When your friend or relative invites you to a Member-Guest, it’s a big deal. They are, in essence, saying, “I want you to come represent me in front of my friends at my club.” It is a true honor. This privilege creates a lofty amount of responsibility; below are 4 simple, easy ways to get invited back to your friend’s Member Guest.
Make Your Partner Look Good
There are many ways to do this and not do this. A few that come to mind include:
– Tell stories of the past you have together. Each of you know one another for a reason, let his fellow members in on a side of your host they may not know — a good side, that is.
– Do not talk about or compare your club. Any form of trying to “keep up with the Joneses” or commenting on how your club does it always comes off awkward.
– Dress like your partner. This doesn’t mean wear the exact same item…that would be ridiculous and is highly ill-advised. But dressing beneath your partner (shirt untucked or tennis golf shoes) could create tension and dressing above him (a flamboyant-Poulter outfit) could make him feel out-of-place at his home course. Best advice: stay traditional and classic.
Play Well
This might be too simple, but depending on your partner, being in contention is a high priority and if you get waxed, coming back may be a tall order. Weeks leading up to the tournament, take some extra range time, bring the putter to work, and get mentally prepared for firing at pins and dropping putts.
Write Personal Thank You Notes
Writing thank you notes is one of the least time consuming ways and potentially has the greatest “remembrance factor” because so few people do it. Notice “Thank You Notes” is plural. This means writing two is best form: one to your host and one to the head pro — both thanking them for the weekend, accommodations, and experience. Notes should only be written if the message is authentic and sincere, otherwise don’t bother.
Reciprocate
Some of the greatest relationships are formed on the golf course. As most know, relationships are a two way street and if an individual doesn’t reciprocate in anyway, it hints a lack of appreciation. There are many ways to reciprocate including a gift, a golf trip that you initiate, or your Member-Guest.
Good luck and hopefully your host will see you next year.
Jon @ atruegolfer.com
to see my competitor partway through his pre-putt routine. Turns out he’d already hit and missed the 5-footer, leaving it an inch left of the cup. I caught him just in time to witness the most ridiculous, yet brilliantly straightforward, act of cheating one could imagine: hand picks ball off of green, hand puts ball into hole, hand extracts ball from hole as if the 5-footer had dropped. Bogey magically turned to par. 