Rider fee if injured

[augustgolf]

Sorry to hear about the surgery & hope the recovery goes well! I'd say a course is well within their rights to ask for a rider fee, if they so choose... Depending on the size of your group and the demand & availability of tee times at the courses, the seat you occupy could be viewed as "inventory" that could be sold to another customer paying full-fare...

 

You are certainly right. BUT it would be a cheese dick move by the course to attempt to put an odd single in there to fill out a foursome for guys on a buddies trip.

 

Maybe call the courses ahead of time and ask them. Let them know that even though you are not playing you intend to spend money with the course, food at the turn, drinks from the beverage cart, shirt from the pro-shop and tip the staff. Basically have the convo with the manager/pro and let them know you don't intend to be a mooch even though you can't play.

 

I've been the manager/operator of many a course, and I ALWAYS get this message: We are gonna spend lotsa cash at your place.

 

In truth, only 1 group of golfers held up their "promise" - everyone else cheaped their way by bringing their own booze (which we told them was against the law) and their own food.

 

As I stated in an earlier post, the rider fee is for liability purposes. It is there to protect the person who pays the fee. How would you feel if you (the rider, not paying a fee) were injured severly, and were out any funds for said injuries? I'm pretty sure that you would propose legal actions against the course. This fee takes that scenario out of the equation for both parties - the rider and the course.

[smashdn]

That does suck.

 

I suppose I only saw the situation through my own lens. When I am invited to a private course I always buy a shirt at minimum, usually have a meal and drinks and tip well. Hate that there are people who cheap out.

 

Not sure I follow you on the liability aspect. Not disagreeing with you as I don't know just don't really understand how paying the fee absolves the course of liability if it ever had any to begin with.

 

Me personally, I play and ride the cart at my own risk. I wouldn't expect the course to be liable if it was my own or the cart driver's negligence that got me hurt. Also, I have never been in that scenario to 100% say that is how I would react.

[golfandfishing]

Paying the fee doesn’t absolve the course of liability, it places the paying customer under the business’ liability insurance. Without paying the insurance company can argue they are not responsible for coverage to what happens to that person on the course. Parking lot, golf shop, etc are all reasonable places a non paying person might be. Driving a cart off of 13 tee? That person needs to have paid to be in that position in possession of a cart.

[DrSchteeve]

It’s a normal fee for many (if not most) public courses.

 

I’m trying to think of more to say, but that’s about it. Sorry for your injury, it’s a bummer.

[DrSchteeve]

I've never heard of a wife, girlfriend, or non playing friend being charged a cart fee. I work at a large country club, 54 holes, and we charge for many things, but not a non playing rider, as long as the non rider is the 4th of the group. Two carts only per group.

 

It’s far more bizarre to not allow a rider in a 3rd cart than it is to charge for a rider.