Two Days in the Life of a Rater

[Mike Sweeney]

Barney, you are an excellent corporate watchdog. If you like I'll try to send you copies of my performance evaluations.   "They're real - and they're spectacular!"

Today, I was yelled at by a number of people.


This really made me laugh.


Thanks to Bogey and Jaka for hanging in there. I realize that this is NOT a golf architecture related post, and maybe that is how I have lasted

[V_Halyard]

See Quoted Version

[John Kavanaugh]

No one pays protection money because the bag man is good company.

[Sean_A]

No one pays protection money because the bag man is good company.

JakaB

Just as an experiment...try including the the post you are responding to....perhaps your posts may seem a little less random.

Ciao

[John Kavanaugh]

Sean,


V already edited his post. Too late. I enjoyed where he claimed to have been racially profiled and denied access. Enlightening.

[V_Halyard]

So much discussion here revolves around course raters so I thought I'd give you a narrative of two days in the life of a Golfweek rater.  Just for what it’s worth.  Feel free to draw your own conclusions.

With an overnight trip to Madison, Wisconsin scheduled to teach at a banking school and no opportunity for additional days due to work constraints I wanted to see a couple of golf courses in the area, knowing the schedule would be tight.  Plenty of opportunities in the area, including such stalwarts as Erin Hills, Lawsonia Links, Sand Valley, Milwaukee CC, Blue Mound, Blackwolf Run and Whistling Straits to name a few.  I opted for Pine Hills CC in Sheboygan and Ozaukee CC in Mequon, the only two calls I placed.   

Schedule as follows:
Up at 4 a.m. for a 6:20 a.m. flight to Milwaukee.  Drive north to Sheboygan for an afternoon round at Pine Hills.  Charcoal Inn for lunch – the genuine article.  Post round, a 2 hours drive to Madison.  Arriving at 9 p.m. with time for a burger, cheese curds and a Spotted Cow at Dotty Dumplings Dowery, followed by a little touch up ironing and bedtime at 10:30 p.m.  Up at 7:00 a.m. then teaching a classroom of 200 bankers from 10:15 to 11:40 a.m., mainly telling them that the commercial real estate sky is falling.  (It’s not, yet.)

No time for lunch before a 2 hours drive back through Milwaukee up to Mequon for a round at Ozaukee.  Fortunately, a 3 hours round there gets me to the airport with 30 minutes to spare before my 8 p.m. flight through O-Hare.  I arrive back in Nashville and hit the sack at 1:30 a.m.  I'm at work first thing this morning.

I place my rater credentials and credit card on both pro shop counters, netting one full payment and one comp where they don’t take credit cards but I offer cash. 

I’m neither complaining nor bragging.  It is what it is.  I’m guessing your mind is already made up and frankly, I see both sides.  There are no secret handshakes and nothing to de-mystify.  I enjoy it immensely and it's been a nice source of happiness in my life over the past dozen years. 

For what it’s worth.

Mike

Michael  - Nice write up.
As a GW Rater I generally try to rate 1:1:1.
1 Private : 1 Private Owned - Public Access : 1 Muny

I rate from a recreational player perspective and my index is above 10.    There are plenty of remote clubs that have requested ratings so I try to fulfill those requests and enjoy travels to remote areas.I also try to visit a Muny that has committed to the delivery golf excellence, for example, Brown Deer Park in Milwaukee took out 100's if not 1000's of trees and has instituted a caddy/scholarship program.

I will go out of my way to try to support those efforts. Same with the likes of Washington County Golf Course in Hartford Wisconsin, Chaska Town Course in Minnesota and the impending genius of PCC/JWay Canal Shores efforts in Evanston/Wilmette Illinois.I always pay at a Muny as a matter of principle. There are also courses I would love to rate but they don't need more ratings so unless I am in close proximity, I don't try to rate those. I always present credentials in advance and inquire about greens fees with no mention or expectation of a comp. There are numerous courses outside of metro areas and far from logical airports that welcome raters. When available, I buy a yardage book for notes and a hat. I do make notes hole by hole and editorialize freely.


I have contacted some very exclusive courses and was warmly welcomed and greeted with an invitation. One in particular was surprisingly accommodating as I believe there are fewer than 100 golf members. I have also called courses and been told bluntly, "we don't do raters" and was encouraged to not call back. I was once refused last minute access to one course upon arrival that had previously confirmed. Conversation with locals indicated an outside chance that it was a racial restriction - so there's that - "Unforeseen Course Maintenance" was the explanation provided - seen it before - probably will see it again.


Net: Either a course welcomes raters or they don't. Some find great value in the rating... or they don't. Personally, having been on a team that immersed itself in golf architecture researching and executing a Ross restoration, I have come to enjoy the exploration of all manner of golf course architecture and truly enjoy rating courses.I am of course biased in favor of ratings, at least the ones in which I participate but I also understand and respect those courses that feel ratings and raters are not for them.It is a process of free will.


The courses that want the ratings will allow the raters, those that don't, wont.Those of you that feel raters suck, I respect your opinion and you will surmise that I might be a bit more hardened and I really don't give a shit because if you own a course you won't have raters anyway so it probably doesn't matter!

[V_Halyard]

No one pays protection money because the bag man is good company.

JakaB

Just as an experiment...try including the the post you are responding to....perhaps your posts may seem a little less random.

Ciao

Done! thanks

[John Kavanaugh]

V,


I know for a fact that Brad takes racial discrimination in all forms very seriously. I hope you reported the course to him so proper action can be taken.

[Bill Seitz]

Michael, I've only been doing this for a couple years, and hopefully a lot of people feel the same, but I have three personal rules for setting up evaluations: 1) Contact the club/course as far in advance as practicable, 2) Accommodate their schedule, and 3) Always expect to pay.  Sounds like you have the same philosophy.  I've heard from too many places that a lot of raters don't live by these courtesies.


I just got back from a trip to Maui where I was able to sneak in a couple rater rounds (don't worry, JK, it wasn't work related).  Kapalua Plantation charged a reduced rate, but by giving them plenty of lead time, they were able to accommodate my wife as well.  My guess is they send raters out right before the twilight rate kicks in (rater rate was still lower), and they paired us with another panelist.  No complaints on playing an afternoon round instead of prime time.  It allowed us to schedule a dinner at Merriman's since we were already up there, as we were staying on a different part of the island. 

The other round was at Makena.  I was told I'd probably be one of ten people on the course all day.  First class service, which is to say they treated me like a member.  It's Discovery Land Co., so I'm not even sure they're set up to accommodate guest play, or at least charge guest fees.  They wouldn't even let me tip the valets.  But they told me that they get people who show up and slap a rater card down and expect to be allowed on the course without incident.  I just don't get that.  By the way, I tried to do some research on the place beforehand at this site, and there was a lot of conjecture.  Current skinny is 18 holes redesigned by Dennis Wise from the original north course.  Paspalum in just about perfect condition tee to green, and an interesting layout worth seeing.  They paired me with an assistant pro who worked on the construction crew, and was a fount of information.  I don't mind playing alone when I'm on a rater round, but sometimes it's nice play with someone who knows a bit about the course.

[V_Halyard]

V,


I know for a fact that Brad takes racial discrimination in all forms very seriously. I hope you reported the course to him so proper action can be taken.

Thanks John and Brad has always had my and all rater's backs, but it can't be proven so it is purely "a hunch", a coincidence perhaps. Plus, I've played and rated better courses with wonderful people so I'm way ahead!

[John Kavanaugh]

V,


I know for a fact that Brad takes racial discrimination in all forms very seriously. I hope you reported the course to him so proper action can be taken.

Thanks John and Brad has always had my and all rater's backs, but it can't be proven so it is purely "a hunch", a coincidence perhaps. Plus, I've played and rated better courses with wonderful people so I'm way ahead!

V,


I hope you see the danger in making that accusation on this forum. I wonder how many managers or members wonder if it was their club. You've narrowed it down to a couple of hundred in theory, more like 10 in reality. I nice thank you note to all the private clubs that allow non-member unaccompanied play. Just another reason to ignore raters when they call.

[V_Halyard]

V,


I know for a fact that Brad takes racial discrimination in all forms very seriously. I hope you reported the course to him so proper action can be taken.

Thanks John and Brad has always had my and all rater's backs, but it can't be proven so it is purely "a hunch", a coincidence perhaps. Plus, I've played and rated better courses with wonderful people so I'm way ahead!

V,


I hope you see the danger in making that accusation on this forum. I wonder how many managers or members wonder if it was their club. You've narrowed it down to a couple of hundred in theory, more like 10 in reality. I nice thank you note to all the private clubs that allow non-member unaccompanied play. Just another reason to ignore raters when they call.

First, I was not making an accusation, it was merely an anecdote of reality. Secondly, I did not name the club nor give any details. Thirdly, I would propose that this forum is far from fragile and is robust enough to not wither from the sharing of a simple reality. I was not necessarily shocked by the experience nor should you be.


I will however absolutely declare that 99.9 % of my rater experiences have been outstanding and thank those clubs that have allowed interaction and play. I will also add without qualification that this incident was notable because it was surprising and an outlier.


I'm not bandwagoning but seriously, if we can bemoan the existence of raters, argue about the size of a bunker or demand the removal of cart paths, we can survive a story of rater vs. covenants and restrictions. It's part of golf, golf architecture and golf history. I just forgot about it for a day but was reminded to be more aware and inquisitive.


Lastly, nobody has to host raters and nobody is forced to be a rater. Both are voluntary so to your point, clubs can choose to accept or deny raters, and guests or members for that matter. That's the model and I choose to be a rater and move within the construct of the model. Sometimes you change directions and adjust. I packed my clubs, got in the car and quietly moved on. I shared an anecdotal reality, I did not start a thread on racism in golf.  IMHO, proposing that my sharing of this anecdote as part of a rater experience is somehow inappropriate or problematic seems to sell the forum short.

[John Kavanaugh]

Vaughn,


I believe your story to be true. I don't have the life experience to tell you how to handle the situation. Hopefully all your rater buddies who you have told the name of the course will punish them with the pen.#6's

[V_Halyard]

Vaughn,


I believe your story to be true. I don't have the life experience to tell you how to handle the situation. Hopefully all your rater buddies who you have told the name of the course will punish them with the pen.#6's

No worries and I have not shared the name because it really wont change anything. I actually laughed in the car because refreshingly, it was so unexpected and rare that it was a reminder that there is always a bad apple. In reality, I should have known before requesting the rating. There are some very humorous aspects to the story including the shock of all manner of staff when I drove up, got out of the car at the bag drop... etc.   We live, we learn we keep moving.

[John Kavanaugh]

What is the point of being part of an organization if you can't conspire together against someone who harmed one of your members?

[V_Halyard]

What is the point of being part of an organization if you can't conspire together against someone who harmed one of your members?

Ha. Thanks John. This one was an outlier and not worthy of a Covfefe. 
Stuff like this happens, these clubs know who they are and wouldn't care anyway.
I will store it in my file of ridiculousness-for-a-movie and exact my philosophical revenge in the future.