Buchanan Castle Golf Club - Disgraceful open payouts

[sweeneytoddd]

Last month myself and two others played in a tri am open at Buchanan Castle. We teed off at 12:10 and we’re told we were match 40 and the day had been a sell out. Cost was £30 a team which was great value for a days competitive golf. Turned out we went and won the thing- when we handed our card over I noticed that there were 56 teams written up on a whiteboard. A prize pool of £1680. We received our vouchers about 8 days later- a measly £50 each. One of the team left a comment on their Facebook page venting about the amount ( it was removed and he has subsequently been blocked) and their pro phoned him and said that the club had induced extra costs due to it being an open and had deducted this from the prize pool ( they had to bring in green staff )
Also the results they posted only had 37 teams when we knew for a fact that this wasn’t the case. I managed to get in touch with one of the guys who won the event last year and he confirmed that they received the same amount. They were told that the club could have sold those times to visitors so had to recoup their losses- they didn’t return to defend their title and we won’t be either.
Assuming the three places they paid out were on a 50/30/20 scale their total prize payout for the day was £300 - around 18%- daylight robbery - avoid this place like the plague

 

[Britishshooting]

I don’t begrudge a club using an open to generate money personally.

How much is a greenfee normally? You paid £10 a man so I’m guessing you got a bargain anyway.

Tough times and needs must for some clubs.

 

[Andy]

Take pride in winning.

 

[Coffey]

I always use opens as a cheaper way to play a course and not based on what the prize is. If I win a prize that is great and would be happy with anything.

Clubs need income and having open days is a way of generating income, through the entry fees and also through people getting drinks etc.

Also, a number of clubs don’t have massive differences between 1st 2nd 3rd etc. Normally in our competitions the first place gets 50, second 45, 3rd 40 etc. These amounts change with entry levels etc. This was the same for Seapoint when we played there

 

[robinthehood]

Sounds like a rip off.

 

[fundy]

Sorry. You paid a tenner a corner for a days golf and are moaning about how small the prizes were? Seriously?

 

[Maninblack4612]

You paid a measly £10 a head to play the course & you're complaining about the prize money! The club running the event is not a charity, you've had a cheap round of golf & you've won some money. Be satisfied with that. In any event, big prizes just encourage cheats. As others have already said, look upon it as a discounted round of golf with the bonus of winning something.

 

[Maninblack4612]

Sounds like a rip off.

Says someone who has no understanding of golf club economics.

 

[robinthehood]

Says someone who has no understanding of golf club economics.

Is that so?

 

[robinthehood]

Last month myself and two others played in a tri am open at Buchanan Castle. We teed off at 12:10 and we’re told we were match 40 and the day had been a sell out. Cost was £30 a team which was great value for a days competitive golf. Turned out we went and won the thing- when we handed our card over I noticed that there were 56 teams written up on a whiteboard. A prize pool of £1680. We received our vouchers about 8 days later- a measly £50 each. One of the team left a comment on their Facebook page venting about the amount ( it was removed and he has subsequently been blocked) and their pro phoned him and said that the club had induced extra costs due to it being an open and had deducted this from the prize pool ( they had to bring in green staff )
Also the results they posted only had 37 teams when we knew for a fact that this wasn’t the case. I managed to get in touch with one of the guys who won the event last year and he confirmed that they received the same amount. They were told that the club could have sold those times to visitors so had to recoup their losses- they didn’t return to defend their title and we won’t be either.
Assuming the three places they paid out were on a 50/30/20 scale their total prize payout for the day was £300 - around 18%- daylight robbery - avoid this place like the plague

I'd delete the thread mate, you'll just get the usual faces telling you stop moaning and suck it up.

 

[Parsaregood]

To be honest it does sound like a fairly small first prize, not sure I'd make such a big deal of it though, probably just wouldn't bother with it again

 

[MendieGK]

Don’t see the issue. The fact your playing to care about the cash return sums it up for me. Golf for £10 😂

Didn’t realise clubs were charities

 

[Parsaregood]

Don’t see the issue. The fact your playing to care about the cash return sums it up for me. Golf for £10 😂

Didn’t realise clubs were charities

Not really about the money but it's a pretty pathetic return if you ask me. Not often people win things like that so a decent prize is nice. I'm sure he could have played golf at his own club for free

 

[fundy]

Not really about the money but it's a pretty pathetic return if you ask me. Not often people win things like that so a decent prize is nice. I'm sure he could have played golf at his own club for free

maybe next time he should then!

or maybe offer to pay a green fee if he wants his whole tenner to go into the prize fund lol

this forum never ceases to amaze................

 

[Parsaregood]

maybe next time he should then!

or maybe offer to pay a green fee if he wants his whole tenner to go into the prize fund lol

this forum never ceases to amaze................

Not about the money but it's a shambles for a 1st prize, I've won more money for a 2 in a monthly medal before

 

[fundy]

Not about the money but it's a shambles for a 1st prize, I've won more money for a 2 in a monthly medal before

well it clearly is about the money as thats what he and you are bleating about

congrats on your 2

 

[Garush34]

Wouldn't be any issue for me. At the end of the day you played golf for a tenner a person which is a bargain anyway, and then you made money back on that. Sounds like a good day out.

If you were really worried about what the prize return was, did you ask before entering what the break down was?

Just as a club would do with normal green fees, they are allowed to make money on open entries. Afterall they are a business.

 

[Parsaregood]

well it clearly is about the money as thats what he and you are bleating about

congrats on your 2

I dont play golf for money but if I win 1st scratch prize in an open its usually between £120 and £150, which is always nice if you win and keeps you interested

 

[robinthehood]

Oof, you can play this course for 20 quid on tee off times, so a tenner isn't really a mega bargain.

 

[BubbaP]

I've not really played opens, have read that it is often a way to play for a bit less.
Say a stanard green fee is usually circa £44, what would by a typical open fee be?