Private Golf Club etiquette

njlam · August 21, 2008

Guest Policy

After years of hard work, I decided to join a private golf club. I have never belonged to a private club of any kind, but I am enjoying the benefits of private golf.

At my club, the golf course is wonderful and the members are nice. It is never hard to find a game and I enjoy meeting other members when joining an existing group who is looking for a fourth or when playing alone and finding other member on the first tee who is also playing alone.

However, sometimes I want to play with my buddies who are not members and want play with them at my club. My question is, how do I invite them with always footing the guest fee ($100) every time we play? Is there a nice way of inviting someone to play without being expected to pay?

When we were all public course golfers, we all each paid our own way. Unfortunately, my club does not accept payments directly from guests; so greens fees (and food and drink) are for my account. I am stuggling with a courteous way of making a wonderful course available to my former playing buddies without having to thave the uncomfortable discussion of "I like you, but I don't like you that much".

Advice needed. Please help.

hbear · August 21, 2008

Good buddies will return the favor by taking you out for a round as well.

When I take clients out, there is no need, but for friends they just reciprocate and invite me out to play at their course.

chasm · August 21, 2008

I never expect to be paid for when invited to play as a guest at a private course and always offer to pay my way. I assumed that is common courtesy? The host can always refuse my offer if they choose but manners would suggest that your friends should make that offer initially. Conventions may be different in the US, though.

BParis · August 21, 2008

When you extend the invitation you can say, "Well, we can play at my club if you want. The greens fee is $XXX." This gives them the option to choose.

Also, many private clubs have a special play day where the greens fee is reduced. My club has "half off, all you can play Thursday" so it's great to get my non-member buddies out on that day.

If they are really your buddies, they won't put you in a difficult spot and expect you to pay.

scotchblade · August 21, 2008

Maybe it's different with blue collar types that belong to clubs (it does happen). As a guest I was just happy to play a course I would not usually be able to. The thought of the member paying my way never even crossed my mind. We walked into the pro shop and I pulled out my wallet.

RWEEKS · August 21, 2008

Maybe it's different with blue collar types that belong to clubs (it does happen). As a guest I was just happy to play a course I would not usually be able to. The thought of the member paying my way never even crossed my mind. We walked into the pro shop and I pulled out my wallet.

Blue Collar Types....????

againstthegrain · August 21, 2008

If my buddy invites a foursome he tells us it's x for the greens fee and caddy and we pay up. Pretty simple. I then reciprocate and invite him to my club. If it's just the 2 of us we treat each other to our clubs and no $ exchanges at all.

scotchblade · August 21, 2008

Blue Collar Types....????

Firemen at the Olympic Club and nearby California Golf Club (the Cal Club). Regular Joes, not CEOs! :)

LP28 · August 21, 2008

I am at a Private Club too and when I get asked to play another private club by someone I know I always offer to pay the greens fee. That's the right thing to do(to at least offer), I think. When I invite someone to my place that I rarely play with(or play with once a year) I usually pay(but they usually offer as a good faith gesture). But if it is a group of guys you know well abd play with often I would say 'hey, if you guys want to play my track at $100 a piece, let's do it'.

mjc694 · August 21, 2008

I just took a couple of friends to a local upscale private to which I have an in. When discussing it, i said to them....

Here is the deal guys....its 125 a head to play. That includes greens fees, cart, and lunch, plus a cocktail after. They knew the score up front, got to play a track they wouldnt normally get onto, and we had a nice match.

No awkwardness at all. Just be upfront about the costs, and tell them your club doesnt take cash.

No biggie.

CowtownTexas · August 21, 2008

Like others said, just be up-front. If they are good buddies, you know how they will react.

That said, I've been in the same position as you a couple of times. I have a good friend who invites me to play with him all the time. He would actually get offended if I tried to pay. I actually found that out the hard way by having his club charge my club so that it wouldn't show on his bill and got an angry phone call about doing so "because I was his guest".

You just need to know who you're dealing with.

jshel · August 21, 2008

What I have done at my club is invite by email. Something along the lines of: Do they want to play next Thursday? Here are directions. I know you know, but remember to wear a shirt with a collar and no jeans and the rate is xxxx. you can either pay me cash or pay in the shop.

I tend to do this because we have a deal at my club where you can bring out guests for basically half price after 3 p.m. on the weekends as long as you eat in the grill afterwards. Turns out to be 60-70 bucks for golf and food for my guests. The rub is that you can use a credit card to pay for golf in the shop, but can't in the grill so I have to remind them to bring cash.

I think it's better to be up front with people and manage expectations.

stellablue14 · August 21, 2008

I think the correct thing to do is: Invite them once a year as your guest and at that time, tell them how much you miss playing regular golf with them, but the guest fees are expensive, you'd love to have them back a few more times, but the rate is $---.00. That leaves everything in the open and you don't have to feel bad becuase you invited them once already.