Club Membership Categories

[0]

Due to the equality act it is now against the law to offer different fees for men and women (or so I believe unless you can justify it as a minority group or something).
I have also heard now to stabilise revenue some clubs are getting rid of 5 day members and just offering one flat membership for 7 days. Does anyones club do this and what effect has it had on members, have they increased revenue or lost revenue as 5 day members jack in all together ?
Does anyones club have a 6 day membership so some categories get to play in some of the comps ?
Does you club do anything for the oldies who may only pay 6 months of the year or can only do 9 holes at a time but still want to be members but cant pay the full fees ?

 

[Imurg]

I'd be mighty peeved if my place did away with 5 day membership. Apart from rare weekends like this one coming (about 4 per year), playing at weekends is just a non-existent thought process. So if I can't play weekends then I don't want to have to pay for the priviledge of not being able to play weekends.
I can't play as often so I expect to pay less.
7-dayers have the option to play every day if they want/can. I don't want the weekend option so I don't want to pay for it.
Are they going to do away with reduced rates for "adult" males under the age of 30 as well?

 

[stevelev]

I dont know why clubs dont offer twilight member ships, and weekend only memberships or 2 rounds a month etc....

Not everyone can get out regularly, and to have the options avaiable and be part of a club with the option to enter comps would definitely attract new blood.

I understand clubs wanting to generate income, but look at how its done. I also think if clubs offered free golf for serious marshalls, more people would enjoy a smoother round, more timely tee times and it looks after the course and the local people who wan to work but can t find paid employment in these hard times. Especially at comps to spots for ballson blind holes blackspots etc, also to speed play up at bottle necks.

I also think that no matter what your age if over 18 you should pay the same rate. Unless you are a full time student. There are plenty of unemployed people in the country who struggle to afford golf, why give the younger few a privelege, make them realise once you can work you need to pay for everything at the going rate. It would also give a lot of clubs more revenue to maintain the course.

I think every club should have an artisans group aswell.

 

[GB72]

I'd be mighty peeved if my place did away with 5 day membership. Apart from rare weekends like this one coming (about 4 per year), playing at weekends is just a non-existent thought process. So if I can't play weekends then I don't want to have to pay for the priviledge of not being able to play weekends.
I can't play as often so I expect to pay less.
7-dayers have the option to play every day if they want/can. I don't want the weekend option so I don't want to pay for it.
Are they going to do away with reduced rates for "adult" males under the age of 30 as well?

The other side of the argument is that I do not want week day membership but I have to pay for it. I never get to play in the week but have to pay ful whack for the 2 days I can play. Seems relatively fair to me, charge everyone the same, have one flat and everyone can play as much as they can when they want or have many more membership options so as you only pay for the days you use/

 

[0]

Are they going to do away with reduced rates for "adult" males under the age of 30 as well?

Imurg - not sure how the law stands - I am no expert but with the equality act you can't descriminate by age either come October time i think so you can't have categories for under 30's and over 65's etc

......... Unless anyone knows different ?

 

[Imurg]

I'd be mighty peeved if my place did away with 5 day membership. Apart from rare weekends like this one coming (about 4 per year), playing at weekends is just a non-existent thought process. So if I can't play weekends then I don't want to have to pay for the priviledge of not being able to play weekends.
I can't play as often so I expect to pay less.
7-dayers have the option to play every day if they want/can. I don't want the weekend option so I don't want to pay for it.
Are they going to do away with reduced rates for "adult" males under the age of 30 as well?

The other side of the argument is that I do not want week day membership but I have to pay for it. I never get to play in the week but have to pay ful whack for the 2 days I can play. Seems relatively fair to me, charge everyone the same, have one flat and everyone can play as much as they can when they want or have many more membership options so as you only pay for the days you use/

Get your point GB but by being a 7-dayer you have the option to play if you are able, whether you take it up is your choice. As a 5-dayer I do not have the option of weekend golf unless I pay a green fee.
The answer is in the previous post, multiple options. 7-day, 5-day, Weekend only, etc etc

 

[GB72]

Fair point but the objection was that you did not want to have to pay for 2 days that you would not use. I have to pay for 5 days that I do not use. If everyone paid the same, everyone would have the opportunity to play every day and it would all be even for everyone with one fixed fee. That would be totally fair. I would be intrigued to see if the 7 day members (who are the largest in number and pay the most at my club) actually subsidise the reduced fees for the various other categories.

I agree, however, that weekend membership is the way forward and if a club introduced that near me I would be at the front of the queue to sign up.

 

[SwingSlow]

I don't think ours would pull the 5 day membership - they'd lose about 100 seniors if they tried.

 

[Evesdad]

I'm in the can only play at the weekend boat, well until I finish I finish work on Thursday anyway. So I've been paying for the five days I can't use. Another option for people who want to join but not play as much could be a small annual fee, and then pay a reduced green fee. My club offered a member in waiting scheme where a £100 fee was paid and I think six free rounds after that rounds were charged at half price, while the membership was approved or you got to the top of the list. The list is non existent now so no point! But a small fee some free rounds then reduced fees maybe an option for many people who with working/family commitments could enjoy being part of a club with competitions etc but without the time to make the most of the financial and time constraints of 7day membership.
Phew nearly ran out of breath!

 

[HRC99]

Are they going to do away with reduced rates for "adult" males under the age of 30 as well?

Imurg - not sure how the law stands - I am no expert but with the equality act you can't descriminate by age either come October time i think so you can't have categories for under 30's and over 65's etc

......... Unless anyone knows different ?

You can, if those groups are under-represented in your membership.

For most clubs, the under 30s will almost certainly be under-represented.

 

[Smiffy]

I approached the Secretary at Highwoods and asked if he could introduce a "play only on Wednesdays and every other Sunday" membership category but he told me to feck off

 

[bobmac]

I approached the Secretary at Highwoods and asked if he could introduce a "play only on Wednesdays and every other Sunday" membership category but he told me to feck off

I'm surprised they let you join in the first place

 

[Doh]

We now have three catagorys gold=full silver= six day sunday to friday bronze-5 1/2 days monday to friday and sunday aftrenoon .Seems we should have gone for one cat maybe two, but three makes it hard to police. Plus the six day and the 5 1/2 are aking for concesstions.

If we pay a reduced green fee can we play in the comps eer no.

One club have gone down the one membership only way seems much better. Oh and the ladies at ours that are now seven day members are asking for guaranteed tee times, put your name on the sheet like we all have to you are no longer a lady your are a seven day member.

 

[USER1999]

Every one always wants a different membership category to suit their own individual needs. Every one thinks they are subsidising someone elses golf. Thing is, the costs to run the club are pretty fixed, and to my mind should be divided equally amongst the members.
If you can only play one day a week, you might be better off paying a green fee and not being a member.

 

[Losttheplot]

Ref the OP,
We don't have a separate fee for men or women. It's full 7 day membership or nothing, no 5 day option available now. I believe it used to be available and them 5 day members are still 5 day members (no forced to upgrade to 7 day at an extra cost).

We do have an intermediate membership for under 30's though.

 

[griffgolf]

Every one always wants a different membership category to suit their own individual needs. Every one thinks they are subsidising someone elses golf. Thing is, the costs to run the club are pretty fixed, and to my mind should be divided equally amongst the members.
If you can only play one day a week, you might be better off paying a green fee and not being a member.

I dont think you would be able to keep an official handicap if not a member.

 

[viscount17]

Every one always wants a different membership category to suit their own individual needs. Every one thinks they are subsidising someone elses golf. Thing is, the costs to run the club are pretty fixed, and to my mind should be divided equally amongst the members.
If you can only play one day a week, you might be better off paying a green fee and not being a member.

I dont think you would be able to keep an official handicap if not a member.

and therein lies the problem.

it needs to be recognised that not all nomads wear sombreros, just as not all members wear white hats.
being able to maintain a national handicap outside of the club setup should not be impossible (imo, it should be a part of the EGU function, that way all golfers pay their bit).

but, that leads to another problem, the clubs would suffer further membership losses.

 

[grumpyjock]

At Bradley its Full membership £110 for both sexes.
At Willow Valley They do 7day at £64 a month or 5day at £39,
they also do Green fee member at £26 a month.
this allows me to play any day for roughly half price green fees.

 

[daymond]

I pay a 5 day membership. I leave the weekend for you hard working guys to enjoy. the extra cost for 7 day membership is only £120,but I'm not tempted.