Why Policies??
While nobody is a huge fan of a ton of rules and regulations, the documented policies in place (and the ones yet be developed) at Bentwater Country Club are designed to accomplish the following purposes:
Define Expectations
Without documented policies, both Members and Staff will have a tendency to come up with their own set of rules and/or expectations of how they think things should be run. Without documented policies, any "policy" is just hearsay based on what has been done in the past. Whether an individual agrees with a policy or not, documented policies define the expectations of how things are run and provide written documentation for reference by both Members and Staff.
Consistency
Documented policies keep everyone on the same page. With easy to reference policies, Members should expect consistent answers from Staff, can easily reference how things are done, should expect consistent actions/behaviors from their fellow Members, and can have the peace of mind knowing that the Golf Staff does not play favorites. Consistency reduces the amount of conflicts and other unwanted situations that tend to occur when no documented policies are in place.
Increase Compliance
The last thing the Golf Staff wants to do on a daily basis is play "Police Department". Without documented policies, Staff has no justification to monitor or enforce anything. Documented policies provide the expectations of how every respectful, caring, rule abiding Member and Guest should behave on and around the golf facilities. Unfortunately, like life, not everyone is respectful, caring, and/or rule abiding. Documented policies give the Staff a leg to stand on in the event that someone is not complying with a given policy.
Improve the Member Experience
Documented policies are designed to improve the Member Experience. Whether it is the Tee Time Policy designed to maximize course access for the Membership, or the Course Etiquette Policy designed to help players care for the course and the playing experience, all of the documented policies have been developed to guide what is in the best interest of the overall membership, the course conditions, and the overall health of The Club.
Build A Stronger Culture
Culture can be defined as all the ways of life, the beliefs, the traditions, and the standard behaviors in any given society or social environment that are passed down from generation to generation. While all policies should be and are periodically reviewed, documented policies provide the framework for the culture of The Club. Although The Club is made up of many different and unique individuals, all of the policies for the Golf Operation are based on many years of experience, research, and guidence from the USGA and the PGA regarding the best practices for the game of Golf.