As usual, I got to the course early and did the usual walk round looking at the new clubhouse. I was rather impressed. The clubhouse had that Country Club feel, but yet had the scares that are created by being a public course. You know, the shirt-tails out, Hockey Jersey’s and NBA shorts wearing kind of crowd everywhere.

As we got out on the course I noticed a few changes that were changed, like wider cart paths and new trees planted everywhere. Again, I was very impressed with this courses management knowing what quick action to update a course can do to bring in new golfers.

However, as we finished up our round and headed into the clubhouse the big downside of the public facility was presenting itself. And that was the clashes of cultures.

On one side of the grill, taking up a couple of tables, you had the young and the restless playing cards for money after their round golf. They were making it clear to everyone that they were paying to much for the $2 pitcher of beer, but then betting a $100 on the Texas Hold-em they were playing. Plus, showing no respect what so every to anyone else who was in the room.

Then on the other side, the same age group of traditionally attired golfers, but more of them. These were the golfers who were enjoying their drinks and spending time enjoying with their friends the nuances of the after golf experience.

Now, you would think that this clash of attitudes towards golf would be a throw back to the clash between generations, but this situation was a clash between the same generations. It was not a clash between the Have’s and the Have Not’s.

As my friend and I sat down a few of the people he knew came over to join us. After my friend made a very cordial introduction of me to his friends my occupation took on its usual curiosity of the group who asked me to tell them more about it. As I was starting in on my 15 second commercial an uproar began over in the mosh-pit poker game.

Seems the manager of the facility felt it was time to get the motley crew to either start buying more beer or move their posteriors out to the patio so more golfers coming out of the heat of the course could sit down and buy drinks.

As you expected this caused a shouting match and name calling and before long here comes the enforcers from the Pro-shop and the 10 or so patrons of the south side of golf were escorted out of the grill.

As things settled down the group I was with reconvened with remarks that led me to believe this incident was a reoccurring event. From the conversation that stirred over the now evicted group’s action I found out more early thirty-ish golfers are having a hard time leaving their youth behind. They are intentionally causing a friction between those who respect golf and its positive image and those who want to change golf to be a street sport. I found the ensuing conversations very interesting.

Having experience golf in all environments; public courses, municipal courses, semi-private clubs, private country clubs and golf resorts I found hearing more about this new attitude building in today’s golf had my full attention.

Eventually the group got back to me being new to their facility and turned back to what I did for a living. As I explained what I do for golf I finished my pitch with using the current event as an example of problems I look into finding solutions. I closed with there maybe options they may have not explored I could offer for them to consider.

I went on to ask if any of them were or had been a member of a country club. As is in most groups who gather at public facilities the majority had not experienced a country club and those few who did rationalize not being a member due to not having the time to justify the expense since they were always working. The others had only heard that country clubs were overly priced.

My rebuttal was to explain the current incident we witnessed and they report as being a frequent event would not happen at a private facility. I went on to say what keeps this negative attitude in check and from not happening at country club was the orientations members have to go through outlining the club’s acceptable attitude. This process screens out from the beginning those who do not agree with this attitude.

As the group broke up my friend’s friends were continual cordial and a few remarked on maybe reconsidering the country clubs since the public course attitude was not meeting their life style. The day concluded on a positive note.

As I sat here thinking about the incident and evaluating the root causes for this attitude people are developing against joining country clubs it highlighted the biggest problems Country Clubs have and that is marketing or the lack of it. The individuals I spoke with at this public facility had never experienced the Country Club environment primarily because their unfounded assumption or false impressions have kept them from it.

Most Country Clubs are struggling to exist. Memberships to clubs are falling off forcing the remaining members of the club to cover the higher costs. This is what is causing the realities of country clubs being expense endeavors.

The traditional attitude that Country Clubs have developed over hundreds of years is that marketing the club is a sign of desperations or a negative image of the club’s status. Here lies the root cause of why more people are not privy to the positive side of country clubs.

My friend John over at GolfDash.com blogged on the subject of ArePrivate Clubs the Next Dinosaurs . He had a very good insight to what is going on in the private sector that is causing the problem young people are having with accepting country clubs as affordable golf venues.

By contingent has always been and now is what my business is offering, that the private country clubs management is where the problem starts. I have solutions on how private clubs can become affordable to all who are interested in accepting the positive attitude towards golf being for everyone.

I look forward to unleashing my staff into the private country club market to help promote what country clubs do for the game of golf and how they are just as affordable as public golf.

The future of golf hangs in the balance of the private golf clubs improving their image. If solutions are not found to keep the Country Clubs the base for Business Golf, then the days of having a quit martini on the veranda with your family and friends are numbered.

Let me know how I can help.

MEMBERS COMMENTS VIEWING 1 - 1 OUT OF 1 COMMENTS From: TimTrendell 06/26/2007 10:17:31 You make great points about the reasons the "Private Country Club" has struggled to survive in this current golf enviroment.   For many years it was thought to be degrading to a club to advertise, meaning clubs should sustain memberships based on word of mouth and reputation alone.  Although this still remains the attitude from the majority of private country clubs, we are starting to see a trend toward the opposite.  For those of us who live on the West Coast, we are bombarded with an enormous amount of solicitations from many beautiful private golf communities on this side of the Mississippi.  Every West Coast golf magazine is filled with advertisements from these amazing new facilities.  Now I believe this may be a new school of thinking, because these all happen to be newer places, who seem to be targeting "newer", "younger" money.  Don't get me wrong, we still don't see ads for Cypress Point, LA Country Club, or Valhalla, but until a club can establish that status I believe it's ok for clubs to promote and advertise for new membership.                  &nb sp;   At some point down the line though, golfers started exploring the idea of playing multiple facilities and couldn't make the commitment to one great golf facility but rather settled for a few "good" to fair golf facilities.  People need to understand that not every Country Club had the "Judge Smails" attitude, and in fact most are the complete opposite and members more or less are there to socialize with the "Ty Webb" attitude.  Let me say that there is a place in the golf world for those hoodlums playing cards and being boisterous, but I agree, the base of today's established golf community, needs to remain in the membership setting.