Member-only story
Have golf clubs reinvented themselves?
Is the old school tie pride of place on the tie rack or ‘orf’ to Oxfam?
The Interview
When I became a member of Prenton Golf Club (Merseyside) as a junior in 1976, the most daunting aspect was the interview. To get to this stage, I’d been proposed by my friend’s father and he’d asked one of his playing partners, another full member, to second me. With the paperwork in place, it was a matter of waiting for the next membership committee sitting when I would be invited to attend an interview. Nick, my friend, told me not to worry and it was all a formality.
It happened mid-week, an evening appointment in the clubhouse, after my tea. It meant keeping my school uniform on and a cursory check that I looked presentable by my mother. Ironically, my blazer was a hideous billiard green colour. Not that I knew at the time, but it would never be marked down as inappropriate for an interview at a golf club.
Nick’s Dad was waiting outside. After a quick pep talk, tie straight, I knocked on the door. This had to be done alone. 3 older statesmen sat in front of me, lined up on a long table with a dark green baize cloth cover. They each had a copy of my application along with others presumably arranged for later on. 10 of them could have sat opposite me if they’d wanted…
