Annual subscription 2026

Crazyface said:
I handed in my application to join a new club on Thursday. Most accomodating. I'm not able to play until 1st June, so he will pro-rata it, and it's already on a new member joining fee! Next years subs will be 25% off as well. The greenkeepers have been brought in from a local top course, (previous ones up to scratch), and have earnt the members respect with the work they have done to bring the course back to where it was a few years ago. They have 10 courses on reciprical as well. All in all, I am excited for the new season!
Click to expand...
That's good of them.
which club?
 
KenL said:
Agreed. All of these courses should really have a UK (or local) resident rate.
The likes of Kingsbarns and Dumbarnie do that.
Click to expand...
Not seen that on their website, just a bloke laughing his doodahhhs off at the clowns paying extortionate fees to hit a ball off grass.
 
Dalmahoy up 3% this year. £1285 for full membership if paid in one go (£119 otherwise).
Can never complain about the value we get - two courses, driving range and book of discounts.
The flip side is how busy it gets in summer with visitors and the course condition is never much more than satisfactory.
 
Yup…just as I guessed. Moans from some members over our 6% increase when we could have used our trading surplus and reserves to minimise any increase rather than spend our surplus on ‘unnecessary’ (in their opinion) course developments.

I have to really bite my tongue on this, though I still make my own view clear without contradicting their view or saying they are wrong - after all we are just holding different views when there is no absolute right or wrong.

I’m thinking we’ll go up about £130 🤷
 
Last edited:
evemccc said:
You know your course, of course you do…so I will speak ‘generally’

Any course that has a full membership and is a pretty decent or very decent course already, may not ‘need’ a new green or hole routing….(accepting that there are many courses that have holes that aren’t that good —and don’t meet the standard of the rest - the 9th At Goswick, a couple near the turn at West Sussex…heck even a couple at Open rota links courses such as Carnoustie, Lytham and Hoylake for example)

Many changes I have seen to courses can be ‘change for changes sake’ and plenty won’t like the changes almost as much as those who campaign for it

A course that’s full, has a waiting list, is over 100 years old, and is regarded as ‘decent’, may not need expensive changes that members ‘need’ to pay for..
Click to expand...

I understand your point of view, but the game moves on, and a course that is over 100 years old can become obsolete if left as is. I'm sure most 100+ year old courses have evolved over time. Tree growth changes the characteristics of a hole very slowly, drainage, irrigation etc all need to be upgraded from time to time.

My course has recently gone through a renovation / restoration programme. On many holes, the fairway bunkers have been moved back in order to test better players. A fairway bunker at 180 yards was a challenge to everyone in 1926. In 2026 it only penalises high handicaps.
 
SwingsitlikeHogan said:
Ours up 6% - just announced.

Of course some members will moan that if we weren’t spending a good load of our trading surplus on rerouting our 2nd hole with a new green and building a new short-game academy area, then we could have done without an increase. I’m absolutely not of that, what I consider a very short-sighted - a ‘now’ - mindset, when I consider members to be the custodians of a club and course for the future and not just focussed on themselves in the here and now. But that’s maybe just me.
Click to expand...

It's not just you.

My club received some windfall revenue from the sale of some derelict land and buildings. Overall, the membership voted to reinvest the one off income into capital projects that would have a long term benefit, e.g. new irrigation system. But there was a group of members (mainly older people) who thought the cash should be used to reduce subs for a couple of years.
 
sunshine said:
I understand your point of view, but the game moves on, and a course that is over 100 years old can become obsolete if left as is. I'm sure most 100+ year old courses have evolved over time. Tree growth changes the characteristics of a hole very slowly, drainage, irrigation etc all need to be upgraded from time to time.

My course has recently gone through a renovation / restoration programme. On many holes, the fairway bunkers have been moved back in order to test better players. A fairway bunker at 180 yards was a challenge to everyone in 1926. In 2026 it only penalises high handicaps.
Click to expand...
A mate of mine insists that bunkers do not affect higher handicap players as they cannot reach them off the tee, so I'm confident he would argue those should be left where they are. Lol
 
SwingsitlikeHogan said:
Yup…just as I guessed. Moans from some members over our 6% increase when we could have used our trading surplus and reserves to minimise any increase rather than spend our surplus on ‘unnecessary’ (in their opinion) course developments.

I have to really bite my tongue on this, though I still make my own view clear without contradicting their view or saying they are wrong - after all we are just holding different views when there is no absolute right or wrong.

I’m thinking we’ll go up about £130 🤷
Click to expand...
An extra £130 might be a lot to some members though.
 
KenL said:
An extra £130 might be a lot to some members though.
Click to expand...
It might be…but with our subs at £2000+ I think most, if not all, members will be able to afford the increase - some will not renew on a VfM basis - but my feeling is that we won’t lose many as a result of the increase.
 
SwingsitlikeHogan said:
It might be…but with our subs at £2000+ I think most, if not all, members will be able to afford the increase - some will not renew on a VfM basis - but my feeling is that we won’t lose many as a result of the increase.
Click to expand...
Even at £2k + that extra £130 could be the tipping point for some people. Others may simply not see the value in the proposed changes costing them extra money and disruption to how the course is played. Some simply won’t like an increase when they know the club has revenue already to cover it. Everyone is different just because you’re all for it and aren’t concerned by the increase doesn’t necessarily make them wrong for feeling aggrieved at it.

One of my previous clubs lengthened their finishing hole and added a water feature to it supposedly improving the atheistic of the hole and giving more options off the tee to make it more adaptable in how the hole played, whilst at the same time built a new clubhouse. Subs went up £200pp to pay for it despite having cash in the bank. The course change ended up being pointless as changing the tee meant losing half the practice ground and clubhouse completely ruined the atmosphere of the club.

Those that were for it and loved both changes were the senior and ladies sections who never used the practice ground and still played off the old forward tees. Because of the quieter clubhouse meant they could have more coffee mornings, so the only people who got any VFM were them. Everyone more serious about their game ended up hating it and going elsewhere which is why the clubhouse suffered.

I guess my point is whilst some see changes as needed, future proofing and VFM others like me in that instance simply didn’t see the value and instead of getting benefit from it we lost out. Perhaps that’s what your other members against it are feeling, that they’re having to put their money forward for something they don’t feel is of value or benefit to them.
 
Last edited:
Lucifer MorningStar said:
Even at £2k + that extra £130 could be the tipping point do some people. Others may simply not see the value in the proposed changes costing them extra money and disruption to how the course is played. Some simply won’t like an increase when they know the club has revenue already to cover it. Everyone is different just because you’re all for it and aren’t concerned by the increase doesn’t necessarily make them wrong for feeling aggrieved at it.

One of my previous clubs lengthened their finishing hole and added a water feature to it supposedly improving the atheistic of the hole and giving more options off the tee to make it more adaptable in how the hole played, whisky at the same time built a new clubhouse. Subs went up £200pp to pay for it despite having cash in the bank. The course change ended up being pointless as changing the tee meant losing half the practice ground and clubhouse completely ruined the atmosphere of the club.

Those that were for it and loved both changes were the senior and ladies sections who never used the practice ground and still played off the old forward tees. Because of the quieter clubhouse meant they could have more coffee mornings, so the only people who got any VFM were them. Everyone more serious about their game ended up hating it and going elsewhere which is why the clubhouse suffered.

I guess my point is whilst some see changes as needed, future proofing and VFM others like me in that instance simply didn’t see the value and instead of getting benefit from it we lost out. Perhaps that’s what your other members against it are feeling, that they’re having to put their money forward for something they don’t feel is of value or benefit to them.
Click to expand...
I’ll just note that I suspect that the majority of those who will moan about the 6% are those who opposed the course developments - not the increase as such.

And just to address the potential disruption aspect…the nature of the work and the way the work is planned mean that there won’t be any disruption.

Absolutely get the VfM concern some will have…but that’s just a fact of life members the country over face.

If the course you mention is the one I think it is in Surrey - I agree. If not then I know another Surrey course that did similar with similar outcome.

The point of our change is that the hole is inconsistent in character with the rest of the course - plus other considerations pointed out by our course architect.

But we will see.
 
Arthur Wedge said:
How nice someone is has no relation to how expensive their golf club membership is
Click to expand...
I disagree.....I find more money is less nice. But we are each allowed an opinion........

Actually....when thinking about your comment I got a bit angry. You think the people who are members at Augusta are just common relaxed normal people nice to everybody? .....madness.
 
Mandofred said:
Question I have....is there a correlation in nicer people being in less expensive golf clubs? Of the clubs I've been a member at....the cheapest is the friendliest.
Click to expand...
Interesting point. I think you get good and bad people at every level of society and golf clubs tended to in the past attract more snobs and close nit groups that tend to feel closed off!

My own experience I would Say is very similar to yours. Been a member at more expensive clubs and found it very clicky and hard to get a game at, one of the many reasons I stopped playing. 2 other clubs I’ve been at were cheaper and decent courses but not as high end as the other expensive ones but were extremely welcoming and down to earth.

Even in my search for a club to join this year I’ve gone with the cheaper one as they were so welcoming and has a real community feel. The others in my area didn’t seem to care if I joined or not as I don’t seem to tick their boxes. Maybe you have a point🤔

But like I say everyone experience is different others may not agree maybe one day I’ll find a more expensive club that is just as welcoming as times are changing.
 
Mandofred said:
I disagree.....I find more money is less nice. But we are each allowed an opinion........

Actually....when thinking about your comment I got a bit angry. You think the people who are members at Augusta are just common relaxed normal people nice to everybody? .....madness.
Click to expand...

Just because someone is a member of a rich club doesn’t mean they aren’t nice

As I said you’re making generalisations

I know loads of members of the rich club near here and they are nice where as some from the local cheap membership that came to our place where acting like a bunch of yobs
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

H
2026 goals
2
Replies
37
Views
3K
ger147
G
B
  • Poll Poll
How many rounds
2 3
Replies
51
Views
3K
sunshine
S
BazPlummerGM
Ask The Expert - PGA Pro Q+A Hour
Replies
15
Views
623
Crazyface
Crazyface
Orikoru
2026 Targets
2 3
Replies
55
Views
2K
jamielaing
jamielaing
D
The Irish Trial
3 4 5
Replies
87
Views
4K
D-S
D
Top