Artisan's Clubs in the US?

[Sam Kestin]

I got to take my first trip across the pond last summer and discovered the charm of the Artisan's Clubs at what would otherwise be considered extremely prestigious and exclusive golf clubs. Cinque Ports, Rye, St. Georges, ect all had their own Artisan's Clubs where blue-collar locals could have (limited) access to amazing golf courses at fractions of the going rates for the club at-large. I've read a little bit about the Birkdale one this week as well.


I couldn't love this concept more. Too many of the best American clubs are experienced by too few because of the less open-minded attitude towards private club access that we seem to have here in the States. Limited outside guest play and Artisan's Clubs are just two examples of how they seem to be more willing in the UK to share their golf architectural treasures.


Does anyone know of anything similar here in the US?


Additionally, does anyone have a good theory on why we don't see much of this concept here?

[Joe_Tucholski]

I got to take my first trip across the pond last summer and discovered the charm of the Artisan's Clubs at what would otherwise be considered extremely prestigious and exclusive golf clubs. Cinque Ports, Rye, St. Georges, ect all had their own Artisan's Clubs where blue-collar locals could have (limited) access to amazing golf courses at fractions of the going rates for the club at-large. I've read a little bit about the Birkdale one this week as well.


I couldn't love this concept more. Too many of the best American clubs are experienced by too few because of the less open-minded attitude towards private club access that we seem to have here in the States. Limited outside guest play and Artisan's Clubs are just two examples of how they seem to be more willing in the UK to share their golf architectural treasures.


Does anyone know of anything similar here in the US?


Additionally, does anyone have a good theory on why we don't see much of this concept here?

Employee Mondays.

Many US clubs close on Mondays and employees are able to play.  I know a number of people work at courses for playing privileges.  When I was in LA I tried to get a job at a few of the clubs for playing privileges.

*edited because I have terrible grammar and can't put thoughts into words

[Joe Zucker]

I would guess it's because exclusivity is a more valuable commodity for clubs in the US than in the UK, which are mostly open to the public in some capacity.  If some of the value of belonging to a club is that few people can play it, it doesn't make sense to have the Artisan's group.


I grew up working at clubs in the Cleveland area and there were some that had limited to no employee play even on Mondays.  I have no idea if this is becoming more common or was just a factor in my small ecosystem.

[David_Tepper]

Link to article on the Royal Birkdale Artisans Club posted a couple of days ago:

http://www.todaysgolfer.co.uk/news-and-events/general-news/2017/july/meet-royal-birkdales-artisans/

I don't see offering employee play on Mondays as being comparable to an artisan club. I would be very surprised if there are any artisans clubs in the U.S.

[Mike Sweeney]

I would be very surprised if there are any artisans clubs in the U.S.

I have played some VERY fancy USA clubs with "Artisan" members. The golf round always starts with a sweater, it is not formal, it is below the radar to stay away from the lawyers, and they are in place.


In my next life, I will come back as a Southampton cop or Ran Morrissett 

[Sean_A]

http://www.agagolf.co.uk/index.htm

We used to have an Artisans Section at my club, but it was closed many moons ago.  People thought the time was (this was the 70s!) over for a "subservient" section of a club (unless they were ladies).  All the artisans were offered full membership of the club.  The AS around the country have slowly been shrinking.  In fact, I am told West Hill has recently served notice on its artisans.

Ciao

[Tom Dunne]

Artisans sections are one reason why UK clubs can get away with smaller staffing levels. They help with the day-to-day stuff like filling in divots, cleaning up bunkers, etc. "Artisan" doesn't necessarily mean "blue-collar," though. I met one fellow serving as the starter at a prime Surrey heathland club. He was artisan section and had been a big-league interior designer in New York. Semi-retired in his early fifties--probably had banked more than plenty of the toffs in the club-club. He just wasn't a lawyer or a City guy, or didn't go to Eton or the "right" schools. I'm fairly confident this stuff didn't matter to him much.

[Sean_A]

Tom

You are right.  I met more than a few artisans who weren't hurting for a penny.  Traditionally, the issue was more to do with club/locals relations so location is the prime indentifier of artisans. 

Ciao

[Michael Wolf]

Doesn't Yeamans Hall have a sort of club within the club that has use of the course, but not the clubhouse, during summer months only?


And a lot of the best golf at Seminole is played by the caddies in the late afternoon.

[Mike Hendren]

I inherited my love for golf courses from my father.  In addition to forking over $15/month for our membership he was a true artisan, hand-raking the bunkers before club events, mowing the fairways when the superintendent turned up drunk  (yes, our 9-holer was maintained by one man) and plugging zoysia into bare spots where the Bermuda suffered.  What a treat it was to be his helper.  To this day I enjoy raking a bunker after my shot. 

Bogey

[Tom_Doak]

Doesn't Yeamans Hall have a sort of club within the club that has use of the course, but not the clubhouse, during summer months only?

Yes!  That was the closest thing I could think of.  In the U.S. "Artisans" just join a different course with a different price structure ... there is a much wider range on offer than in the UK.  Also, most artisans clubs go back to the days when you joined the closest course to your home, because travel wasn't easy.

[John Kavanaugh]

This is a very common practice at small clubs in rural America. From accountants who do the books to old men who mow fairways and tees. Sadly that demon who lurks in the dark, workmans comp liability, will eventually win the battle.

[Josh Stevens]

I'm guessing the top end US clubs don't need artisans as their member fees are so high.

I no longer have exact numbers, but I am guessing that being a member of Sunningdale for example is probably per year 1/5th of its equivalent in the US - lets say Winged Foot.  Plus the nomination fee is probably 1/20th.

UK clubs simply cannot charge that sort of money, so letting the artisans on is just a good way to save a few shillings. Also worth considering how many of the great old UK clubs are situated on public, crown or third party land (such as Kings College) and so giving the peasants some limited form of access does show a bit of community spirit.

[Sean_A]

I am not sure people understand that artisans in the UK are a separate club, running separate competitions.  They have limited access to the course(s) in exchange for course duties and a reduced yearly sub.  Are folks saying this is common in small town US? 

Ciao

[Kalen Braley]

Seems like a missed opportunity here in the states.  Get someone to do work at the course 10-15 hours per week in exchange for a Monday round twice per month when the course is empty anyways...


P.S.  This may exist at small town country clubs, but then again many small town CCs are Doak 1s and 2s...

[David_Tepper]

"Are folks saying this is common in small town US?"

Sean A. -

I hope not.

Having individuals here and there barter their services to a club or course in the U.S. is not the same as an artisans club in Britain. In addition to having their own competitions (and competitions against the members club), Artisans Clubs in Britain typically have their own separate clubhouse.

The Open telecast this morning had a nice feature piece on the Birkdale Artisans Club.

DT

[Ronald Montesano]

No intention to thread-jump, but the direction of this one allows me to bring up a program I've wondered about for years:


Imagine that you are a high-end, public course, and you want to improve your greens. Your play comes from people who don't consider the club "home," so they don't take great care of it, especially ball marks on greens.


My proposal: bring in 20 local kids 2 times each week. Have them work from 7 pm to 8 pm, in groups of 4-5. Each group is responsible for 3 greens, and they need to repair all divot marks. 3 older kids (foremen) drive a third of the course at 8 pm, making notes on which greens are satisfactory and which are not; or, the superintendent does it the following day.


In exchange for the work, each kid gets a walking round of golf at an off-peak time. The club promotes proper golf course attention and kids who might not normally play that course, get to play it. Working from 7-8 does not preclude having another job (like caddie) at another establishment.


This should work, in my mind. What reason would we have for not doing it?

[Joe Hancock]

JK mentioned it, but todays' litigous atmosphere should have every operator running from the volunteer trade work for golf model. All it takes is one dumb move by someone not covered by workmans comp and you don't own your course any more.

[Mike Sweeney]

JK mentioned it, but todays' litigous atmosphere should have every operator running from the volunteer trade work for golf model. All it takes is one dumb move by someone not covered by workmans comp and you don't own your course any more.

Joe,


I know you are in the business, but this seems a little extreme. Any real world examples? The USGA is a barely not-for-profit (meaning they have lots of money for lawyers to target) and they have thousands of volunteers every year work at their tournaments. I have never head of any big problems.

[Joe Hancock]

Mike,


When I was a course owner, our lawyer advised us to put everyone on payroll to avoid any issues. No, I don't have any real world examples, but I bet there's some out there.


The USGA is non-profit, and I imagine that helps limit their exposure. It also wouldn't surprise me if volunteers have to sign some sort of waiver, but I don't know that.


Maybe an extreme amount of caution, and I would be in favor of volunteerism, but things are weird these days.

[JESII]

There are specialized work comp policies that cover volunteers. Not many carriers in that business but I imagine the USGA pays for the policy.

[John McCarthy]

Over the years I have run into many public courses where the greens and fairways are mowed by old codgers first thing in the morning for minimum wage plus golf between ten and one or twilight. 

[Kalen Braley]

Perhaps the Birkdale method is the way to go.


They don't let those guys get anywhere near the mowers as I recall from the article someone posted in another thread.  They just rake bunkers, fill divots, and fix ball marks.  How much could possibly go wrong with a rake and divot tool?

[Mark Chaplin]

There are 69 artisan clubs who are members of the Artisan Golf Association, the Permit Holders at Royal St George's aren't members of the AGA.


The model in our area is along the lines of;


Residence - members have to live within the town or within a certain radius of the club.


Golf - there are tee time restrictions, at Deal members can play before 8am and after 4pm, in the winter after 11.30am.


Work - members have to do a certain number of hours divoting, marshalling, ball spotting, etc. Usually 20'ish hours a year. This is strictly enforced in house.


Clubhouse - artisan sections have their own clubhouse where the beer is usually VERY cheap. Artisans only use the main clubhouse for the match against the parent club and in Deal's case the annual prize giving and dinner.


It sounds archaic and it may well be but in the case of RCP our course is very open and exposed. Artisans are playing at the times when the bored local youth may want to trespass and cause damage. The members know what's going on locally and nip issues in the bud.


I don't know what our guys pay, I know there is a waiting list much longer than the parent clubs. The permit holders next door pay an annual fee of less than ONE visitor green fee!!


The only place I know who give access to locals (or used to) was Royal Melbourne. Householders directly fronting the course had limit access in exchange for "keeping their eyes open" and reporting incidents.

[Mike Sweeney]

There are 69 artisan clubs who are members of the Artisan Golf Association, the Permit Holders at Royal St George's aren't members of the AGA.

Thanks for the detailed report Mark. This is very cool:


http://www.agagolf.co.uk