What You Should Do When Joining a Golf Club

As you will probably be aware, I am a big fan of golf club membership. I know that it is not for many of you, and I understand that there are good reasons for not doing so - annual subscriptions are not cheap and I totally get that many people simply do not want to play the same course week in and week out.

Some of you may also be a little bit nervous about the prospect of joining a club where you don’t know anybody, all the more so if you are joining a club for the first time in your life. 

It happened to me 12 months ago when I joined Dunston Hall and I really didn’t quite know what to expect. I need not have worried as I was made to feel welcome and am now heavily involved with the seniors section.

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I have to admit that golf club membership is much easier for seniors than it might be for those in full-time work.

What You Should Do After Joining a Golf Club

So if you have taken the plunge and decided to join a golf club what should you do to become fully integrated?

Back in the day, prospective club members had to face an interview. It was not a pleasant experience but it did mean that you got to meet the people who effectively ran the club.

Joining most golf clubs now is a far less formal affair - and that is something to be celebrated. 

The chances are that it will simply involve a chat with the director of golf, director of operations or the club secretary. Now, you could just sign on the dotted line and hand over your money but the first thing you should do when you have that initial chat is to ask for a complimentary round. If they know you are serious about joining the club they will surely agree - and if they do, ask them if they can find somebody to show you round the course.

When you decide to commit to the club, ask the secretary if the club has a "buddy" system. Any club worth its salt will introduce you to somebody who knows the club and the course inside out. This individual will almost certainly also offer to help you submit cards to gain a handicap if you don’t already have one.

(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

How to Integrate Yourself Into The Club

Seek out the club captain and tell him (or her) about your availability and ask whether there are any groups you can join. For me, getting the most from a golf club is all about integrating into the social side. Club golfers are all like-minded people. 

Get yourself into the locker room and put your name down for as many competitions as possible. This is the best way to get to know people and to test your game against them. When you play with these people be sure to ask if you can join them again for 18 holes.

During the summer try to head to the course after work. The chances are that there will be other golfers looking to take advantage of the longer daylight hours. Maybe you can join them.

Is there any team golf at your club? Put your name down for them. There is no better way of getting to know fellow golfers and establishing proper bonds than playing alongside them in a team environment.

Get to know the club professional. All good pros are the heartbeat of their clubs. For starters, they will be able to help you out with your game. But they will also know their membership. Tell the pro you have just joined the club, that you want to play an active part and that you are looking to join up with regular groups.

You should also speak to the handicap and competitions secretaries. Again, these are individuals who will have an intimate knowledge of the golf club and will surely be able to put you in touch with potential playing partners.

Make Yourself Known to Staff & Members

Introduce yourself to the bar staff. This is important. Over the years I have experienced some dreadful bar staff, individuals who would look down their noses at the majority of the membership. Thankfully, things have changed. Friendly bar staff are worth getting to know.

If you want to know about your new golf course you should talk to the head greenkeeper. Nobody will have a more intimate knowledge of your course. He will also be the man to tell you all about any maintenance programmes. And a good head greenkeeper will be on first-name terms with most of the membership and will also be able to point you in the right direction when it comes to finding playing partners.

If your new golf club has an active social scene, make sure you get involved. Sign up for quiz nights, buy tickets for dinner-dances and the captain’s ball.

Golf club membership can be a wonderful thing. Join the right golf club, meet the right people and you will have friends for life. But don’t expect it to be handed to you on a plate - you will get out of club membership what you put into it.

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