Visiting the Golf Shop
When visiting the Pro Shop, it is important to keep your eyes and ears open as a lot of questions will be answered without being asked.
What does the Golf Cart fleet look like? Does it consist of a bunch of beat to crap EZ-GO golf carts, or perhaps members buy their own so the fleet is new Hummer and Buick golf carts with fancy chrome wheels and full fledged GPS systems?
Are there caddies? If so, are they kids or adults? Is the Golf shop well stocked with Top Flight and X-outs, or only high priced
logo Titleist? Does the pro give away golf tees, or are there ads up for special discounts for
personalized golf tees?
Is there a carts only policy, or is walking permitted? If walking is
permitted, how long is the average round?
Think about it: if walking is
permitted, but you don’t tee off before 6AM you’re going to get behind some
old curmudgeon with a four pronged cane and a Sunday bag. Sounds like the ideal
day of playing golf doesn’t it? Just what you’ve been dreaming about!
Is the course suitable for senior play, both men and women? Or are two hundred yard carries required to clear that pond that makes up the waterfront lots advertised? Or, is it something a little bit more classic in design?
Was the practice facility designed in the original development, or squeezed in as an afterthought? Is it a token putting green or does it include a short game area with traps and a warm up range?
Is it a full blown golf learning center? If so, keep in mind that while they
are terrific to use, they are expensive to maintain.
Ask the kids in the bag room if you can buy them a soda. Here are some questions you might want to ask them. "Do most of their members store their clubs here, or do they bring them home?" How about tipping practices? "Is there an expected and customary amount? Do most tip at that level? What types of clubs do the members have? Are they constantly keeping up with the new technologies to the game, or are we talking about some old tour blades from Wilson and persimmon Cleveland Classic woods ? Would you consider this a fairly friendly golf environment? Do you think most of the players here like what they are doing or do they put in their obligatory 18 holes because they are paying for it?
"How do they dress? Are they fairly current, or do they clearly look like old people? Are there any you look forward to seeing, and that you take extra good care of, for any reason whatsoever, other than the tip? Is there a way I could meet these people? Do you think you could arrange a game for me? Do you have any people here that regularly practice? How about sandbaggers? The usual amount, or is the club full of them?"
Returning to the pro, why don’t you take a playing lesson? Here’s a few questions you can ask him while playing a leisurely 18. "Do you hold many tournaments? If so, what kind of tournaments do the members prefer? How does a new member find a match? Do you have a league or leagues? How is tournament participation? Do you or the members have any kind blind pick up or match ladder?"
After a few holes, ask if you’ll have any trouble finding a match equal to your ability? Ask the pros’ thoughts on any quirks you may have seen on the golf course. Or, better still, ask the club pro which quirks he'd have eliminated or which quirks he likes and would like to see emphasized. What is his experience with the golfing members? Are they clueless 25’s or are they 25’s that were former 15’s? Lifelong and golf loving 20’s? It will help if you fit.
"When it comes tournament day, which is more important to the members? The quality of play, or the size of the buffet lunch?"
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