UK Practice Greens - Are Visitors Usually Barred?

So I visited a U.K. private golf course; paid for a meal in its restaurant; bought a few items in the pro's. shop; bought a range token and hit a few warm up balls; paid for a round of golf; then took a few practice putts on the practice green but was rapidly asked to leave the practice green by the course steward who advised that such was only for the use of members. Whereupon my day was spoilt and I felt quite a second class citizen.

I am generally a positive person and felt grateful that I was neither charged for parking my vehicle, or for using the toilet. And the steward's anger could possibly have been even greater had I attempted to use the practice bunker!

Is this normal behaviour or are most courses more welcoming to visiting golfers?

David, I can only speak as I find.

Ive never heard of such rubbish. This is what will drive visitors away from a golf club. I'm not a member of my local course but will quite often go down and use their practice facilities (nets, green and chipping) haveing never actually played the course or stepped foot in the clubhouse. I have made one or two small purchases in the pro shop.

I will pop my head in to ask if it's ok for me to do so and have never had a problem.

Stuff like this that means golf still has a "stuffy" image in certain quarters. Ridiculous.

You were a paying customer and had every right to be there. All they have done is guarantee you will not pay to use their facilities again.

I'm not a member anywhere but the club down the road from me also has a range. If i go down there and pay a fiver for a bucket of balls I will often spent 10-15 minutes on the practice green aswell. I've never been told off for it but if i was I'd be up in arms and would use a different range in future.

Dave,

Please name and shame. I've never heard anything so stupid. 'Tempory Membership(Green-Fee)' means you are treated as a Member, only thing missing is being allowed to enter Club Competitions.

Absolutely ludicrous. Not being able to have a practice putt before a round??? Madness.

Maybe you caught the steward on an off day. I think this must be the exception to the rules. As Lyth states you are a temporary member for the day in most places. Bingley St Ives (a great course where you can spend a day, two rounds cheap as chips) even throw in the insurance. There are certain courses, usually municipals which may state the practice area is for members only.

Hi Dave Mannings Heath in Horsham has 2 practise greens; one for each course. The first can only be used by those playing with a member on the Waterfall course and the second can be used by anybody playing the Green fee Kingfisher Course, or simply wishing to practise putting. I have witnessed players being asked to change putting greens because they were on the wrong one for the course they were playing !!! This had nothing to do with the putting green reflecting the greens on the seperate courses and everything to do with eliteism. Your case was even worse as there was no alternative green to practise on !!

Where was it ??

I would be up in arms really bad on this club I have played a fair few courses in my first 18 months and have been welcome with open arms by all in the north east / northumberland clubs are really stuggling at the moment and should treat members/visitors with same respect ,shame on you whoever you are

I think you should be sending a letter into the courses general manager explaining what happened and if this was the norm, sounds ludicrous to me.

If your a paying visitor all practise facilities should be available to you, my blood would have been boiling if that had happened to me.