On November 29, 2023… Golf Magazine took on a very sensitive issue with an article titled “Can You Negotiate Green Fees With a Golf Course?” Thanks to Covid induced high demand, the editor summed it up with the observation that maybe you SHOULD NOT waste your time, but he also threw in one lousy disclaimer, saying, “hell why not try”. Thanks editor!
Since the editor is not actually standing in the golf shop, let me summarize what it looks like from our side of the counter. You just drove 25 minutes, got permission from your wife, charged the battery of your range finder, you have 3 buddies waiting in carts outside, as you are booked for a Saturday morning 8:52 tee time. You make it to the counter, and thanks to the Golf Magazine article you think, I’m going to give it a try… “$67…I don’t think so, I’ll offer you $40. I would think you would be more interested in some money, as opposed to no money this morning”.
Golf Shop University has taught golf shop employees the same thing for the last 100 years: engaging is like gasoline on a smoldering fire. Here is what every single golf course employee is quietly THINKING… “sir, you are committed. Every ounce of your being is planning on playing golf this morning. You are not walking out. I know it, you know it. Matter a fact, I would be entertained if you made it all the way to this point, and you chose to walk away. I would like to see too much pride and a bad golf magazine article ruin a really fun day. You could have been a cool guy playing here today, now you will be remembered for all the wrong reasons. Are you going to pull out your credit card, or escalate this to an unhealthy level?” Mr. Golf Magazine editor, that’s why you don’t “give it a try”. Just plan to pay what it costs. Be a cool guy, it’s not worth it… to be anything less.
I once went to a course in the area after 645PM and told the guy at the desk, either 9 holes at the Senior Rate (they had no twilight rate) or a bucket of balls. The guy asked me my age and someone popped out of the office and told him just to give me the senior rate. Different scenario, but obviously a no-brainer to take the extra $ for the manager or whomever that was in the office.