Can clubs discriminate over Joining Fees?

[doublebogey7]

I understand the point, but a what point do you start means testing purchases?

Nowhere have I said I agree with means testing in regards to a golf membership. I just don't understand why people get in a tither over what others pay for their membership and was responding to your assertion that lower fee's for youngsters are ok, but not for women. There are many reasons that some clubs offer lower fees for certain groups but they are usually around the desire to recruit more from those groups.

 

[Sports_Fanatic]

As it should be.

Equality should mean equality!

I always find postive discrimination challenging, but how you've used the phrase "equaltiy should mean equality" doesn't have the same impact if one side has had a bias for a long period beforehand as naturally same terms will still mean it's harder for one group. Less so in this example, but still relevant given the comments already on facilities. comp times etc.

 

[shortgame]

Surprised (and saddened!) to hear some clubs still restrict access to tee times by gender! I can understand some competitions being gender specific as a different course is in effect being played, however would hope there would also be many mixed competitions of varying formats.

Same for booking non-competition rounds, really don't think anyone should be barred from playing social golf on competition days (maybe excluding club champs) - if everyone's all paying the same fees then they should all have the same rights and access to the course... even if certain days/times are generally used by certain groups (swindles, seniors, ladies).

Back to the OP, I'd love to see more ladies (and girls) playing the game. As with most things some clubs seem to do much better than others, some have thriving ladies sections some are almost non existant.

 

[patricks148]

Surprised (and saddened!) to hear some clubs still restrict access to tee times by gender! I can understand some competitions being gender specific as a different course is in effect being played, however would hope there would also be many mixed competitions of varying formats.

Same for booking non-competition rounds, really don't think anyone should be barred from playing social golf on competition days (maybe excluding club champs) - if everyone's all paying the same fees then they should all have the same rights and access to the course... even if certain days/times are generally used by certain groups (swindles, seniors, ladies).

Back to the OP, I'd love to see more ladies (and girls) playing the game. As with most things some clubs seem to do much better than others, some have thriving ladies sections some are almost non existant.

on thinking it over i'm all for lower fee's for Young attractive women

 

[shortgame]

on thinking it over i'm all for lower fee's for Young attractive women

 

[Lord Tyrion]

on thinking it over i'm all for lower fee's for Young attractive women

Where do you stand on increased fees for ugly old blokes then? If men get to choose who fits your option then surely women will get to choose on this one. Golf could become even more expensive

 

[patricks148]

Where do you stand on increased fees for ugly old blokes then? If men get to choose who fits your option then surely women will get to choose on this one. Golf could become even more expensive

we are only talking about reduced fee's for women and if they were young a pretty i don't have a problem with it.

start another tread if you think old ugly guys should pay more

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I'm just pointing out the dangers of bringing looks into it. Slippery slope

 

[patricks148]

I'm just pointing out the dangers of bringing looks into it. Slippery slope

for you maybe

 

[huds1475]

Kids are not the same as men/women memberships.

Kids can't pay, they don't work, they rely on parents.

Fair enough.

My point wasn't about ability to pay, that might open up another can of worms!!!

My point is, the intent is to attract certain membership categories. In this case that category happens to be female members.

They have a right to incentivise any category they want to. Doesn't make it discrimination unless people want to get offended by it.

If they offered discounts for couples joining together then no doubt some single people would get offended.

Some people need to get over themselves.

 

[clubchamp98]

If everything is equal in your club for all members, then why not bring it up at the AGM . Sadly many clubs are not like that, some even restrict the senior section to men only. Golf clubs are generally a bad example of equality whether its women, junior, younger players, non competition players and so on but the club will be voted/changed by the majority, so that is always going to be the case.

Maybe your club(ie. its members) have decided to try to increase the number of ladies in the ladies section, just like trying to increase younger players in the club with lower fees, the club is just trying to increase the number of 'x' players in a certain group.

Ok if that’s what you think.
Don’t you think it hasn’t been challenged at the AGM.

 

[clubchamp98]

So you're ok with age discrimination but not sex discrimination. Accept that as a view but you yourself have explained why it is a perverse one.

Why perverse?
Young people are the future of golf.
A forty year old male and a forty year old female are just the same .

 

[Papas1982]

Why perverse?
Young people are the future of golf.
A forty year old male and a forty year old female are just the same .

There are lots of 40 yr old men for the young lads to see and follow in the footsteps atm. How many 40 yr old women are there for the young girls to see and want to follow?

 

[clubchamp98]

There are lots of 40 yr old men for the young lads to see and follow in the footsteps atm. How many 40 yr old women are there for the young girls to see and want to follow?

That gets into the women’s game as a whole and why it’s struggling at pro level in Europe.
If I knew the answer I would be rich.

But positive discrimination gets you Diane Abbott.
Most young girls are told they are equals in the world ,until they come to pay their golf subs.

 

[Wolf]

There are lots of 40 yr old men for the young lads to see and follow in the footsteps atm. How many 40 yr old women are there for the young girls to see and want to follow?

This is a really good point, I listened to a pod cast with Hugh Mar and Martin Slumbers the CEO of the R & A, he spoke of how in Scandinavian countries it was common that families played together and how the key for growth in those countries was mum's playing golf with their kids, that golf was more a family social event etc and he felt that looking at getting more women between late 20s to early 40s would then encourage youngsters in turn to take up the game as families would play together etc.

He described it a lot better than I have but it was an interesting take on it and I think we focus on getting youth in to golf but we miss looking at female golf which in turn can aid growth in other areas because we still live in an age where we shun ladies golf to an extent

 

[doublebogey7]

Why perverse?
Young people are the future of golf.
A forty year old male and a forty year old female are just the same .

Are they!!

It could also be argued that getting more women playing golf would lead to a much brighter future for the game, which is why England Golf is spending money on doing just that.

 

[shortgame]

This is a really good point, I listened to a pod cast with Hugh Mar and Martin Slumbers the CEO of the R & A, he spoke of how in Scandinavian countries it was common that families played together and how the key for growth in those countries was mum's playing golf with their kids, that golf was more a family social event etc and he felt that looking at getting more women between late 20s to early 40s would then encourage youngsters in turn to take up the game as families would play together etc.

He described it a lot better than I have but it was an interesting take on it and I think we focus on getting youth in to golf but we miss looking at female golf which in turn can aid growth in other areas because we still live in an age where we shun ladies golf to an extent

Thanks, that's really interesting.
Do you have a link?

 

[Papas1982]

That gets into the women’s game as a whole and why it’s struggling at pro level in Europe.
If I knew the answer I would be rich.

But positive discrimination gets you Diane Abbott.
Most young girls are told they are equals in the world ,until they come to pay their golf subs.

The payment of fee's is done purely as a business decision. If a club is so popular that it can charge a joining fee (most in my area don't except the top links courses) then it is entirely their choice who they charge what. It isn't a course discriminating against men, it's simply a club hoping to entice women. Maybe they charge men because they don't want anymore, so try to make themselves less appealing to men?

 

[Jacko_G]

Fair enough.

My point wasn't about ability to pay, that might open up another can of worms!!!

My point is, the intent is to attract certain membership categories. In this case that category happens to be female members.

They have a right to incentivise any category they want to. Doesn't make it discrimination unless people want to get offended by it.

If they offered discounts for couples joining together then no doubt some single people would get offended.

Some people need to get over themselves.

The Crux is "want to get offended". That will happen in every walk of life and every club, golf or likewise up and down the country.

Someone will always feel hard done by

 

[Wolf]

Thanks, that's really interesting.
Do you have a link?

I don't have the link as I listened to everything through Spotify when I'm in the car. The podcast is under the name. Of talking golf as Hugh Mar has a series of them, his one with Denis Pugh is good to. If you Google Talking Golf Podcast then you should be able to find the right one.