I'll give it a shot.
As someone who grew up in the industry--five uncles were/are golf professionals, my dad's career began as Pro/Superintendent, I grew up as a bag room rat, then to the golf shop and after my dad's death, my mother and I continue to operate a private golf club with me as the G.M.
If a Class A or a Head Super wants to play I am happy to extend to them the courtesy of a freebie. I know they have worked their asses off in this business and I have no issue whatsoever doing that. (GM included too although I am bised against the CMAA "foodie types
).
After that it gets a little trickier. Assistant pros--if an asssitant at a club wants to play and his club is willing to reciprocate for my assistants, well OK. I have had "bag room guys" from a snootie (and going broke
) club that called asking for free golf--they were not shy--and when I asked if my GOLF PRO who had not played their yet could maybe come one day the answer was NO! Needless to say, they did not play.
Again, I am happy to extend the golf as a courtesy to those who WORK in the industry. I have had shapers, architects and irrigation guys all come and play as my guests and I was only too happy to have them.
Raters are not viewed by many in the industry as "working in the industry". For the dedicated architect lover who spends a lot of time and money rating, well I think most in the industry think that person is the exception. Most think raters simply do it and long to be raters for the free golf. I have overwhelmingly had good rater experiences but the jury is still out in my mind as to what I think of raters "in general".
I can tell you that I was excited about having Golf Digest let me know that someone thought enough of Mike Riley's redo that it had been nominated for rating. I know that the rating period is over and I wish I could say our hidden gem was recognized but.....
Since I know the rating (for best renovation) had a time limit that has been over for some time when I get a GD rater who calls and introduces himself as a rater and asks to come play (usually around 10:30 on a Friday
) my antenna go up because I KNOW he is not rating anything, he is looking to play free golf.
It cuts both ways though and I admit that I am "using" the raters and comping golf not because I think they have any particular insights or opinions worth listening to but because I hope the free golf and a fun day results in a good review. And for certain, if my club was recognized by any rating service as one of the best anything you better believe I'm getting that article framed and displayed ASAP! I'm also using it in my marketing info like everyone else. I think ratings are absolute BS but they matter to the golfing public and anything I can do to get some nice attention I'm doing.
I think I have hosted as many from this site as I have raters and almost without exception the GCA guys want to hear about the course, its history and what we were thinking with certain holes. Mostly, even the "polite raters' are just in and out as fast as they can without as much as a thanks. I've decided It is far more important to me that my course earn the respect of so many of the great guys I've met on this site.
(I have met very few GCA guys that were also raters and I am sure that had that been the case my rater view would be a lot kinder.)