The advantages of membership

We are nervous about handing over our home to people we don't know, how do we overcome that concern?

In many respects Senior Golf Exchange is an internet based match-maker, much like a dating or employment site. First step is to search for a fellow Member as a senior home exchange partner with compatible circumstances, in a location you want to visit. Once you establish an initial contact, the next steps involve lots of two way communication, by all the means at our disposal - email, telephone, digital photos, video. Ask for references if they make you more comfortable.

Prior to locking in an exchange agreement, ask all the questions you need answers for. Ask your prospective senior home exchange partners about their Concierge Journal (pdf) to ascertain the level of preparations they have made to make your stay enjoyable. If photographs of their house raise concerns about housekeeping standards, ask the question.

At the end of this period of communicating back and forth, if you are still not comfortable with the prospect of handing over your home, select another Member as your senior home exchange partner, or perhaps you are more suited to a Hospitality Exchange.

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Does targetting Membership at Senior Golfers limit the number of members and therefore the numbers of possible exchange partners who might respond to my listing?

Senior Golf Exchange recognises the most important criteria for a mutually successful exchange are compatibility of personal circumstances, and the sharing of a common interest.

We will always be more concerned with the quality of your fellow Members, than the quantity.

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What are the advantages of Membership of an Exchange site targetting the Senior Golfer niche, as opposed to the sites which target the general population?

The main justification for joining a Home Exchange and Hospitality Exchange site is the saving of golfing holiday accommodation costs, possibly vehicle hire, and the ability to live like a local when it comes to meals and entertainment.

All these savings apply with Membership of Senior Golf Exchange, but there are other significant golfing holiday financial savings - the opportunity to swap golf equipment, including battery buggies and motorised carts, the savings on member-introduced green fees or temporary memberships.

But the justification for joining Senior Golf Exchange goes well beyond financial savings. It is the opportunity to enjoy golf travel experiences that money can't buy - access to courses and local golfing communities available only to well-connected locals.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of Membership of Senior Golf Exchange is the ability to search for a golfing holiday exchange arrangement utilising the timing and location of every Tour Event and all other significant professional and amateur events around the world.

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With several exchange sites offering free membership, what is the justification for the membership fees required for Senior Golf Exchange?

Because we attract Membership Applications only from our targetted niche of Senior Golfers, we do have a smaller market from whom we can recoup the operating expenses of our site.

However, we see the Membership fees as an advantage to our Members. We want to attract your fellow Members from those people who will be active exchangers, who will dedicate some effort to their Member Listing, and will respond promptly to all enquiries from fellow Members.

We specifically don't want to attract half-interested exchangers who sign up for free membership at several sites and will never understand the etiquette, and sense of respect, that is practised by Senior Golfers.

Some offers of what appear to be free Membership allow visitors to search Members' listings for free, but that's all - visitors (or free Members) cannot begin to arrange exchanges by contacting Members.

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Apart from exploring new golf experiences, and living like a local in a different cultural environment, what other uses of an exchange arrangement have been successful?

In addition to straight vacation arrangements, exchanges have proven to be very useful if the exchange partners are considering a permanent shift to a new area and want to get a feel for the location, or where children or grandchildren are interstate or overseas at University and regular visits including accommodation costs are financially unviable. School or family reunions may be the catalyst for logging into our site and exploring conveniently located exchanges.

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Our home isn't in the super luxury class and our location is not a major tourist attraction. Will we have a chance of arranging an exchange?

As opposed to the generic home exchange sites where the "home" and "tourist appeal" are all-important in a proposed home swap, Members of Senior Golf Exchange are typically looking with a broader view of what constitutes an enjoyable exchange. Compatibility of the people involved rates very highly.

Members used to an expensive high-rise apartment may be very attracted to a home swap involving a rural cottage in Scotland, particularly if close to The Old Course. Comfort, cleanliness and respectful home owners all outweigh "tourist brochure" appeal in the eyes of our Members.

However, if a Member has a very expensive home, in an upmarket location, and wants a home swap for a similar offering elsewhere in the world, our search facilities enable those wishes to be accommodated.

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We have a strictly no smoking rule in our home. How can we be sure that will be respected by our exchange guests?

Firstly, nominate your House Rules within your Member Listing - no smoking, no children, no pets, no shoes on the lounge room carpet, then attach a copy of your House Rules to the Exchange Agreement (pdf) both parties sign off, and thirdly include your House Rules prominently within your Concierge Journal (pdf).

Any other topics, perhaps relating to cultural or religious differences, will be prevented from escalating into a problem if similarly handled via open communication.

We continually remind Members of their responsibility to respect the wishes of their fellow Members and we expect no difficulties in consistently achieving that result.

Member Feedback will highlight instances of non-conformance with Member Etiquette, and Membership rights will be suspended or withdrawn for significant breaches of the spirit of Member responsibilities.

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Can I temporarily withdraw my Member Listing, in the case of ill health or other unforeseen circumstances, so that I don't receive exchange offers?

Yes. Members are able to edit their Member Listing at any time to reflect any changes in their circumstances, including a status of Temporary Withdrawal.

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