It's previously been said that clubs can't exist on fees alone so any revenue over the bar is a welcome help to clubs, it's just a pity car park members can't see the woods for the trees.
Bar levy
- Thread starter User 99
- Start date
It's previously been said that clubs can't exist on fees alone so any revenue over the bar is a welcome help to clubs, it's just a pity car park members can't see the woods for the trees.
I've never had a problem with car park members. Its their choice. I could probably count on the fingers of one hand how many times I haven't gone into the club after a round in the last 30+ years. That's my choice. I don't care if its seen as me subsidising their golf. It isn't. Its me paying for what I want to do.
Dannyc
Active member
30 quid ours is we have a bar card that gives u cheaper rate of beer and 10% off next years subs had 278 quid knocked off this years better than spending it in my local pub
My lady was surprised though I’ve only had 2 pints duck is the most common thing I say after Friday afternoon golf
My lady was surprised though I’ve only had 2 pints duck is the most common thing I say after Friday afternoon golf
bluewolf
Money List Winner
To be fair, I was the stereotypical Car Park Member for several years (and took quite a bit of flak on here about it). I worked 5 nights a week and had 2 young children that needed picking up from school at 3pm. Quite often I didn't even have chance to finish 18 holes, so an extended stay at the Club was definitely not on the cards. I took the view that if the Club had an issue with me being a Car Park member then the only real option was to leave, depriving them of the membership money.
Now that the kids are older, I pretty much always stay on for a drink and some food. I suppose that the Club have benefited in the long run.
Or, we could fall back into lazy stereotypes and assume that Car Park members are 2nd class citizens...
Now that the kids are older, I pretty much always stay on for a drink and some food. I suppose that the Club have benefited in the long run.
Or, we could fall back into lazy stereotypes and assume that Car Park members are 2nd class citizens...
Grant85
Head Pro
£50 - which I don't mind as I do easily spend that. Can be spent on food or drink.
However, wouldn't necessarily be a fan of it increasing.
All it should be intended to do is encourage people into the club after their round and, at £50, it does this.
However, wouldn't necessarily be a fan of it increasing.
All it should be intended to do is encourage people into the club after their round and, at £50, it does this.
D
Deleted member 1740
Guest
I was under the impression that a bar levy was there to help guarantee a % of funds for the club to provide a catering and bar facility for the members to use all year round.
I've no issues with a bar levy.
i wonder if all of those people who are complaining about bar levys would be happy if their club decided to close the bar and catering facilities and still charged them the same membership fees? i think not.
I've no issues with a bar levy.
i wonder if all of those people who are complaining about bar levys would be happy if their club decided to close the bar and catering facilities and still charged them the same membership fees? i think not.
D
Deleted member 16999
Guest
£20.00, introduced this year for first time.
I don’t get this “car park member†or “forced to spend time in the bar†argument, buy a sandwich and a can of pop before you go out, take 30 seconds and buy some water, pop, crisps, chocolate after your round and take it home.
It doesn’t mean you have to sit in the bar or have a meal.
What it does do is give the Club a dedicated sum at the beginning of the year to use to get better deals with suppliers.
I don’t get this “car park member†or “forced to spend time in the bar†argument, buy a sandwich and a can of pop before you go out, take 30 seconds and buy some water, pop, crisps, chocolate after your round and take it home.
It doesn’t mean you have to sit in the bar or have a meal.
What it does do is give the Club a dedicated sum at the beginning of the year to use to get better deals with suppliers.
Sports_Fanatic
Assistant Pro
I think a bar levy is very practical and a good option, and that's coming from someone who doesn't have a lot of time to stay afterwards, plays less rounds and therefore runs the risk of having some leftover.
£100 over the course of the year is something that you should be able to get through. For me the benefits are:
- Caterer has a percentage upfront to allow the service to be run and be in a position to manage cashflow on purchases & potentially improvements
- Quicker at the till as people are using their card normally as opposed to cash
- Encourages members to socialise at the club, improving atmosphere and potentially reducing isolation for those new members or those that may not socialise elsewhere.
- Better than adding it to green fees as often people will use the full levy so they effectively get something back.
- For those that can't always stay, it may encourage them to bring family up every so often to make use of the levy
£100 over the course of the year is something that you should be able to get through. For me the benefits are:
- Caterer has a percentage upfront to allow the service to be run and be in a position to manage cashflow on purchases & potentially improvements
- Quicker at the till as people are using their card normally as opposed to cash
- Encourages members to socialise at the club, improving atmosphere and potentially reducing isolation for those new members or those that may not socialise elsewhere.
- Better than adding it to green fees as often people will use the full levy so they effectively get something back.
- For those that can't always stay, it may encourage them to bring family up every so often to make use of the levy
That all depends on where you can spend the money. I know of a club where it can only be spent in the bar. Equally, I know of a club where it can be used to pay for anything, e.g. comp entry fee, catering etc.
Structured right, or right in my eyes, I can see the benefit but not purely as a bar levy.
D
Deleted member 16999
Guest
Ours can only be spent in the bar, but you don’t have to buy alcohol, order a sandwich, ask for it to be wrapped up, eat it on the course.
Wolf
Well-known member
Pity other members can't respect those that have other commitments despite fact they've paid their membership subs and have as much right to be a respected member regardless of their bar expenditure.
D
Deleted member 16999
Guest
Because some are only seeing a Bar Levy as a mechanism for people to sit in the Clubhouse afterwards, that’s only one of the reasons.
A lad we play with regular has no intention of using our clubhouse, all we’ve suggested is, he gives one of us his bar card to spend his levy and we give him the cash, there’s more than one way to skin a cat.
robinthehood
Hacker
That would be fine with me. I joined a club to play golf, for a spell Brentwood was run out of a portacabin after the original course closed down. It didn't detract from our enjoyment of playing there. You get rid of your car park members and then see how long before your club folds.
Coffey
Challenge Tour Pro
£150 for ours.
Can be spent on food and drink. Mine doesn't last long as I go into the clubhouse for breakfast every weekend and go to the club for dinner a good few times a year.
I don't mind paying it as I signed up for it when I joined the club, I knew it was there.
In my previous club, there was no levy but I still used the club for dinner and lunches so it really doesn't make a difference to me
Can be spent on food and drink. Mine doesn't last long as I go into the clubhouse for breakfast every weekend and go to the club for dinner a good few times a year.
I don't mind paying it as I signed up for it when I joined the club, I knew it was there.
In my previous club, there was no levy but I still used the club for dinner and lunches so it really doesn't make a difference to me
D
Deleted member 21258
Guest
Don't have any strong opinions on this tbh, but would rather there wasn't I suppose.
One club charges £75 (x2 so £150 including wife), she has spent almost all of hers, but as I have barely play there, I still have over £65 on it.
I will need a box of crisps or some bottles of wine before the end of the year
One club charges £75 (x2 so £150 including wife), she has spent almost all of hers, but as I have barely play there, I still have over £65 on it.
I will need a box of crisps or some bottles of wine before the end of the year
Bar levies are lazy, a hidden tax. Make the bar welcoming, offer food and drink that people want and people will use it. Miss out on any of those and people wont. Get your product right is the message.
For those about to jump on the 'it's your club' bandwagon, remember many clubs are proprietary, not members clubs. Not everyone has a say in how their club is run, not everyone sees money put into their club stay in their club. I use the bar at my place, I don't eat there, and would easily cover a standard levy fee. That is not the point though.
For those about to jump on the 'it's your club' bandwagon, remember many clubs are proprietary, not members clubs. Not everyone has a say in how their club is run, not everyone sees money put into their club stay in their club. I use the bar at my place, I don't eat there, and would easily cover a standard levy fee. That is not the point though.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
Bar and Catering - you might not miss them until they are not there.
Jacko_G
Blackballed
I am very interested in seeing some of these comments. I've already stated I don't care if somebody wants to just go home after a round of golf as we all have pressing lives at times.
I also have no objection to a bar levy either. Despite me having young children and despite a huge amount of times I've had to "shoot off" straight away after golf I have never once failed to use or even top up my bar card.
There are times that I arrange to take mates along as I know I have time to golf, buy a round on the card afterwards etc. It's really not difficult to spend in all honesty.
Each to their own but I have absolutely no objection to the bar levy and appreciate why it has been introduced.
I also have no objection to a bar levy either. Despite me having young children and despite a huge amount of times I've had to "shoot off" straight away after golf I have never once failed to use or even top up my bar card.
There are times that I arrange to take mates along as I know I have time to golf, buy a round on the card afterwards etc. It's really not difficult to spend in all honesty.
Each to their own but I have absolutely no objection to the bar levy and appreciate why it has been introduced.
In the 10 mile radius thread I worked out that there were 6 clubs in that near to me. 4 of those are proprietary clubs and they have the least welcoming bars. That is odd to me as I would expect them to be more savvy on that front. The best bar, a members club, farms it out to a third party but they hold some control over it still and it is by far the best bar set up. It is welcoming and members use it. Not rocket science is it?
