Do clubs value visitors too much.

[la_lucha]

I've just enquired about a course for membership next year. I've edited it to protect the identity of the course, which some of you may know already. They came back to me with the figures and I have replied with the following.

Hi , I've just done some number crunching and I play approx 45 times per year. On the Expensive course this is £30 per round. This works out to £1350. Now if I join the club and play 45 times it works out to £33.87 per round. 50% of which will be on the cheaper course. Unless I am getting my figures out you are essentially charging me more to play as a member than a visitor. I can't see the sense in this?

I genuinely want to join the club but I may as well pay and play if these are the best rates available?





Now I understand the benefits you get as a member I.e. Priority booking, an official handicap and the opportunity to play in comps but surely it should work out cheaper to be a member than just a visitor? I don't expect special introductory offers to a successful course but would expect some reward for loyalty?

I presume the majority of courses do work out cheaper as a member than visitor?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

You aren't paying membership based on the amount of rounds you play

Clubs can't dictate their membership fees based on the amount of rounds you will play

 

[la_lucha]

Surely they should make membership better value than visitor green fees for the average golfer? My current course certainly does.

 

[tsped83]

Ours is certainly cheaper as a member, that said as a private club I don't believe we get many visitors or society thingys. Would make more sense to me to incentivise people to become members. Like the above post however, cost of membership will factor in more than avg. price per round.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Surely they should make membership better value than visitor green fees for the average golfer? My current course certainly does.

Again the value will be determined on how often you play

 

[la_lucha]

No the value will be determined on how often the average golfer plays.

 

[GreiginFife]

No the value will be determined on how often the average golfer plays.

How often does the average golfer play? Is there such a thing? Membership also has the advantage of just playing when you feel like it.

 

[la_lucha]

Surely there is a base level for the averAge golfer when calculating membership fees and green fees? Otherwise how do courses calculate their required green and membership fee to ensure they achieve the required turnover vs costs.

 

[fundy]

Surely there is a base level for the averAge golfer when calculating membership fees and green fees? Otherwise how do courses calculate their required green and membership fee to ensure they achieve the required turnover vs costs.

Yes there is but why do you assume you are that average golfer?

 

[patricks148]

Im not sure your sums are right.

If i were to play once a week (which i don't ) it works out as under £14 per round if i were to play the Green fee its goes from £50 in the winter to £100 during the season per round.

in my book thats very good value.

 

[GreiginFife]

Surely there is a base level for the averAge golfer when calculating membership fees and green fees? Otherwise how do courses calculate their required green and membership fee to ensure they achieve the required turnover vs costs.

There are too many variables IMO. My club works out required income for maintenance, operations and to an extent any historic exceptions, takes the max membership level split by category and then works back from there.
Trying to guage an average attendance of over 700 people is just not feasible. Personally I think I am fairly average and play a minimun of 50 times a year. But again there is variance in that as well.

 

[la_lucha]

Im not sure your sums are right.

If i were to play once a week (which i don't ) it works out as under £14 per round if i were to play the Green fee its goes from £50 in the winter to £100 during the season per round.

in my book thats very good value.

This place is £30 per round on the expensive course during the weekend. Membership is £127 per month. Obviously the midweek greenfee is more like £20-25.

 

[full_throttle]

you could join Coventry Golf Club for £1200 a year plus a joining a fee, that's £60 a round or £30 on the county card, according to their website.

 

[la_lucha]

you could join Coventry Golf Club for £1200 a year plus a joining a fee, that's £60 a round or £30 on the county card, according to their website.

This is what I mean. It's clearly cheaper to be a member than visitor there.

 

[Hobbit]

Tough one... if they raise their green fees they'll get less visitors. If that number drops too low you'll end up seeing your subs rise.

But why are you querying their subs without knowing how much money they need to balance their books. If I was club sec, and you came back to me with that sort of reply I'd tell you to jog on.

 

[Biggleswade Blue]

I've done this sort of calculation too for a range of places near me.

I reckon that you seem to break even playing about once a week.

But if you join, you get lots of other benefits - practice facilities, handicap, competitions, social scene, the ability to go and play just a few holes. You perhaps decide how much that is worth to you, and then decide if it's value for money.

 

[GreiginFife]

This is what I mean. It's clearly cheaper to be a member than visitor there.

Again though thats based on how many times YOU will play, rather than this average figure or even the figure based on the clib's financial requirements. If the average is 55 times a year on weekends only then that would skew the comparison, likewise playing 55 times all midweek would as well. Again variables all at play.

 

[richart]

£30 visitor rate sounds cheap for a course costing £1500 a year to be a member. Have I got my numbers right ? My membership is £1350 from memory, but a green fee is £60. Perhaps the green fees are too cheap ? Courses around me which have similar membership fees, have even higher green fees.

 

[GreiginFife]

£30 visitor rate sounds cheap for a course costing £1500 a year to be a member. Have I got my numbers right ? My membership is £1350 from memory, but a green fee is £60. Perhaps the green fees are too cheap ? Courses around me which have similar membership fees, have even higher green fees.

Similar thoughts here looking at that. My home course is £610 per year but £30 and £35 green fees week day/ Weekend respectively. I play min 4 times a month so nearly double in green fees would be my annual visitor cost.

 

[la_lucha]

£30 visitor rate sounds cheap for a course costing £1500 a year to be a member. Have I got my numbers right ? My membership is £1350 from memory, but a green fee is £60. Perhaps the green fees are too cheap ? Courses around me which have similar membership fees, have even higher green fees.

In fairness this could be the case it's a cracking course for £30. But surely thhe membership rates/green fees shouldn't be so close that this question is ever raised. My current club is £800 a year but the green fee is £25-30. So it makes sense to be a member even of you only play 40 times per year.