Why not identify yourself as a rater after you've played, via a hand written thank you note sent in the mail?
Joe
That is standard operating procedure for Golf Digest panel.
I assume it must be for the others too, as it is just common courtesy.
But that doesn't answer my other questions!
Mark - your takes are common in here and have been batted around countless times. Yes in a perfect world, no comps are offered and none are taken. The golf world however is not perfect.
Take my real life example posted earlier in this thread: my two courses near Tahoe I am doing soon - each private clubs - there's no way I can access either without asking permission. Also neither will accept any form of payment. I have to do each as I am assigned to do so, and in fact one of them does not yet have the requisite number of visits required to qualify for consideration as Best New.
So what am I to do in this circumstance?
This illustrates how this is an imperfect system, and how analogies to secret shoppers or restaurant reviewers just won't fly.
Still, it is best to try at most times to treat it as you say.
Just do understand also that we TRY not to let a comp or lack thereof effect our evaluations. Most succeed, I do believe.
TH