After spending some time at the Dormie Club this week in North Carolina, I had a chance to talk with @jdtox and @powder about how courses differentiate themselves. Be it while traveling to a special place or just your local facilities.
This is a separate conversation from course design and conditions, but rather the little details that make a good facility great or something that becomes memorable. What types of the little details make you take notice?
I’ve never seen that! That would be great. Love when the cart has a cooler on the side, speakers and a charging port that actually works.
Wait have you actually seen this!?
Little things like having an engaging starter is nice too. A starter that is willing to give a course rundown etc.
yes, a tap of margaritas in the passenger seat of beer cart
I have seen that at some of the Courses we play on our annual Scottsdale Trip. LOL we don’t refer to them as Beer Carts on our trip we call those Beer Trucks. IM not a Margarita drinker generally but they taste really good there. Took this picture out there.
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When I moved to the course I’m at now, the first time I showed up to play a round, the head pro greeted me, knew my name, asked me how I was doing. After coming from a muni where I was a member for three years and the only people that new my name were a new pro shop employee and the folks that ran the restaurant, it was a good feeling to be welcomed so warmly.
Man, my local places are really holding out on us! That’s a sure fire way to get me buying
The shoe cleaning service. Carts that have enough power to get me around the course. Water. A place to eat an actual meal or even just purchase a bag of chips. Hole layout is important. 3 minute drives to the next tee are annoying. Staff friendliness is cool but I can deal with quiet people that function at a high level.
The biggest stand out about a golf course for me is the flow of play. Pace can get out of control but consistency is really good from hole to hole.
I think those were the Margarita Taps it was pretty amazing. And they were ice cold which was perfect.
Everything working in the carts – gps, chargers, cart itself etc
One that I didn’t really see mentioned is the restroom situation – making sure that it’s reasonably comfortable for the small amount of time you are in there, in Arkansas the country club had AC units in the one bathroom we stopped at, which was on full blast so it was like 30 degree’s cooler than the outside sun.
Speaking of Arkansas – they had 2 or 3 water/ice machines on the course as well just like a fountain stop that you could refill. The worse course we played at had like 4 oz cups, the country club had these big 16-20oz cups at each stand so it was easy to fill one up and put it in a cup holder.
So comfortable restroom situation and good cups if you’re not giving out bottles are two small things that we made mention of on a recent trip.
I don’t know if this is in the same boat – but having both level and accurate tee boxes. My watch said 131 to middle of green the rangefinder said like 134 to pin and there was a sign that said it was 157 to center like 3 yards back, just not accurate at all. It was like they moved either the tee box or the green and just didn’t update the signage to go with it.
Now that I’m thinking, another small thing would be mixed tee sets that were pre-established or combo sets. Giving you more options when playing than just the standard 3-4 etc.
The couple of Discovery Land Company courses I have played when you get done on 18 someone is there to greet you with a cool towel and a shot of tequila.
There was no spa at Dormie and I’m ok with that, though I guess if there was at least a massage option, it would get used plenty. Can’t see too many guys getting facials
That’s expected at country clubs or resorts, but around here it’s probably 50-50 for munis. Any muni that spends the 25 cents to do it slides onto the "nice" half of the ledger for me.
It honestly starts at the bag drop: a warm welcome, taking the clubs and loading them on a cart. Directions to the pro shop. Directions to the range. Water. Towels. Tees. A friendly starter who tells you a little bit about the course. Balls already on the range. A good putting green.
For the lodging options the Dormie setup is top notch. Everything stocked and I’m sure if there was something else you wanted they would do everything in their power to get it for you. The cigar setup on the patio seems simple, but it goes such a long way.
Just the whole premise that once you arrive on property there is no reason that you should have to leave, or feel that you neglected to bring something.
– Greeting the minute you arrive at the course
– Golf Carts stocked with cold bottled water
– Pro Shop with several options and items you wouldn’t even think about (ie Coffee cups, Coasters)
– Course attendants willing to have more than a just a hello.
– Shoe Cleaning