'I Had To Vet Someone For Club Membership. It's Pointless And Out Of Date' - Why Golf's Elitist Culture Must Change

I recently got asked to 'play in' a new female member at my home club. It’s one of those long-standing private member club traditions introduced decades ago, supposedly to ‘vet’ the individual to make sure that they are the ‘right type’ for membership. My interpretation of this is to make sure that they can hit a golf ball well enough to get around the course without taking dozens of air shots or divots!

In reality, it’s a bit of a pointless, out-of-date institution. The poor woman is usually scared of mishitting a shot, particularly off the first tee, of saying the wrong thing, of making a rules or etiquette error. I think it would be better for prospective members to be vetted by the club pro on the driving range and then have an informal coffee in the clubhouse with a member afterwards who would act as more of an ‘introducer’ to the club, to help them make a few new friends and be invited to play a friendly with some new faces.

It’s a tradition that runs right through to the oldest establishment in the game of golf - The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. The new Captain of the R&A is vigorously vetted and approved and then sworn in, via a very old-fashioned ‘driving-in’ ceremony.

Pomp And Ceremony

The traditional driving-in ceremony for the new Captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews is part of the history and institution of the game. The new captain starts their year in office with a drive at precisely 8am as a cannon fires alongside the tee of the Old Course - the Home of Golf

Tradition dictates that St Andrews Links caddies line the fairway to retrieve the golf ball and exchange it for a gold sovereign – bearing the head of King Charles – gifted to them by the new captain. A rather elitist, extravagant gesture!

As Captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, the newly elected captain serves an ambassadorial role for the club and also for The R&A to support its work in developing golf around the world and will attend its professional and amateur championships and matches in that capacity. A very admirable and, may I add, voluntary role (so there has to be some nice perks.)

However, the whole ceremony plays right into the hands of those who argue that the sport is elitist, that it favors wealthy, well-connected individuals. Captain-elect this year, Ian Pattinson, is a former Cambridge university student, qualified solicitor and connected businessman. He’s hardly representative of the wider global audience that golf aims to appeal to.

It’s a tradition that divides opinion, much like the traditions surrounding the monarchy. As a royalist, I actually enjoy the pomp and ceremony associated with the royal family. I enjoy witnessing the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, extravagant weddings, coronations, and most recently the state funeral for the late Queen.

In a similar way I look upon the R&A drive-in as part of the great history of the game. To remove this from the sport would be losing part of golf’s legacy.The ceremony is 150 years old, its earliest origins are thought to date back to 1863 when Edward, Prince of Wales was Captain. Could it be modernized to a slightly less ceremonial occasion? Yes. Maybe the gold sovereign bit could go! It could certainly be updated to reflect the club's modern role.

Snobbery Still Exists

Many argue that despite its perception of being more inclusive, golf is a game still riddled with snobbery and that it is just not as affordable as many other sports. My home club, like many private member clubs, has a big joining fee, costing thousands of pounds. This is not unusual. In fact, the annual subscriptions at many golf clubs are seriously high - further evidence that the sport favors those with deep pockets.

Although there are hundreds of cheaper pay-and-play courses scattered across the world, affordable by the masses, trust me, if you get any good at this game, you’ll want to play somewhere decent and enjoy the benefits of membership, like unrestricted tee times, playing in club competitions and the social scene.

Equipment Prices Have Soared

Despite what many golf equipment manufacturers may lead you to believe, golf clubs are expensive. As a beginner this can be off-putting. Yes you can pick up a set of clubs cheaply from sites like eBay, GolfBidder or marketplace second-hand. But they won’t be right for you. To play at a decent standard of golf you need the correct equipment that is perfectly suited to your unique swing style and speed. Second-hand clubs just won’t cut it.

In my opinion, the price of brand new golf equipment is ludicrously expensive, especially when you add custom fit into the equation. There are many brands, like Honma, built on an ethos of luxury - buying a set of Honma irons is like buying an Aston Martin supercar - only affordable for the super wealthy.

Elitist Image

When I talk to my non-golfing friends about the game, there is definitely still a perception among many that our sport is elitist, that it favors wealthy, well-connected individuals. As outsiders they can see that golf is still riddled with snobbery and that it is ‘not for the likes of us.’ Even now I’m in my mid-forties, my friends think that golf is a rich old-man’s sport. And let’s face it, if we did a census of golf club members and their average demographic and income profile, this theory would probably be right.

Sadly, being a member of a prestigious golf club is stupidly expensive. It’s easy to single them out. The ones with the wrought iron entrance gates designed to keep intruders out. There are still way too many clubs that are so elitist that only a minority are invited to play, let alone have the opportunity to become a member.

Queenwood in Surrey is one of them. I’ve driven past those posh gates countless times going to the nearby Foxhills golf resort. To say it’s frustrating to not see inside is an understatement for someone like me who is so passionate about golf. Clubs like Queenwood are proof that elitism does exist. They are not inclusive, but that’s how the members like it!

I belong to a David Lloyd club, it has the reputation of being a high-end gym with its prices, but even my full adult, access-all-areas membership costs me 1/10th of my annual golf subscription. Golf prices, in comparison to playing racket sports, are sky-high.

Will Popularity Prevail?

Golf is undoubtedly one of the most popular sports in the world, offering hours of entertainment, physical activity and socializing with friends. Yet despite its rising popularity, it can be intrusively expensive as it requires specialist equipment, green fees or a membership sub to pay. In addition to these costs, golfers also have to pay for clothing, lessons and other related expenses in order to enjoy their favorite sport.

With all these factors considered, it's not hard to see why golf can be viewed as elitist and expensive by those who don’t, and probably won’t ever pick up a club and play. And that’s a real shame. We need to strike a better balance between tradition and elitism, especially if we want to attract more players to the game.