Stand up tall.

It was the only swing thought or lesson I ever received from my dad as a kid. As much as the broader instruction trend has shifted into analytics and data, simplifying the game for kids is essential.

Overloading a 7 year old with technical swing thoughts is a recipe for instant resentment and a long term hindrance of appreciation for the beauty of the game.

Keep it simple. Keep it fun, and enforce decent etiquette early. Your child may not understand it in the moment, but they will thank you at some point down the road when they get the call to play at a place that values old school tradition.

We’ve all been there. It’s a perfect Sunday afternoon, and you’re flying through the first twelve holes… only to “hit the wall” on the thirteenth tee. The group ahead of you is only just strolling off the tee box when they turn and give you “the look”.

The look could mean one of two things. You’re either stuck behind the Slow Player at the club, or you’re behind an unaccompanied group treating their round as if it were a museum. Rather than walk, they dawdle. Instead of looking around with their eyes, they take pictures like they work for National Geographic. No blade of grass is left undocumented.

Not all unaccompanied groups act this way, but I’d wager a good chunk of etiquette infractions come from groups that are simply unprepared.

Unaccompanied guest play belongs at most clubs. It can be an integral part of any club’s guest program + it generates a good deal of revenue (if priced correctly).

If you’ve been given the chance to play an unaccompanied guest round at a nice club, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve written ad nauseam about private club etiquette, and the principles do not change.

It’s best to ask your host for as much information as possible before you show up. This is especially important if you’ve won your round in a raffle or something of the sort. Find a point of contact and check to make sure you understand any obscure rules or “traditions” that are observed by members.

Topics can range from where to park to range etiquette to pace of play and locker set up. It truly depends on each club and situation, but the point remains: show up prepared.

Some things to think about/ask about if you are unsure:

If you’re still unsure, reply to this email and ask away. I read every one.

Much of the weight of unaccompanied guest behavior falls on the member. If you are choosing to sponsor a group, understand their behavior ultimately is a direct reflection of you and your relationship to the club.

From my point of view, many of the issues that arise from guest play (not just unaccompanied) can be traced to:

We’ve covered the first part, but I’d like to discuss the second element with a quick detour… from the only class I’ll ever remember during my days at college.

It was a marketing class taught by a professor with an eye patch. Instead of droning on for hours each week, he sprinkled in a few HBS cases for discussion, one of which was the Shouldice Case. You can read it in full for $12, or read on and I’ll explain it.

In short, the case discusses the Shouldice Hospital, the best Inguinal hernia Treatment Clinic in the world. As we read the case, it was clear that not only were their hernia surgeons excellent, but the hospital was hyper-selective with the patients they admitted. (sound familiar?) They turned away many patients with hernias because they didn’t meet the medical standards of the hospital.

The hospital’s commitment to preserving the quality of the patients they admit is admirable, and unheard of in most businesses.

Who turns away revenue to protect an outcome? Almost nobody. That is the entire reason the place works.

Guest selection follows the same logic. It’s important to think about the people who will be at your club unaccompanied, as they are acting as you for the day.

I knew I’d always remember the Marketing Professor With The Eye Patch (his name escapes me), but I never knew why until I started watching members hand out unaccompanied rounds.

Unaccompanied guest play is typically a key part of any club. How the club chooses to structure it is totally up to them, but there should certainly be guardrails on the number of times a member can host an unaccompanied group, and the dates during which unaccompanied groups can play.

I have once again found myself deep in the leather goods rabbit hole. A reader sent me Golden Soul Golf, and I’ll plug personal favorites Iliac and Tremont. I actually stumbled upon an original Iliac driver cover from 2006, and have put it to good use (it barely fits my 430cc driver head, how times have changed!)

I also noticed Callaway has released a new blade. I’m 95% sure my gear head brother has placed a call to get a set. Time will tell.

March, 1982

Golf clubs in the office. A tale as old as time.

I’ve spent some time using Claude design to overhaul the website and general feel of the publication. Feel free to check it out and reach out with any thoughts/questions/concerns.

The book has been the most challenging task I’ve taken on to date. What I’m trying to convey and the voice it must be communicated with have to align perfectly, otherwise the book will not read as intended.

I wrote the book to be a field guide to playing golf at private clubs, and will update you all when it is closer to release. I appreciate your patience.

Ellerston has started letting people in.

But first, a little background:

The club sits on the Packer family’s vast private estate in the Upper Hunter Valley of New South Wales, near Scone, roughly four hours north of Sydney. Kerry Packer acquired the sprawling property in 1972. He first developed it as a premier polo center from the late 1980s, with fields, stables, and facilities that quickly became among Australia’s finest.

In 1999 Packer turned to golf. A longtime friend and passionate player, he engaged Greg Norman and design partner Bob Harrison with a clear brief: create Australia’s toughest and most spectacular inland course. Given free rein over the estate and an effectively unlimited budget, the pair selected a dramatic site along the fast-flowing Pages Creek.

Construction produced a massive, uncompromising layout measuring more than 8,000 yards with a then-record Australian slope rating of 153. Norman later described it as a course he would happily play every day for the rest of his life. Ellerston opened in 2001 strictly for the Packer family and invited guests.

Talk soon,

BTG