probably was suspended for 3 months, which is no big deal because it's winter in New England. I suppose they could miss out on the clubs Christmas and New Years celebrations, but most people prefer to spend time with their families and go to New York for New years or something.

I disagree, its a big deal. The social aspect at country clubs is huge.  The social stuff going on at country clubs hits a peak at the holidays in my experience.

And the hierarchy is remarkably entrenched. New members have no chance removing a sitting president by themselves.

[newtogolf]

I disagree, its a big deal. The social aspect at country clubs is huge.  The social stuff going on at country clubs hits a peak at the holidays in my experience.

And the hierarchy is remarkably entrenched. New members have no chance removing a sitting president by themselves.

I agree, suspensions do not go on unnoticed plus a future offense could result in even a longer suspension or termination of their membership.

[Dave2512]

With something like this where even a few hours later all involved probably felt silly my guess is a suspension would lead to regret. I wouldn't want to lose access to something I paid for over jeans. People that join clubs like surely have more wardrobe choices.

[rkim291968]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abu3baid

Well, since you put it this way. I wouldn't be joining a 50k initiating fee club if it wasn't disposable income right! At that point it would be a drop in the bucket for me, so I stand by my reaction... coming up with another 50k wouldn't be an issue obviously, but this is all hypothetical anyway right?

I wish it was  The numbers are a little higher, my club wasn't swanky like this one, but this is a combination of my experience and my golf buddy who left my club and joined another where it blew up on him again.

I didn't join another club, I just ate the initiation fee cost. My club just let me walk, quit charging me dues. My buddy's new club made him pay dues until his membership sold, he and others took the club to court, and lost.

And most people who join country clubs don't have as much disposable income as you think.

I am glad I didn't join any country clubs.   I have looked at ones ranging from 15k - 35k initiation fees.  In the end, I didn't want to tie myself to one golf course for life.  I also didn't care about "social" aspects of it.   My current club is a yearly membership based without initiation fee.   The worst I can do is get stuck for a year.

Club president is a political, leadership position.   For someone like that to go out of control is not right.   Perhaps, he had one too many drinks, and there were one too many violations.

[Lihu]

I disagree, its a big deal. The social aspect at country clubs is huge.  The social stuff going on at country clubs hits a peak at the holidays in my experience.

And the hierarchy is remarkably entrenched. New members have no chance removing a sitting president by themselves.

I agree, suspensions do not go on unnoticed plus a future offense could result in even a longer suspension or termination of their membership.

And people wonder why golf is losing its appeal. . .

Side note: I would probably never wear denim clothes, but prefer to retain my privilege to do so especially if I have to pay 45,000 to join.

[MrFlipper]

I am glad I didn't join any country clubs.   I have looked at ones ranging from 15k - 35k initiation fees.  In the end, I didn't want to tie myself to one golf course for life.  I also didn't care about "social" aspects of it.   My current club is a yearly membership based without initiation fee.   The worst I can do is get stuck for a year.

Club president is a political, leadership position.   For someone like that to go out of control is not right.   Perhaps, he had one too many drinks, and there were one too many violations.

Nowadays I'm with you. I left my club because I couldn't justify $550 a month to play golf, no matter how much I played. I'm divorced. My kids are on their own. But it was still hard to leave. Fortunately for me most everyone I knew left too, the club went BK. I don't see how 100% private clubs that aren't massively endowed can make it today, I notice my old club is now selling Monday tee-times on golfnow. Glad I'm gone.

But many there had their whole lives wrapped up in the club, years of friendships, card games, holidays that left them with all their major social aspects at the club. To leave the club would have been like moving 100 miles away and starting over. Even if they no longer golfed. Country clubs are powerful social forces.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkim291968

I am glad I didn't join any country clubs.   I have looked at ones ranging from 15k - 35k initiation fees.  In the end, I didn't want to tie myself to one golf course for life.  I also didn't care about "social" aspects of it.   My current club is a yearly membership based without initiation fee.   The worst I can do is get stuck for a year.

Club president is a political, leadership position.   For someone like that to go out of control is not right.   Perhaps, he had one too many drinks, and there were one too many violations.

Nowadays I'm with you. I left my club because I couldn't justify $550 a month to play golf, no matter how much I played. I'm divorced. My kids are on their own. But it was still hard to leave. Fortunately for me most everyone I knew left too, the club went BK. I don't see how 100% private clubs that aren't massively endowed can make it today, I notice my old club is now selling Monday tee-times on golfnow. Glad I'm gone.

But many there had their whole lives wrapped up in the club, years of friendships, card games, holidays that left them with all their major social aspects at the club. To leave the club would have been like moving 100 miles away and starting over. Even if they no longer golfed. Country clubs are powerful social forces.

The course I play here is $550 for a husband/wife membership for the season.  Probably not the same level of maintenance, but it's a fun course and the price is definitely right.  A foursome can walk on most any weekday without delay.  Might have to start on 10 instead of 1, but that's no big deal.