I have finally wrapped up my business career, gravitating to a more sedate time of my life.
Not wanting to rest on my laurels, three days after my official “last day” on the job, I secured a position at a local golf course with national, and international, notoriety.
My role is “Behind the Counter” in the Pro Shop, a few days a week, one of the many faces of the organization, welcoming our patrons, catering to their needs (directions to the rest rooms, the 19th hole, range balls, the driving range, practice putting greens and the first tees as well as scorecard requests, rental clubs, pro shop purchases, gift certificates, tournament enrollment, etc.) and attempting to sort out the appropriate rate for our vast and discriminating clientele. Note…there are “98” possible rates in our system (I counted them). My compensation is $8.50/hour (minimum wage) with playing privileges, range privileges and pro shop discounts. My first bi-weekly paycheck netted $347.19!
I decided to pursue the position for a number of reasons:
- Beer money…won’t quite cover the tab!
- To experience life at a golf course
- To secure fodder for our “Bad Golf Guy” blog
- To determine if my playing privileges can compensate for my membership at another club, thus reducing overhead as I am no longer on the company dime
- To take a proactive posture against potential boredom, inactivity and an idle, barely functioning mind.
A month or two later, I am wondering if I should have given it more than three days into retirement!
Based on my first month on the firing line and countless interactions with our clientele, I have decided to periodically publish comments on those experiences with the tagline “Behind the Counter”. I hope you find it them amusing!
If you are enjoying our weekly posts, we’d be eternally grateful if you’d spread the word. Thank you for following Bad Golf Guy and be sure to check us out on Instagram.
The back nine can only get better!
Oh my brings back memories.
Staff: Golf course, may I help you?
Caller: What are your green fees?
Staff: 38 dollars.
Caller: Does that include golf?
Staff: Golf course, may I help you?
Caller: Yes, I need to get some information from you. First, is this
Your correct phone number?
Staff: Golf course, may I help you?
Caller: Yes, we have a tee time for two weeks from Friday. What’s the
Weather going to be like that day?
Staff: Golf course, may I help you?
Caller: Yes, I had a tee time for this afternoon but I’m running late.
Can you still get me out early?
Staff: Golf course, may I help you?
Caller: Yes, do you have one of those areas where you can buy a bucket of
Golf balls and hit them for practice?
Staff: You mean a driving range?
Caller: No, that’s not it..,,,
Staff: Golf course, may I help you?
Caller: Yes, I’d like to get a tee time tomorrow between 12
O’clock and noon.
Staff: Between 12 o’clock and noon?
Caller: Yes.
Staff: We’ll try to squeeze you in.
Staff: Golf course, may I help you?
Caller: Do you have any open tee times around 10 o’clock?
Staff: Yes, we have one at 10:1 5.
Caller: What’s the next time after that?
Staff: We have one at 10:22.
Caller: We’ll take that one. It will be a bit warmer.
Staff: Golf course, may I help you?
Caller: How much to play golf today?
Staff: 25 to walk, 38 with a cart.
Caller: 38 dollars?
Staff: No, 38 yen.
Staff: Golf course, may I help you?
Caller: What do you have for tee times tomorrow?
Staff: What time would you like?
Caller: What times do you have?
Staff: What time of the day?
Caller: Any time.
Staff: Morning or afternoon?
Caller: Whenever.
Staff: We have 16 times open in the morning and 20 open in the
Afternoon. Would you like me to read the whole list?
Caller: No, I don’t think any of those times will work for me.
Great article describing your “Behind the Counter” experience. Keeping track of 98 rates to play a round of golf would rattle my head. Enjoy the back nine.
Look forward to those postings.
Just played these courses with Jim this past weekend. Some great golf tracks! Thanks Jim for the great time.