Commercial Golf Clubs and what you look for

[glynntaylor]

Evening,

Simple question....are golf clubs becoming to commercialised.

Currently looking at new clubs in the area and it appears the traditional member club is fading and clubs are becoming more commercial with restaurants, accommodation, confrence rooms and health clubs/gyms. Are the killing our traditional club? Or do you prefer this?

Also what do you look for in a club...I spoke to a pro at Druids Heath yesterday and he said its imperative to have a good social club and club that has members that will socialise. Also advised asking the members questions about the club as they are more honest.

What's your thoughts and possible tips for me to look for.

BTW...I have been able to range token rounds at the clubs which is a great start.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

To me it is irrelevant if they offer these facilities.

Stuck in my ways maybe, but I would never belong to a proprietary club.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I'm a traditional club guy - not really interested in 'country club' type clubs - but the finances of golf and changing attitudes of the new yung golfer may well mean that the trad club does not provide the package that's looked for.

 

[Blue in Munich]

I don't know about your domestic circumstances but the social side at my club is a huge attraction. We are a traditional members club but with a very active & varied social calendar. Quiz nights, themed restaurant nights, music nights covering jazz, blues, Abba & Rat Pack tributes, theatre trips by coach (matinees with a meal at the club after), murder mystery evening, New Year's Eve party, Summer Ball, you name it, if there's an interest they'll try it. The huge bonus of this for me is that my wife now regularly visits the club socially and gets pleasure from my being a member which she never did from the previous club. Consequently there's none of the antagonism towards the club that some of my playing partners have from their spouses and we get some great nights out.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I don't know about your domestic circumstances but the social side at my club is a huge attraction. We are a traditional members club but with a very active & varied social calendar. Quiz nights, themed restaurant nights, music nights covering jazz, blues, Abba & Rat Pack tributes, theatre trips by coach (matinees with a meal at the club after), murder mystery evening, New Year's Eve party, Summer Ball, you name it, if there's an interest they'll try it. The huge bonus of this for me is that my wife now regularly visits the club socially and gets pleasure from my being a member which she never did from the previous club. Consequently there's none of the antagonism towards the club that some of my playing partners have from their spouses and we get some great nights out.

Very similar at my place. Very traditionally run with an active social calendar. We do hire the clubhouse for private do's (birthdays, receptions, etc) which is fine by me as it's all valuable income and not done a frequent basis

 

[DCB]

Would never consider a proprietary club as you are totally at the mercy of the operator. Traditional members clubs, whilst still finding the going hard, are still the safest bet if you value your club golf.

 

[glynntaylor]

Guys

Thanks for your input. So in short it appears the traditional club.

One final...practise facilities...more importantly a range? Is it imperative to have a driving range at your club. All of them have short game but I do like to practise the long game and find it great for warming up at my present club.

My present club does have a gym but to pay an additional £25 ish a month for the usage is ludicrous.

I'm interested how the process will turn out and will keep you posted.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Guys

Thanks for your input. So in short it appears the traditional club.

One final...practise facilities...more importantly a range? Is it imperative to have a driving range at your club. All of them have short game but I do like to practise the long game and find it great for warming up at my present club.

My present club does have a gym but to pay an additional £25 ish a month for the usage is ludicrous.

I'm interested how the process will turn out and will keep you posted.

We have a grass practice area. Not entirely flat but sufficient. It has a practice bunker, pitching area and we also have a putting green we can chip onto as well. It's not as good as some clubs, but better than others. Ideal for working on my game. It's a pretty important requirement in my list of facilities for a club to have

 

[ChrisB0210]

I've only ever been a member of a members club. Unfortunately, ours may as well be a proprietary club as it is definitely run for the benefit of a handful of members and their other halves. Consequently, social events are very "samey" and are not the sort of event that many members, including myself, are prepared to support. Quizzes and similar are held once a year if we're lucky, the committee then wonder why more members aren't seen in the clubhouse other than when they've been playing.

In terms of practice facilities, then I would always want a decent practice area or areas if I were to go elsewhere. Another negative of my present club is very limited practice facilities which are essentially comprised of the practice putting green and a practice area between the 1st & 10th tees that can only be used by a limited number of members at a time and, as it uses part of the course, not as a pre-round warm up area.

 

[guest100718]

Who cares who owns it. As long as the course is nice and the members friendly then it deosnt really matter.

 

[glynntaylor]

Paddy

We currently have a builders merchant in charge....more interested in building the hotel than putting sand in bunkers...something that's been promised for over 12 months. Also just opened up a full separate restaurant on the side of the club house. (Not one where you could just nip into after a round)

IMO course is key followed by the clubhouse....what's inside such as restaurants are luxury if the Club is doing well.

 

[guest100718]

Paddy

We currently have a builders merchant in charge....more interested in building the hotel than putting sand in bunkers...something that's been promised for over 12 months. Also just opened up a full separate restaurant on the side of the club house. (Not one where you could just nip into after a round)

IMO course is key followed by the clubhouse....what's inside such as restaurants are luxury if the Club is doing well.

Where i play is owned by a farmer, he looks after the course and does a great job.

 

[duncan mackie]

I do not believe that it's as simple as members v proprietary.

There is also a huge difference in the financial equations depending on where the course is situated (big picture) and just as large an issue for the social side (small picture) when the club is in the middle of nowhere.

Overall golfers in the UK have never had as wide a choice as to what is important to them at what price - instead of generalised knocking we should appreciate this.