Tell Me About Your Member-Guest Tournament Experiences

I joined a local club back in September. Our Member-Guest is coming up in just under 3 weeks. I signed my buddy and I up for it last Wednesday and I was talking to some of the guys at the club about it on Friday.

I used to be a caddie at a country club growing up and I remember the Member-Guest tournament being a big deal... but, I only know about the actual tournament part... none of what goes on behind the scenes.

Our format seems to be pretty typical, based on what I've read. 5 matches of 9 holes within our flight. 1 point per hole and 1 point for the match. Highest points in the flight wins that flight and moves on to the finals. Not 100% sure of the format there yet.

It's listed as Friday, Saturday and Sunday... but seems that the actual tournament is Saturday and Sunday. Not sure what to expect of Friday.

So... tell me about your experiences. What should I expect? What should I avoid? How should I prepare?

I've been a guest at a member guest and will be again this year. Same format, 5 nine hole matches. They were all best ball with handicaps. Flight winners went on to the shootout at the end. First day was a practice 18 with one hole as closest to the pin with the closest from each flight moving on to the par 3 shootout which is another shot of closest to the pin with everyone watching.

Depends on your club but be ready for a competitive but fun atmosphere. One guest of a member was a real big Richard, but everyone we played with was awesome. I'm excited to play again this year.

Friday you go out and play to shoot a better ball score. That score determines your flight for the rest of the weekend.
If your member guest is like the ones I played in when I was a member of a club where I used to live put your drinking shoes on. Lots of fun to be had.
Friday night was the dinner and then Calcutta. After that numerous card games and bs'ing in the men's locker room along with a lot of beers being consumed.
Enjoy, good luck and have fun.

I never played in a member-guest at my old club, but I know that it's gotten drunk out early.

The 5 9 hole matches sounds familiar from what I've seen advertised. Have fun!

Item 1. Have fun and enjoy it. Item 2 look forward to the raffle if there is any. Item 3 play your heart out but don't keep your hopes too high. If you played well you might get a chance but the trophy usually goes out to the pair who "managed" their handicap all year just for this event. In the member-guest I played, there were a pair or two who shot perfect scores in modified stableford.

So just go out and play well and have fun. You might not win but you're going to get a lot of positives along the way.

I've been my dad's "guest" at his tournament the past 2 years, going back in June to do it again. The tournament is Thursday-Saturday. Thursday is the practice round in the morning, there are skins during that round. Then during the afternoon they have things like longest drive, chipping contests, etc. Thursday night is the big welcome dinner. Friday is 3 9-hole matches like others have described: point per hole, extra point for win. Saturday is 2 9-hole matches. Then they take all of the flight winners, and a few wild-card teams to make 12 teams that reach the shootout. The shootout is holes 15-18, alternate shot format. 4 teams get knocked out on 15 and 16, then 2 teams knocked out on 17 and the final 2 teams play 18. All of the 9-hole matches are best ball, so the pressure gets really high when it's alternate shot in the shootout. Then Saturday night is a big dinner to celebrate the winners. It's a REALLY fun time, especially if you don't take it too seriously.