Am I being unrealistic..........

[splashtryagain]

I have been an active member of my club for the past 5 years, supporting competitions, spending money with the pro and encouraging my kids to take up golf and have lessons at the club. I have never been a problem re payments for subs etc but now I face a change the club appears uninterested.
I will, hopefully, be moving away from the area in July and would not be near enough to continue using the club on a regular basis. To this end I have asked the club if I could pay 6 months membership upfront or even pay the DD for 6 months then if I move I leave and if I stay I can pay the rest. I was met with negativity and comments on how silly this was, I explained that without this I would not renew my membership and thus they would lose out, after all there is no waiting list and space available so I am not taking the place of a full member paying an entire year.
Am I being unrealistic with my requests or am I right to feel rather let down by the club I have been very happy at for the last 5 years? Anyone else encountered/experienced a similar situation?

 

[Alex1975]

Very strange and not at all commercial... Why the heck would they not take your money for as long as possible?

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I think your request sounds perfectly reasonable. Sounds to me like you are dealing with a jobsworth rather than someone who applies common sense to the situation.

Good luck getting an amicable solution although it doesn't sound like you will

 

[bluewolf]

Sounds perfectly reasonable to me...
I would guess that they are worried that others may see what you are doing and attempt to do a similar thing....

 

[FairwayDodger]

While I'm sure you're genuine I think you have to see it from the club's perspective.

How many members would like to join between April and September and think that perhaps they should just pay for those six months? By agreeing to your request they might just be opening a can of worms....

 

[Lambchops]

At my club if you are away with work and can't get to the club you can pay a yearly fee of £150 to defer your membership

 

[splashtryagain]

I had considered the possibility that they are worried about others only paying for the summer etc but this is a one off and I am capable of keeping a secret! The daft thing is I would be paying for 3 months winter golf and 3 spring/summer which is hardly the best deal for my subs (700 a year). I think I'll just get my playing partners to sign me in at a tenner for the rest of winter.....

 

[bluewolf]

I think I'll just get my playing partners to sign me in at a tenner for the rest of winter.....

Probably the best solution, unless the club in question has a rule regarding the amount of times a specific visitor can be signed on. My old club had that rule, and they really did enforce it too ...

 

[splashtryagain]

Or maybe rock up to the membership committee meeting in a fortnight!

 

[patricks148]

though you request sound reasonable enough, maybe the club feel they can't have one rule of one a another for others. its a bit inflexible, but members clubs these things are decided by committee. A propriety club on the other hand, i'm sure would do it.

 

[TonyN]

I think it sounds fair, can understand why they aren't so keen though.

I'd like to think given the current climate they would be a little more accommodating and consider the fact you may return to be a full playing member again one day. It's not like they are set to actually lose anything if they agree.

 

[duncan mackie]

While I'm sure you're genuine I think you have to see it from the club's perspective.

How many members would like to join between April and September and think that perhaps they should just pay for those six months? By agreeing to your request they might just be opening a can of worms....

if it was April to Sept I would agree - but for Jan to Jun I don't see it at all.

even if there was some aspect of this, the solution would be to ask a premium (say 7 months for the first 6 and 5 for the next 6 etc) to avoid any clear precedent outside of 'we are prepared to listen and accommodate where we can'.

it does seem strange - I would have to conclude that it's either a commercial club that is operated by financial rules, or a member's club that has experienced problems accommodating such requests previously.

 

[Golfmmad]

I have been an active member of my club for the past 5 years, supporting competitions, spending money with the pro and encouraging my kids to take up golf and have lessons at the club. I have never been a problem re payments for subs etc but now I face a change the club appears uninterested.
I will, hopefully, be moving away from the area in July and would not be near enough to continue using the club on a regular basis. To this end I have asked the club if I could pay 6 months membership upfront or even pay the DD for 6 months then if I move I leave and if I stay I can pay the rest. I was met with negativity and comments on how silly this was, I explained that without this I would not renew my membership and thus they would lose out, after all there is no waiting list and space available so I am not taking the place of a full member paying an entire year.
Am I being unrealistic with my requests or am I right to feel rather let down by the club I have been very happy at for the last 5 years? Anyone else encountered/experienced a similar situation?

I don't think that you're being unrealistic at all. Would it not be reasonable for the club to make, under the unusual circumstances, an exception in this case? For a loyal member, and does it have to be broadcast - does it really matter if you and the club have a confidential agreement? I think not.

It was one of the reasons why I left my old club after 8 years. When the time came to renew my membership I asked the club if there were any deals or benefits for loyal members. They were offering new members 18 months for the price of 12. A good offer, and one I wasn't expecting to existing members but thought that at least something could have been worked out. When they said, "Sorry, nothing", I said, Sorry, I'm not renewing then".

In these days of declining memberships, I see both actions as short sighted and not good for the future of golf in general.

 

[splashtryagain]

It's a members club!

 

[fundy]

Just another example of a members club shooting itself and one of its members in the foot. No need to set a precedent at all if handled correctly, should be accommodating and ultimately encouraging you to return one day hopefully rather than driving you away.

Hope you get it sorted and gl with the move in the summer

 

[Bratty]

It's a wonderful golf course!

However, it does sound a little odd that they won't let you do it.

I'd try again, and if that doesn't work, then speak up at the committee meeting.

And if that doesn't work, get your mates to sign you in for a tenner!

Where are you moving to, mate?

 

[splashtryagain]

Hopefully, all things going swimmingly, hexham.

 

[Farneyman]

I am capable of keeping a secret! ..

Hope they dont see this then if they agree to your request

 

[Odvan]

Perhaps I've missed something but why, if you can pay via D/D would you ask them anything?

Surely you'd sign up, set up you're direct debit as normal, pay as normal, play as normal and then if and when the time comes that you're moving, cancel the direct debit and inform the Club via email as to why, ensuring that you've completely coverd yourself with your payments.

Shouldnt it be that simple?

 

[splashtryagain]

Because,stupidly, I thought I'd do it the decent way!