Course closed due to weather......refunds or not?

[Deleted member 1147]

I payed for a year’s membership last season, I was too ill to play for long periods, should I get a refund?

I’ll give you a clue - NO

 

[trevor]

My mate had a hip operation last year and got 2 free months membership so some clubs can do it.
If I was at a club that shut for long periods every year I’d soon be looking for another club to join.

 

[Diamond]

My mate had a hip operation last year and got 2 free months membership so some clubs can do it.
If I was at a club that shut for long periods every year I’d soon be looking for another club to join.

This is a good point. I would speak to the Secretary and take it from there. The other option is to leave. Some members just wont bother in the winter anyway.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

This is a good point. I would speak to the Secretary and take it from there. The other option is to leave. Some members just wont bother in the winter anyway.

One single golfer being given a break in membership due to injury etc is a common way of working at most clubs - but the OP is totally different as this is something that affects all members at once

When you join a club your membership is mainly for the year - if the course gets closed at some period then so be it - they aren’t going to refund members when they need the money to operate

 

[Bunkermagnet]

We had our winter league away day there a couple of years ago. That too was after some wet weather, and whilst the cousre was open and fairways resonable the rough was very boggy in many places.
I can only imagine that after all the rain we've had, the course must be severely boggy all over if its closed.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

When you join a club your membership is mainly for the year - if the course gets closed at some period then so be it - they aren’t going to refund members when they need the money to operate

exactly, the club will still be open, the green staff still working.
should the club ask for the salaries back?

 

[ScienceBoy]

I payed for a year’s membership last season, I was too ill to play for long periods, should I get a refund?

I’ll give you a clue - NO

I would suggest you apply for one, can’t hurt to ask as injury or illness should allow some refund.

Very little cost to the club to help out a member in need. Also totally different to refunding a months subs or more to 400+ members.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I would suggest you apply for one, can’t hurt to ask as injury or illness should allow some refund.

Very little cost to the club to help out a member in need. Also totally different to refunding a months subs or more to 400+ members.

I wasn’t off for a set period, I just had times when I couldn’t manage to play. A few weeks here of there, similar to a course being shut for a week here or there.
both are just luck of the draw unfortunately

 

[Diamond]

One single golfer being given a break in membership due to injury etc is a common way of working at most clubs - but the OP is totally different as this is something that affects all members at once

When you join a club your membership is mainly for the year - if the course gets closed at some period then so be it - they aren’t going to refund members when they need the money to operate

It affects all members but some members don’t play in the slop. All I am saying is that if you want guaranteed golf 12 months of the year it may not be the course for you. If the 2 month winter closure is a one off then a chat with the Secretary may iron out any problems or issues from the OP.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

It affects all members but some members don’t play in the slop. All I am saying is that if you want guaranteed golf 12 months of the year it may not be the course for you. If the 2 month winter closure is a one off then a chat with the Secretary may iron out any problems or issues from the OP.

Or country!

 

[Leftie]

I've played Nizels many times over the last 25 years or so. It has always been known as a 9/10 month course and virtually unplayable the rest of the time. Surely you knew this when you joined.

 

[Swingalot]

Probably why one of the owners of Nizels and his wife are members at Knole Park.

That is more than telling! Wow. If I was at Nizels that would grate a little.

 

[PJ87]

That is more than telling! Wow. If I was at Nizels that would grate a little.

Wouldn't grate me at all. Considering how many people on here alone are members of more than 1 club then if you owned a club you might be a member of another

Also the club is owned by clubcompany which owns 15 golf clubs throughout England

 

[arnieboy]

4Many of the courses north of the Downs will be struggling at the moment..

 

[Fish]

I thought Karen was Fairway Dodger?

 

[patricks148]

I payed for a year’s membership last season, I was too ill to play for long periods, should I get a refund?

I’ll give you a clue - NO

a couple of guys i know have both had the membership deferred due to illness, one was half way though the season, i'm sure your club would have done the same if you asked.

on the other hand what the OP is asking is .... well just silly

 

[Canary_Yellow]

I payed for a year’s membership last season, I was too ill to play for long periods, should I get a refund?

I’ll give you a clue - NO

That’s completely different though. although i sympathise with your position, you not being able to play is not down to the golf club

What we’re talking about is a business, not a members club. Those that have joined have signed up for an annual membership that gives them access to a golf club. However, access isn’t being granted so the business isn’t delivering on its side of the bargain.

Your circumstances were your circumstances, not the clubs. Although I’ve known many clubs give a discount on subs for the following year for similar.

I do agree though that they shouldn’t give a refund. It’s a risk that comes with being a member of a golf club in the South East. Some kind of gesture of goodwill is appropriate though. Fact is, this will damage their membership base so they need, as a business, to do something to remedy that. Sounds like what’s been offered so far might not be enough.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I'm thinking that the 'contract' between the member and the club may have a clause that indemnifies the club against claims arising from course closure due to 'Acts of God'

 

[Britishshooting]

No from me.

Golf courses want to keep closures to a minimum, they aren't doing it out of spite and everyday they are closed they have no income from guests/societies etc. It's all down to mother nature and a business can't factor that in. Similarly the other year when we had a ridiculous drought spell, the courses couldn't have possibly known this will happen. They didn't chase me for extra money to cover their additional overheads and overtime payments to staff, it's all luck of the draw.

We've had horrendous weather this year and to be honest I'm surprised courses local to me haven't been closed more than they have. One thing I will say though our course is part of a reciprocal scheme and has seemingly selected courses that are very well draining. Yes it may be a travel but people know if the course is shut they can get a knock 25 mins away if they so wish for a heavily discounted rate, (tenner).

 

[patricks148]

I've heard members have been asking for refunds at my club, we even have had some moan like buggery about no trolleys, even though the course was in no fit state to play when carrying, never mind trolleys, or even buggies!

These selfish members are mainly the older gits who think the club and course is wholly their own, they are usually on it 5-days a week, live in a 5 bedroom detached house on their own or with some other old wrinkly and drive to the club in their personal number plated top of the range Jaguar, 1 of a few top of the range cars they have which get renewed every year, and yet moan about not being able to play the course, even though its possibly dangerous to let them out on it.

But their pot of tea and crumpet with jam is appreciated every day, even though just 1 round of beer from my group on a single Saturday puts their weekly contribution to bed!

As someone said earlier, they'll batter it in the summer, and even though we're possibly the most expensive membership in the region, I bet they end up playing for less than £10 a round over the year due to the amount they play.

Thankfully the flag is at half mast more at this time of the year and the natural churn will soon be rid of all these selfish old gits, who at every corner also attempt to hold the club back from moving forward. There's a group of 4 or 5 that'd I'd happily have put down as all their moaning can't be good for their health, I think it would be the most humane thing to do.....

don't hold back now... tell us what you really think