There’s something about being the first tee time out on a dewy summer morning. Or chasing the sunset down the final stretch of holes as the shadows get longer and the beer gets warmer. Those moments hit differently.
Golf has always been a huge part of my life — from begging my dad to take me to the course or the range, to working in the golf industry for over 15 years. It’s not just a sport. It can literally define you as a person. The friendships you make. The relationships you form. The drive to get better. The escape from whatever the real world is throwing at you that week.
But does it matter where you play?
The short answer is no.
Golf was never meant to be a game of elites or a reflection of how many commas are in your bank account. At its core, golf was meant to bring people together — socially, emotionally, and competitively — and to give you a few hours away from the noise of life.
I’ve always felt at home on public golf courses. I’ve always felt like I belonged.
Growing Up Public
I grew up playing just about every public golf course I could get on in western Pennsylvania. Those courses shaped who I am today.
As a kid, I’d go to league night with my dad. I’d play with his friends. I’d try to fit in, relate, and — if I’m being honest — beat them whenever possible. None of them were millionaires. Most worked blue-collar jobs. Some made more than others, but many lived paycheck to paycheck.
Golf was the equalizer.
Out there, it didn’t matter what you did for a living. It mattered if you could make a putt, keep pace, tell a good story, and not take yourself too seriously. That’s where I learned that golf has a way of stripping people down to who they really are.
Seeing the Other Side
As a teenager and through college, I worked at a resort course in my hometown — one of the nicest places around. It attracted higher-net-worth individuals, many of whom owned second homes at the resort.
The concept of a second home was completely foreign to my family. The only time I saw kids with a second home growing up was when their parents got divorced.
At first, I assumed I wouldn’t be able to connect with these people. They were doctors, lawyers, high-level sales professionals. And me? I was about to clean the carts when they putted out on 18.
But something interesting happened during those years.
I was never judged.
I was never treated like “the help.”
I was never looked down on.
I was simply part of the group.
There was no initiation fee separating us. No quarterly dues defining status. No assessments. No minimum food and beverage spend. Just 18 holes and a lot of interesting conversation.
That’s what public golf gives you.
So Why Join a Public Course Over a Private Club?
To me, the reasons are simple.
1. You Still Have Access to Great Golf
Public doesn’t mean inferior. Some of the best-designed, best-conditioned, and most enjoyable courses in the country are public. You can play championship-level golf without a velvet rope at the entrance.
2. Lower Cost = More Golf
Without massive initiation fees and monthly dues, you keep your money working for your game — more rounds, better equipment, lessons, travel, and yes, apparel you actually enjoy wearing.
Golf should be played, not budgeted like a mortgage.
3. Variety Keeps the Game Fresh
You’re not tied to the same course, playing with the same ten members, week after week, year after year. Public golf lets you explore different layouts, conditions, and challenges — which makes you a better golfer and keeps the game exciting.
4. You Meet More Interesting People
Public golf throws you together with people from completely different walks of life. Different jobs. Different backgrounds. Different stories. That diversity is one of the game’s greatest strengths.
5. No Pressure to “Perform” Socially
At a public course, no one cares where you went to school, what car you drive, or who you know. You don’t feel the need to be someone you’re not. You just show up, play golf, and be yourself.
6. Golf Feels Like an Escape Again
Public courses feel like a break from real life — not an extension of it. You’re not surrounded by conversations about deals, mergers, stock performance, or prestige. You’re talking about swings, hobbies, trips, families, and life.
7. The Game Is Still the Game
No matter where you play, the goal is the same: get this ball into that hole, hundreds of yards away, in as few strokes as possible — and have as much fun as you can along the way.
A Different Kind of Belonging
There’s nothing wrong with joining a private club. Many people love the facilities, the pool, the social scene, and the consistency. Those things matter to some golfers, and that’s okay.
But for me, private facilities always made me feel like I was trying to be who I thought they wanted me to be. Who I was supposed to be.
At a public course, I feel at home.
A few drinks. Shared stories. Jokes at my expense and at theirs. Talking about what someone’s working on in their game, what they’re passionate about outside of golf, or where they’re headed next.
To me, that’s golf.
And that belief — that golf belongs to everyone — is exactly why Public Country Club exists.