The implication that our policy is somehow being imposed (and that is clearly what you implied) does not reflect the views of our membership which I know very well. I suppose I might ask how you would vote but as you are not a member, that would hardly be fair. Finally, I have no problem letting the marketplace speak. Those who do not want a club with these policies should find one that suits their preferences. But don't assume that because a club adopts policies that are contrary to those espoused by outsiders, the club must be subject to the whims or dictates of a minority. That doesn't describe our club or, I might add, many others in our area that have similar policies.
I was not implying anything nor am I attempting to tell you or your club what to do. I am not familiar with the membership nor the identity of your club. We have broached this subject before and as you did on this thread, you presented your club's position on caddies which appears to be, if I may paraphrase, if you want to walk and a caddie is available, a caddie is required. I was just curious whether you would allow this policy to come up for a vote and live with the consequences. After your reply, I am no longer interested.
You seem to imply in your reply that the mandatory caddie use when walking policy enjoys majority support at your club. So, had I joined your club knowing how important and set-in-stone this policy was, I would have no issue. In reality, I would not have even looked at your club just as I am sure your club would not have had any interest in me as a member.
Personally, I prefer clubs and organizations with few rules for reasonable people with common interests and relatively few affectations. Others may think that requiring a caddie or a motorized cart is very sensible. Golf is a big world. I did find it amusing learning from an unimpeachable source that not a small number of members of a Top 10 club with a mandatory caddie policy wait until the caddies are gone in the mid-afternoon before they venture out to the course. It just seems that life would be much simpler and enjoyable if people did their thing and were willing to incur the full cost of their preferences.
And what business is it of yours or mine or anyone elses what that club or its members do? Yes, as noted, if I had the means and opportunity, I'd be proud to be a member of SL's club and to support that program; if someone else wouldn't, there are plenty of other places to play/become a member at. What would a secret ballot of members 'prove'? And why should the club/members prove anything to us outsiders? (Hey, why don't we ask Augusta National leadership if they'd be willing to hold a secret poll to determine if members want to automatically contribute to absurdly high maintenance practices for the sake of the tv exposure one week a year? My point: I grow tired of the notion that excess and selfishness and exclusivity and greed are all rights to be protected, while our impulses towards serving a broader good need to be carefully scrutinized lest we prove ourselves dictators). It's a free market, right?
I normally don't address "stuff" like this, but I'll try this one time. What I would like to write I can't without offending you and many others who think like you, so I will just limit it to a couple of things.
First of all, what SL's club does is but of mild interest to me and I have absolutely nothing riding on how it conducts its affairs.. He brought it up as he has other times before, noting the great cause it serves (ESP). Being that you are much more impressed, perhaps even enamored with SL, his perspectives, and his way of expressing himself on this DG than I am, I understand and will countenance your tone.
Second, and most important, the point of a secret ballot is that people often act very differently when cloaked in anonymity than in the presence of pressure groups (the social psychology literature is a treasure trove on this stuff if you want to check it out). The reason why labor unions are so much for card check is precisely that it puts them in much greater control of the process. Ditto for the insistence on posting on this site under your proper name. The results of a secret ballot are likely to be different and much more representative of what members believe than an expression of support or a show of hands in front of influential board and committee members which drive many important decisions. SL offers that he knows his membership well and that the mandatory-caddies-if-walking policy enjoys majority support at his club, and I accept that (though for my own amusement, I wouldn't mind seeing him test it).
As to your weariness, well, I could suggest some help, but you really don't want to hear what I have to offer. You like citations and references to smart people. It was likely an unknown simple person who once passed on to me a great piece of advice: happiness comes from within. Another one: when you point the finger at someone (the selfish, the greedy, the ones who value exclusivity), three fingers are pointing back at you. BTW, who was it that said life was like a box of chocolates? Good stuff!
For the record, I like walking, push carts, the occasional riding cart, and the opportunity to choose my means. In the Dallas area at least, push carts are gaining greater acceptance, even though a number of clubs have their own fleet and require that you rent them.