Overview

How Home Exchange and Hospitality Exchange arrangements work.

Home exchange is a reciprocal arrangement between two exchange partners to exchange vacant possession of each other’s home for an agreed period of time and with specific understandings relating to the use of each home’s facilities.

A variation on this traditional arrangement is a non-simultaneous home exchange. In this option, both exchange partners enjoy vacant possession of each other’s home, but not at the same time. This can occur if one exchange partner has a second or holiday home or may be travelling on another arrangement, and would prefer to have their home occupied in their absence, and “bank” an exchange opportunity for later.

Hospitality Exchange, sometimes referred to as “hosted”, is a two-part arrangement. One exchange partner stays with the other for an agreed period of time and at a later agreed date the positions are reversed.

Exchanges don’t need to be “like-for-like”, or of the same duration. The exchange partners agree on what is acceptable to them and the end result may be a very creative combination of the various exchange options.

Because Senior Golf Exchange is a Private Members’ Club, it is anticipated about half of the exchanges will be Hospitality Exchange, where Members host fellow Members, join them in some of their golfing experiences, and share their other common interests, which are discovered during the search activity and the time spent getting to know each other before the exchange is locked in.

How to get started on your first exchange.

1.         Join Senior Golf Exchange

Click here, select your Membership category, and complete the Application Form.

2.         Create your Member Listing

Your work will be rewarded with more exciting exchange offers.

Nominate your preferences for Home Exchange or Hospitality Exchange and create a listing for your second or vacation home if appropriate.  Our policy is strictly no rental properties.

3.            Decide where and when you wish to travel.  Whether the location and timing are very specific and inflexible (say to co-incide with a family celebration) or you’re totally flexible and “open to offers”, nominate your exchange requirements or preferences.

4.         Start searching.

Use our search engine to locate potential golf vacation exchange partners who have an offer which meets your requirements.

Don’t forget our Reverse Search facility.  Search for Members who have nominated an exchange golf vacation preference you may be able to fulfil.

Post your Wish List.  Whatever your dream golf travel experience, perhaps a game at St. Andrews or Pebble Beach “any time”, post your Wish List and see what unfolds.

5.         Start to compile your Concierge Journal.

Before you start initiating, or receiving contacts from fellow members, make a start on your Concierge Journal.  Remind yourself of all the facilities your home and location offers, review the local tourism site for festivals or major events, check out upcoming golf events in your area, verify your access rights to all local golf courses.

Most importantly, consider all of these items as both the host and guest for any potential exchange.

6.         Make your initial contacts with potential exchange partners.

Create your individual proforma for your initial email, introducing yourself and the highlights of your golf vacation offer.  Make sure you personalise each email with items gleaned from the listing of the potential partner.

7.            Communicate, communicate, communicate.

Use every means at your disposal – email, telephone, internet, photos, video, webcam – to communicate openly, often and in the detail you need to become perfectly comfortable with the thought of exchanging with the selected Members.

8.            Document, document, document.

Starting with the Agreements provided by Senior Golf Exchange, document all the details of your arrangements.  This is like a provisional drive in golf, if you do it you won’t need it.

9.            Finalise all your non-exchange arrangements – air tickets, travel insurance, pet care.

Now, get excited, relax, look forward to a great golf travel experience, you’ve made the turn, and the next 9 are all fun.