Access to Private Clubs

[cary lichtenstein]

Sebonac has a pretty good policy about unescorted guests of a member. $650 per person plus caddy fee. Keeps the riff raff out

[Mac Plumart]

John...

Remember our deal early this year?  How many rounds did you end up walking this year?

[Duncan Cheslett]

I have a personal policy of not asking people what they do for a living.

I'm a carpenter.

I'm kind of like Jesus in that way.

 

[Tim Martin]

I like to think my friends represent all aspects of society both good and bad.  I love to spend time around interesting people.  I'm kind of like Jesus that way.

Has to be right up there for post of the year.

[Dan Kelly]

Sebonac has a pretty good policy about unescorted guests of a member. $650 per person plus caddy fee. Keeps the riff raff out

We must be reading different newspapers.

That'd be couch change for a lot of the riff-raff I've read about lately.

[Frank M]

I think letters from overseas have much greater success simply because the chances of them getting to play or even visit the area in the future are slim to none. They come, they pay, they go and are never heard from again. Plus, if they tell 20 of their friends back in Australia, it is more than likely the club won't be getting 20 new letters requesting a tee time.

[Rick Shefchik]

Do you think a letter from someone outside the U.S. requesting to play while in the states carries more weight than a letter from a U.S. citizen going through the same process ? It seems that guys from across the pond and Australia have quite a bit of luck with this. Thoughts.

I personally believe letters from overseas have much greater success simply because the chances of them getting to play or even visit the area in the future are slim to none. They come, they pay, they go and are never heard from again. Plus, if they tell 20 of their friends back in Australia, it is more than likely the club won't be getting 20 new letters requesting a tee time.

Nailed it.

Plus, little chance that members will recognize a foreign visitor and grouse, "How did HE get on the course?"
 

[Mike Hendren]

Paging FBD:  May I utilize you as a middle-man to post-mark my letters as overseas?  I will send you a scorecard from each club accessed.

Bogey

[John Kavanaugh]

John...

Remember our deal early this year?  How many rounds did you end up walking this year?

I lost count around seven. Out of a sense of fair play Zuckerman paid my debt.

[Mac Plumart]

 

[Warwick Loton]

In Australia, many clubs arrange course-swap opportunities for their members. These come in various forms. Examples:

1. An annual swap day with another club (ie the memberships play the other club's course for that day);

2. A set allocation of mid-week comp spots for members of several other clubs (no visitor fees).
In Sydney, this is done every week between Royal Sydney, NSW GC, The Australian & The Lakes, so that members of all four clubs compete in each one's mid-week comp.
Some Melbourne do this as well (though not the most famous Melb clubs).

3. The Sandbelt group of clubs in Melbourne issue all members with a "Sandbelt Card", allowing one round per year at each of the other half-dozen clubs within the group (modest fee per round)

[Scott Stearns]

I show up unanounced in jeans and flip flops.  in between cell phone calls i tell em i know John Kavanaugh.  works every time 

[Mark Chaplin]

How does $650 keep the riff raft out?

I doubt there are too many multi millionaires amongst our 1500 participants but probably a lot of guys who would be excellent visitors at a club but would not or could not wedge up $650 + $100 caddie for a game of golf. There are plenty of shysters in the world with more money than manners.

[Chris Kane]

I don't understand why $650 for an unescorted guest of a member keeps the riff-raff out, but $50 won't.

[John Kavanaugh]

Given the large number of people from this site who have played Sebonack I don't get what you are bitching about. Don't kill the Golden Goose.

[JMEvensky]

I don't understand why $650 for an unescorted guest of a member keeps the riff-raff out, but $50 won't.

This is always a tough call for any club--what price to charge for unaccompanied guests.The two philosophies are A) you're doing a favor for your own members,so keep the fee low,and B) the members pay more than a token amount per round so why should some member's friend play for peanuts.

I always come down on the side of the smaller fee and assume the members think enough of their own club to not abuse the privilege.I'm usually proven wrong.

As to Sebonac charging $650,I imagine they came down on the side of charging something high enough to reflect their own members' cost per round.Plus,it's in a very expensive neighborhood.

[Michael Underwood]

A, D & F here

F - Make personal contact through written correspondence with club secretary or general manager.

F - Be willing to reciprocate play at a course that you are a member at. (This might be the best of all!)

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

You guys are making this way to difficult...


Just get one of these,
attach it to your bag in a prominent location,
and watch as the offers to play anywhere you want come rolling in...

[Dan Herrmann]

Jaka is right - especially about his point #5 - Pay.  Most of us work for a living, and a golf club is a big budget item - in other words, many members invite you expecting you to pay.  If it's gratis, they'll tell you

Please pay your host before you play.  If your host declines, no problem - but you've shown your graciousness. 

Brian Sheehy is also right - it's amazing what a nice handwritten letter can do.