Playing Private Clubs in the U.S. (with permission)

[iacas]

I’m not uncalm.

I just think it’s lousy to label people or clubs “snobby” because they won’t let a random nobody play their course.

Yet you continue with that.

[Chanceman]

Well you are a random nobody too, but I treat you with respect and dont call you names.

[iacas]

I haven’t called you names either. You’ve called clubs who won’t let you play names, though.

And in terms of getting on golf clubs I’m not a nobody. But it’s a privilege any time a club allows me to play. Not a right. 

[Chanceman]

When you call someone lousy you are abusing them. I dont express an opinion to be abused. So go back to your little golf club and play with all your buddies who do not want to shake hands with anyone they dont know. Unless of course they go to the UK or Australia where they would expect to be handed a tee time as a random nobody.

[mvmac]

On 2/6/2018 at 9:16 PM, Chanceman said:

Wondering who is the best person to write to when asking for a visitor round? Some clubs seem to have the Head Pro making the call, others have a "concierge", or maybe the GM is the one. Is there a protocol?

What @David in FL said. Have your pro call their pro.

17 hours ago, Chanceman said:

but we got a flat out rejection from one of the big 3 LA clubs, still waiting on the others. My experience is that most private clubs will welcome us but a few are quite snobby and insist on their member invitations.

Yeah LA is a different deal and you can't compare it to other places in the states. There's a lot of people, a lot of wealth but only so many private courses. For some clubs in the area members are restricted on how many guests they are allowed to bring. I don't blame them or think of them as being snobby. They paid a lot of money to play one of the best courses in the world and not have to deal with making tee times weeks in advance (or not at all). They paid beyond a premium for something and they should be able to enjoy what comes with that.

Very tough to get an invite to LA CC no matter who you are, they don't like celebrities. It's just a step below Cypress or Pine Valley in terms of that. And Bel Air is currently closed for renovation. 

I'd recommend reaching out to San Gabriel CC, great course.

37 minutes ago, Chanceman said:

When you call someone lousy you are abusing them. I dont express an opinion to be abused.

He didn't call you lousy, he said it was lousy to label people or clubs “snobby” because they won’t let anyone play their course. 

[iacas]

5 hours ago, mvmac said:

He didn't call you lousy, he said it was lousy to label people or clubs “snobby” because they won’t let anyone play their course. 

This, and everything else Mike said.

FWIW I play at a public course primarily. Good course too.

[jsgolfer]

There are plenty of courses everywhere that have restrictions against outside playing guests. My wife and I travel a lot and have our club call other country clubs when we are in the area and most have been accommodating, but there have been a few that we really wanted to play and they don’t allow outside play unless you are playing with a member.  

I expect that many of the top courses wouldn’t even do reciprocals, they don’t need or want the money or the extra play which takes away from their membership.  And I wouldn’t say they are snobby, they pay a lot of money for their exclusivity.  

Congressional is my area, allows limited reciprocal play and if you don’t play with a member if costs $550 to play, another $50 for a cart and another $80 for a forecaddie.  So after tip, if you wanted to play it would cost you over $700.  It’s a nice course but not that nice.   

 

[Chanceman]

16 hours ago, mvmac said:

He didn't call you lousy, he said it was lousy to label people or clubs “snobby” because they won’t let anyone play their course. 

Oh really? Well I think its particularly lousy to hide behind semantics.. 

 

[iacas]

1 hour ago, Chanceman said:

Oh really? Well I think its particularly lousy to hide behind semantics..

It’s not semantics. There's a HUGE difference between the two.

My kid does stupid things now and then. She’s not a stupid person.

And dude, you’re the one who called people “snobby.”

Now, please stick to the topic.

[Buckeyebowman]

Well,I live in NE Ohio, and if you show up with enough money you can play just about any "country club" in the area! For $150 you can play Avalon Lakes, which might be the best course in the area. But, that won't do you any good if you want to play Youngstown CC. For that course you need an invite from a member, or "special dispensation" from another avenue!

There are reasons that certain locations are thought of as exclusive. That's because they are!

[Nutsmacker]

I live in the DC Area of Maryland.  Most of the less expensive golf clubs will let you play their course if you ask them or simply want to check it out for consideration in becoming a member.  However, there are a number of golf clubs that are much higher in price and will not let you come and play unless you are invited by a member or you have suitcases of money.  

It kind of depends on where you are trying to play.  I would never expect to play at many of the clubs around where I live as they have initiation fees starting at over 100K.  I don't live in that world and that world doesn't want me to live in it.  But, there are many lower tier golf clubs(that are also nice) that would welcome you with open arms to come and try the course for nothing.  I have been offered free rounds by almost every lower tier club in the area.  Once you give them your email, you get invited to tournaments, all types of stuff to try and entice you to join.  

At the end of the day, depending on where you are going to be in the USA, there are thousands of amazing public and semi private courses you can play.  

[1badbadger]

There are just some clubs that are more private than others.  One that comes to mind is Preston Trail in Dallas. 

I did an event there about 10 years ago which was almost a total bust because unbeknownst to us the course was closed for renovations, and only the driving range was open.  It was pretty much a ghost town.  We had a lot of time to kill and talked with one of the assistant pros for a while, and he explained that because the course was going to be closed for an extended length of time, they had to buy memberships at other clubs in the area so their members would have a place to play.  Many of the members there belong to more than one club, but for those who didn't they actually purchased memberships at other private facilities, which they had to because they don't reciprocate with other clubs.  I thought that was interesting.

---

I've been to golf courses that some would consider a goat ranch and I've been to very exclusive private clubs and everything in between (in the U.S.) and by-and-large the ultra-private clubs tend to be exceptionally polite and friendly (members and staff).  But some do have very strict policies regarding guests or non-member access.  And I get it...what's the point of having a private club if anyone is allowed to play whenever they'd like.  When people are paying six-figures to join a club, privacy and discretion are included in the price.  

[HJJ003]

I am playing the forest course at Kingwood Country Club on Friday. They used some of the holes on this course and other courses at the club to film Tin Cup. I got a member for a day pass from a friend that won it at a charity event and didn’t think he would use it. 

[JonMA1]

I can't add much to the subject of nicer, private clubs, but I have a co-worker who worked on the greens at Crystal Downs Country Club (ranked the 19th best course in the world).

He told me that the only thing the club and members care about is exclusiveness. They don't give a rat's a$$ about even celebrities or tour pro players showing up as guests. I don't think the course even has a website.

My opinion is that there's nothing wrong with that.

I think most of us have a bit of snobbishness in us, regardless of how low down we are on the food chain. Personally, who I want to share my course with would have more to do with how they treat the course and other players than it would money or fame.

And on the flip side, why the hell would I want to play a course where the members would look down their noses at me. How nice could a course possibly be to make that enjoyable? There are just too many options to make that seem unfair.

[upndown21]

Part of what I like about my private clubs are the fact that they are private. I can play anyday without a wait (and most days without tee times). If my clubs let anyone who called or wrote a letter play I would begin to wonder why I am payin dues/buy-ins.

[MuniGrit]

You can't come off as a entitled snowflake millennial when asking and get upset if they say no. There are plenty of courses to play.

[lastings]

On 2/17/2018 at 12:25 AM, mvmac said:

 

Yeah LA is a different deal and you can't compare it to other places in the states. There's a lot of people, a lot of wealth but only so many private courses. For some clubs in the area members are restricted on how many guests they are allowed to bring. I don't blame them or think of them as being snobby. They paid a lot of money to play one of the best courses in the world and not have to deal with making tee times weeks in advance (or not at all). They paid beyond a premium for something and they should be able to enjoy what comes with that.

Very tough to get an invite to LA CC no matter who you are, they don't like celebrities. It's just a step below Cypress or Pine Valley in terms of that. And Bel Air is currently closed for renovation. 

 

I think if we're calling LA CC and expecting to get on, it's not the course being "snobby", it's just that you were kidding yourself for trying in the first place.   You might as well be calling Shinnecock Hills or, for that matter, Augusta.   Some clubs are just very private.  That does not make them "snobby". 

[Chanceman]

Golf in the USA makes an interesting contrast with England, the home of snobbery and aristocratic attitudes, where you can get a game at somewhere like Swinley Forest just by emailing them and coming up with the $300 to play. You drive in your little rent-a-Toyota and park next the Bentleys and Ferraris then book your bacon and egg roll before teeing off alongside Commodore Carruthers with his Irish Setter in tow. Swinley Forest began its life when the Queen asked the local Duke did he have a golf course and if not why not. Strange.