Public vs Private Course Experiences

[dblbogeey]

So over the past few months I have played at a number of different courses (public and private) with varying degrees of cost and I have started to notice a bit of trend when it comes to welcomeness and acceptance from the members at different clubs. Obviously these are somewhat generalisations as not all courses are the same and it depends on who is playing on each day, etc.

 

I have noticed that in general terms the public / cheaper courses seem to be a lot more open and welcoming to guests and new players to the club than the more expensive and private courses. I follow correct etiquette and have played both solo and with a member at each type of course and it seems to be a lot more of a positive and accepting attitude at the public courses.

 

I am guessing that this may be due to the expensive membership costs and some of the private members not being too happy with a guest playing there courses and public courses being just that - public and open to everyone?

 

Long term I would like to become a member of one of these courses however I don't want to join a club that looks down or has a negative view on guests playing their course.

 

As I said this may be a sweeping generalisation and I may have just got unlucky on the days I attended the private courses (or I played the wrong courses) but I'd like to know if your experiences echo mine over the past few months or have I just been unlucky?

 

Thanks

[North Butte]

Oops, never mind. I didn't notice you were in Australia. Whole different public/private thing there.

[az2au]

Oops, never mind. I didn't notice you were in Australia. Whole different public/private thing there.

True but I used to live in Sydney and could not imagine a more welcoming set of people at both private and public courses. Perhaps a tiny bit stuffy at Royal Sydney or Royal Canberra but even at The Lakes, Metropolitan and Royal Melbourne I made friends with people I still speak to. NSW and Bonnie Doon have some of the nicest members I've ever been around.

[Mike T]

Oops, never mind. I didn't notice you were in Australia. Whole different public/private thing there.

True but I used to live in Sydney and could not imagine a more welcoming set of people at both private and public courses. Perhaps a tiny bit stuffy at Royal Sydney or Royal Canberra but even at The Lakes, Metropolitan and Royal Melbourne I made friends with people I still speak to. NSW and Bonnie Doon have some of the nicest members I've ever been around.

Very true. I have been a member of Bonnie Doon for 7 years and recently got into NSW. I'm keeping my BD membership because of the members. The NSW members have been very friendly as well. At BD members from all walks of life enjoy the game of golf, everyone is of equal status. Possibly because there is nothing else apart from the golf course, unlike US style country clubs.