Can golf clubs afford life members?

[golfchat1]

I foresee there will be big fallouts at my club at this years AGM we currently are at capacity of just over 500 members, of which 125 are life members and don't pay a penny.

Surely no clubs can sustain this ratio as now more of us love alot longer but how do we deal with this they have voting rights and a good number of them are past captains and committee members.

I wouldn't mind but alot of them are playing 3 4 5 times a week and not contributing some do pay donations but not much.

O have no issue with giving out a clubhouse membership with 20 games a year or something but in ten years what will it be half the membership?

Life membership is now stopped for new members but that's too late plenty more comming through.

Anybody have or having this problem?

 

[DCB]

Interesting problem. At one time or other the club must have needed the money that Life membership would have brought in. The club must have been happy to take that money at that time. It can't now turn round and say, well we need more money so you'll have to pay more now.

The problem should now be focused on the remaining 350 members and what is needed to increase this number to a financially viable position.

With falling golf club membership across the country, this is no easy task but it's the real answer to the problem. A good marketing strategy and a good pricing strategy and make it attractive to new members.

In your instance, with only 350 members, ther's got to be a real threat to the financial footing of the club and a real effect on next years budgeting. If you lose the standard 'churn' at the start of the season you really are struggling.

I don't think going after the Life Members is necissarily the best way to go.

 

[chrisd]

The new equality laws which come in today may be a problem with giving some members a deal which is not open to all members. If you google the EGU for their words of wisdom on the new laws it might clarify better what I am saying. It says that to offer "special" terms of membership to a select few members is not allowed but where age is the factor, it doesn't alter until (I think) 2012.

Chris

 

[golfchat1]

We do have one or 2 members who paid for life membership but the other 120 or so never paid at my club you earn life membership by being a full adult member for 25 years and are over the age of 65 so none of these people have paid a lump sum to help the club.

The problem is we can't increase our numbers because the course is too busy as it is.

And the other 375 members are paying a premium price at £900 a year for their membership.

I don't expect them to pay the same amount but half seems fair certainly for the ones that play 4 times a week.


Times have changed 100 years ago people weren't playing golf at 65 something must.

 

[DCB]

I see where you're coming from now. We have a similar category, over 65 and 25 years membership (something like that) however, they still pay a reduced annual membership sub.

Don't see a problem at an AGM where a motion to alter the conditions of that memebrship category can't be discussed and voted on. That's what AGMs are for.

 

[thecraw]

Wouldn't entertain the coffin dodgers myself. Free bus pass, half price this, half and a half deals in pubs and they want free golf!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not a chance, nor do they deserve it. No one forced them to join and pay their fees for 20 plus years, they opted to pay it. Sod them.

 

[DCB]

There speaks the voice of a younger man

 

[thecraw]

There speaks the voice of a younger man

There speaks a voice of reason. I wouldn't expect to get my golf for free. I also don't expect to subsidise a retired person who can play at any time on any day.

 

[bigslice]

what if it was 50 years, would that help thecraw? the second best course in GM top 100 has this in place.

 

[thecraw]

NO!

Why should they? As I say, they opted to join their respective golf clubs, they made a conscious decision to pay their fees to remain members.

A huge big absolute NO!

 

[RGDave]

There speaks a voice of reason. I wouldn't expect to get my golf for free. I also don't expect to subsidise a retired person who can play at any time on any day.

I'm with you 100%. I'd say if the club was in trouble then it's time to ask the lifers to shell out. Some things are irreversible; free golf isn't.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think if a club is in trouble then the lifers should at least be asked to pay a nominal amount (£100 perhaps) per year especially given the amount of play they are getting. If they are anything like a lot of our seniors they rarely use the 19th and wouldn't recognise the caterers if they were the only two people in a room

 

[bobmac]

Why not give them the option of paying £200 a year or £1 greenfee every time they play?

 

[USER1999]

I have thought this for a long time. There is a time for freebies, and it isn't now. We have an ageing population, and it is mainly the oldies with all the money. It is not sustainable. These guys made a fortune from the housing market, it is time for them to put a bit back in.

 

[RGDave]

These guys made a fortune from the housing market, it is time for them to put a bit back in.

How true. A lot of the folk I know aged 65-85 are minted. Thanks to their minted-ness and the bonkers housing/lending market of the last 10-15 years, young people are faced with the difficult choice of whether they can afford £50+ per month for golf membership after paying their rent or mortgage.
Some young adults are paying nearly 50% of their earnings on their mortgage.

It's called economic fascism.....and I'm not joking.

At my club there are no life memberships or freebies for those members of long-standing. If there was, I wouldn't be a member.

 

[richart]

My club has just offered life membership to all 7 day members for £17,500, and this is irrespective of age. Now where did i leave my cheque book