[DTD Alum]

Was this the first non-party "invite only" event? Were a significant amount of people invited, or only a few?

The trick with golfing is that if they have tee times, they may only have been able to select a couple rushees (hell, probably only a couple actives). If it was looser (non tee times, maybe messing around a driving range) and a significant amount of rushees were invited, that is not a great sign. If it's only a couple because of limited numbers, not a problem (necessarily).

Next, how exclusive were the invites to the senior house parties? An invite only party for rushees can go multiple ways. Sometimes we were incredibly exclusive about it, and other times we would virtually tell anybody with a pulse. It depended on what "stage of the game" it was. Look around you and try to think critically (because it can go either way)...did it look like invites were extended to anybody who was interested, or were you requested to keep it "hush" and discouraged from bringing friends?

So...
A) The invite only parties were fairly open (even though they may have been "secret") and anybody with an interest in the house was invited/you would have had no problem bringing a friend or two, and the golf event could be attended by as many rushees as possible. Not a good sign for you. I would try to get in with a couple other houses as "safeties".
B) The invite only parties were very secret and not all rushees who expressed interest in the house were invited. The golf event had limited space due to tee times and only a select few rushees were invited. Not a slam dunk, but a better outlook for you.

The trick with fraternity rush is to read between the lines. Only you know the answers and your campus, but try to ask those questions in your mind and be honest with yourself.