Bust

[robinthehood]

Can i ask what clubs you are looking at in the Herts area ?

Everywhere.
Today Iooked at John o gaunt, Hadley wood. Brookmans park.
I just want some where to play golf and take some friends who are fair weather golfers! That said it does have to be in good nick.
I'm being drawn to the freedom play offering from crown as I can maintain a handicap at local club but still pay and play with my friends who are unlikely to ever take club membership

 

[robinthehood]

I see now that brookmans park have dropped joining fee and reduced subs for the next 50 applicants.
Sign of the times I guess, I doubt they'll pick up many of the ex potters bar lot though

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Everywhere.
Today Iooked at John o gaunt, Hadley wood. Brookmans park.
I just want some where to play golf and take some friends who are fair weather golfers! That said it does have to be in good nick.
I'm being drawn to the freedom play offering from crown as I can maintain a handicap at local club but still pay and play with my friends who are unlikely to ever take club membership

If you want a course that’s in good nick then you will need to look at the Hadley Woods and John O Gaunts

But there are places like Aldwickbury which are decent but not too expensive- lots of choices but the better ones will be a bit more and have a joining process

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

If you are going to adopt that business model, then you have to offer some pretty good incentives away from just playing golf to keep members and that means social aspect, camaraderie, Sky TV, cheap bar, competition golf and reciprocal deals etc.
The question is, how many clubs are doing that and where are the nomads going to play when all the members clubs have gone?

Pleased to say that my place have done all of what you suggest as we had to get our membership up - and keep it up.

In fact just last weekend we had our Club Christmas Show - about 40 members putting it on - and 3 shows in front of audience of maybe 70-80 a show. So if there is a bit of thespian in you then opportunity knocks - and then there's the club choir and concerts if you fancy harmonising with other members. On the golf side we have superb practice facilities - including more recently addition of three covered bays on our range (and room enough for the longest drivers); free range balls for members; indoor golf studio with GC2 and HMT launch monitor for lessons; plus separate putting green and large chipping practice ground. Meanwhile on the course we are rebuilding every single bunker as ecobunkers to ensure consistency across the course and to reduce bunker maintenance costs.

And we currently have a short waiting list. If you build it, They will come.

 

[HughJars]

Pleased to say that my place have done all of what you suggest as we had to get our membership up - and keep it up.

In fact just last weekend we had our Club Christmas Show - about 40 members putting it on - and 3 shows in front of audience of maybe 70-80 a show. So if there is a bit of thespian in you then opportunity knocks - and then there's the club choir and concerts if you fancy harmonising with other members.

I don;t have the words to describe how much I wouldn't want to be a member of this club

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I don;t have the words to describe how much I wouldn't want to be a member of this club

Fortunately (for some and such as you) you don't have to take part...

Show raised a good sum of money for this years Captain's Charity

 

[HamiltonGuy]

We sold off some land at our course which was a par 3 9 hole. I wasn’t around at the time as I was a member elsewhere however the money was reinvested in drainage and other bits on the course with more to do on clubhouse etc. There is still a small joining fee for our course £350 in comparison to the £1400 when I first looked to join 10 years ago although then there was also a waiting list. I think the selling of the land will keep the club in relative financial health for sometime. I suppose not all clubs have that luxury though in the lanarkshire area most of the “better” courses Ek, bothwell, strathaven, Lanark etc all have joining fees. Perhaps if one was to drop it they all may be forced to but maybe they all have an unwritten agreement

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I don;t have the words to describe how much I wouldn't want to be a member of this club

You and me both. A total antithesis of why I'd join a club

 

[richart]

You and me both. A total antithesis of why I'd join a club

Why ? Club has all the practice facilities you would want, and course being improved. Social event you don’t have to attend, but raising money for charity.

We have lots of social events, including quiz nights, bridge evenings, themed meals in the evening. Some I attend, and some I don’t, but great to have a choice. I am sure the events raise money for the club, that then gets reinvested.

We have a full membership and a joining fee, so must be doing something right.

 

[HughJars]

Why ? Club has all the practice facilities you would want, and course being improved. Social event you don’t have to attend, but raising money for charity.

We have lots of social events, including quiz nights, bridge evenings, themed meals in the evening. Some I attend, and some I don’t, but great to have a choice. I am sure the events raise money for the club, that then gets reinvested.

We have a full membership and a joining fee, so must be doing something right.

I think it's more - if that's your thing, and as you say a lot of members enjoy it, then I'm not seeing I'd have a lot in common with the membership. No offence intended

 

[patricks148]

Pleased to say that my place have done all of what you suggest as we had to get our membership up - and keep it up.

In fact just last weekend we had our Club Christmas Show - about 40 members putting it on - and 3 shows in front of audience of maybe 70-80 a show. So if there is a bit of thespian in you then opportunity knocks - and then there's the club choir and concerts if you fancy harmonising with other members. On the golf side we have superb practice facilities - including more recently addition of three covered bays on our range (and room enough for the longest drivers); free range balls for members; indoor golf studio with GC2 and HMT launch monitor for lessons; plus separate putting green and large chipping practice ground. Meanwhile on the course we are rebuilding every single bunker as ecobunkers to ensure consistency across the course and to reduce bunker maintenance costs.

And we currently have a short waiting list. If you build it, They will come.

sounds like the masons to me, is it a masonic club

 

[richart]

I think it's more - if that's your thing, and as you say a lot of members enjoy it, then I'm not seeing I'd have a lot in common with the membership. No offence intended

Not sure I said a lot of members enjoy the events. Imagine bridge nights and quiz evenings have around 30/40 attending. 400 plus dont go, but isn't it a good idea to offer them still, if they make money for the club, and are enjoyed by some ? Meals probably attract around 60/80 so a bigger percentage, and not sure why anyone would not want to be a member of a club that offers them. Perhaps we are more sociable down south.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Not sure I said a lot of members enjoy the events. Imagine bridge nights and quiz evenings have around 30/40 attending. 400 plus dont go, but isn't it a good idea to offer them still, if they make money for the club, and are enjoyed by some ? Meals probably attract around 60/80 so a bigger percentage, and not sure why anyone would not want to be a member of a club that offers them. Perhaps we are more sociable down south.

Not just down south, works in the middle part as well, yeah great ideas, really enjoy the odd quiz nights, thinking of actually risking going to a dinner/dance evening this year at a club and helps to gets more money into the bar/kitchen.

 

[robinthehood]

6 clubs closed in as many weeks.
http://www.thegolfbusiness.co.uk/2018/12/95-year-old-hertfordshire-golf-club-ceases-trading/

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

Have you looked at WGC GC ? I would be happy to play a round with you if you were interested.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Lets be honest - good courses/club don’t go bust , anytime you near of courses going under or struggling you aren’t really surprised at the end of the day - I know one course in this area is really struggling and I’ll be surprised if it doesn’t close and another that is short of members significantly and will struggle unless they get them back up but I don’t see how they will

 

[Robster59]

I think that perhaps clubs that rely on Captains to do everything are at a disadvantage as a club Captain is not necessarily a businessman or someone who can make the correct long-term decisions. In the old days when there were waiting lists and you had income from joining fees you didn't have to worry as much about finances, marketing, etc. as you do now.
That's why we changed to the Board of Management. The Captain contributes in terms of ideas and effort but there is a core of people who have the correct skills who are helping to guide the club forward.

 

[USER1999]

We have a board, responsible for running the golf club as a business, and a committee responsible for day to day club stuff. The Captain sits on both, but has more sway on the comittee.

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

We have a board, responsible for running the golf club as a business, and a committee responsible for day to day club stuff. The Captain sits on both, but has more sway on the comittee.

^^^^^ This for us too.

 

[Robster59]

Here's a different approach.
"The Grange and Broughty Golf Clubs, which occupy neighbouring sites on Monifieth links, have agreed to merge in response to dwindling memberships and will be based in the current Grange clubhouse."
It's creative thinking and it allows the two clubs to continue whilst getting the overheads of running the club down. Especially when you have four separate clubs sharing the Monifieth links.
Grange and Broughty Golf Clubs to merge