Golf Networking - 21st century shenanigans

[Tom_Doak]

What, for example, do you expect or want a resort like Bandon Dunes to do for you as a member of Nameless Country Club, that they wouldn't do for all of their other paying guests?  Just keeping track of the fact that you are a club member who wants perks, would cost them money in terms of operations.

Tom,


I am the "other way" in this perspective. If I was the Manager of Bandon Dunes and I have Guest from Doak 4's and 5's that are repeat guest at Bandon Dunes, that would be VERY valuable information - both pubic and private. How do I get them back, and who is the "Influencer" that gets these guys to our very very remote resort that is expensive?


If you buy into the theory that there are 300 or so Members of these Top 100 Courses (say 400 clubs) that means there are 120,000 golfers that appreciate "Doak 7's" or higher. That is a pretty small universe when you have guys like me that want to play overseas rather than in Oregon.


BRoss may be onto something

Mike:


I hadn't thought about your point, but as in so much of the modern world the question shifts to who sees the data?  The middleman companies would take pains not to divulge any more to the resort than absolutely necessary, so I don't know whether it would be as valuable to Bandon as you say.


Also keep in mind that Bandon Dunes has been building its own database for twenty years of customers who are not just willing and able to take golf trips but actually do so, and I would guess it already includes the majority of people who are members of any of these virtual clubs.  Perhaps they even know your preferences and that's why they're looking to build a course in Dornoch 😉

[Mike Sweeney]

Tom,


Our signals got crossed on the database stuff. I am sure that I did not explain it well/properly.


I am most interested in your Saint Patricks course and put me on your fancy database for when you open that. 

[Adam Uttley]

I can’t vouch for any of the others but I am a big fan of Thousand Greens which has proven to be a great way to access private courses in the US.  I have just come back from a 7-round, 6-day trip to New York and Massachusetts all of which are in the world top 100 or the 147 custodians lists. 


It is Golf Club Atlas that has stimulated a curiosity in golf course architecture and having played a good few courses in the U.K., I was really keen to see some other architects’ work, such as Tillinghast and Raynor.  Without Thousand Greens I doubt whether I could have put together a trip to see courses such as Quaker Ridge, Myopia, Eastward Ho! and Wykagyl as I cannot access such courses from my current network.


I have also found the community on TG to be great.  I did have a couple of potential hosts ghosting me during the planning phase - and it did take a lot of work to arrange the trip - but the vast majority of hosts were extremely warm, generous, love their golf and I’ve made some great friendships.  The spirit of TG is to ensure your host is not out of pocket - ie you cover the caddy fees where appropriate - but certainly not for them to make money.  I struggled to make this happen as hosts either wouldn’t let me pay for their caddy or in some cases covered my guest fee.


The site itself is evolving and whilst some things could be improved I’d prefer it to remain a bit clunky and a hobby than it becoming slick but commercialised,