Peter,
Each club has their unique culture, so it's hard to make generalizations, but, I think you can make generalizations about the pool of potential members today, the younger members.
Their family patterns are different than my dad's generation and certainly different from my generation's.
One of the problems with clubs is that most governing members govern on a voluntary basis.
They also tend to inherit the club's past culture and they tend to perpetuate it.
If they make changes, it's like that big ocean tanker, it takes a long time to turn to react to changing conditions or a threat.
I think there's always been a clash of generations.
I know that when I was first appointed to a Board that I came in conflict with older Board members, respectfully, but, in conflict nonetheless.
I saw the change in utilization patterns amongst my peers.
Whether they saw it or not, the older members resisted change, choosing to retain the status quo.
I understand that. I too became the older board member resisting change.
I fought like crazy to preserve the dress code, on and off the golf course.
I'm a traditionalist, I don't want caps on backwards, shirts untucked, jeans, etc.,etc.
What bothered me even more, which surprised me even more, was the dress code I saw at Funerals.
I thought it was disrespectful and an indication that the younger generation had gotten lazy.
I saw it at church, in court, in restaurants, on airplanes and other venues.
It was obvious, the tide was rising against me, but, I felt that if a club was to be viewed as special, it had to distinguish itself from fads and trends that were becoming popular.
If you're invited to Pine Valley, Seminole and other special clubs, you won't see anyone, members or guests, wearing their hats backwards, shirts untucked, or jeans. I like that, that's the environment that golf was meant to be played in.
I do have to laugh at one incident. A member of a club brought his girlfriend, whom he had just started living with, to his club in NJ.
She was from California and had moved here to live with him.
She was gorgeous and had a great figure.
Previously, a number of the women at the club were lobbying for a more relaxed dress code.
They wanted shorter shorts, shorter skirts and skorts, spaghetti string tops, halter tops, tank tops and some wanted to be able to not wear a bra.
The clique lobbying for these changes were married to a good number of board members.
The first time this members girlfriend showed up, she was wearing white short shorts and high heels and a blue tank top.
I'll never forget that outfit
She looked spectacular and the men members were hovering around her like bees to honey.
At the next board meeting, motions were made to introduce a new, stricter dress code.
And where do you think that movement came from ?
From the same women who only a month or so earlier were lobbying for more informal attire.
But, once they saw what that bombshell looked like in that outfit, and how she might look in the outfits they were lobbying for, and how their husbands responded to her, the Kabash was in.
It just goes to show you were the seat of power really lies.