We All Share the Golf Course

Greetings Golfers,

Last week’s blog about the guy wanting to make two 3-somes in a row … but not allow anyone to join him … got quite a reaction.

No one defended his swearing at our staff … but some people criticized us for asking him to book a 4-some and a 2-some instead of two 3-somes.

One guy insisted that we’re probably not full … so why not let him do it?

Well, we are full most days (fortunately) … and his hogging of the tee-times doesn’t allow room for other people to play here.

Doesn’t seem fair to people who can’t get a tee-time … and not fair to us for having to waste tee-times.

Here’s an analogy … compare it to flying on an airline. Most of us would prefer not to have people sit next to us. But we can’t reserve the whole row … and then only show-up with less than the full row … we would have to pay for the unused seat(s).

I get the desire. Some couples reserve a 4-some because they don’t like to play with other people.

But is that fair? 

We try to be fair. We’re one of the only courses that did not raise rates the past few years. 

We do not want to take advantage of people. And we don’t want to be taken advantage of.

This is also like pace-of-play. We believe a 4-hour round is fair. Sort of like going 60mph on the freeway. However, we aren’t a freeway … we’re a one-lane road. No one has a right to go 40mph and slow everyone down … but no one has a right to go 80mph and run people over.

If someone really wants to play alone and at any pace … they could rent the whole course for the day. It would be really expensive … but they wouldn’t have to deal with other golfers.

The reality is that we’re trying to provide a good golf experience for everyone. Thus, there have to be guidelines … otherwise it’s chaos and no fun for anyone.

I get hit-up all day for exceptions … and on the surface, many sound ok … if it only happens once. But if it was normal … it would create a mess. So … how is it ok for them and not for anyone else? 

The point of this is to explain why we do these things. There actually is a reason … we’re not just winging it … or trying to be jerks. The goal is to keep things simple and fair and good. It’s easy to say yes … it’s much harder to say no. But, if you really care … you have to know how to say no.

Cheers!

Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com