At what point does a membership become value for money?

[Oddsocks]

I know there have been historic discussions about the VFM on a membership, but in the current climate at what point would you review the value you get from your membership?

I rejoined my old club in January and reviewing via MyEG I’ve played 22 rounds in 11 months, the only rounds not registered are one GP round with a guest, 5 singles k/o matches and a scramble. What’s worse is 10 of those 22 where before may 1st. Granted I had a month off between mid May and mid June but even in that period I would have played 4/5 games max.

So… for £1750 p/a, year to date I’ve played 19 games, it’s seriously making me question is a 7 day membership viable next year. As it stands a point based flexi membership at another course would have covered my quota to where I am now for a grand less and the option to top up if I wanted.

At what point would others question their investment?

 

[PJ87]

My 5 day membership costs me £1440 a year

I try to average 4 rounds a month which I think is decent value

However it's the options it opens for me

I have groups I can play with every weekday now , if I joined them as a guest looking £45 a round midweek .. that's if I get the guest rate

But I like how I can do 9 holes after nights. Before a late turn .. wouldn't do that without a membership

 

[BiMGuy]

I started at my place on the points system. I’m now a full member. I get value for money even though I haven’t played quite as much this year.

Points are ok ok if you don’t play comps or at prime times. My mate only plays after 4 or 5 in the summer and doesn’t play knockouts or big comps so his points last a long time.

Entering the knockouts or big club comps cost a lot of points, plus whatever points were required to play at that time, plus the entry fee. Buying extra points is expensive.

I like that I don’t feel I have to play a full round if the weather turns and can squeeze a few holes in on an evening without worrying about the points.

Obviously there is an element of being able to afford it. I currently still have enough disposable income to allow me to spend it on playing golf. If I didn’t then other things might have to take priority.

 

[Neilds]

I agree with BiMGuy, the flexibility that membership gives is more/as important as VFM. I like the option to just go and play a few holes in the evenings

 

[Mel Smooth]

I'm thinking of going flexi membership - unless you can average a couple of games a week over a rolling 12 month period, full membership isn't great value.

It would mean a change of club for me - but I'm pretty comfortable with that tbh.

 

[OntheteeGavin]

I have been a points member for the past 7ish years. Would rather go swimming/gym in the winter at the leisure centre.

 

[Orikoru]

I tend to think I need to be playing at least once a week to make it worthwhile. If I wasn't able to do that, I would think about dropping to the 'lifestyle' membership or something like that. (Similar to 'points' memberships that have been mentioned above.)

 

[cunnini]

I joined the club i'm a member of to be able to play competitive golf (though if you watched me you'd suggest i was just there for the walk!) Similar to the OP I've played 21 competitions plus maybe 4 other yellow tee rounds, then a few 5 or 9 holes with my 11 year old (who gets free membership). That said i missed 6-8 weeks with a herniated disc, but married with an 11 year old and a full time job, it's tricky to get too much more in.

I pay £1100 a year, and i'm happy with that.

 

[Captain_Black.]

I get good value for my 7 day membership & it makes financial sense for me.
However, The cost keeps on rising & I know of 3x members who either have left or will be leaving at renewal.
For people who work Mon - Fri, I would have thought a 7x day membership may be hard to justify?

 

[stevieb15]

i always play three times a week, Tuesday, Thursday and at least once on the week end, plus summer knock outs and then the odd last minute social, so a minimum of 175 times a year, I also play free snooker at least twice a week so even at £1350 membership plus drinks plus £25 a week fuel it is incredible VFM. And I haven’t even mentioned the biggy...great friendship, great company and the sheer joy of always looking forward to that next round.

 

[CliveW]

I feel that the "value for money" should not be based solely on how many times you play, but on the cost of membership and disposable income. It is obvious that courses in the SE are more expensive than those here in the Highlands. For example some of the above posts are quoting subs of £1,300 - £1,750 pa but I am assuming that wages are higher there as is the cost of living. I am a member of two clubs, one having two championship courses and a full nine hole course and the fees will be just over £1,000 for the first time next year. The second club is a links course and has been an Open Qualifier six times. The full membership rate is £640 and £512 for seniors.

 

[GB72]

I gave up my membership. Got to £1000 I can only play once most weeks, occasionally twice but sometimes not at all. Add to that losing a number of weekends for bad weather, a few for holidays and some more for other commitments and the value is not there. I have friends and a social life outside of golf and I do not generally fit the typical golf club aesthetic so the club life did not add value. So now I go out and play if I feel like it in the summer, I take winters off, I spend my free weekends doing all sorts of other things and spend the membership money on meals or trips out with my wife. I had not realised how feeling tied to getting value out if a membership was strangling other areas of my life as I felt I had to play golf at weekends as I had paid for it.

 

[Slab]

Value starts to be a thing after/if you can join, you gotta have the moola to get in first.
I’d take a membership if I could afford it. I play once a week but with full membership that’d go up to about 3-4 times and be great vfm, but for a weekly game/greenfee its not worth a membership

I’d say in the OP scenario, 70 squid a round isn’t vfm

 

[Imurg]

Just south of 2k at mine....do I get VFM?
Damn right I do.
I'm able to play, and do, virtually every day...sometimes just 9 but mostly more.
Course is hardly ever shut and remains very playable all year.
I'm lucky......sorry..not sorry...

 

[Junior]

My 7 day membership is just under a grand. I've a young family and a small window to play due to childcare and the wifes job. I play 10 holes Monday and Thursday after work with 3 mates, and I'll play the comp on a Saturday morning.

Do I get vfm? It's my downtime, my walk in the fresh air and my release from the presures of day to day life. Its priceless to me.

There's another very nice club close by that I'd like to join, but I'll probably do that once the kid can look after himself.

 

[Hobbit]

You could pay £1k a year, play 100 times and not enjoy it. Is value a monetary thing or is it aligned to enjoyment? You could pay £1k, play 20 times and absolutely love it. Is that value for money?

A few years back Mrs H and I had work diaries that meant I had time to play 4 or 5 times a week. I played once or twice a week. Did I get value for money? Too much golf is a chore, not enjoyment.

Fitting in lots of rounds might equate to better value for money but it sure as hell doesn’t equate to more enjoyment. I “value” enjoyment more than subs divided by number of rounds.

 

[Slab]

You could pay £1k a year, play 100 times and not enjoy it. Is value a monetary thing or is it aligned to enjoyment? You could pay £1k, play 20 times and absolutely love it. Is that value for money?

A few years back Mrs H and I had work diaries that meant I had time to play 4 or 5 times a week. I played once or twice a week. Did I get value for money? Too much golf is a chore, not enjoyment.

Fitting in lots of rounds might equate to better value for money but it sure as hell doesn’t equate to more enjoyment. I “value” enjoyment more than subs divided by number of rounds.

Well 1k for 20 rounds is £50 a round, so if the alternative 'visitor' green-fee cost is a chunk lower/higher than that it will definitly tell you if its value for money or not (I'm assuming the enjoyment level is same when paying a green fee or not, why wouldn't it be)

 

[Mel Smooth]

I gave up my membership. Got to £1000 I can only play once most weeks, occasionally twice but sometimes not at all. Add to that losing a number of weekends for bad weather, a few for holidays and some more for other commitments and the value is not there. I have friends and a social life outside of golf and I do not generally fit the typical golf club aesthetic so the club life did not add value. So now I go out and play if I feel like it in the summer, I take winters off, I spend my free weekends doing all sorts of other things and spend the membership money on meals or trips out with my wife. I had not realised how feeling tied to getting value out if a membership was strangling other areas of my life as I felt I had to play golf at weekends as I had paid for it.

I was only discussing this yesterday with my apprentice - if the sun is shining on a nice summer weekend, you feel like you have to play golf rather than maybe taking a trip out somewhere and taking the dogs for a walk on a beach, or visiting friends and family - on top of that I tend to taxi and caddy for Jamie to a few junior comps - which I actually enjoy doing as much as playing to be honest.


The flexi membership I'm considering is £450
£50 goes in fees and £400 goes to the 100 points I can use to play (£4/point) - 8 points (£32) is the highest rate I'd use - weekend before 11.00 - but I could play after work for 4 points (£16). Those are summer rates and it still sounds expensive but I'd imagine my current full membership has worked out more expensive.
If I go down the flexi route I'd get all the usual membership benefits apart from being restricted to not playing in club team comps and the knockout events - which I don't have time to commit to anyway.

 

[sweaty sock]

I gave up my membership. Got to £1000 I can only play once most weeks, occasionally twice but sometimes not at all. Add to that losing a number of weekends for bad weather, a few for holidays and some more for other commitments and the value is not there. I have friends and a social life outside of golf and I do not generally fit the typical golf club aesthetic so the club life did not add value. So now I go out and play if I feel like it in the summer, I take winters off, I spend my free weekends doing all sorts of other things and spend the membership money on meals or trips out with my wife. I had not realised how feeling tied to getting value out if a membership was strangling other areas of my life as I felt I had to play golf at weekends as I had paid for it.

This is an excellent point.

Ive never thought twice about golf memberships, I get my moneys worth easily. But they point GB72 made above that the membership started feeling more like a duty, than an opportunity reminds me of how a few other subscriptions/clubs have made me feel in the past.

On every occasion a break turned out to be the right thing to do.

So for me thats nailed it. If the membership feels like something you need to make sacrifices for, its probably not value for money.

 

[PJ87]

This is an excellent point.

Ive never thought twice about golf memberships, I get my moneys worth easily. But they point GB72 made above that the membership started feeling more like a duty, than an opportunity reminds me of how a few other subscriptions/clubs have made me feel in the past.

On every occasion a break turned out to be the right thing to do.

So for me thats nailed it. If the membership feels like something you need to make sacrifices for, its probably not value for money.

Valid point, as I'm still just a 5 day member I don't need to make sacrifices to play / enjoy it. Weekends are family time and hard to make time to play. (I do play about twice a year at weekends for an away trip or my mates charity golf day)

Anyways when I'm off during the week the eldest is in school, the twins are in nursery anyways and wife is at work.. so I'll join one of my regular groups depending what day of the week it is.