AlinKent
New member
One of our local golf clubs has put the qualifying age for seniors up from 60 to 67 "in line with the government's new retirement age". Does anyone know of any other clubs in the country that has applied this crazy rule?
Age for seniors
- Thread starter AlinKent
- Start date
Orikoru
Tour Winner
Haha, wow. I thought seniors in golf terms was normally over 55?
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
Ours is still 60 to qualify for the vets comps, but you can play with them from 59.
There is no membership costs difference to being a vet or not. Why do you consider it a crazy rule?
There is no membership costs difference to being a vet or not. Why do you consider it a crazy rule?
D-S
Well-known member
We’re 55 in line with the County.
BubbaP
Occasional Player of Golf
TBH it may be good idea to have two levels of 'seniors'.
Perhaps 55 to 66, 67 on
Many are working into 60s.
Perhaps 55 to 66, 67 on
Many are working into 60s.
55 at ours, and most Senior Opens I see advertised also apply the same age. 67 is a joke.
sjw
Well-known member
I think ours is 55. The OP's rule is mental 
Oddsocks
Ryder Cup Winner
This, but with no relief on the subs until 67
Oddsocks
Ryder Cup Winner
I think ours is 55. The OP's rule is mental
Why, not starting an arguement more interested in your reasoning.
SteveJay
Head Pro
First post........i am not convinced this can be true.
Which club? And is this in terms of a discounted membership fee, as surely any competitions need to be in line with county recommendations?
I play in a seniors inter club league, wouldnt fancy our chances if we couldn't pick anyone under 67!!!
Which club? And is this in terms of a discounted membership fee, as surely any competitions need to be in line with county recommendations?
I play in a seniors inter club league, wouldnt fancy our chances if we couldn't pick anyone under 67!!!
AlinKent
New member
Because at most clubs qualifying age is 60. I play with a guy who is 64 and until this year he paid seniors rate. Now he has to pay more per round for another 3 years. How is that fair when its widely acknowledged that 60 is generally the accepted age for a seniors rate?
AlinKent
New member
Its true. I've exchanged several emails with them about it. I'd rather not name the club on here. I was just interested to know if anyone else had heard of such a thing. It seems like commercial suicide to up the age by 7 years, and it means my playing partner of 64 suddenly has to pay more.
Lucifer MorningStar
Well-known member
I’d be interested to know which club so this can be verified.
Seems an odd decision to suddenly change the rates paid by seniors age banding without knowing the reasons behind it. Club could be in a financial position where changing the full paying members fee to match inline with retirement age does enough to help balance the books.
Also have they actually changed the seniors qualification age criteria for play etc (as that should be done in line with county) or is it just the rate they pay which is a business decision and again could be there stuck for money. If someone’s still working up to retirement age it’ll be a hard ask for that to be changed back as it’s inline with the working age range.
I feel more info is needed here before judgement is made.
AlinKent
New member
Again, I'd rather not name the club on here. Message me or give email and I will. Here is what they said.
Dear Alasdair,
Thank you for your email and for taking the time to share your thoughts and the information regarding senior age categories used by other clubs and organisations.
We do appreciate your comments and understand the point you are making regarding the more commonly used age thresholds within golf. However, after reviewing the matter internally, the decision has been made that the senior qualifying age will remain at 67, in line with the Government’s retirement age.
While we recognise that different clubs and organisations apply different age criteria, this is the structure that will apply at our club.
rulie
Head Pro
To play in the Seniors comps, our age minimum is 55. Our club does not have a "senior" membership category for annual fees. It was done away with many years ago, replaced by a "restricted" category that only allows play Monday through Friday (can play on weekends by paying green fees). Senior rate was done away with due to decreasing revenue as the number of seniors was increasing significantly, depleting the regular member numbers. There is a regular Senior Men's group that play every Wednesday morning, prizes etc.
Lucifer MorningStar
Well-known member
Nothing in there suggests anything about changing of Senior category regarding to play and competition etc.
That very much reads to me that they’ve made this as a financial decision, perhaps that’s the questions you be asking the Why? And can they provide evidence for their reasoning! I’m assuming you’re a members club if so they’re obliged to give you the details. If they’re a proprietary club then it’s likely financial and naff all you can do.
This sounds like the answer to me, aging membership equals lower income whilst having more outgoings in the current financial climate therefore something had to give.
AlinKent
New member
They cited the government change of retirement age as being the reason. Bizarrely, they hacve a new website that also lists green fees for infants 1-3 and children under one year of age. I'd hate to get stuck behind a fourball of babies!
backwoodsman
Tour Winner
To qualfy to play in the club's 'Seniors' comps (ie age restricted comps), it is 60 at our place. One can play in county seniors comps at age 55. But, it is only an age restriction at ours - there's no age related discount & you pay the same as everyone else. (In fact, you actually pay more - there's a voluntary subscription of £12 if you want to join the 'Seniors Section' and play in their monthly comps. But it's entirely separate to the club's accounts/accounting ...)(
Lucifer MorningStar
Well-known member
Having just read your msg and which course it is(I won’t name it openly). I now completely get why they’ve done this, my wife used to work for the company that operates your club in a HR role before we moved and Pre Covid. This is entirely business related and nothing to do with Seniors golf whatsoever.
Since Covid they’ve experienced a number of years of “financial concerns” and have raised costs at all venues both Golf and other leisure related industries that they manage in line with retirement age. I’d also state pricing regards to toddlers etc relates to their standard template they use at their other facilities such as Swimming pools and leisure centres.
I’m just guessing here but I’d put money on this is:
A) to drive up revenue as their aging golf membership is dwindling costing them money,
B) they’re seeing higher costs per head and golf doesn’t bring in the same revenue to them as it once did as their green fees are no longer competitive in comparison to some private clubs (vfm very much more at the private courses)
C) Their overall leisure businesses are being hugely impacted across the board as their gyms have also seen increased prices but have less members as they can’t compete with other businesses and leisure centres are dramatically less used than they were.
So I’d say you’re all being brought in line as a company standard to prop up profits where others are being lost! Mrs M is still friends with one of the managers at a site not far from you I’ll ask her to enquire and I’d say I’m not far off the mark with my assumptions.
AlinKent
New member
Thanks for your input. If they'd just intimated what you have I'd maybe have understood. Instead they just said it's because the government raised the retirement age. It's annoying because my playing partner is 64 and has paid the senior rate for the past 4 years but will now have to pay the regular green fee for another three. We have played there maybe 20 times a year for several years.
