The world's best comedy clubs are a hilarious night out on the town. I know, because I've just got back from one. Not only was I not the butt of the stand-up's jokes (always a bonus!), I also came home with my date - result!

With the Edinburgh Fringe Festival on in Scotland, there's plenty of comedy being honed right now right across the world. Which if my experience is anything to go by, is a good thing for all men everywhere.

I'm not about to tell you how to be a comedian, but show you how to find a great comedy club in your area, how to get the most out of one and why improv is so entertaining.

What is a comedy club?

A comedy club takes many forms - either fixed seating as in a theatre, no matter how make-shift, or can be arranged more restaurant-like with tables and booths. The former tend to be edgier and a little rougher-around-the-edges (with a little more cutting-edge comedy and blue language) but which allow for frequent visits to the bar. It goes without saying that good beer is a friend to bad comedy, so access to the bar is worth bearing in mind.

What's true of most clubs is that, quite literally, everyone's there to have a laugh. Some of the world's funniest movie comedians started life in stand-up comedy. They're a great night out, laughing is good for you and it's an incredibly sociable, welcoming place to be. Provided you don't harass the stand-up comedians, of course - more on that later.

How to judge a comedy club

The answer is not to judge a comedy club on the club, but judge it on the comedy. Don't judge the event or club on the price of entry, the number of seats or the quality of the wallpaper. I was lucky enough once to get dirt-cheap tickets to see the UK's biggest comedian, Michael McIntyre, perform a practice gig in London's Leicester Square Theatre (next door to the Häagen Dazs café). There were 25 people there, it was tiny, and he was rehearsing new material before his huge UK tour. It was all solid gold and a great night out. Let's just say my date was suitably impressed. And unfortunately missed her ride home...

Improv and open-mic nights

An open-mic night offers anyone the chance to get up on stage in a fairly rudimentary setting and give stand-up a go. They're (mostly) vetted in advance - so don't worry, it's not a complete free-for-all, there are standards. For the audience, there's the chance to see someone before they're (potentially) famous. In a sense, most stand-up comedy is meant to exude improv (improvisation) but in reality, the best comedians just make it look like they're ad-libbing or 'riffing'. The very best will engage with the audience, pick up details and add it all into their pre-defined routine. Much like most men on a first date.

The structure of a comedy show

The laughs are real, as is the plan for the evening. Know in advance how it works and you can time the queue at the bar more effectively. Most comedy nights have:

1. An MC - the 'master of ceremonies' who will control the night, introducing the acts and bridging the various segments. Their task is to work the crowd into a suitable frenzy for the main acts.
2. Either three acts - each act may last 20-30 minutes with the 'headline' act kept back for last.
3. Or if it's a 'one-man' show - there'll still be a warm-up comedian followed by the headline comedian for around 1.5 hours.
4. There is almost always a (drinks) break of about 10-15 minutes between acts. Consider these your windows of opportunity.

Comedy nights and dates

So I hooked up with an old female friend when I passed through London last week and thought I'd make a night of catching up with her. Naturally I can only share the pre-hotel suite part of the evening. An honest man never tells.

We went to the Covent Garden Comedy Club near Trafalgar Square. A couple of drinks at the bar later and we took our seats. Which is when I realised I was wearing a lime-green jumper and red loafers. Could have been terminal for the date if the acts had spotted this, but it was romantically dark, which proved useful again later in the evening.

Anyway, as expected, an MC, three acts and a heap of laughs later and we wrapped things up with a shared sundae at Häagen Dazs café. It was a great evening. Comedy nights are a great way to break the ice and, all being well, you'll have a hilarious time. But here's what not to do:

• Avoid sitting in the first two rows - you're guaranteed to be picked on by the comic, especially if you look like you're on a date!
• Avoid attracting the comic's attention - a loud shirt, snorting laughter or popping to the gents during their punchline will attract the attention of the stand-up. This generally ends badly...
• Absolutely no heckling - harassing or 'heckling' the comedian will only end in disaster - they're paid to make hecklers look stupid, and they usually succeed - only attempt if you're trying to go home alone.

How to find good comedy in your area

Check the local listings for your area - try Time Out online or your local newspaper. But above all, be open to a good evening. If you can, choose reserved seating rather than standing (no woman is impressed by a skinflint), and if you can get table service there, so much the better - you won't want to miss the acts while queueing at the bar.

Try one of these three comedy nights:

1. Comedy Club Asia - With comedy nights in Singapore, Kuala Lumper and Indonesia, they're well worth trying.
2. The Comedy Store, England - London's world-famous comedy club. Book ahead.
3. Jou Ma Se Comedy Club, South Africa - A young comedy club in Cape Town, South Africa already building quite a following.

Pick the right venue and you might well laugh her into bed - who'd have thought that was even possible? I know I didn't.