Monday Morning Sermon
The careless voice fills silence that was never his in the first place. The mindful one waits, reads the air, and moves when it welcomes him.
The unobservant man offends without knowing. The attentive one earns trust without trying. To understand your surroundings is to respect the invisible order that keeps the world balanced.
Understanding your place is a powerful tool. It turns noise into presence, and presence into respect.
Drinking vs. Non-Drinking Golf Clubs
Good morning and welcome back.
Editor’s Note: Before we get into the story below, I want to clarify that this column applies almost exclusively to American golf and country clubs. Whether it be a greater appreciation for the game or the culture, I’ve found the Brits and Euros can mix drinking and golf in a far classier manner than Americans.
Here’s the situation.
It’s a beautiful, crisp fall afternoon. The early morning rain has given way to a rich, deep blue sky. I think to myself:
“What an afternoon. I should go and hit a few to decompress and enjoy the weather.”
And this I do.
All that remains of the morning storms is a brisk wind off of my left shoulder, turning my baby fades into power fades. The tees are graciously in the grass area, allowing me to feel the sole move through the turf. A luxury at this time of the year.
After about 45 minutes, I decide to roll a few putts, and walk over toward the bigger putting green adjacent to the clubhouse.
I arrive, and notice a group of 8 (1 member, 7 guests. I identify each guest in 5 seconds by their attire) on the putting green, holding beers and mixed drinks.
“That’s odd”, I think to myself, but alas, I move to the far end of the putting green, away from their louder-than-expected banter and putting game.
I line up a few short four footers at the far end of the green, and the group decided to hit 70 foot lag putts to the hole 10 feet from me. Another interesting decision!
Now, they are in close proximity by choice (bad decision), with beers in hand and booze-fueled jeers flying left and right. With each passing second their uncouth behavior interrupts my silent practice.
At most clubs this is the status quo, but at a few (elite) clubs? Drinking occurs, but is largely frowned upon. You play golf, have a single beer with the guys after the round, and get out of there. It’s pure golf.
Back to my putting session. The man-children were engaged in the longest, least competitive putting match I had ever witnessed. Frankly, I should not have been aware of how bad these guys were at putting, but their drunken shouts alerted me to each missed 3 footer.
They were oblivious to the fact that I and another member were in their general vicinity. And if they were aware? They didn’t seem to care, which is even worse.
The final straw came when one of them spilled their drink on the putting green (all but killing the grass) and walked back to the bar to reload like it was nothing.
It’s hard to blame the guests in this situation, although that would be the easy thing to do. It’s always on the member when stuff like this happens. It’s the member’s responsibility to lay down expectations when inviting guests to nicer (non-drinking) clubs that operate under more nuanced rules than mid-tier golf clubs.
So, how can you identify the clubs like this one to ensure you don’t embarrass yourself?
Do they sell drinks at the turn?
The 1.1 leading indicator. Alcohol is a huge money maker for clubs, so if you don’t see any at the turn, you know that the golf experience and behavior of members and guests is more important than the bottom line. Rare to see these days.
Are members drinking at lunch before the round?
If you have an afternoon tee time, pay attention to what your host drinks before the round. If they stick non-alcoholic beverages, you’re at a non-drinking club. Simple.
TV’s in the bar area
Slightly more variance here and more judgment needed from the player, but a good thing to look for nonetheless. Is it lit up like a Vegas Sportsbook? Or is there one TV that is only turned on when there is live golf? Important distinction.
Check for the above as key leading indicators. However, the onus is always on the member to set the standard for the day.
Hoodie Clarification
Following up on Friday’s Hoodies on the Course? article, I wanted to clarify a few things. The post focused more-so on the garments themselves and not the pretenses for wearing them.
I was never, and will never, beat the drum in support of hoodies, but they are here to stay, and require a keen eye and a bit of style to be worn correctly.
Hoodies are not to be “de facto” golf attire at nice clubs. Always default to a nice sweater or quarter zip first, and if you choose to wear a hoodie stick with cotton or cashmere.
Rule Explanation - 6.4a(2))
Played a friendly match on Saturday morning, which got me thinking about some niche rules that only apply to match play. Unless previously agreed upon to play “ready” golf, playing in turn in match play is required.
“If a player plays out of turn in match play, there is no penalty, but the opponent may immediately require the player to cancel the stroke and play again in correct order.”
A Drill I Like
I've recently gone back to a childhood drill to work the feeling of my arms staying connected to my body through the swing. It’s called the towel drill, famously used by Ben Hogan and Sir Nick Faldo.
Keep the swings ¾ in length, and see how your ball striking and compression improve.
Logo of the Week

Talk soon,
BTG
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