It’s easy on a sunny, warm Sunday afternoon to think: This is it, this is why I joined this club, to be right here, for moments like these.
The daily and weekly pleasures of golf club membership probably speak for themselves. From being out on the course to unwinding in the clubhouse, the golf club membership is its own immediate reward.
Still, the pleasures of a golf club membership extend further than just today. The things learned and experienced here can go with one for a lifetime.
First and foremost are the golf skills developed. Time spent with the club’s PGA Pro will sharpen the game, and assemble a repertoire of abilities. Competitive play takes the game to an even higher level, as a player is pushed to a higher skill level.
All of this goes with you. The technical skills that come with golf club membership become a lifelong prize to be cherished, wherever the future may lead.
Then there are the social contacts, which cannot in truth be underrated. As much as club membership may be an entry to well-kept fairways and greens, membership also opens the door to new social ties.
One may encounter new friends on the golf course, or in more formal social settings at the club. Many golf clubs will host gatherings to enhance enjoyment of the club and develop camaraderie amongst the members. Often one will find like-minded fellows here: Those with a passion for the game, and an eagerness to share that enthusiasm with others.
The social aspect of club membership extends beyond the evening cocktail in the clubhouse, beyond the family gatherings at the pool or sets of tennis. Not every encounter will yield a new acquaintance or companion, but many will. Whether they be business contacts or simple bonds of friendship, these new affiliations can last a lifetime.
Finally, club membership lends itself to a unique kind of personal development that becomes a part of one’s personal makeup.
For those who do not already possess the skill, a golf club membership will quickly teach the gracious art of sportsmanship. At any top golf club, there will be an understanding among members that one always comports oneself with thoughtfulness and courtesy – a set of skills one will use often in other parts of life.
Club membership also builds discretion, the ability to share one’s thoughts while playing a round, and to hold one’s composure upon return to the clubhouse. A golf club is a small society and the capacity for diplomacy is quickly learned by those wishing to be a part of the social fabric.
These things stay with us forever: The technical skills, the social ties, the personal development. Golf club membership is about much more than just an interest in playing a championship golf course. It’s an opportunity to take part in the rites and rituals of an ancient association, and then to take that with you, wherever life may lead.