Your Most Memorable Golf Experience

2010-02-22T22:13:00.000-08:00

Tell me about the best golf experience you have experienced.

Tiger Woods Apology

2010-02-19T23:58:00.000-08:00

So Tiger Woods came out of hiding after 3 months. We still don't know when he'll return to golf, but at least he's taking the first steps. After watching him speak, I wasn't very impressed. Making an apology like that should come from the heart, not by reading a pre prepared note card. I officially still hate him! What do you think?

Golf Course Customer Service Experience

2010-02-18T10:46:00.000-08:00

About 5 years ago I worked at a Country Club called Vaquero Club in Westlake, Texas. At the time it was the number one ranked club in the Dallas/Fort Worth region and I believe it still is today. Anyway, it was there I learned of a whole new world. The world of Customer Service. I was allowed to play that course once before I started working there. All I can say is it gave me chills. I could not believe everything they did. From the very beginning I was greeted by the coolest security guard ever. He directed me to the front and let me know about the valet parking. Valet Parking? At a golf course?

Sure enough, I get up to the club house and am greeted by the valet staff. I pop the trunk, get out of the car and they direct me to the locker room. What? I don't have to grab my clubs? Well where are they going? I'd find out later. The club house was amazing, the locker room just as nice. The locker room attendant took my belongings, I gave him my sneakers, and put my golf shoes on. When I asked, "where do I go next?", he said, "Jeff will take you to your golf clubs so you can warm up on the driving range." So off I went with Jeff.

We got in a golf cart and he drove me to the range where sure enough I was greeted again by the Range Staff. He shook my hand, asked me how I was doing and walked me to my golf clubs explaining all the amenities of the range. He gave me a complimentary bottled water and when I got to my bag I was even more surprised! My clubs were perfectly clean! Then to make it even better, all the range balls were brand new looking Titleist ProV1's. I was so tempted to put them in my bag, but felt so privileged to be at this course I left around the 100 yard marker on the driving range. After warming up, the range staff cleaned my clubs again, took me to my golf cart, and directed me to the #1 tee box. I was on my way!

"Hello Mr. Bird, my name is Richie, the Head Golf Professional......". The Head Pro? Starting on the first tee? Why isn't he behind his desk or doing inventory? I wondered. Well he went on and let us know everything about the course like restroom locations, lunch at the turn, coolers on the course every 3 holes with complimentary water bottle and introduced us to our fore caddy! This place was incredible I thought, but now let's put the course to the test.

Well pass the test it did and with flying colors! It was immaculate. All the greens ran about an 11 on the stimpmeter, every divot was filled with sand, the bunkers were incredible and everywhere, and the ball sat up perfectly in the fairways. Everything was going great when the unexpected happened!

A gentleman pulled up next to us at the 12th tee. It was the Director of Golf. "Great", I thought, "what did we do wrong." The Director speaks "I want to thank you all for playing our golf club today. Is there anything I can do to make your round better? I brought you all complimentary fresh squeezed lemonades. Thanks again for coming out." WOW! Is this for real? I have never seen a club where Director of Golf is actually on the course greeting customers. I felt wanted here and really wished I was a part of this operation. It was something special and everyone wants to be a part of something special.

Well the surprises just kept coming. At the 18th green were greeted by the staff. He asked how everything had went so far. It was perfect of course! He tended the pin for us and helped us all read our putts. He's been watching putts on this hole probably for the past year, I of course listened to him. Unfortunately I missed though and tapped in my par. It was a great end to an incredible round. At that time I honestly had no idea what I had shot, and honestly it didn't matter. After everyone had finished putting, the staff member thanked us for coming out and gave us all frozen mango towels. Oh man! They were the greatest smelling and most refreshing things I have ever experienced on a golf course in my life. I almost forgot about everything else that happened and was solely focused on them. Incredible!

We were now headed to the locker room to collect everything we had left. The locker room attendant gave me my shoes and I started putting them on. That's when I noticed it. My shoes are perfectly clean! All the dirt underneath gone, the shoes were clean, and wow did they smell great! If you smelled my shoes before you'd know why I was excited about that. Anyway, we walked back out to the valet, were thanked again for coming out, and finally left the golf course.

On my way home, I reflected on what just happened. I thought it was great! No incredible! Just simply put "amazing!" There was nothing they could have done to make it better. Well that was until I got to the security gate and stop sign. I looked both ways before heading out on to the street and saw a small gift bag sitting on my passenger side seat. The vaquero logo was on the package. I grabbed it and looked inside and found something wrapped in white tissue paper. It was a clear coffee mug with the vaquero logo built inside. Just when I thought there was nothing else, they give me one last wow.

That my friends is how customer service should be. It is what we all should expect from every golf course we play. When you do find a course like that, support it. Make it your home course, tell others about it, and let them know what a great job their doing. I couldn't afford to be a member there at the time, but I still wanted to be a part of it.

The next week, I applied to work there. When told the only job open was as a caddie, I gladly accepted. Experiencing that course has made me who I am today. Someday, when I own my own golf coure or manage one, I invite you to come out and experience it. Because that's what it should be, and experience. One that leaves you coming back for more!

Jonathan Bird Golf Blog

Your Most Memorable Golf Experience

Tiger Woods Apology

Golf Course Customer Service Experience