I recently went on a trip to explore golf in England. I was looking forward to the trip for a range of reasons, not the least of which was the fact that the trip was based in Liverpool, the home of my beloved soccer team in the English Premier League, and part of the trip included getting to see them play in their home stadium. But the golf promised to be equally epic, with rounds at some of the most storied venues in the history of the game, including British Open venues Royal Lytham St. Annes Golf Club and Royal Liverpool Golf Club.
One of the aspects of English golf I wanted to experience for myself was the way it treated visiting players compared to other destinations. I had experienced exceptional hospitality at courses during multiple visits to Scotland and Ireland; both destinations were highlighted by the warm welcome that they bestow on visitors to their home courses. I admit that I was prepared for the reception at the English courses to be rather formal and polite at best. After all, when a course has “Royal” in its name, one might expect the atmosphere to be just a little stodgy and detached.
What we experienced, though, was the exact opposite of our ill-conceived preconceptions. At every one of the courses that we visited, the staff was warm, welcoming and eager to ensure that our visit was in every way pleasant and memorable. The Royal courses were particularly cordial. Almost every member greeted us with smiles and a tip of the cap, and many wanted to give tips on how to play their beloved courses. Post-round everyone we saw wanted to know if we enjoyed the day, and we were treated to VIP-style tours of the grand rooms and rich history in the clubhouses, including even the most revered “members only” rooms.
The noble courses had glorious legacies and their membership roles were filled with those who possessed wealth and high titles both past and present. But their current members understood that the living part of the legacy rested with them and their ability to be ambassadors for their course, their club and for the game. We were treated with what something that I vaguely remembered from years gone by in America. It was friendliness, plain and simple.
Friendliness in most of our daily lives has gone the way of the phone booth and the cassette tape. Modern culture has placed more value on swagger and attitude than the simple concept of friendliness. The easy smile, the kind word, the idea of making each person’s day as pleasant as possible is sadly a missing concept in daily life. And if I am honest, I can barely remember a time when I was received at any of America’s exclusive clubs with the type of embrace that awaited us at England’s finest. Politeness and a kind of patient tolerance, perhaps, but rarely old-fashioned friendliness. And again being honest, the staff at many courses that are more financially accessible have the same lack of cordiality as their more exclusive siblings.
As green-grass golf seeks to define its product to attract and retain customers, it might make sense to offer something that is rare in today’s society, that is, a guarantee of a genuinely friendly experience. Doing so would simultaneously establish golf as a sanctuary for those seeking a smile and positive human connections while simultaneously busting the old legacy of golf as cold and foreboding.
In First Tee chapters around the country, young participants are taught the Nine Core values, including honesty, integrity and perseverance. I would humbly submit that for the good of the game as well as for the betterment of life, let’s make Friendliness the Tenth Core Value.