Club's compensation package for lockdown 3.

Kennysarmy

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After Lockdown 1 our course, which is privately owned, volunteers run the "club" side of things offered 2 compensation options; 1. £75 shop voucher and some guest passes, 2. 7 weeks off the last two months direct debit payments.

This time they've just emailed to say the compensation package is 1. Two months of your membership subscription value as bar credit to be used by 31st March 2022 and 2. All existing members that renew will have membership prices frozen at the 2020-2021 rate for 2021-2022 subscription year.

That's all very well and good but a group of us have decided to join another club from April 1st so basically even though we've paid the same in as all the other members we're going to be entitled to nothing!

I wish I'd just cancelled my direct debits back in January!
 

RichA

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Are they compelled by your contract to offer compensation or are they incentivising renewal?
My small club is also privately owned. Compensation hasn't been mentioned by anyone and I hadn't thought about it. I figure that if they had to fully furlough all the staff because there was no money coming in, then the course would struggle to recover for months.
 

Kennysarmy

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Wife's course is "Marriott" and they stopped collecting DDs as soon as forced to close.

Mine is member-owned and I think we got about £100 off this years subs (paid in January) but that will be about it.

Imagine how pissed off you'd be if that £100 was only paid off your NEXT year's subs and you'd actually decided to leave....
 

jim8flog

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Aa discussed on the similar thread.

Members club

When lockdown 1 started our subs for 2020- 2021 were due on the 1st of April 2020 the club made an offer to all those that had already paid and for those debating about paying a pro-rata credit on our 2021-2022 subs many offered the club to waive the credit and were given a thankyou in the way of a bar credit if they renew this April.

No members have been offered a credit for lockdowns 2 and 3 on the simple basis that there is no money in the coffers and if they did they would simply have to increase the subs for 2021/2 by the amount of the credit to cover costs for 2021/22. That increase would then be in the fees for ever more.

We will get 3 visitors tickets as part of the renewal.
 

jim8flog

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We had about 100 members not renew in 2020 and it was interesting that many that had not renewed came back when the lockdown 1 finished although some waited until the winter membership was offered.

I knew of one fairly large group that all went to another club but came back in winter when they realised how often that club closed in the wet weather.
 
D

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Sorry I’m struggling to see the issue ?

So the club have decided to give compensation to members but you are not happy that you won’t get it because you decided to leave ?‍♂️

I don’t understand what you think the club should have done ? Give you money back ?
 

D-S

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A few years ago our club offered 4 guest passes as a thank you to members (can’t remember why). It was a nice gesture and appreciated by the members however that year members guests fees were down about £25,000 so these ‘freebies’ are still a cost to the club.
 

Beedee

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My course is Hilton owned. They stopped collecting DDs for those that use them and have told us that the "pay in full" people will get an equivalent reduction on next year's fees. Only if we renew of course.
 

mister v

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we're a private club and We're getting a free mug...... , its a great club, members are friendly and as any club there are a few dullards, but im happy to pay my fair share if it keeps it open........ as they said in an email to us the grass doesnt stop growing just because your not here
 

Kennysarmy

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we're a private club and We're getting a free mug...... , its a great club, members are friendly and as any club there are a few dullards, but im happy to pay my fair share if it keeps it open........ as they said in an email to us the grass doesnt stop growing just because your not here

Our club is privately owned, they will have furlouged all the pro, shop, bar and ground staff thus their outgoings will be minimal so I think it's only fair they should refund the money to the members who have been paying for a service they can't provide.

Sorry I’m struggling to see the issue ?

So the club have decided to give compensation to members but you are not happy that you won’t get it because you decided to leave ?‍♂️

I don’t understand what you think the club should have done ? Give you money back ?

Yes, in the way of a pro. shop voucher would have at least enabled those who have decided to leave to have had something back and still given the pro shop some turnover and profit.
There offer seems ill thought out.
 

D-S

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Our club is privately owned, they will have furlouged all the pro, shop, bar and ground staff thus their outgoings will be minimal so I think it's only fair they should refund the money to the members who have been paying for a service they can't provide.



Yes, in the way of a pro. shop voucher would have at least enabled those who have decided to leave to have had something back and still given the pro shop some turnover and profit.
There offer seems ill thought out.
Clubs might have furloughed catering and bar staff but their is still admin to be done, oftenthe Pro Shop are not Club employees as this is the Pro’s business so no savings there, the grass keeps growing and repair and project work still needs to be done by the greenstaff so all can’t/shouldn be furloughed. Also don’t forget that your subscriptions are subsidised by green fee income from members guests, visitors and societies which have dried up completely. There is also no income from bar and catering, the profit of which in some clubs again subsidises members’ fees. The club might have smaller expenses but this has to be balanced against zero normal income. Giving members back significant chunks of annual subscriptions will/would cripple many clubs financially.
 
D

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Our club is privately owned, they will have furlouged all the pro, shop, bar and ground staff thus their outgoings will be minimal so I think it's only fair they should refund the money to the members who have been paying for a service they can't provide.



Yes, in the way of a pro. shop voucher would have at least enabled those who have decided to leave to have had something back and still given the pro shop some turnover and profit.
There offer seems ill thought out.

But you decided to leave ?‍♂

You left the club and they decided to offer people incentives to those that will support for the future
 

Yorkhacker

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Maybe you should just stay another year if you are that concerned about getting your moneys worth. I'm guessing you are leaving because you are not happy there
 
D

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Wont be surprised if test law cases happen over these kind of things, as not convinced the golf clubs are in the right in the eyes of the law but pass on that front.

OP The problem is once someone else has your money, its difficult, as you are only left with three choices. 1. is to appeal to their 'good nature', 2. take to social media to try to encourage them to do something else or 3. sue them.

Not easy decisions., sure there is more to the story than what you type.
 

patricks148

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part of the problem sometimes is people who pay by DD think they are paying for a monthly service like a Gym, where as most are though a credit company that pay the club an upfront fee.

they are not its an annual sum, i don't think clubs can be help to rebates if its down to Gov regulation
 

jim8flog

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Our club is privately owned, they will have furlouged all the pro, shop, bar and ground staff thus their outgoings will be minimal so I think it's only fair they should refund the money to the members who have been paying for a service they can't provide.

We had a substantial predicted loss just from the 1st lockdown that figure has now quadrupled with the second and third lockdowns. Some green staff were still working during that and even more of them have worked during this lockdown so that planned projects could be done. We still have the shop open to receive parcels and the club manager at least is still working and given the amount of work to prepare invoices for renewals so is the accounts lady probably. Some outgoings such as insurance, interest on bank loans and HP payments on machinery will still be being paid.
 
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