Annual subscription 2026

[clubchamp98]

Not all clubs allow the levy to be used for entering competitions.

True, ours dosnt it’s bar and food only.

They have ditched it this year for a course improvement levy.

 

[Mel Smooth]

Club near us has just had to ask the members for a £100 levy to get them through a tough financial patch.

These are tough times for lots of golf clubs - if yours is asking for one as part of the membership package it might well be in order to boost cashflow at the end of winter - and may well be helping to keep the overall membership costs down.

 

[Oddsocks]

So.......a "good" reason to have a levy is.....?? I could have missed something in earlier posts....maybe a levy could help establish a new bar crew....?

I’ve highlighted the pro’s of why I have no probs with a levy.

1) discounted food:
2) levy can be spent on comp fees when entering via hdid, pro shop spend and half way hit.
3) means I don’t need to always have my wallet with me or gaff around mid round if I stop to grab a roll and coffee as we tee of early before the kitchen opens
4) it encourages people to have a drink after, mix with new member is roll up to mix with other roll ups.

More pro’s than con’s.

* our levy has nothing to do with cash flow as we do not have a set renewal date. Join in Jan, subs due in Jan etc etc

 

[D-S]

I’ve highlighted the pro’s of why I have no probs with a levy.

1) discounted food: we have always had a discount for members, it is not linked to levy
2) levy can be spent on comp fees when entering via hdid, pro shop spend and half way hit. Levy is only for food and drink
3) means I don’t need to always have my wallet with me or gaff around mid round if I stop to grab a roll and coffee as we tee of early before the kitchen opens we have always had members accounts for F&B purchases, levy or no levy
4) it encourages people to have a drink after, mix with new member is roll up to mix with other roll ups. - if it it such a small fraction of members spend then it would only encourage this for the first few months of they year. Meeting new members is far more to do with roll ups etc. than having money on your account.

More pro’s than con’s.

 

[Oddsocks]

@D-S my comments are relevant to the three clubs that Ive been members of in the last 15yrs.

As hard as it is to believe there is no right and wrong here, differing views is ok.

 

[D-S]

@D-S my comments are relevant to the three clubs that Ive been members of in the last 15yrs.

As hard as it is to believe there is no right and wrong here, differing views is ok.

Every club is different and has differing needs and everyone has their own opinions, no one is more right than anyone else, I also would not stop people expressing them, I have no difficulty in believing this - I wouldn’t dream of suggesting otherwise.

 

[Oddsocks]

Every club is different and has differing needs and everyone has their own opinions, no one is more right than anyone else, I also would not stop people expressing them, I have no difficulty in believing this - I wouldn’t dream of suggesting otherwise.

My closing line was more a general summary of this thread and to late the forum in general, maybe it’s just cabin fever.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

The Mona Lisa isn’t pretty to look at as well

And it’s very small…or is it just far away

On bar and food tab (we don’t call it a levy) and the separate topic of other levies (at my place in £20+ yrs only applied for one period of 3 or 4 yrs to rebuild all our bunkers)

…if I could be more than 100% in agreement with @Arthur Wedge then I would be.

On the very rare occasion I’ve heard anyone mention that they haven’t used, or won’t use, their bar tab by the end of the membership year…guess what…they buy bottles of wine or spirit with it to take home.

I’ll add that our now beautifully redeveloped clubhouse lounges and dining areas are very popular with members and very well used. Plus the club in-house catering is able to put on and support many functions and dining experiences outside of normal players golf needs…and we are able to employ a sous chef for the maximum 7-day a week provision of food to members.

 

[PaulMdj]

And it’s very small…or is it just far away

On bar and food tab (we don’t call it a levy) and the separate topic of other levies (at my place in £20+ yrs only applied for one period of 3 or 4 yrs to rebuild all our bunkers)

…if I could be more than 100% in agreement with @Arthur Wedge then I would be.

On the very rare occasion I’ve heard anyone mention that they haven’t used, or won’t use, their bar tab by the end of the membership year…guess what…they buy bottles of wine or spirit with it to take home.

I’ll add that our now beautifully redeveloped clubhouse lounges and dining areas are very popular with members and very well used. Plus the club in-house catering is able to put on and support many functions and dining experiences outside of normal players golf needs…and we are able to employ a sous chef for the maximum 7-day a week provision of food to members.

Good post, but you are also making the point others are saying, ie, those who you’ve heard off buying wine or spirits at the end of the membership year are “forced” in to paying your Clubs prices for the wine or spirit, if there was no levy, they could choose to buy it from Asda or Morrisons, or, not spend that money at all.

I was always led to believe a bar levy at the beginning of the membership year was to provide a large chunk of change for tge club to negotiate better contracts for bar stocks.

No idea if it’s correct and I personally have no issue with a levy.

 

[Orikoru]

My God!!!!!! Weve established that some people like a levy, some aren't sure and some don't like them.
None of you are likely to agree with each other, and are now going roind in circles.
Please can we stop trying to prove one view is right or wrong and get back to what this thread was about: increase in fees.
This is why I took some time away from the forum, and I'm likely to do so again at this rate.

I don't understand why you always say this - if you don't like people discussing or debating things, then yeah, maybe a forum isn't for you? Since that's exactly what it's for.

 

[Neilds]

I don't understand why you always say this - if you don't like people discussing or debating things, then yeah, maybe a forum isn't for you? Since that's exactly what it's for.

There's discussing and debating - and then there is going round and round in circles with people saying the same things over and over again. This thread is just another example of this, getting very common on here unfortunately.

 

[Orikoru]

There's discussing and debating - and then there is going round and round in circles with people saying the same things over and over again. This thread is just another example of this, getting very common on here unfortunately.

That's just the nature of the beast when someone knew discovers the thread and brings up a point that was already discussed 5 pages ago.

 

[Neilds]

That's just the nature of the beast when someone knew discovers the thread and brings up a point that was already discussed 5 pages ago.

If it was newbies joining the thread it may be bearable, this is the same people just repeating themselves.

 

[Bratty]

And now we're in a debate about a debate!
Thanks, folks, but I'll be signing out for a while.
Happy chatting.

 

[KenL]

There's discussing and debating - and then there is going round and round in circles with people saying the same things over and over again. This thread is just another example of this, getting very common on here unfortunately.

Why say something once when you can say it 100 times.

 

[simsini]

Forget levies, just charge car park golfers more for their membership.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Forget levies, just charge car park golfers more for their membership.

What if they just want to play golf and don't want a pub / cafe along with it? After all, your membership is to play golf.

I'm not a car park golfer but I have no issues with those that are. The key for clubs there, same as why I am against bar levies, is make the clubhouse somewhere people want to go. If you have that, you reduce the car park golfers, people will come in more often. Clubs, some, are coming at this from the wrong angle.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

A golf club is for all sorts of golfers , a successful clubhouse will help keep subs down etc for all members

But there is no reason why some can’t just play their golf and go home

 

[Beezerk]

Club close to me which I know is struggling financially offered a lifetime membership a couple of years ago. Think the cost was around 5k (annual fees usually around 700 ish), I have a friend who took it up, seems happy enough but I wouldn’t go anywhere near a scheme like that.

 

[simsini]

What if they just want to play golf and don't want a pub / cafe along with it? After all, your membership is to play golf.

I'm not a car park golfer but I have no issues with those that are. The key for clubs there, same as why I am against bar levies, is make the clubhouse somewhere people want to go. If you have that, you reduce the car park golfers, people will come in more often. Clubs, some, are coming at this from the wrong angle.

If everyone did that, the club would suffer. If the clubhouse didn't make any money, subscriptions would have to go up for all. For some people, the clubhouse could employ Gordon Ramsay cooking free meals, and offer a free massage after every round with cocktails thrown in and they still wouldn't go near it.