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

[Swango1980]

But if say 250 members took up the bronze membership and only played 20 to 25 times a year the club would be struggling for money.

I think reducing green fees to increase visitor numbers is a short sighted way to raise money. I think it automatically devalues the club and membership, visitors paying £10 a round would then turn there noses up at paying £840 to become members.

Our full membership is £675. However, very few people are on that. Most are on the budget membership, which is £180 per year, then £6 a round at weekends and bank holidays, £4 during the week. Obviously, unless you play loads of golf, the Budget membership is by far and away the obvious choice.

The club have been doing this for 7-8 years, and it has been very successful. Ultimately, we are not one of the top golf clubs, who may have the luxury of having fairly high full annual membership fees, and enough people willing to pay those. But, we may be one of the few clubs in the area that have not been struggling financially over the last few years. I think the very serious, and the top golfers, will still be attracted to the top clubs in the area, and only too happy to put their hands in their pockets. However, I think we are doing a great job at attracting the more casual golfer, who either plays a lot with their mates and realise it will be cheaper in long run to become a budget member, or those fairly new to golf who are apprehensive about joining a top club, especially if it will cost them and they end up hating it.

I think different financial models will suit different clubs. It just depends what part of the golfing market you are trying to attract.

 

[BubbaP]

I'm sure I recently saw an ad for a golf club with the fees attached.
7 day was around 1200, 5 day about 750 and they had a 9 month membership for something like 1000
Cant for the life of me remember where though....

Studley Wood have, it did make me pull the calculator out!

 

[patricks148]

Our full membership is £675. However, very few people are on that. Most are on the budget membership, which is £180 per year, then £6 a round at weekends and bank holidays, £4 during the week. Obviously, unless you play loads of golf, the Budget membership is by far and away the obvious choice.

The club have been doing this for 7-8 years, and it has been very successful. Ultimately, we are not one of the top golf clubs, who may have the luxury of having fairly high full annual membership fees, and enough people willing to pay those. But, we may be one of the few clubs in the area that have not been struggling financially over the last few years. I think the very serious, and the top golfers, will still be attracted to the top clubs in the area, and only too happy to put their hands in their pockets. However, I think we are doing a great job at attracting the more casual golfer, who either plays a lot with their mates and realise it will be cheaper in long run to become a budget member, or those fairly new to golf who are apprehensive about joining a top club, especially if it will cost them and they end up hating it.

I think different financial models will suit different clubs. It just depends what part of the golfing market you are trying to attract.

is that a council owned course?

the kings here in Inverness does the same, though its a new course its still owned by the council as such, though run as a club. they call it flexible membership £260 and you get 10 games, ever game after that is £20, great if you only play once a month at most

 

[Swango1980]

is that a council owned course?

the kings here in Inverness does the same, though its a new course its still owned by the council as such, though run as a club. they call it flexible membership £260 and you get 10 games, ever game after that is £20, great if you only play once a month at most

No, but it has a private owner rather than being a members club

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I think different financial models will suit different clubs. It just depends what part of the golfing market you are trying to attract.

Also depends upon where your course is located I think. Being slap bang in the middle of Surrey/Hants borders area we have to compete with a lot of top clubs and courses, and so our offering has to be competitive - and as there is sufficient local wealth for the typical levels of subs locally we have to pull in sufficient income from subs to develop our offering and keep it competitive.

Sure if we were short of members we could temporarily reduce our subs - but that would IMO be very short-sighted as over time we would risk the club failing through lack of investment. When we have been short of members we have reduced or suspended our joining fee and come up with different age-related or short term membership models - but we have not reduced members annual subs. We are fortunate that we do not suffer lengthy course closures and so there is never a call for refunds.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

No refund answer for me.

That said the individuals need to decide if the membership benefits match the cost or if another club fits better.

Interestingly from the club point of view, they may need to consider this as well, as it could mean an exodus of members to other clubs.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

At one of my old courses the council would not allow a full season ticket.
I persuaded them to offer an off peak season [Weekdays + Weekends after 4pm] at an annual fee plus a fee per round
It seemed an attractive offer and was immediately successful.
It did work well as it was easy to tweek the prices to control the flow. [todays equivelant would be around £200 pa + £8 per round =£1000pa for 50 rounds]
Some payed the fee and only played a few rounds a year whilst others played twice a week and brought in a steady income,.
When the courses were closed we still had the season ticket as income whereas previously there would have been nothing.

 

[Swango1980]

Also depends upon where your course is located I think. Being slap bang in the middle of Surrey/Hants borders area we have to compete with a lot of top clubs and courses, and so our offering has to be competitive - and as there is sufficient local wealth for the typical levels of subs locally we have to pull in sufficient income from subs to develop our offering and keep it competitive.

Sure if we were short of members we could temporarily reduce our subs - but that would IMO be very short-sighted as over time we would risk the club failing through lack of investment. When we have been short of members we have reduced or suspended our joining fee and come up with different age-related or short term membership models - but we have not reduced members annual subs. We are fortunate that we do not suffer lengthy course closures and so there is never a call for refunds.

Yeah, definitely depends on what other options are in the area, and membership prices. Lincolnshire seems to be relatively cheap. I mean, the price of being a member at Woodhall Spa, home of England Golf, 2 very different courses, and known to be one of the best inland courses in the country, is probably very much cheaper than being a member at reasonably OK courses in other parts of the country. I was even surprised my membership prices at some clubs in the north west.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Yeah, definitely depends on what other options are in the area, and membership prices. Lincolnshire seems to be relatively cheap. I mean, the price of being a member at Woodhall Spa, home of England Golf, 2 very different courses, and known to be one of the best inland courses in the country, is probably very much cheaper than being a member at reasonably OK courses in other parts of the country. I was even surprised my membership prices at some clubs in the north west.

Expecting to pay about £1700 when renewal notice drops through my door in the coming weeks...but that is simply consistent with similar members clubs around us - other than a few that are, or consider themselves, 'elite'. Any missed weekend is pricey...(well..£35)

 

[Swango1980]

Expecting to pay about £1700 when renewal notice drops through my door in the coming weeks...but that is simply consistent with similar members clubs around us - other than a few that are, or consider themselves, 'elite'.

Wow. A hell of a lot more expensive that Woodhall. I believe that is around the £1000 mark

 

[Russ_D]

Expecting to pay about £1700 when renewal notice drops through my door in the coming weeks...but that is simply consistent with similar members clubs around us - other than a few that are, or consider themselves, 'elite'. Any missed weekend is pricey...(well..£35)

Wow, thats pricey. I can join Willow Valley G&GC for £960, gives access to all 3 courses, or £645 for the "Intermidiate" 18 hole and the 9 holer or just the 9 holer for £348. Starting to think its not too bad now

 

[CliveW]

No golf today....

 

[USER1999]

Expecting to pay about £1700 when renewal notice drops through my door in the coming weeks...but that is simply consistent with similar members clubs around us - other than a few that are, or consider themselves, 'elite'. Any missed weekend is pricey...(well..£35)

Pretty standard for a club in the SE. Mine is similar, as are most equivalents in the area local to me.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Pretty standard for a club in the SE. Mine is similar, as are most equivalents in the area local to me.

yup - that's what our golf costs us...but hey - I consider myself very fortunate to be able to afford it...so no complaints from me.

 

[GB72]

I think that it is the lower prices in Lincolnshire that do keep me as a member. Over £1000.00 and it would be a pretty simple decision, I do not play enough golf to justify that cost every year.

 

[Swango1980]

yup - that's what our golf costs us...but hey - I consider myself very fortunate to be able to afford it...so no complaints from me.

You guys get paid too much

 

[patricks148]

No golf today....

i would complain Clive, a refund should be in order IMO

at least 6 months worth

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

I've never gotten a rebate for bad weather.
Our course was closed down two seasons to resolve drainage issues--requiring basically a total rebuild--and that worked beautifully.

If you lay down a course on top of nature as it exists, particularly in a rainy climates, I imagine that there will be problems.
On the other hand, totally reshaping and regrading 150 acres is no small undertaking.
A member owned club might not be able to do it.
That takes serious corporate money.

 

[patricks148]

one of te guys yesterday was saying the new Kings course has already been closed double the days the old course was by this time of year.

glad i don't rely on there for a game

 

[BrianM]

one of te guys yesterday was saying the new Kings course has already been closed double the days the old course was by this time of year.

glad i don't rely on there for a game

I'm hearing they are going to have to do more digging as the drainage isn't sufficient for the amount of rain / water.
Looking down from the house, can't believe the amount of standing water on fairways and greens.
Too much cost cutting.