What Golfers Expect From a Modern Day Golf Club

Right or wrong, golf is a sport that has a reputation for being a sport that tends to get stuck in its ways. 

Most club golfers do not like change - witness the way that the WHS has generally been received. At my club I still hear more complaints about handicaps than almost every other subject put together. And don’t get golfers started on slope ratings. For that matter, don’t get yours truly started on slope ratings - I still don’t fully understand how on earth the powers-that-be work it out.

In our recent membership survey we asked what you expect from your golf club and what changes you would like to see.

More than 3,000 of you responded.

Dress Codes

Unsurprisingly, 59% of golf clubs still have dress codes in the clubhouse. However, that only tells part of the story. Not so very long ago, the dress code at many clubs would have insisted upon players wearing a shirt and tie. Thankfully, those days have largely gone. 

I represent my golf club at team matches - only a few years ago, we would have had to change into jacket, shirt and tie after finishing play. Now, there is not a single club on our rota that insists we do so. And this has been largely greeted with approval by everybody involved.

If you play golf in France then you are allowed to wear jeans on the course. We asked if it was time for the same to happen in the UK. And 87% of golfers stated that they should not be worn on the course. Interestingly, golfers in the Midlands were least likely to tolerant any changes, with just 6% stating their were okay with jeans on the course.

Mobile Phones

The use of mobile phones on the course remains a thorny issue. It is beyond dispute that we need to attract more youngsters to the game - and you do not need us to tell you that teenagers live their lives with their faces stuck to their phones. Many golf clubs ban the use of mobile phones on the course and all frown upon their use, either in the clubhouse or while playing. Would relaxing the rules around the use of phones change things and help to attract more youngsters? Only 37% were happy for mobile phones to be used on the golf course.

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

Pro Shop

For most golfers, whether members or visitors, the pro’s shop is the first port of call. The good news is that 83% of those of you who replied said that their club had a club professional. There is a perception that club professionals do not offer great value for money when it comes to equipment. It should be remembered that they do not have anything like the purchasing power of retailers such as American Golf - but they should be able to offer a proper, personal service and provide clubs that are tailor-made to your game. With all of that in mind, 51% of you told us that your club shop offers value for money. However, 26% of you disagree.

Driving Range

You will know that here at Golfshake we are big fans of driving ranges and it is encouraging to discover that 61% of you are members of clubs that have their own range. 

By and large, it is no longer enough just to chuck down some mats in makeshift bays and offer lumps of stone instead of "proper" golf balls. And it is encouraging to discover that 29% of your club driving ranges feature some form of tracking technology - a sign of how our approach to hitting golf balls has changed. We all sit and watch tracking technology used on the main tours on TV so it makes perfect sense that we would also want to know how far we hit the ball. 

However, what remains pretty depressing is the news that just 31% of you use club driving ranges that offer you "proper" golf balls. A staggering 60% of you are still being forced to hit those lumps of stone, with 9% of you being unsure.

Catering

Another issue that sparks debate within our game is golf-club catering. And the really good news is that 71% of you are happy with the bar and catering facilities, with 7% unsure. That still leaves 22% of club members who claim that clubhouse food and drink falls short of the mark but all the signs are that we are heading in the right direction. I have visited a LOT of golf courses in 2024 and I can confidently tell you that I have witnessed a massive uptick in the standard of food now being offered. Thankfully, stale sandwiches and warm beer appear to have become a thing of the past.

Marketing

I have only had good experiences as a visitor and it seems that most of you believe golf clubs are doing a pretty decent job of marketing themselves to visiting golfers, with 63% of you giving your club the thumbs up. As above, the other side of that coin is that many of you still believe your clubs can and should do more.

Communication

But perhaps the most depressing statistic of all revolves around communication. Speaking from personal experience, I have found a golf club that that sends out weekly emails and actively encourages feedback. It seems that most of you only really hear from your club when they issue your annual subscription demand, almost always without explanation for the inevitable increase. It turns out that 41% of you are members of courses that ask you for feedback, while 23% of clubs seek feedback but only on occasion. The most shocking thing here is that a staggering 36% of clubs never seek feedback from members. In this day and age, when electronic communication is so easy to do, that is simply unacceptable.

The conclusion to be drawn from all of this is that although it is pretty clear golf clubs still have work to do most of you seem to be pretty content with your lot.

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