It hurts the club/course/industry...there is no doubt about it. If a club, from the upper levels of management, makes that call, fine...they are doing it for some reason, but if someone other than the head of the club (or its board or whatever the main decision making body of said club is) makes a decision in the field to give something away, that is a whole 'nother story...and has the potential to hurt the club and to me this is akin to stealing.
Mac, How important is customer service to you at your clubs? Because several of the places I have worked, if we didn't allow our employees to play golf occasionally we wouldn't have the best employees. Most of the very professional retired guys we find aren't working for the money, they are doing it to play golf. They don't care that we pay them minimum wage, as long as we allow them to play golf occasionally. If allowing employees to play golf allows us to have the best possible customer service and keeps labor costs down, how is it bad for the industry?
Cory... you are right on time. I encourage my employees to play golf, properly restricted of course. Furthermore, I don't trust anyone who works in the golf business who doesn't appreciate and enjoy the game. When a member and an employee can "talk golf" together it only enhances the member's experience and makes the club a warmer place.
Our club stresses "warm and friendly" service rather than "maid and butler." Some clubs stress the "maid and butler" but everyone knows that in the men's grill, the bag room, the pro shop and anywhere other than the dining room... employees and members are shooting the s&%*t about their families, sports, the news. If we can add golf to that list of topics... why not?
We do charge them full guest rates on the rare occasion they ask to bring someone from the outside. Occasionally we will allow a special visit from someone's parents or siblings but it is very very rare.
Expecting someone making $10 per hour to shell out rent and utility money to play golf is unrealistic. It reminds me of the movie, "Trading Places."
Louis Winthorpe III: Randolph. Mortimer.
Mortimer Duke: Winthorpe, my boy, what have you got for us?
Louis Winthorpe III: Well, it's that time of the month again. Payroll checks for our employees, which require your signatures. And no forgetting to sign the big ones!
Mortimer Duke: We seem to be paying some of our employees an awful lot of money.
Louis Winthorpe III: [laughs] Can't get around the old minimum wage, Mortimer.