The perfect clubhouse

[Johannes Pham]

How whould you like it to be?

Hi guys,

What would make a clubhouse perfect? Both members, and guest.

I'm not interested in course or training suggestions, more about the clubhouse facilities, both indoor and outdoor.

Parking spaces, clubhouse layout, paths to the golfcourse and training area, locker room, bath and toilet, relaxing areas, wifi/tv placements, cafe/restaurant etc.


Hope some of you have some experiences or ideas you would like to share! :)


/Johannes

[leoh923]

I don't need much, bathrooms, simple locker room, bar/lounge, and a snack bar. One of the clubs I belong to has a very elaborate clubhouse, and at times I resent paying for facilities that I don't use, but I like the course.

[rvgolfer]

I think its really more about the people that work in the club house, rather than the facility itself. A great staff and good management can make any facility great.

[Johannes Pham]

If money was no problem and the clubhouse price wouldn't have any effect on the membership or greenfee what would you suggest then? i'm especially interested in ideas or suggestions how to use technology that improves the experience when visiting the club.

[pompiputter]

Bar, nice pro shop, nice bathrooms, and a good health inspection score in their restaurant.

[MaitriMike]

The perfect clubhouse..... It would have a bar, shooting range, massage parlor, spa and strippers all in one location. Oh and private conference rooms to work remotely when needed for business. That's not unreasonable isn't it?

[Johannes Pham]

[quote name='Michael K.' timestamp='1326981346' post='4116613']
The perfect clubhouse..... It would have a bar, shooting range, massage parlor, spa and strippers all in one location. Oh and private conference rooms to work remotely when needed for business. That's not unreasonable isn't it?
[/quote]

Well.. apart from the shooting range and strippers, i wouldnt say it's unreasonable.. all suggestions/ideas are appreciated

[rvgolfer]

Ok then,,here goes.

A big men's locker room with enough lockers, (and not small ones either, ones that have enough room to hang suit coats and store extra shoes on shelves instead of being in a pile on the bottom), for every member, showers, and well stocked grooming aids at the lavatories.

A big ladies locker room just like the mens.

A separate area where both ladies and men can access the shoe care area.

Mens card room, age 21 to enter, with bar and restaurant service, wifi, and sofas/chairs for lounging around a big tv, with smoking allowed with great ventilation.

Ladies card room, same as men.

A 19th hole snack bar with full service menu and bar, big tv.

Main dining area with great food at reasonable prices, and enough room to have a large dance floor and live entertainment.

A large patio for dining and outdoor relaxing, that overlooks the signature hole of the golf course.

And last a nice bar area, with both bar seating and tables with smoking allowed and great ventilation.

[Johannes Pham]

Good ideas, what about some tv's in the locker room for golf channels?

The smoking part would be pretty hard with all those restrictions, but maybe some glass smoking cabins?

[quote name='rvgolfer' timestamp='1326982883' post='4116807']
Ok then,,here goes.

A big men's locker room with enough lockers, (and not small ones either, ones that have enough room to hang suit coats and store extra shoes on shelves instead of being in a pile on the bottom), for every member, showers, and well stocked grooming aids at the lavatories.

A big ladies locker room just like the mens.

A separate area where both ladies and men can access the shoe care area.

Mens card room, age 21 to enter, with bar and restaurant service, wifi, and sofas/chairs for lounging around a big tv, with smoking allowed with great ventilation.

Ladies card room, same as men.

A 19th hole snack bar with full service menu and bar, big tv.

Main dining area with great food at reasonable prices, and enough room to have a large dance floor and live entertainment.

A large patio for dining and outdoor relaxing, that overlooks the signature hole of the golf course.

And last a nice bar area, with both bar seating and tables with smoking allowed and great ventilation.
[/quote]

[rvgolfer]

Its a proven fact that non smoking bars dont make nearly as much money as smoking bars. The clubhouse in order to be first class, and remain so, has to make money. If you have both, non smoking bar, and smoking bar,,the smoking bar will generate twice the revenue.

[pompiputter]

smoking in public places isn't allowed around here. smokeless bars all the way!

[rvgolfer]

You said perfect clubhouse,,

[Johannes Pham]

[quote name='rvgolfer' timestamp='1326984067' post='4116941']
Its a proven fact that non smoking bars dont make nearly as much money as smoking bars. The clubhouse in order to be first class, and remain so, has to make money. If you have both, non smoking bar, and smoking bar,,the smoking bar will generate twice the revenue.
[/quote]



True that, but smoking is just not that accepted as it used to be, furthermore smoking is prohibited indoor most places.. what about a nice covered terrasse, maybe with an outdoor fireplace for smokers?

[rvgolfer]

That would be a reasonable alternative,,heating and cooling issues would need to be solved as well,,,thinking of hot summer evenings, and colder winter days and nights. Some sort of wind block would also be good. Our club has a similar set up, and the patio/terrace, is large enough for BBQ grilling, serving tables as well as lots of seating.


PS Our mens locker room had a sauna,,but was only seldom used,,and not really needed these days if you have a hot tub with the pool.

[MileHighClub]

Several big screen TVs and a nice patio with a view are important to me. You want to keep people entertained and buying food and bev.

[teejaywhy]

For a public daily fee course, I don't even care if there is a clubhouse.

If I were joining a private club as an equity member, the perfect clubhouse would be one that is PAID FOR.

[Thrillhouse]

rub and tugs, strippers, and flaunting local smoking laws. this is helpful!

[tembolo1284]

[quote name='Thrillhouse' timestamp='1326996698' post='4118563']
rub and tugs, strippers, and flaunting local smoking laws. this is helpful!
[/quote]


rub and tugs. Alarming how quickly the hands of the rubbers and tuggers would get dirty.

A perfect clubhouse is one that is paid for as mentioned above.

[CallawayLefty]

No mention of indoor practice facilities yet, but this would be a big one if I could have my dream clubhouse. Perfect would be indoor hitting bays on launch monitors with an indoor chipping and putting green right next to them for crappy weather.

[AntLockyer]

A decent cask ale, comfortable tables and chairs that can accommodate different sized groups.

[JustTheTips]

The basics+non smoking
+smoking hot waitstaff

You need to match your clubhouse to your situation. If your golfers just want a drink after a round, throwing in card tables and dance floors isn't going to help. If it is more of a social club then adding in card tables, lounges is appealing. Don't try to appeal to everyone. Figure out what your niche is and do a good job of filling it. Having 20 microbrews on tap is a waste is 99% of your patrons want a bud.

[Llortamaisey]

The perfect clubhouse already exists. Google Alluvia in Atlanta.

[natedd]

[quote name='CallawayLefty' timestamp='1327000241' post='4119019']
No mention of indoor practice facilities yet, but this would be a big one if I could have my dream clubhouse. Perfect would be indoor hitting bays on launch monitors with an indoor chipping and putting green right next to them for crappy weather.
[/quote]

Good call. I would love a place where I could practice in the off season. Make the year-round dues for 7 months of outdoor golf more doable.

There is a place near me that supposedly has a nice indoor simulator and putting range, but it isn't attached to a club. More of a traditional gym with an indoor golf section tacked on.

[Carolina Golfer 2]

Probably the best for my needs that I've been into is the Clubhouse at Whistling Straits. it's not as oppulent as maybe some might be, but it fits right in with the atmosphere of the course.

Everytime I play Whistling Straits, I get there a couple hours ahead of my tee time and stay a good couple hours afterward just enjoying the ammenities.

It has

* A huge locker room with full size lockers. Remember it has to accomodate 140 some PGA professionals during a major. The locker room has TV's throughout it.

* A lounge area outside the locker room where you can sit and watch big screens or visit with a group.

* Wi-FI access

* Boardroom meetig room to accomodate business needs.

*A nice bar upstairs where I believe Cigar smoking is permitted.

*A great restaurant downstairs that has really good food.

*A nice proshop with lots of different style apparel, not too many clubs from what I can remember. In my perfect clubhouse I might have a larger selection of demo clubs in the proshop.

Things it doesn't have that I would like in a perfect clubhouse.
*Workout room with cardio and weights.

*A nice covered patio that you can order from that has a good view of at least one or more holes.

I think that about covers it for me.

[farmer]

Unless your club is going to have a very large membership, a huge, elaborate clubhouse with two bars, a full service dining room, snack bar, card rooms and all these things is going to sink your club. I'm 61, and in my parents day, it was kind of a thing to go to "the club" for an evening out. Today, with both partners working, kids to take everywhere, and limited time, I don't see people being willing to spend the money on a facility they don't use. So I guess my ideal clubhouse is one that is paid for and is self-supporting.

[Mainlinegolfer]

From my experience, there is frequently an inverse relationship between the quality of the club and golf course, and the grandeur of the clubhouse.

See: Pine Valley, Merion, Cypress Point, and most outside the U.S.
Also see: Trump, Donald (and his ilk)

That said, maybe the attached article from Links Magazine about the "Ideal Golf Club" is interesting:
[attachment=990307: The Ideal Golf Club, Links magazine.pdf]

[Fore_Man]

[quote name='Michael K.' timestamp='1326981346' post='4116613']
The perfect clubhouse..... It would have a bar, shooting range, massage parlor, spa and strippers all in one location. Oh and private conference rooms to work remotely when needed for business. That's not unreasonable isn't it?
[/quote]

+1 on stripper pole and conference rooms.

[SurfDuffer]

Worst clubhouse I have seen is at Galloway National. Probably the best course I have ever played but the clubhouse was obviously built by people with lots and lots of money but ZERO taste.

[BigCedar]

Golden Tee and beer. That's all.

[MrParr1Noid]

[quote name='rvgolfer' timestamp='1326982883' post='4116807']
Ok then,,here goes.

A big men's locker room with enough lockers, (and not small ones either, ones that have enough room to hang suit coats and store extra shoes on shelves instead of being in a pile on the bottom), for every member, showers, and well stocked grooming aids at the lavatories.

[s]A big ladies locker room just like the mens.[/s]

[s]A separate area where both ladies and men can access the shoe care area.[/s]

Mens card room [s], age 21 to enter, with bar and restaurant service, wifi, and sofas/chairs for lounging around a big tv, with smoking allowed with great ventilation.[/s] with no restrictions.

[S]Ladies card room, same as men.[/S]

A 19th hole snack bar with full service menu and bar, big tv.

Main dining area with great food [S]at reasonable prices, and enough room to have a large dance floor and live entertainment.[/S]

A large patio for [S]dining and outdoor[/S] relaxing, [S]that overlooks the signature hole of the golf course.[/S]

A [S]nd last a nice[/S] bar area. [S], with both bar seating and tables with smoking allowed and great ventilation.[/S]
[/quote]



p.s. The only smoking allowed is if your shoes are on fire...