[Tim Martin]

https://www.golflynk.com/news/blue-hill-country-club-retaliates-against-golf-writer-and-member


This was linked from Geoff Shackelford’s site by GolfLync.com. Concert Golf Partners is familiar to many on this site as owner/operator of twenty plus clubs around the country.

[John Kavanaugh]

37 complaints from fellow members. I don’t think I ever hit double digits on any single issue. He made his bed.

[Anthony Gray]

 I think they kicked out the Underhills too.

[Jim_Coleman]

   A Philadelphia judge once told a lawyer,”Don’t piss in my face and tell me it’s raining.” Seems this guy pissed in the face of his club.
   Side fact: Porky Oliver was the pro at Blue Hills in the 50’s. My parents were members there.

[Brian_Ewen]

   A Philadelphia judge once told a lawyer,”Don’t piss in my face and tell me it’s raining.”

Was he a fan of the Outlaw Josey Wales?

[Tom_Doak]

37 complaints from fellow members. I don’t think I ever hit double digits on any single issue. He made his bed.

37 complaints but all over the same article that made the club look very bad (for keeping a cut of tip money).


Plus they threw him out of the club and KEPT his initiation fee instead of refunding it.  At least they are consistent on financial matters!

[Steve Lang]

...
37 complaints but all over the same article that made the club look very bad (for keeping a cut of tip money).

Plus they threw him out of the club and KEPT his initiation fee instead of refunding it.  At least they are consistent on financial matters!

Ouch!  Guess you'll never ever work there TD!

[John Kavanaugh]

37 complaints from fellow members. I don’t think I ever hit double digits on any single issue. He made his bed.

37 complaints but all over the same article that made the club look very bad (for keeping a cut of tip money).


Plus they threw him out of the club and KEPT his initiation fee instead of refunding it.  At least they are consistent on financial matters!

I have to admit that on the occasions I thought I would get the boot I counted on getting my initiation back. I bet they thoughts so too. Why else keep any trouble makers?


(I once had a superintendent print out every comment I had made about his work and give them to the owners.)

[Rob Marshall]

I would be interested in how the tip skimming worked. At a community club I'm a member of in Florida. (pools, fitness center, Food and beverage service). They just switched to a 20% service fee. You can tip on top if you want but they say it's not necessary. Their theory is they now will pay the servers a higher wage so they are making the same money even when it's slow. It's run by the developer so I have my doubts.

[John Kavanaugh]

I would be interested in how the tip skimming worked. At a community club I'm a member of in Florida. (pools, fitness center, Food and beverage service). They just switched to a 20% service fee. You can tip on top if you want but they say it's not necessary. Their theory is they now will pay the servers a higher wage so they are making the same money even when it's slow. It's run by the developer so I have my doubts.

It cost the members more because you still tip exactly like before. There are very few people in my life who hopes I come back tomorrow. And none of them are named Meryl Streep. Put another way, if you want them to keep acting like you're generous, funny and one of the best golfers in the club...Tip like it was yesterday.

[Adam G]

My understanding is that they had a 10% gratuity for staff and a 10% "service" charge kept by the club on every bill. Had they called the "service" charge a "facilities," "administrative," or "overhead" charge, they would have been in the clear. But the SJC ruled that something described on a bill as for "service" has to be a tip. Blue Hill argued that this was just poor drafting and they should be in the clear due to a Safe Harbor clause, but the justices ruled the law was pretty clear that "service" charges are for workers.


My sense is that this has little consequence for any other club as long as they don't use the word "service" for any portion taken by the club.

[Rob Marshall]

My understanding is that they had a 10% gratuity for staff and a 10% "service" charge kept by the club on every bill. Had they called the "service" charge a "facilities," "administrative," or "overhead" charge, they would have been in the clear. But the SJC ruled that something described on a bill as for "service" has to be a tip. Blue Hill argued that this was just poor drafting and they should be in the clear due to a Safe Harbor clause, but the justices ruled the law was pretty clear that "service" charges are for workers.


My sense is that this has little consequence for any other club as long as they don't use the word "service" for any portion taken by the club.

Then the article is misleading. If I was a member there I would tip another 10% to the server. I would bet that the other 10% service fee was used to pay a higher than normal wage. That’s what our club in Florida says they are going.

[Jim_Coleman]

   When 20% for service is added to the check, is one supposed to tip more? Larry David covered this thoroughly in a Curb episode.

[SL_Solow]

Barney,  There are some clubs that ban tipping.  They generally create a pool for employees to which members are asked to contribute.

[John Kavanaugh]

Barney,  There are some clubs that ban tipping.  They generally create a pool for employees to which members are asked to contribute.

I would love to be a member of a club that banned tipping. My primary golf buddy is a 78 year old Oklahoma oil tycoon who gives $20 to everyone he sees at the club every damn day of the week. He has asked to borrow $20 from me to tip the bag boy I just gave $5 to seconds before. Last week he had to leave early so he gave me $20 to tip the bag boy...Nice when you hand the kid $25 and say that extra $5 is from yourself. It would be awkward if I hadn't already defined the word.


I recently resigned from one of the finest clubs in the world because as a national member I was asked to contribute to the Holdiday Fund the same amount as a local member. A guy who visits a club 3 times a year should not contribute the same as someone who is there 300 days a year. It was insulting, egregious and the last straw. This was of course Christmas 2019. Thank you very much.

[Michael Moore]

I recently resigned from one of the finest clubs in the world because as a national member I was asked to contribute to the Holdiday Fund the same amount as a local member.

This is even better than the time you quit one of the finest clubs in the world because they would not make you a hot breakfast during the shoulder season. Got any more?

[John Kavanaugh]

I did just quit a Too 100 club in America because they turned off their Tesla charger. In their defense they offered to run an extension cord out from the locker room. 

[John Kavanaugh]

I quit a damn nice Midwestern club where Hogan won a major because I finally won the member guest. I wanted to quit at the top just once. It’s a rare treat.

[Kyle Harris]

Reminds me of one of my favorite words:

Picayune

Now do the one where the club booted the guy for having the audicity to research their history and discover they weren't a Donald Ross course!

[Tim Martin]

Barney,  There are some clubs that ban tipping.  They generally create a pool for employees to which members are asked to contribute.

Sheldon-I’ve seen this at a number of clubs and it’s always an uncomfortable situation when you don’t know the policy and attempt to tip in cash. I think the incentive for the employee to go that extra mile is somewhat diminished when cash tips are eliminated and it’s nice to reward someone when they do. Finally I respect that there are different views on the practice.

[Jim Sherma]

Being at a no-tip club is so much nicer on so many levels. I have no issues tipping nicely when someone goes above and beyond but it is nice to not feel the obligation of reaching into your pocket all the time. I do try to give those that help me out through the year a nice tip/present towards Christmas as a thank you.

[SL_Solow]

Tim,  each to his own.  For the member, unless you want to be able to have a friendly wager on the course, you need not worry about carrying or exchanging cash at the club.  You also need not worry about the type of tip competition alluded to by Barney.  Many of the women members at our club expressed real concern on this issue.  It also makes it easier for guests who need not wonder whether they should take care of caddies, locker room attendants, car parkers etc.  There are other ways to incentivize employees.  Higher base wages certainly help.  Our club has a scholarship program for employees and their families among other benefits.  It seems to work as we have a large number of employees who have been with us for more than a decade, some who exceed 30 years service

[Jim_Coleman]

   I very much favor a no tipping policy, but those clubs seem to be few and far between.  Only the highest end clubs seem to be no tipping

[Daryl David]

One of my clubs is strictly no tipping. It is a very firm rule. The other only allows tips to outside staff and most members use a monthly plan to take care of them. The club bills you a monthly amount you determined that is distributed to all the outside service people based on their hours.

[Dan_Callahan]

One of my clubs is strictly no tipping. It is a very firm rule. The other only allows tips to outside staff and most members use a monthly plan to take care of them. The club bills you a monthly amount you determined that is distributed to all the outside service people based on their hours.

Isn't that sort of like trophies for everyone? I would rather give more to people I thought did a great job, and then just a standard 15% to those who just ... are.

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