Wednesday Afternoon Golf Society
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The WAGS Philosophy
More than a golf society
Good golf, good company, good causes.
The Wednesday Afternoon Golf Society (WAGS) is a social golf society in Hong Kong which has been established for over 20 years, arranging regular golf events for members and their guests throughout the year, We are an extremely active society - annually we hold over 40 events in Hong Kong, China, and Macau and in normal times arrange three tours in Asia with smaller boutique outings planned for further afield. We also host the biggest amateur golf event in Hong Kong - the WAGS Annual Golf Day.
WAGS, like any club or society, has a culture that binds members together:
The first and most obvious part of our culture is golf. We welcome anyone who loves golf - it does not matter who you are or what your background is. We have members from very low handicaps through to beginners. As long as it's accepted by the rules of golf it's accepted by us. Good golf exists at every level not just those who shoot in 70s. We ask that every member gets and maintains a GHIN handicap because knowing and then beating your handicap at any level is a cause for celebration. We only ask that we all play as well as we can with respect to other players through, for example, the pace of play. Therefore, we expect our members to follow the rules of the game in all respects. However, ensuring that our golf should be and must remain fun is important to us.
Golf involves at least 5-6 hours, often more, of our free time. You are playing with and congregating with (distancing appropriately of course...) people who have similar objectives for the day. The more we get to know each other, the more fun our time spent together will be. Therefore, good company is another cornerstone of WAGS. Whilst we arrange the tee times, we are not merely a tee time booking service and we like to meet up after a game. There is prize giving (an important part of recognizing good golf) and often a meal and possibly a drink or two. It is expected that players stay on at least for prize giving out of respect for the other players and especially those that have done well.
It is not part of our WAGS culture to hand in your scorecard after a game and leave. Of course, there are often conflicts that require early departure (spouse’s birthday, business dinner, etc.,) and that is perfectly fine, just inform the event organizer. But leaving early should never be the norm and members should make every effort to stay for prize giving and fines.
We also try and have several non-golf social events during the year (AGM drinks, BBQs, junks, Xmas drinks, etc. for members to get together) as well as the overseas tours. These are entirely optional but a good way to get to know your fellow members, in turn making your WAGS golf outings more enjoyable.
Finally, one of the things that WAGS members should be most proud of is what we try to do for people who are less well off. It's a pause for reflection that when you are ordering another 3-400 dollar round of drinks, the cost of that would feed, clothe, house, and school one of the children we "adopt" - for a month. We are not going to change the world on our own, but we can certainly do our part, No good deed goes unrewarded - golfing for good indeed. This aspect we believe promotes a harmonious society and means that WAGS is more than just a golf society.
There are of course many worthy beneficiaries and WAGS has decided that our focus should be support and advancement of disadvantaged and vulnerable women and particularly children. Whatever WAGS does, we want to believe and see that we can make a difference. The section WAGS Outreach - Golfing for Good sets out how we get involved in this very important aspect of society. WAGS believes that members with the generosity of spirit and awareness of others - whoever they are - will make for a better society.