I have to tell someone this…

[Chilidog]

So, one of my co-workers FaceTimed me yesterday from the back deck of a prestigious golf course in the Northeast that is very tough to get on. He was showing me some views looking out over the course. I asked him how he got on and he told me he would call me back from the car. 
 

When he called me back he and his friend were laughing. He told me that his friend is in IT and hatched this idea over lunch one day that he could call a club anywhere in the country end make the phone number the same as another prestigious club. He said he looked up the Pro’s name of a prestigious club (not sharing any club names as I don’t want them to get in trouble) and hoped the other pro wouldn’t know him. He called the club in the northeast and said that he was the pro of the other prestigious club and One of their members was going to be in the northeast and wanted to take one of his clients to play at their course. They agreed to let them play and my buddy was the “client”. They played 36 this past week. He thought for sure they would get caught but everything went smoothly. He said the only thing they were risking was being banned by the club since nothing was criminal. 
 

I thought about that all last night and today as I’m surprised someone hasn’t tried to do this all around the country. Just crazy and had to share. 

[Bonneville85308]

Whenever I've played a different club on a "phone call from my pro to theirs" basis, while not top 100 courses, the club I visited always required my member number to be given by my pro to charge back the unaccompanied guest fee and any F&B I consumed. That's the main hole I see in this story. I'd find it odd that the host course let this guy and his guests play without wanting to charge back unaccompanied guest fees to the "home" club. Unless he gave them a bogus member number, which is flat out theft. I'm sure his face is on a variety of security cameras around the clubhouse, possibly along with his vehicle.

Edited October 23, 2021 by Bonneville85308

[Chilidog]

1 hour ago, Bonneville85308 said:

Whenever I've played a different club on a "phone call from my pro to theirs" basis, while not top 100 courses, the club I visited always required my member number to be given by my pro to charge back the unaccompanied guest fee and any F&B I consumed. That's the main hole I see in this story. I'd find it odd that the host course let this guy and his guests play without wanting to charge back unaccompanied guest fees to the "home" club. Unless he gave them a bogus member number, which is flat out theft. I'm sure his face is on a variety of security cameras around the clubhouse, possibly along with his vehicle.

I saw the FaceTime. I’ll ask him about this and find out. 

[Chilidog]

Just texted him to ask and he said they requested to put it on their company card. The course said that would be ok. 

[golfortennis]

So they paid for their round.  While part of me is applauding the creativity, I sure hope this guy hasn't ruined any chance the real pro's members have of getting on that particular course.  I could see a scorched earth response in response if this is found out.  

 

Reminds me of a story one of my buddies once told me.  He was travelling for work with a colleague who was also a golf nut. They were in the city of a very well known club, and decided to check the place out.  Drove in, walked around, went into the clubhouse.  Arrived at the lounge and the server asked if they were going to be eating, so they said sure.  Order taken, food brought out, meal enjoyed.  Server asks for the account number at the end, and they tell him they aren't members, they were just going to pay directly.  Server explains they do not take CC, everything must go through an account.  Manager says hope you enjoyed your meal, have a nice day, and they didn't drop a cent.  Purely accidental, though, no planning or scheming involved.  

[golfpramparo]

12 minutes ago, golfortennis said:

Server explains they do not take CC, everything must go through an account.  Manager says hope you enjoyed your meal, have a nice day, and they didn't drop a cent. 

I hope the Server didn't have to pay for this... 

 

15 hours ago, Chilidog said:

He told me that his friend is in IT and hatched this idea over lunch one day that he could call a club anywhere in the country end make the phone number the same as another prestigious club

Hahaha, good idea! They didn't harm anyone, played and payed.

 

I also had this friend at IT who was able to do the same thing, but he used this to call his wife from his "work number" saying he was coming late, while he was elsewhere (you can imagine...)

[golfortennis]

2 minutes ago, golfpramparo said:

I hope the Server didn't have to pay for this... 

 

 

 

I want to say there was a maitre d or someone of a higher position that seated them.  I don't think the server would have gotten stuck with it.  This is a pretty prestigious club.... but who knows?  they got out of there and didn't ask questions!

[mauiman]

The only way things might get ugly are if the pro that let them play calls the other pro for the same favor and he has no idea what he’s talking about. Then they might research the credit card used and find them. The country club got their money but probably not a good idea to try this anywhere else.

[golfpramparo]

If this is my only chance to play Augusta National, I'm all in...!! Even if they discover me and ´ban me forever´ 😂

[Phreddy]

The club pro world, particularly at the higher end, is a finite and collegial world.  The ploy is clever, and I am sure these pro's have seen their fair share of subterfuges.  This one is cool, until it isn't.

 

For what it is worth, our pro uses email to reach out first and establish credibility:  "Hey Joe Blow, my name is XXXX head pro at YYY, I wanted to give you a call and ask about one of my members visiting your area. He/she would like to inquire about playing your course.  Is there a good tome to call and discuss?"

 

Phred

[Chilidog]

It’s definitely something I would never try. I don’t know how they played without being on pins and needles the whole time that something was going to happen. I would have never enjoyed the golf or the experience. I’m in my mid 40s and this guy is in his upper 20s, lives in NY and parties non stop. He’s not someone that I think actually thinks past the next day, so I’m not surprised he was able to pull it off. I was at a college football game once where he snuck onto the field and acted like one of the trainers by grabbing water and taking it around to players. Some of their reactions were priceless. He actually got banned from the university’s sports games for that one as he posted it on social media and got busted. He’s a nut but he’s a friend so what can you do?

[raynorfan1]

IMO any club that accepts unaccompanied play on a call from an unknown pro doesn't really care who comes out to play. I'm sure they feel like they got away with one, but the club was probably happy to collect the greens fees.

[RVA Bill]

Golf is a game of honor....

 

 

[Roody]

11 hours ago, RVA Bill said:

Golf is a game of honor....

 

 

 

https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/b898aacc-9a10-4843-a9f2-353b1b38b510
 

[Chilidog]

12 hours ago, raynorfan1 said:

IMO any club that accepts unaccompanied play on a call from an unknown pro doesn't really care who comes out to play. I'm sure they feel like they got away with one, but the club was probably happy to collect the greens fees.

I can’t comment to what club does what but what I can comment to is that this was one of the most prestigious clubs in the northeast. 

[Abh159]

23 hours ago, golfortennis said:

So they paid for their round.  While part of me is applauding the creativity, I sure hope this guy hasn't ruined any chance the real pro's members have of getting on that particular course.  I could see a scorched earth response in response if this is found out.  

 

Have to agree with @golfortennis on this one. Once the club finds out what happened (and I'm sure they will at some point) someone will get in trouble over it. Whether it's the pro, the clerk who checked them in, or etc. 

 

I doubt it costs anyone at the club their job, but it's not going to be an "oopsie now let's all have a good laugh about it moment."

 

Based on your description of him, I think your friend sounds like a bit of a Richard and needs to grow up / mature. On the off chance this actually comes back around to him and he did in fact use a company credit card he might be the stupidest person on the planet. If someone in my IT department did that and I found out about it they wouldn't be working here anymore.

 

FWIW it is illegal in certain circumstances to call from a "spoofed" number. Under the Truth in Caller ID Act, FCC rules prohibit anyone from transmitting misleading or inaccurate caller ID information with the intent to defraud, cause harm or wrongly obtain anything of value.

[raynorfan1]

1 hour ago, Chilidog said:

I can’t comment to what club does what but what I can comment to is that this was one of the most prestigious clubs in the northeast. 

 

Plenty of prestigious clubs in the northeast DGAF who plays as long as they pay. Even Winged Foot has been slinging unaccompanied rounds out like nobody's business.

 

The big dividing line is whether clubs allow any unaccompanied play or not. If they allow it at all...they don't care who comes.

[Chilidog]

I’ll take one of those unaccompanied rounds on Winged Foot. Let me know how to make that happen and I’m in. 

[CDM]

14 minutes ago, Abh159 said:

 

Have to agree with @golfortennis on this one. Once the club finds out what happened (and I'm sure they will at some point) someone will get in trouble over it. Whether it's the pro, the clerk who checked them in, or etc. 

 

I doubt it costs anyone at the club their job, but it's not going to be an "oopsie now let's all have a good laugh about it moment."

 

Based on your description of him, I think your friend sounds like a bit of a Richard and needs to grow up / mature. On the off chance this actually comes back around to him and he did in fact use a company credit card he might be the stupidest person on the planet. If someone in my IT department did that and I found out about it they wouldn't be working here anymore.

 

FWIW it is illegal in certain circumstances to call from a "spoofed" number. Under the Truth in Caller ID Act, FCC rules prohibit anyone from transmitting misleading or inaccurate caller ID information with the intent to defraud, cause harm or wrongly obtain anything of value.

 

As to "illegal" I was really wondering this too so asked a few attorneys I play with.

 

The only charge they could think of was "potentially" identity theft (harm to pro the impersonated) which they both noted would be really tough to prove as they did not in said act financially harm this person BUT there could be long term damage aspects that would very hard to prove.  

 

As to defraud or obtain value, since the private club agreed to allow them to play (without verification???) for an agreed fee for services no monetary value was obtained or lost by either party involved. 

 

I do agree with everyone else, its interesting they were able to pull this off.  I would suspect this is not a TOP 100 course as they all pretty much require the email process for validation.  It is also very rare to not be unaccompanied at top clubs.  Don't get me wrong you can do it if you reach out yourself (if you are a member of a top 100) to try and play said course but the rate is typically double and almost all require a caddie or forecaddie.  Better hope that caddie/forecaddie does not know the club you faked LOL   

 

 

[Chilidog]

28 minutes ago, CDM said:

 

As to "illegal" I was really wondering this too so asked a few attorneys I play with.

 

The only charge they could think of was "potentially" identity theft (harm to pro the impersonated) which they both noted would be really tough to prove as they did not in said act financially harm this person BUT there could be long term damage aspects that would very hard to prove.  

 

As to defraud or obtain value, since the private club agreed to allow them to play (without verification???) for an agreed fee for services no monetary value was obtained or lost by either party involved. 

 

I do agree with everyone else, its interesting they were able to pull this off.  I would suspect this is not a TOP 100 course as they all pretty much require the email process for validation.  It is also very rare to not be unaccompanied at top clubs.  Don't get me wrong you can do it if you reach out yourself (if you are a member of a top 100) to try and play said course but the rate is typically double and almost all require a caddie or forecaddie.  Better hope that caddie/forecaddie does not know the club you faked LOL   

 

 

The only thing I can confirm from this is that I just looked it up in rankings and this is a top 30 private club in the country. 

[raynorfan1]

I can think of two clubs that fit this description that are pretty liberal with unaccompanied play. 
 

The issue for clubs that don’t typically allow unaccompanied play is that a member WILL notice and complain if four random dudes are playing. 

[Chilidog]

My guess is the financial institution where they work helped get them on as well. I was talking more with him just a few moments ago and he said it was surprisingly easy to get on. Maybe it’s one of the ones you guys are thinking about. The one thing I can confirm is that it is not Winged Foot. 

[Pepperturbo]

I wouldn't give 2cents for liars that impersonate or misrepresent themselves as professionals!  Aside from lying, it could come back and haunt them in ways they never expected. 

Edited October 25, 2021 by Pepperturbo

[4bees]

man the people commenting on this thread that think they just stole hitlers treasure is amusing.  Who give a F.  Like really who cares.  Funny story and good times.  No one is going to get in trouble since they paid.  

 

Golf is a game of honor?  whoever made that statement, you better have never taken a mulligan in your LIFE!  LOL!

 

 

 

Could this possibly be "The Country Club"?????  If so, I'm jealous.  Great story and ballsy friends man!  Cheers!

[klebs01]

 

18 minutes ago, 4bees said:

man the people commenting on this thread that think they just stole hitlers treasure is amusing.  Who give a F.  Like really who cares.  Funny story and good times.  No one is going to get in trouble since they paid.  

 

Golf is a game of honor?  whoever made that statement, you better have never taken a mulligan in your LIFE!  LOL!

 

 

 

Could this possibly be "The Country Club"?????  If so, I'm jealous.  Great story and ballsy friends man!  Cheers!

this guy is a good example of why we can’t have nice things. Some a*hole has to go and ruin it. Reciprocal access is a nice thing. If people start abusing it or defrauding clubs, it’s going to go away. 

[Chilidog]

I actually agree with both parties that are upset and those that don’t think it’s a big deal. I’m just a rule follower and it makes me uncomfortable. But I know there are different personalities that don’t find anything wrong with it. I don’t think anything majorly wrong happened here but it still just makes me uncomfortable. 

[Schley]

While maybe amusing to talk about, I can't imagine any mature adult doing anything like this. I bet your friend in question used to sneak into movie theaters, football games, concerts, steal range balls at night etc. as well. Some people just don't want to grow out of their HS self. This is a case in point.

[Chilidog]

2 hours ago, Schley said:

While maybe amusing to talk about, I can't imagine any mature adult doing anything like this. I bet your friend in question used to sneak into movie theaters, football games, concerts, steal range balls at night etc. as well. Some people just don't want to grow out of their HS self. This is a case in point.

He probably did. I can’t argue for him. He’s by far the craziest guy I know. 

[Pepperturbo]

3 hours ago, klebs01 said:

 

this guy is a good example of why we can’t have nice things. Some a*hole has to go and ruin it. Reciprocal access is a nice thing. If people start abusing it or defrauding clubs, it’s going to go away. 

Excellent points, especially Reciprocal access.  I know one pvt club that stopped allowing reciprocal because it was being abused by dishonest sleaze bags that never learn WRONG from RIGHT. 

[caniac6]

Nobody got hurt, and the law wasn't called. Probably not the first time someone has got to play a nice course under shady circumstances. At least they paid.