Course membership fee shock...in a good way!

[FuzzyDuck]

I've been a member of my local course & club for 4 years, price has been pretty stable but the owner has made it clear that the course is not making any money. It was also no secret that membership had dropped over the last few years.

So I was gobsmacked to receive an email today indicating that the course fee for 7 day members was being reduced by £119. On top of that members over 65 will now get an extra £70 discount (and there is another discount for members over 75). To counter this there will no longer be 5 day memberships but I suspect most 5 day members will be retired and so get the extra discounts and probably be slightly better off anyway.

Anyone else seen membership fees drop?

 

[duncan mackie]

So it's a drop fo7 day members but probably an increase for 5 days, with an almost guaranteed further hike over the next couple of years (under the banner of still being less than year X - until it's back on track).

Please don't take this as negative - sounds like someone has given a lot of thought to marketing their revisions; which is good.

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

Our club has a generous discount for seniors but golf privileges are limited to weekdays.
Not a problem for me.

 

[RangeMonkey]

So it's a drop fo7 day members but probably an increase for 5 days, with an almost guaranteed further hike over the next couple of years (under the banner of still being less than year X - until it's back on track).

Please don't take this as negative - sounds like someone has given a lot of thought to marketing their revisions; which is good.

I doubt there will be an increase in cost for 5 day memberships, given that “there will no longer be 5 day memberships”...

 

[Deleted member 21258]

The home club has done something similarish.

7 day membership reduced by about £100 iirc to £625.

5 day membership has been removed I think(so an increase from £560 to £625 I think!)

they are trying to get more 7 day members and make 7 day membership cheaper, to attract more members...

Think they are making more changes, like introducing a points based membership and removing some of the other cats(like 9 hole or pm memberships I think) but not 100% on those.

Would imagine there will be some short term fall out from the changes, as a guess.

Hope it works for the owner, hes quite a nice guy from what I know of him, so best of luck to him.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I've been a member of my local course & club for 4 years, price has been pretty stable but the owner has made it clear that the course is not making any money. It was also no secret that membership had dropped over the last few years.

So I was gobsmacked to receive an email today indicating that the course fee for 7 day members was being reduced by £119. On top of that members over 65 will now get an extra £70 discount (and there is another discount for members over 75). To counter this there will no longer be 5 day memberships but I suspect most 5 day members will be retired and so get the extra discounts and probably be slightly better off anyway.

Anyone else seen membership fees drop?

So what happens if numbers continue to decline? How long will the owners wait if they are losing money?

 

[FuzzyDuck]

So what happens if numbers continue to decline? How long will the owners wait if they are losing money?

That was the point of speculation in the clubhouse today, if the course loses even more money then the owner will close the course. They are just about to add 21 hotel rooms to the complex, however these will have very little golf use I suspect. There is a lack of hotel rooms in the immediate area (large government site that employs many out of area contractors) and I suspect if it was just run as hotel, the lack of golf facilities would not effect the occupancy rates. It's very unlikely the owner would be able to sell off the grounds for building development, he already tried to get planning permission for an unused part of the course grounds and got roundly rejected.

 

[Beezerk]

I got a £300 price drop, but then again I did move courses ?

 

[FuzzyDuck]

Just checked last years prices, 5 day members paid £699 and next year if under 65 will have to pay £725.

 

[Wayman]

I got a £300 price drop, but then again I did move courses ?

Where you joined Marty???
Prudhoe,Utd garesfield

 

[jim8flog]

We have slowly but surely got rid of the discounts for seniors and now apply a larger % increase to 5 day fees than to 7 day ones.

We always have an increase equivalent to the rate of inflation at minimum.

 

[Beezerk]

Where you joined Marty???
Prudhoe,Utd garesfield

Garesfield mate, I know a few people there and it's a 3 minute drive from my house. No brainer, it's a bit hilly mind ?

 

[Imurg]

I got a £300 price drop, but then again I did move courses ?

Ha!
I'm getting a 210% increase when I move in April
But it'll be worth every penny

 

[Wayman]

Garesfield mate, I know a few people there and it's a 3 minute drive from my house. No brainer, it's a bit hilly mind ?

Mate it’s been in good nick when me and moogie has played in Wednesday opens it’s decent track. Told you few years back that you will end up joining. Much easier when course is on door step

 

[Jacko_G]

Seniors discounts. When will courses learn that it is killing golf clubs.

Thankfully most courses up here are on the ball and stopped discounts for the group of golfers who can play anytime, generally have the most free cash and time.