Bar Levy £30 due to be introduced then change of mind!

[Grant85]

We have a voluntary scheme at present where the bar card entitles us to a 15% discount on food and beverages. Around 50% of members have a card (around 300).

The Club has had a successful year because of excellent greens, better food. Open comps. are full, member numbers are increasing, green fee income is increasing, good pro. along with excellent practice facilities.

Heard last month The Council were going to introduce a compulsory bar levy of £30 which with£10 subs increase would make £40 per annum.

Club conducted a members’ survey from which many members objected to the £30 bar level, I suggested minimum £50. Despite initially agreeing the levy, and minuting, they have now decided against any compulsory levy.

Thoughts please.

All clubs I've been at have had a levy of c. £50. For me, it's not been a maker or a breaker. But can be a bit of a hassle to factor it into your subs when everything else is due at that time of year. I generally have a drink after every round, and as I've got older (and disposable income is no longer spent on nights out) I've had meals much more often.

But I guess my view is that if you have to make it compulsory, you are losing the battle. Make the point that members either use it lose it, with regards to catering. Also no point running mediocre, over priced catering. Do it well, or not at all.

And the other issue is that for some this might be the straw that breaks the camels back, so if you lose 1 or 2 members... the whole thing has probably been not worth it.

I think £30 is a bit of a nonsense. You risk annoying some people on point of principal with the finances probably being trivial to the club. £50 is a bit more meaningful and would realistically make people think about having a drink after every round and thus get into the habit of using the facilities.

 

[IanM]

That question was recently asked at our AGM. The answer was out of 750+ members it was so few, they let the balances be carried over into the following year even though the rules said it wouldn't be,

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Why is it a positive? It is an additional tax on members.

An interesting question for those who are at clubs with mandatory levies, what percentage of your members do not use the amount? It is not a loaded question as I don't play somewhere that has one. I am interested to know if the numbers are significant or not. If they are then why are they not enticed in? If not then why bother with it at all?

I don't know the exact numbers but the general word on the street last time we had a levy from those who would have known was c50+ didn't use it at all and around c30 had some form of balance left.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Why is it a positive? It is an additional tax on members.

An interesting question for those who are at clubs with mandatory levies, what percentage of your members do not use the amount? It is not a loaded question as I don't play somewhere that has one. I am interested to know if the numbers are significant or not. If they are then why are they not enticed in? If not then why bother with it at all?

“Additional Tax “ ? Are you able to spend tax when you pay it ?

This “additional” tax goes onto a card for you to spend over 364 days of the year at your will with discounted items through the club.

last year I believe we had just over a grand not spent - so 20 people from 600 full members and a couple hundred social members.

 

[Slab]

I don't know the exact numbers but the general word on the street last time we had a levy from those who would have known was c50+ didn't use it at all and around c30 had some form of balance left.

Any idea how those numbers compared to the number of members the club had identified as not using the F&B facilities prior to bringing in a levy?

 

[Lord Tyrion]

“Additional Tax “ ? Are you able to spend tax when you pay it ?

This “additional” tax goes onto a card for you to spend over 364 days of the year at your will with discounted items through the club.

last year I believe we had just over a grand not spent - so 20 people from 600 full members and a couple hundred social members.

It's a tax on those who choose not to use the bar.

Based on the figures you give only 2.5% of your members don't spend the money. On that basis, why bother with it?

 

[Siolag]

Wasn’t an issue at all for me, my Fiancé and I both will use ours by the end of January I expect. I see myself as a member of the club and as such, like to use it as much as possible.

£50 levy, paid November.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

It's a tax on those who choose not to use the bar.

Based on the figures you give only 2.5% of your members don't spend the money. On that basis, why bother with it?

Why get rid of it ? People don’t mind it and use it so why get rid ?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Any idea how those numbers compared to the number of members the club had identified as not using the F&B facilities prior to bringing in a levy?

No idea but as we had new caterers in the period with a new and revised (and imo improved menu and quality) I would suggest more people than before may have come in and tried at least one thing from the menu (which may well account for a number of the partially used accounts). I am not sure how deeply the club would drill down as to whether a member uses bar or kitchen or both.

 

[Slab]

Wasn’t an issue at all for me, my Fiancé and I both will use ours by the end of January I expect. I see myself as a member of the club and as such, like to use it as much as possible.

£50 levy, paid November.

It’s a theme that’s cropped up so forgive me using your post as the most recent but does my highlight mean that those who don’t regularly partake of food and drink should not see themselves as members of the club?

If a ‘member’ doesn’t fill the fruit machine, use the pool table or visit the driving range, short game practice area, putting green etc should they also somehow not see themselves as a member of the club?

 

[Deleted member 23270]

Standards will drop because of a bar levy not being introduced?? How does that work against the standard of the club as a whole? That's what subs contribute towards.

Your subs only cover a part of the total budget required to run the club. Food and beverage takings, society/visitor/guest green fees and other revenue streams all contribute. Do away with those and your subs would rise significantly.

 

[Slab]

No idea but as we had new caterers in the period with a new and revised (and imo improved menu and quality) I would suggest more people than before may have come in and tried at least one thing from the menu (which may well account for a number of the partially used accounts). I am not sure how deeply the club would drill down as to whether a member uses bar or kitchen or both.

I'd suggest if the bar & catering is in-house then they must drill down to this level to understand their membership behaviour before arbitrarily introducing a levy. (otherwise they really have no clue what problem they are attempting to resolve)

 

[GB72]

We no longer have a levy. When we did have a levy I used mine up, just. Main reason that I did not use it much is that my wife works away and so we like to do things together on a Saturday lunchtime. She dislikes the clubhouse because it is not that welcoming to non golfers and the fact that jeans are not allowed limits what she can wear so we go elsewhere for a sandwich and a drink at lunchtime. The other reason is that if I am at the golf club then I am driving. If I am driving I will not even have one alcoholic drink. As my playing partners mainly live in the same village as me, it is easier to head home, ditch the cars and meet in the local with our families for a quick pint or 2.

I will openly admit, I am not what most would see as a club member. I find my club a bit stuffy for somewhere I would generally socialise. I go to play golf and that is pretty much it. That will cause some here to look down on me and that I can accept. When I played rugby, the club was pretty much my life but I find the atmosphere at rugby clubs far more in keeping with how I like to spend my time than I do at golf clubs (massive generalisation I know)

 

[Imurg]

Your subs only cover a part of the total budget required to run the club. Food and beverage takings, society/visitor/guest green fees and other revenue streams all contribute. Do away with those and your subs would rise significantly.

So the only reason people go into the bar is because of the levy?
Really?

 

[sunshine]

Wasn’t an issue at all for me, my Fiancé and I both will use ours by the end of January I expect. I see myself as a member of the club and as such, like to use it as much as possible.

£50 levy, paid November.

Did you join the golf club with your fiancé, or was he already a member? Probably the main reason people have for not stopping in the clubhouse after golf is that they have to get back to their husband / wife. Problem solved if your partner is in the clubhouse already!

 

[patricks148]

We do have a few guys who never even set foot in the clubhouse through the season other than to put their scores in the Computer in the locker room, then there handful who only go in to use up the levy in Dec on a couple of bottles of wine.

without one i would still prob spend the same amount, but it would be nice to have the choice.

 

[Deleted member 23270]

So the only reason people go into the bar is because of the levy?
Really?

That isn't what I said.

 

[GB72]

As has been mentioned on here, I do like the idea of a voluntary scheme. If you put money on your card then you either get extra funds added or a discount at the bar for paying with it. It you do not put money on your card, you pay a bit extra for your food and drink. Club gets some money up front, those who use the clubhouse get a little bonus for doing so and those that do not contribute a bit towards running costs by paying a little more. Seems fair to everyone.

 

[sunshine]

Apart from the fact that a Golf Club has fixed costs that are covered by subs. Where do you draw the line? Where do add ons start? A practice net by the first tee? Toilets? A car park? An access road to get you there? "I only play off whiles, I am not paying for the yellow tees? " ......if you see what I mean!

Haha. I'm sure there are members who would like to go down that road.....

I guess my point is that everyone can choose what they want to spend their money on. If you don't want to pay for maintaining a practise ground you could join a golf club that doesn't have one, all other things being equal the cost would be cheaper. If you don't want to visit the clubhouse, or pay a levy, you could join a course that doesn't charge for it.

 

[chrisd]

It's a tax on those who choose not to use the bar.

Based on the figures you give only 2.5% of your members don't spend the money. On that basis, why bother with it?

Its definitely not a tax. There are several income revenue streams in a golf club, some of which a member won't/may/will use and the bar/catering is only one. You are undoubtedly paying towards the Pro's retainer but you may not ever go in the pro shop or use his/ her services. It's easy just to plonk the entire bar levy on to the subs but I know at my place the majority of members have voted in favour of it at AGM's as we get discounted food and drink as a result and, either way, the club would still get the revenue they need one way or another