What Makes a Great Golf Society Venue

I recently produced a tale of woe about a golf society weekend to forget. The problem for me was that it was very badly organised but the venue was perfect.

So, if you assume that your golf society has somebody who organises things properly, what makes a great golf society venue?

Cost

I cannot be the only person who has noticed that the cost of golf breaks has gone through the roof in recent years. I ran a society for years and we always used to look for overnight deals that cost around £100. Those days have long gone. The average cost now seems to be in excess of £200 for two rounds of golf, bed, breakfast and evening meal. When you throw in the fact that you are going to have to buy drinks and be asked for cash for assorted competitions, it can all mount up. But if you shop around and are prepared to go at either the start or end of the season there are still bargains to be had. When booking, make sure that your tee times on the first day will not see you finishing in the dark. And you can always spread the cost - take a deposit from your group and then get them to pay a specific amount on an agreed date every month.

Accessibility

If you live in, say East Anglia, do you really want to travel to the north of England for an overnight stay. Take into account where all of your society members live. Most golfers will happily travel around 100 miles for a two-day golf break but anything more than that might be asking a little too much. Before you book, check out the route - can you get there using A roads or dual carriageways?

Courses

In an ideal world, you want to head to a venue that has two courses because it provides you with some variety. And if you have more than 30 people you are not going to want everybody playing on the same course together because it means those who go out first will end up hanging around for ages waiting for the final group. If you have two courses, half the group can play one course while the rest head out to the other. Another drawback with a venue that only has one course is that it is going to be busier, and that means play is likely to be slow.

Spend some time looking at course flyovers, speak to other people who have been there and don’t forget to read course reviews - Golfshake is the place to start.

Identify the ideal holes for nearest-the-pin and longest drive - any venue worth its salt will happily advise you on this.

You want courses in good condition but if your group is one of mixed ability then you might want to steer clear of anything that measures in excess of 7,000 yards - or has lots of water. If you are going in March/April or October/November, don’t forget to check whether the courses are liable to flooding.

Are there times of year when they don’t permit trolleys and buggies? You need to know this before you go. 

Accommodation

You might only be putting your head down to sleep in your room, but good accommodation is often overlooked. 

It is a fact that it sometimes rains on a golf break. Check that you are going to be able to take your clubs and waterproofs back to your room to dry them out. And when you are booking, ensure that every room has two single beds.

Food

We have all had golf breaks where the food has been a huge disappointment. Check the menus in advance. Are there vegetarian options? Is the food locally-sourced? A decent hotel website will feature images of the food - that will tell you lots. 

Will you get a full English breakfast? What time do they start serving it? Crucially, perhaps, what time do they stop serving?

And check in advance that the venue has plenty of room to accommodate your party for dinner. If you have a rowdy group of 20+ golfers you definitely do not want to be sitting in a main restaurant with people looking for a quiet meal.

Bars

For goodness sake check that if you are going on a Sunday night that the bar does not close early. I once made a huge schoolboy error at a venue in Essex where I forgot to do this. I took 40 golfers who were utterly horrified when we were informed at 10pm that the bar was closing. To say I was somewhat unpopular is the understatement of all time.

Doing a Deal

If you are taking a large group to any venue you should be looking for deals. Will they give you a discount for numbers above 12? Will they offer you some competition prizes if you are taking lots of golfers who are clearly going to be spending a lot of money in the bar? If you are hiring several buggies, are they going to offer you a discount? Do NOT be afraid to ask for a deal. Remember, these venues want your custom.

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