Extortionate green fees!

[VVega]

Somewhere like Troon, one 4 ball of visitors probably pays more than the annual subscription for members. Set aside 2 hours per day Monday to Friday for visitors and that probably covers all expenditure of the club.

Is it really the case that top courses membership is under 2K? Definitely not for clubs around Surrey.

 

[adasko]

Is it really the case that top courses membership is under 2K? Definitely not for clubs around Surrey.

Weekday 4 ball costs 700 at mines and membership is 830.
Last year club made 500k from members and 1 million from visitors

 

[VVega]

Weekday 4 ball costs 700 at mines and membership is 830.
Last year club made 500k from members and 1 million from visitors

Wow, where is it?

 

[D-S]

Is it really the case that top courses membership is under 2K? Definitely not for clubs around Surrey.

Burnham and Berrow - full playing membership 1600, green fee 150. At Porthcawl and St.Enodoc this ratio will be even higher. 3 x 4 balls a day at 220 a go gives you just under a £1 million which is a decent membership income.
The Holywell course at Enodoc and the Channel course at Burnham contribute large amounts of revenue from summer holiday makers and winter golfers looking for dry links. The economies of scale looking after two courses rather than one are very large (more efficient use of machinery and labour, one GM, one Head GK, one clubhouse albeit larger etc. etc.)

 

[adasko]

Wow, where is it?

Cruden Bay in Aberdeenshire

 

[VVega]

3 x 4 balls a day at 220 a go gives you just under a £1 million which is a decent membership income.

A bit of optimistic forecasting to average this over 365 days?

 

[D-S]

A bit of optimistic forecasting to average this over 365 days?

Ok 6x4 balls a day (1 hour of tee times) in the season then.

 

[VVega]

Ok 6x4 balls a day (1 hour of tee times) in the season then.

One can come up with any numbers one likes, hypothetically. The actual financials of the club can be very different.

 

[Crazyface]

There was that belief at one point - the yanks wouldn’t play a course that wasn’t over £200

What I don't get is why those courses don't just charge the Yanks the £200+ and anyone who has a UK passport 50% less. Win win

 

[adasko]

What I don't get is why those courses don't just charge the Yanks the £200+ and anyone who has a UK passport 50% less. Win win

That's what they doing in a lot of places in Scotland. Scottish residents rates are a lot cheaper.

 

[D-S]

That was/is the logic of the County Card however almost all top/expensive courses, whose prices have risen the most both in % and actual terms, have withdrawn from the scheme. A great shame.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I might classify something as being ‘extortionate’ if I have no choice but to pay. If I have a choice, then nobody is extorting anything from me…it becomes choice…in which case the cost isn’t extortionate.

I’m disappointed that the cost of playing many ‘top’ courses has increased as it has. I’d like to play them; I could afford to play them (with decent gaps ); but I’m not bothered if I don’t (OK I am just a little bit).

Besides, I’m not a fan of lists of top courses others have played, as for some they just seem to be for a bit of braggadocio - and the truth is for most of us playing these courses is just about having the money. Jolly good. Spend away. But not for me. I’ll just continue to test the affordability patience of my wife with my club membership.

 

[sunshine]

Is it really the case that top courses membership is under 2K? Definitely not for clubs around Surrey.

You’ve missed the point here. If visitors are paying £1k+ for a four ball, that subsidises all the running costs so members don’t have to pay much.

 

[KenL]

Cruden Bay in Aberdeenshire

Must get up there sometime as we have a reciprocal.
I know a few of our members who have been and loved it.

 

[KenL]

That's what they doing in a lot of places in Scotland. Scottish residents rates are a lot cheaper.

They are but those times are limited and only available a couple of weeks in advance at the likes of King's Barns.

 

[KenL]

What I don't get is why those courses don't just charge the Yanks the £200+ and anyone who has a UK passport 50% less. Win win

No concessions that I know of other than to Scottish residents. Wrong in my opinion.

 

[VVega]

You’ve missed the point here. If visitors are paying £1k+ for a four ball, that subsidises all the running costs so members don’t have to pay much.

I think it’s a reasonable assumption but yet life proves different.

 

[Crow]

At our weekend rate we'd require just over 7 fourballs to cover one 7 day annual membership.

 

[KenL]

At our weekend rate we'd require just over 7 fourballs to cover one 7 day annual membership.

About 5 weekend green fees would cover my annual subs.