FAO Scottish golfers.

[User101]

Now before anyone thinks this is a bit odd or I need to get out more, I don't know anyone in this video either so save your post....

Anyway, regards my topic a few weeks back about the decline in golf members, I came across this video tonight, it's 52 minutes long, so I don't expect you to watch it all (saddo me did) but if you at least watch the first few minutes it gives some startling facts about golf club membership in Scotland.

[video=youtube;1MiZho_vVS0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MiZho_vVS0[/video]

 

[stevek1969]

Watched the whole episode and a lot of hard hitting facts about the state of our game.

 

[CliveW]

I got this direct from Scottish Golf last year. Food for thought.

 

[turkish]

Yeah already watched the full thing when it came out- it is pretty scary and it seems with the trend there will end up golf course closures where only the strong survive.

That being said someone made an interesting point that maybe the actual number of golfers aren't in decline but clubs are making it a lot more fluid and easy with one off rounds being so cheap.... however in a competitive market I can't see that changing.

 

[Robster59]

Yeah already watched the full thing when it came out- it is pretty scary and it seems with the trend there will end up golf course closures where only the strong survive.

That being said someone made an interesting point that maybe the actual number of golfers aren't in decline but clubs are making it a lot more fluid and easy with one off rounds being so cheap.... however in a competitive market I can't see that changing.

I'd agree with this. There are a lot more transient golfers around now and with deals via various online providers they can pick and choose where they need to play. In addition, many clubs have now dropped their joining fee. Some may see this as a good thing but that joining fee gives the member a tie to the club which means they are less likely to move.
We have already seen a number of clubs go under in Scotland, with others decidedly struggling.
People still see golf as an expensive hobby. In fact, it can be one of the cheapest there is and the more clubs struggle for revenue, the better deals they'll offer to the transient/nomad golfers to just pay and play rather than joining a club.

 

[PaulyMcK]

Having only recently starting playing this Sport again in the last 3 years at the age of 23, I can understand why the numbers are falling. I don't think the numbers are that scary, I know a lot of people that have only taken up the sport again with memberships at similar ages to me. Even some who are in the 50s who are now looking to get back to the course and take up memberships.

Younger people are too committed to university, finding a job and working. This means that golf gets put down to a social game that you maybe only play with your mates once every so often. Although I do think that the younger numbers in golf from ages 25 to lower will increase over the next couple of years, with so much golf content now accessible from Smart phones and Tablets. Younger people will grow up watching these Youtube Pro's etc and will have a lot more content than what any of us had as a child growing up.

I'm lucky enough that I have a choice of decent enough golf courses around me, I actually live on a golf course that is probably around £500 per year cheaper but I choose to go for the more expensive course, because the facilities, quality of courses and membership value is worth the extra funds.

 

[brendy]

It is a serious subject but I have to laugh at the "disastrous" projected fees. Not one club in my area (and there are 8), charges less than the disaster annual subscription.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

When I moved to Wiltshire in 1984 my club was one of 14 clubs in the county.
When I left in 1998 there were 29 clubs.
The number of golf club members in Wiltshire increased by around 20% during that period.

I would imagine that this level of growth was pretty normal for England and Wales, less so for NI and Scotland

During that time at least a dozen previously well attended Open Male/Female/Senior/Junior Opens held by the 14 old clubs folded due to poor entries.

Too many golf courses were built expecting growth.

During that 14 period in Wiltshire 13 of the 15 new courses went bust within a couple of years of opening
I helped design and project managed the building of a new course and closely advised on another, they both survived and are now doing well.

Simple story really too many golf courses not enough golfers.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

When I moved to Wiltshire in 1984 my club was one of 14 clubs in the county.
When I left in 1998 there were 29 clubs.
The number of golf club members in Wiltshire increased by around 20% during that period.

I would imagine that this level of growth was pretty normal for England and Wales, less so for NI and Scotland

During that time at least a dozen previously well attended Open Male/Female/Senior/Junior Opens held by the 14 old clubs folded due to poor entries.

Too many golf courses were built expecting growth.

During that 14 period in Wiltshire 13 of the 15 new courses went bust within a couple of years of opening
I helped design and project managed the building of a new course and closely advised on another, they both survived and are now doing well.

Simple story really too many golf courses not enough golfers.

...did nobody spot that Wiltshire is largely unpopulated (relatively)

 

[Doon frae Troon]

...did nobody spot that Wiltshire is largely unpopulated (relatively)

It's a doughnut......nothing in the middle.:lol:

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Spot on with that presentation.
The scary bit was that some of his bullet points re demographics I was using 15 years ago.

 

[HankMarvin]

The Gabby Cabby would get my vote, maybe put an end to those 54 handicaps that are going to be handed out to all the Choppers.


http://scottishgolf.createsend1.com/t/ViewEmail/t/5EAE6A17DAAA1576/0300DC5A6A8DE81FC68C6A341B5D209E

 

[User101]

You've been on the mushrooms for your lunch haven't you Spanky Hanky

 

[patricks148]

Some interesting points and nice to see at last someone say that cheaper membership to under 30's might not work and that the benefits to older people and the opportunities to attract Women into the game.

We have a population that are living longer, Golf is as the finding on this a predominantly older persons sport target those... Cash and time Rich.

 

[chrisd]

Some interesting points and nice to see at last someone say that cheaper membership to under 30's might not work and that the benefits to older people and the opportunities to attract Women into the game.

We have a population that are living longer, Golf is as the finding on this a predominantly older persons sport target those... Cash and time Rich.

Ive said at my club for ages that there must be a load of 50+ people out there who've retired from football, cricket, tennis, netball , rugby etc etc who might just be nervous at popping along to a golf club and saying that they would like to play but a new to the game and worried about the rules/etiquette etc.

What I'd do is charge them the full subs but hive off some of the cash to the pro so that he can give them some lessons, rules tuition and then help them integrate properly into the club. It would bring in more revenue than some of the deals they do for young golfers!

 

[patricks148]

Ive said at my club for ages that there must be a load of 50+ people out there who've retired from football, cricket, tennis, netball , rugby etc etc who might just be nervous at popping along to a golf club and saying that they would like to play but a new to the game and worried about the rules/etiquette etc.

What I'd do is charge them the full subs but hive off some of the cash to the pro so that he can give them some lessons, rules tuition and then help them integrate properly into the club. It would bring in more revenue than some of the deals they do for young golfers!

Yep, everyone is chasing under 30's who either don't have the time inclination or money to play and neglect the people who are the already the age group playing. keep getting trotted out that its older people playing like that's a negative.

 

[User101]

Some interesting points and nice to see at last someone say that cheaper membership to under 30's might not work and that the benefits to older people and the opportunities to attract Women into the game.

.

I'm a bit confused by younger folk getting cheaper fees, it must be a fairly new thing I'm guessing cause it never used to be the case, what I don't know is why ? Why do they get cheaper fees ??

My son earns more than I do, I guess loads of guys in the oil industry who tend to be below 30 are still earning good money, certainly more than I am, so what is the reason for discounting under 30s fees ?? cause as shown, it's no reaping much benefit when you look at the numbers.

 

[chrisd]

, so what is the reason for discounting under 30s fees ??

They do it because they think they will have long term membership but because kids don't get married, have children, get a mortgage until they are 30 + these days it's a false plan. Also most 30'ish year olds I know are not expected to spend 5 hours of valuable family time at the golf course

 

[Cake]

I'm a bit confused by younger folk getting cheaper fees, it must be a fairly new thing I'm guessing cause it never used to be the case, what I don't know is why ? Why do they get cheaper fees ??

I assume it is about trying to make it more attractive to that demographic (which is clearly under-represented in golf club membership)... now that could be done by altering the product and keeping the cost the same or more simply done by lowering the price for the same product. It just doesn’t seem that dropping the price is really the answer.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I'm a bit confused by younger folk getting cheaper fees, it must be a fairly new thing I'm guessing cause it never used to be the case, what I don't know is why ? Why do they get cheaper fees ??

My son earns more than I do, I guess loads of guys in the oil industry who tend to be below 30 are still earning good money, certainly more than I am, so what is the reason for discounting under 30s fees ?? cause as shown, it's no reaping much benefit when you look at the numbers.

Depends which numbers you look at

We are a club that had about 2 people between the age of 18 and 30 - after doing a recruitment drive we increased that to around 80 , due to a lot of them just starting out working lives or family lives disposable income wasn’t flowing for them ( which we found out after doing market research ) - we introduced an increasing scale for subs for those ages along with the joining fee. Those young people are now fully integrated into the club , some have their wives playing , some have their kids joining the junior section. They have been a great addition to the club.

Before it all we didn’t have younger people joining the club and starting the game - now we do which is only good for the game