How Does your Club Handle Member/Guest?

mikedean441

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A recent conversation offline has been intriguing enough that I wanted to see how things were handled by the masses as far as Member/Guest Tourneys.

The Oasis has a very "unique" method that I dont necessarily care for and I wanted to see how it is handled at other courses as well.

So with that said, let me know the answers to the questions below:

1. How many members can sign up for the Member/Guest?
2. How is the signup handled? Is it first come first serve? Is it a random draw? Is it something else?
3. How is the wait list done? Is it based on signup order, random draw for position, etc?
4. Do previous year's participants receive any kind of priority or preference?
5. As far as capacity, are all of the spots taken on a annual basis? Is there always a wait list due to demand?


I'll share the Oasis's below:

Open to 60 members and their 1 guest.
The 60 members from the previous year are GUARANTEED a spot in this year's event. Should anyone decline it defers to the wait list which has a lottery in the current year for the available spots (last year's wait list has preference). The leftovers from last year who do not get a spot this year, plus the new signups for this year form the new wait list.

So to give you a rough idea on where things stand this year.
It is expected 58-59 of the 60 from last year will sign back up again.
The wait list last year had 18 guys, 14 of which are expected to sign up this year. So those 14 from last year are battling for 1-2 spots.
And therefore anyone signing up for this year has NO chance of getting in this year and is simply positioning themself to be on the wait list next year in the hopes of battling for 1-2 spots with 14-20 other members.

In other words you have a better chance of getting struck by lightning. Obviously Im more of a fan of giving everyone an equal chance.
 
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The club that I worked at, it was two days, 40 Team spots (1 member, 1 guest).
Was first come first serve with a $250 non-refundable deposit.
Different entry list each year.
If someone dropped out, wait list was in order of sign up and we would run down the list until someone filled the available spot.
 
Not sure I've ever been to a course that runs it like that. But to be honest, I'm not sure the ones that I have been at have had maybe the membership numbers you do. Just seems crazy to me though. Essentially you are signing up for the hope that in 3 years you get your chance to play.
 
72 spots, first come first serve. Spots go within 5 minutes. Usually a line to sign up where people start lining up early.

They do open 14 of the spots early and they as designated sponsorship spots, these range from $500 more to $10000 more. This is the route I went this year just made it simpler.


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I have only ever played a private course that required membership one time in my life. It was with THP and Wilson Staff. This concept of member/guest is foreign to me.
 
I played as a guest this past year at The Williamsburg Golf Club (owned by the pres of Waste Management). They opened it to 60 teams as well and it was first come first served. Teams had 24hrs to pay deposit and the rest was due at the mixer the night before the tourney started. It sells out in the first day every year. Allowing the past teams to have automatic entry is stupid. That would be like saying if you won Masters tickets in the lottery, that you get to win them every year and that others have to wait for you to die or decline before being able to have a chance at your spot.
 
Unfortunately GolfNow has not had the idea of doing a VIP Member/Guest tournament yet.

Maybe 2019.
 
We are encouraged to invite guests at every tournament. Fields of 20 or less (excluding 4 man best shot tourneys) are kind of lame.

~Rock
 
As a member of this course for 20 years, I'm pretty comfortable with it. So far as I understand, the wait list is effective, and as a member of the Advisory Board for the last two seasons I've yet to hear stories from the head pro about people genuinely upset as they tried to participate in the event and could not. It's got a hefty pricetag (somewhere in the thousand dollar range, so it rarely draws a huge crowd beyond the regulars)

As the club has over 300 full golf members, the tenured approach allows for those who've invested in years past to continue a 'tradition' with their guest if they want to. It is often heralded as the premier event at the club, and a showcase of what the course can present itself. A couple years ago they expanded the number of members who could sign up to 72 and I am pretty sure it was brutal for pace of play.

Personally I'd rather see the tenured approach as if I ever opt to participate, I know I'd want the freedom to continue for multiple seasons. I actually considered getting on the wait list last year purely for the chance to play this year, but I still feel like my money is better spent elsewhere.
 
If our club had a member/guest tourney I could chime in........
 
Another important note to make about the club in question. We have a number of committees that are run by staff but have upwards of eight members (signups every year and each position is either a 2 or 3 year term) who have a heavy hand in determining how the club operates from a membership perspective.

- Rules and Handicap
- Tournament
- Greens
- Social
- etc

We also have an advisory board that includes twelve members who are elected by the membership, who act as liaisons between the staff/ownership and the membership. Every decision the club makes that reflects the membership is heavily scrutinized by multiple committees and the advisory board, with open discussion welcomed by any member who genuinely has a concern with regards to how something operates.

The construction of the member/guest no doubt has been constructed, maintained, and modified based on member feedback year over year. If there was even a small percentage of the membership who did not like the sign-up logic, it would be once again brought to the attention of these committees to discuss a better process, and/or actual membership feedback.
 
Another important note to make about the club in question. We have a number of committees that are run by staff but have upwards of eight members (signups every year and each position is either a 2 or 3 year term) who have a heavy hand in determining how the club operates from a membership perspective.

- Rules and Handicap
- Tournament
- Greens
- Social
- etc

We also have an advisory board that includes twelve members who are elected by the membership, who act as liaisons between the staff/ownership and the membership. Every decision the club makes that reflects the membership is heavily scrutinized by multiple committees and the advisory board, with open discussion welcomed by any member who genuinely has a concern with regards to how something operates.

The construction of the member/guest no doubt has been constructed, maintained, and modified based on member feedback year over year. If there was even a small percentage of the membership who did not like the sign-up logic, it would be once again brought to the attention of these committees to discuss a better process, and/or actual membership feedback.

That is very interesting and makes sense. To give you some background, my previous club was done this exact way.
They modified it to say the top 30 get to come back automatically and the other 30 spots are open for signup. It is done in a lottery format and you signup online. Two years ago a few vocal members criticized the auto entry so they made these changes. Last year, only 62 signed up, and I am unsure if any of those that were critical were part of it.

Like your course, ours was a showcase to prospective members done really well. I asked this morning if they were still set up the same way and they are, but if signups are limited again like that, they will revert back to returning members, because people really did plan so much around this event, especially with a number of members being here for 6 months out of the year.
 
I'll also mention that Im for having "some spots" reserved for people from the previous year, maybe top 10 finishers (just threw a number out there) or something to help with the "tradition aspect" and heritage of the event.
Im just not for 100% of the spots going that route and it sounds like not to many other places do the same.

Also if its a "tradition" the club seeks, then they really arent showcasing to "perspective members" if the same people keep coming back year in and year out.
 
The two I belong to are first come first serve, but they’re smaller. The CC I hope to join this summer is the same way though.
 
I'll also mention that Im for having "some spots" reserved for people from the previous year, maybe top 10 finishers (just threw a number out there) or something to help with the "tradition aspect" and heritage of the event.
Im just not for 100% of the spots going that route and it sounds like not to many other places do the same.

So the only way to have 'tradition' for a pairing is to be successful, otherwise they miss out and can't make it a yearly thing? That sounds terrible.

Also, you're drawing an awful small 'other places' sampling in my opinion, especially referencing private clubs. If it was so out of left field, it would already be changed. The club molds their tournaments around the membership and what the membership wants. I would argue the Oasis would be successful in the event regardless of how they structured the signups.
 
So the only way to have 'tradition' for a pairing is to be successful, otherwise they miss out and can't make it a yearly thing? That sounds terrible.

Also, you're drawing an awful small 'other places' sampling in my opinion, especially referencing private clubs. If it was so out of left field, it would already be changed. The club molds their tournaments around the membership and what the membership wants. I would argue the Oasis would be successful in the event regardless of how they structured the signups.

The 10 didnt have to be finished based, random draw 10 of 60, or heck 30 of 60 and give guys a shot next year. Not cater to all 60 is what Im trying to say.

My "sampling" is just what is posted so far, and all Im saying thus far is first come first serve seems to be the "common" road.
 
Answering for my dad's member guest as I am not a member of a course:

1. How many members can sign up for the Member/Guest?
I think it's 88 teams of 2, but could be slight off, 80 sounds more realistic. Enough for a shotgun start with double ups on the par 5s, and you play morning one day afternoon the next or the opposite way. Last day is split with lower flights playing morning and rest in afternoon. Championship flight all tee off of 1.

2. How is the signup handled? Is it first come first serve? Is it a random draw? Is it something else?
Show up at clubhouse when it opens (6am), or call in. In person gets handled before phone calls. You select what time of day you want to play first round and get opposite time for 2nd day, along with requests for if you want to play with a certain team either or both days. Random draw for starting holes both days.

3. How is the wait list done? Is it based on signup order, random draw for position, etc?
Based on signup order. No special treatment for previous winners or past participants. It used to be a hot ticket item a decade or so ago, but it's been 5 years since I've gone, so not sure how it is now.

4. Do previous year's participants receive any kind of priority or preference?
Not that I am aware of. With respect to the starting hole, I seem to always start on a difficult hole that I would rather play a few holes before going to, so maybe I get "reverse treatment"!! :banghead:
 
The 10 didnt have to be finished based, random draw 10 of 60, or heck 30 of 60 and give guys a shot next year. Not cater to all 60 is what Im trying to say.

My "sampling" is just what is posted so far, and all Im saying thus far is first come first serve seems to be the "common" road.

You should get on the tournament committee. I am sure an open discussion with membership feedback about the event could elicit change if there is a need. That's how the course makes their decisions on just about everything member/course/food related on a monthly basis.
 
You should get on the tournament committee. I am sure an open discussion with membership feedback about the event could elicit change if there is a need. That's how the course makes their decisions on just about everything member/course/food related on a monthly basis.

If I stick around, might be something I can be apart of going forward. Ive got a nice email back and forth with Brandon so far and told him Id take the results from this thread and send it his way to get an idea of how other places (albeit mostly out of ohio) are doing it.
 
Yeah I've heard of those types before, makes it tough for anyone NEW to get in!

Here's how we do it at my home club:

1. How many members can sign up for the Member/Guest? 72 members with guests, 144 total golfers, 4 somes with 2 teams each hole, double on each hole.
2. How is the signup handled? Is it first come first serve? Is it a random draw? Is it something else? There is a drawing, for anyone that wants to play their team is put into the hopper, they have a draw party every year to pull who's in and then who's left makes up the wait list.
3. How is the wait list done? Is it based on signup order, random draw for position, etc? The wait list is ordered based on the draw, so every team is drawn. But most years almost everyone on the wait list ends up getting in, we've even had a few years as of late where there have been a team or 2 of members to help even out the hole groups.
4. Do previous year's participants receive any kind of priority or preference? No one get's priority, there's been discussion of past champions to get some kind of auto entry in, but the club has primarily been a random draw as long as I've known it to be.
 
If I stick around, might be something I can be apart of going forward. Ive got a nice email back and forth with Brandon so far and told him Id take the results from this thread and send it his way to get an idea of how other places (albeit mostly out of ohio) are doing it.

It would be far more relevant to understand a couple things, then.

1- What kind of course is it (public/private)?
2- What sort of commitment the course has to the event (ours closes for three days, makes everything pristine)?
3- What turnover there is year over year (Icey's sample eliminates any need for tenure as it rarely fills)?
4- What are the costs associated?

It's also important to consider we have two men's stags (spring and fall) which are single day member/guest events which are less inclusive and far more reasonable in price.
 
It would be far more relevant to understand a couple things, then.

1- What kind of course is it (public/private)?
2- What sort of commitment the course has to the event (ours closes for three days, makes everything pristine)?
3- What turnover there is year over year (Icey's sample eliminates any need for tenure as it rarely fills)?
4- What are the costs associated?

It's also important to consider we have two men's stags (spring and fall) which are single day member/guest events which are less inclusive and far more reasonable in price.

Maybe that can be a follow up but Im going to venture and say most people replying that have a member/guest will be private. And I dont know that #2 nor #4 rally have anything to do with the format used for signups right?
 
Maybe that can be a follow up but Im going to venture and say most people replying that have a member/guest will be private. And I dont know that #2 nor #4 rally have anything to do with the format used for signups right?

I believe all four of those questions are wholly relevant to a direct comparison in member/member tournaments as a reflection of commitment by both the course and the membership involved.
 
I believe all four of those questions are wholly relevant to a direct comparison in member/member tournaments as a reflection of commitment by both the course and the membership involved.

I'll agree to disagree then since my thread is focused around the registration/signup process, and Brandon is looking for more information solely around that.

He also wanted to know about the capacity of the event (which I see I didnt fully address by just asking about the # of people, so Im going to sure up that question).

EDIT: Updated first post with question #5, and I'll circle back to those respondants in the thread.
 
I'll agree to disagree then since my thread is focused around the registration/signup process, and Brandon is looking for more information solely around that.

I mean, you can disagree all you want, but comparing a 100 dollar member/guest event that is sandwiched between tee times to an event that closes the entire course for multiple days, is all inclusive, and costs 1,000 dollars is kind of a pointless endeavor and it's the same thing I'll say on the numerous committees I'm a part of if it goes that far.

He also wanted to know about the capacity of the event (which I see I didnt fully address by just asking about the # of people, so Im going to sure up that question).

Not sure why he would care. They upped it to 72 and the practice round took six hours. tends to happen when it's open bar for the entire event.
 
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