GB72
Money List Winner
Credit where credit is due at my club, there have actually been some very good changes already and, if the discussions at captains day are anything to go by, more are afoot.
Last year the joining fee was abolished. Many have said that it makes no difference but in our case it very much has. It seems that there was a decent number of 30-40 year olds who really wanted to join the club but were put off by that fee. They have been paying and playing at Belton Woods up until now or have drifted away from the game but are now signing up as members now that the fee has gone. We are also getting a few forces members from the local barracks that was helped by our hosting the national Infantry Golf Tournament last month. As a result, there is a younger feel to the place.
We are also in the process of changing pro. The old one and his assistant were not always customer friendly and there has been a parting of the ways. The new chap is coming from Kings Lynne and, whilst he cannot start for another month, he has been to visit and has his assistant in the shop when he can and so early signs are good.
The club has also started putting on more relaxed competitions on weekends when there is nothing in the diary. By more relaxed I simply mean that there are no tee closures or tee bookings, you just turn up, pay your money and enter the comp. It makes a nice change from the current system of booking 2 weeks in advance.
The real big one, however, is that it looks like jeans are going to be allowed in the clubhouse in an attempt to increase member use of it. Having said on many occasions that this has stopped me using the club when I am not golfing, I now have every intention of being good to my word and increasing my spend once this is official. I have to admit that I was slightly disappointed in one of my playing partners who was all doom and gloom about this change. As far as he was concerned this was a drop in standards that would mean that we would have all sorts of undesireables and poor behaviour in the clubhouse. I did try and explain that as it was only for use of members, you would only have the same people in their wearing different clothes.
Anyway, I am very hopeful that these changes will remove the slightly stuffy feeling that some have said the club has and make it a more fun, forward thinking place overall.
Last year the joining fee was abolished. Many have said that it makes no difference but in our case it very much has. It seems that there was a decent number of 30-40 year olds who really wanted to join the club but were put off by that fee. They have been paying and playing at Belton Woods up until now or have drifted away from the game but are now signing up as members now that the fee has gone. We are also getting a few forces members from the local barracks that was helped by our hosting the national Infantry Golf Tournament last month. As a result, there is a younger feel to the place.
We are also in the process of changing pro. The old one and his assistant were not always customer friendly and there has been a parting of the ways. The new chap is coming from Kings Lynne and, whilst he cannot start for another month, he has been to visit and has his assistant in the shop when he can and so early signs are good.
The club has also started putting on more relaxed competitions on weekends when there is nothing in the diary. By more relaxed I simply mean that there are no tee closures or tee bookings, you just turn up, pay your money and enter the comp. It makes a nice change from the current system of booking 2 weeks in advance.
The real big one, however, is that it looks like jeans are going to be allowed in the clubhouse in an attempt to increase member use of it. Having said on many occasions that this has stopped me using the club when I am not golfing, I now have every intention of being good to my word and increasing my spend once this is official. I have to admit that I was slightly disappointed in one of my playing partners who was all doom and gloom about this change. As far as he was concerned this was a drop in standards that would mean that we would have all sorts of undesireables and poor behaviour in the clubhouse. I did try and explain that as it was only for use of members, you would only have the same people in their wearing different clothes.
Anyway, I am very hopeful that these changes will remove the slightly stuffy feeling that some have said the club has and make it a more fun, forward thinking place overall.
