Current Regulations and New Members

[GB72]

Just wondering how clubs are dealing with new members at the moment. Under normal circumstances they would get pointed towards the regular roll ups or suggest they sign on to blank booking slots. With no roll ups, no new member nights or comps and I would assume people sticking to their normal groups, how, if at all, are clubs integrating new solo members. Even the old last resort of turning up and asking if anyone was short a playing partner is out now.

Interested as I may be looking to sign up to a club again soonish and wondered what clubs were doing to help ensure that new members get a game.

 

[Orikoru]

I imagine more and more clubs have a WhatsApp group these days? We have one and as tee times are scarce at the moment, members have been booking two balls then advertising in the group of anyone wants to join them. So a new member could get a game that way potentially.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I imagine more and more clubs have a WhatsApp group these days? We have one and as tee times are scarce at the moment, members have been booking two balls then advertising in the group of anyone wants to join them. So a new member could get a game that way potentially.

We aren’t allowing anonymous booking so you cannot just book a slot then hold it until you have a name, you have to give members name when you book.

We are also not yet accepting new members, but I expect that to alter this month as it’s renewal at the end of it.

 

[SammmeBee]

We aren’t allowing anonymous booking so you cannot just book a slot then hold it until you have a name, you have to give members name when you book.

We are also not yet accepting new members, but I expect that to alter this month as it’s renewal at the end of it.

You must be the most financially well off club in the country then....

 

[Imurg]

Lots of our booking slots have been made by singles and anyone can book to play alongside them. And now we've gone to 3 balls slots are being booked as singles or doubles leaving space for so eone else.
I'm not sure how many newbies we have but if they book a slot as a single it's almost guaranteed that someone else will book into that slot too.
Anyone who doesn't want to play with anyone else has an option to include a Generic Social Distancing Player to block out the time.

 

[Pathetic Shark]

We have an e-mail going out today to anyone who has joined in the past two months introducing them to our roll-ups and other events. Our first competition on 27th June - I am holding several tee times back at the end specifically for new members who want to re-establish or play for handicaps and are not yet on HowdidIdo.

 

[Junior]

We've 36 new members. Right now we've a whatsapp group people can sign upto if they're looking for games. It's working really well.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

No new members since the lockdown but any who joined shortly before lockdown started will already most likely have played in a roll up - so will know a member or two - and in any case when two balls they could just book a slot and another member will have joined them.

If three balls starting today suggest less pressure on time slots, my sat morn roll up is going to see if we can reserve a few slots. Thinking that groups of weekday golfers will be able to grab slots close together without a group reservation - weekend golfers should perhaps be supported by club to achieve similar.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

You must be the most financially well off club in the country then....

Hardly, just well managed. It’s no good chasing a quick buck if it creates long term damage or disquiet.
Once this years renewal notices have gone out and the club know how many members are not renewing they will be able to allow new members in

 

[AirdrieHacker]

I was in the process of joining a new club when lockdown was announced, not heard anything from them yet about following it up.

 

[SammmeBee]

Hardly, just well managed. It’s no good chasing a quick buck if it creates long term damage or disquiet.
Once this years renewal notices have gone out and the club know how many members are not renewing they will be able to allow new members in

Full membership - well done them!

 

[Deleted member 15344]

We have just under 30 I believe , some are joining with friends and from other clubs , they are being given names of swindle leaders and many are just adding their names onto the tee sheets alongside others. We have another 12 waiting to joining plus some coming for a trial round

 

[HomerJSimpson]

We've a few that have come in. I think the club are offering trial memberships (something I am strongly against) and we're picking up a few nomads who are struggling to get on anywhere

 

[GB72]

We've a few that have come in. I think the club are offering trial memberships (something I am strongly against) and we're picking up a few nomads who are struggling to get on anywhere

That was not the question, the point was what are you doing to ensure that new members get a game bearing in mind that all of the normal methods (roll ups, new member meetings, new member comps, turning up and asking if anyone is looking for a game) are all off the table at the moment.

 

[Robster59]

It's a good question as I think with the restrictions, people will be looking to join a club to get a game of golf. I was speaking to our club manager and we have 5 new members join us last week. That means at least one is on their own as, at the moment, we can only play in pairs. We would always offer new members the option of introducing them to groups, and there is a list in the changing rooms for new members to pair up. Of course, that's all by the board at the moment so I'm not sure what the club is doing at the moment.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

That was not the question, the point was what are you doing to ensure that new members get a game bearing in mind that all of the normal methods (roll ups, new member meetings, new member comps, turning up and asking if anyone is looking for a game) are all off the table at the moment.

Nothing and nor at this stage do I think the club should be (and aren't). We as members need to be able to access tee time bookings (not something we usually have so a learning process for the members) and get as much golf in as we can, especially while the weather is good. I think the club are looking at members/guests at some point. Those new members we've secured have as much right once they've paid their money to book a time as anyone else. If anything, I've found the two ball times have meant being lumped together with a few new faces to either fill a spot or they've signed up to play with me.

Now we're at four balls it may be harder. Again though I'd suggest they simply grab the bull by the horns and put their name down and play. Not many at the club that are that stuffy and wouldn't want to play with a stranger

 

[GB72]

Nothing and nor at this stage do I think the club should be (and aren't). We as members need to be able to access tee time bookings (not something we usually have so a learning process for the members) and get as much golf in as we can, especially while the weather is good. I think the club are looking at members/guests at some point. Those new members we've secured have as much right once they've paid their money to book a time as anyone else. If anything, I've found the two ball times have meant being lumped together with a few new faces to either fill a spot or they've signed up to play with me.

Now we're at four balls it may be harder. Again though I'd suggest they simply grab the bull by the horns and put their name down and play. Not many at the club that are that stuffy and wouldn't want to play with a stranger

Why do you feel that genuine new members should not be helped to pair up with a few people at a time when there is no bar, no chance to arrive on spec, no roll ups, no comps etc and, in fact, many people being entrenched in their existing groups until courses open fully. I can understand that clubs may not have any provisions as they have quite a bit on their plate at the moment but why do you feel that leaving new members to fend for themselves at a time when most of the avenues available for a new member to integrate are closed.

I am sitting here with the money to spend but need some indication that I am not going to be out in the cold for a few months. I am not some nervous newbie, I am an experienced member but being put in touch with a couple of whatsapp groups or similar would certainly sway my decision on where I went. I am not sure how attractive a club would be whos membership felt wit was a good thing to sign up new members now and ignore them.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

That was not the question, the point was what are you doing to ensure that new members get a game bearing in mind that all of the normal methods (roll ups, new member meetings, new member comps, turning up and asking if anyone is looking for a game) are all off the table at the moment.

At my place a member who joined close to the lockdown (when we stopped taking new members) and maybe doesn't know that many or any folks, simply books a tee time and another member or two will join him. Or they stick their name on the sheet where there is a 'spare' at a tee time.

 

[Shooter McPowick]

Glad you posted this. I’ll be a new member soon and was wondering the same thing...

 

[GB72]

At my place a member who joined close to the lockdown (when we stopped taking new members) and maybe doesn't know that many or any folks, simply books a tee time and another member or two will join him. Or they stick their name on the sheet where there is a 'spare' at a tee time.

Good to hear that is happening. At my old club pretty much everyone has their own groups and so it was very rare to get a lone person booking that you could join up with or a group with a slot spare. Again, good that others will sign in with a person booking a speculative time on their own.

Not the same for you as your membership is currently closed but, as we are going to be stuck in this social distancing world for a while, it would be nice for cubs to thing of ways to help out new members, perhaps a new members whatsapp group which can be used to pass on information or find a game. The sort of thing that just cannot be done face to fact now.

Also interested to see if any other clubs have taken the view expressed earlier in the thread that existing members who have paid up throughout the lockdown should be protected and ensure that they get plenty of golf ahead of new members who have just signed up. I can sort of understand a degree of animosity to anyone who was able to quit when the lockdown started and now wants back in but cannot understand the hostility to brand new members who could be with the club for years to come.