Annual subscription 2026

[The Squirrel]

One thing that has significantly changed are the membership fees....three years ago the annual subs were £900.....then they were put up to £1150 and this year to £1250....that is enough to make a lot of people reconsider their options regarding membership. Those folks who saw us as a "cheap option" (and we were cheap in quite a few respects) now have to think harder...our fees are now "mid-range...maybe upper mid-range" for the area. On the plus side though...those increased fees have seen an increased investment in the course....better bunkers, re-landscaping, better general condition, new fleet of buggies soon to be GPS enabled etc etc....and this is drawing people to the club on a regular basis from other clubs.

January last year i think we had around 400 male members and 50 ladies....so we are not far down on where we were 15 months ago. The nature of a membership where you have a fixed term and a cut off date for renewals is always going to look drastic statistically, when the annual purge of the database happens....you don't notice the creep upwards in numbers during the year, which makes the April decline appear so much more shocking. Whilst I get what you are saying about attrition rates in business, I also think golf clubs are places that have always had a high turnover of membership numbers....its an expensive sport and many folk will simply go where the best deal is to be had....and its not like you need to be a member anywhere to actually play golf....the running hard to stay still I think is true of many golf clubs.

We've been in a transition since new management took over two/three years ago...rather than make ourselves cheap (low membership, cheap greenfees with lots of deals) which in turn makes us "look" cheap, the management is now trying to raise the profile of the club...increased memberships, higher green fees....placing us in a pricing bracket with other perhaps more well regarded clubs, but improving the quality of the product on offer. The "race to the bottom" which the previous management seemed to be engaged in was taking the club nowhere, except perhaps into closure. Although many of us long term members still shake our heads at some of the things that happen, I think most of us agree that the club is in a better place than 5 years ago, both off and on the course.

Ah that’s more understandable then. Fair do’s. Sounds like a good strategy. Not uncommon for owners losing interest pre sale to go cheap then new owners have to rectify; cutting prices is a lot less effort than making things better…

 

[PaulMdj]

I was told at the weekend a course up here in the North East has informed its members fees will be increasing by £450.00 per year for the next 4 years.

 

[nickjdavis]

Who sir , me sir! I’m in sir

Can they offer massage as well my hips giving me jip

...as well as what...teeing up your balls for you?

 

[Beezerk]

I was told at the weekend a course up here in the North East has informed its members fees will be increasing by £450.00 per year for the next 4 years.

Can’t be right surely, an £1800 raise over 4 years? Unless it’s Close House as they’ve seemingly lost the plot up there re membership

 

[Depreston]

I was told at the weekend a course up here in the North East has informed its members fees will be increasing by £450.00 per year for the next 4 years.

which course?

 

[Depreston]

Can’t be right surely, an £1800 raise over 4 years? Unless it’s Close House as they’ve seemingly lost the plot up there re membership

only one i can imagine is Ramside with all the development

 

[Beezerk]

only one i can imagine is Ramside with all the development

Didn’t know they were developing there

 

[Depreston]

Didn’t know they were developing there

wey the massive driving range and flood lit practice ground etc

 

[Beezerk]

wey the massive driving range and flood lit practice ground etc

Oh aye, that bar area and stuff, forgot about that

 

[PaulMdj]

which course?

Rockliffe apparently.

 

[Depreston]

Rockliffe apparently.

Oooof aye can see it

 

[moogie]

Rockliffe apparently.

Its not worth that type of increase, that'll surely put it near enough £4k in 4years time

 

[moogie]

wey the massive driving range and flood lit practice ground etc

The driving range thats the biggest rip off ever.
Not aimed at golfers, more like bunch of drinkers out to whack some balls.

Pricing
£17 per hour, you get 120 balls.
Each additional person you add to the bay, an extra £17.
So 2 go, still only 1hr, still only get 120 balls, total £34.
Or worse still, 3 people, £51

Only non golfer types would pay that

 

[Lord Tyrion]

The driving range thats the biggest rip off ever.
Not aimed at golfers, more like bunch of drinkers out to whack some balls.

Pricing
£17 per hour, you get 120 balls.
Each additional person you add to the bay, an extra £17.
So 2 go, still only 1hr, still only get 120 balls, total £34.
Or worse still, 3 people, £51

Only non golfer types would pay that

Is it a form of Top Golf? Looks fun, I guess it is more of a ten pin bowling trip than a range trip. Social, not necessarily for genuine golf practice.

 

[moogie]

Is it a form of Top Golf? Looks fun, I guess it is more of a ten pin bowling trip than a range trip. Social, not necessarily for genuine golf practice.

Its defenitely more of an attraction, night out type venue, rather than anything for a genuine golfer to practice there.

It has all the targets, tracer screens etc.....

Played there on weds actually, Prince bishops course, expected better, I appreciate greens maintenance is necessary, but as it was done 3 or 4 weeks I believe, I thought greens would be better.
But they were awful.

Lots has happen there since my last round down there, must be 16years id say.
Tree houses, like lodges to left of 18th tee overlooking the spa and hotel