stevek1969
Money List Winner
A follow on from the clubs going bust what are your clubs doing to keep the membership happy and entice new members to join the club.
Follow on from clubs going bust
- Thread starter stevek1969
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Fader
Tour Winner
Ironically mine is a council owned course, but they are being very forward thinking in their approach.
They have replaced the outgoing head pro (miserable old sod) with a new young (30 year old) head pro, who is very dynamic in his approach. He has implemented a set price on all lessons that he and his assistants get £16 for 40mins, the idea being to bring lessons back to affordable for all to help others achieve more.
The shop is stocked by the council at trade prices, basically nonprofit the idea to get people to buy there and see the course and then want to play use the facilities.
Behind all this they are building a brand new state of the art driving range, currently well under way in its construction, as is new restructure of clubhouse. Then once they've finished that its onto building a new par 3 course on the land they've purchased for us to use as a practice ground whilst the range is done.
The idea being that in this current economic climate all the private club members that are leaving their course will want a high quality but cheaper alternative. Which in fairness the nearest club to mine is £85 a month by DD, whereas min e for unlimited golf and membership to the club and use of all the council run gyms and swimming pools comes in at £53. More for your money without sacrificing on the quality of our course.
They have replaced the outgoing head pro (miserable old sod) with a new young (30 year old) head pro, who is very dynamic in his approach. He has implemented a set price on all lessons that he and his assistants get £16 for 40mins, the idea being to bring lessons back to affordable for all to help others achieve more.
The shop is stocked by the council at trade prices, basically nonprofit the idea to get people to buy there and see the course and then want to play use the facilities.
Behind all this they are building a brand new state of the art driving range, currently well under way in its construction, as is new restructure of clubhouse. Then once they've finished that its onto building a new par 3 course on the land they've purchased for us to use as a practice ground whilst the range is done.
The idea being that in this current economic climate all the private club members that are leaving their course will want a high quality but cheaper alternative. Which in fairness the nearest club to mine is £85 a month by DD, whereas min e for unlimited golf and membership to the club and use of all the council run gyms and swimming pools comes in at £53. More for your money without sacrificing on the quality of our course.
karlcole
Q-School Graduate
Evesdad
Tour Winner
Not alot! Next years fees are worrying me already! First off we still have a shortfall on membership, second there are aprox 14 members who will not pay fees next year as have been a member for 30 years. Plus ontop of these the fairway on our 4th is knackered, always been wettest part of the course but with the draught weather we've had the drainage system has given up! Blocked or broken no one knows just yet what the actual problem is. We now have a par 5 playing as a par 3!
The only offer so far is to introduce a member and get £50 added to your bar card! And we still have a £600 joining fee!
The only offer so far is to introduce a member and get £50 added to your bar card! And we still have a £600 joining fee!
stevek1969
Money List Winner
Fader thats forward thinking indeed,our Pro has a well stocked shop and a lesson is £20 or 5 for £80 which is what i did. We still have a joining fee of £500 which can be paid over 5 years now it was 2 when i joined and the fees are £620 a year which is good value as the course is good in the winter.
They made a 4 hole course for the juniors on the practise area but ive never seen any of them use it there not very active in getting kids to join th epro runs the kids lessons at £16 for a block of 4 which is good value.
My club wants to start looking at its food and drink prices as its cheaper to eat and drink in town than it is there which isn't the way it should be, was there today and fancied a salad a Ham salad was £8.50 and a Guinness was £3.10 expensive or what.
As what Evesdad has said if you introduce a member you get £25 put on your bar card not exactley the biggest incentive in the world is it.
They made a 4 hole course for the juniors on the practise area but ive never seen any of them use it there not very active in getting kids to join th epro runs the kids lessons at £16 for a block of 4 which is good value.
My club wants to start looking at its food and drink prices as its cheaper to eat and drink in town than it is there which isn't the way it should be, was there today and fancied a salad a Ham salad was £8.50 and a Guinness was £3.10 expensive or what.
As what Evesdad has said if you introduce a member you get £25 put on your bar card not exactley the biggest incentive in the world is it.
Fader
Tour Winner
Just a little place called Deangate Ridge in Rochester, used to have a bad rep from what i'm told, but since last year just before I joined the money is being ploughed into it as they realised in this climate they have a massive selling points to offer. So its a winning situation for the members as we have a really active calender of events and great for visitors as the more they put into the club the more everyone benefits. Plus i'd put our Par 3, 17th on any course and challenge people to even try to birdie it...Such a good hole
Fader
Tour Winner
Thats the next thing their looking to expand on at our place the junior section, which is pretty non existent at the moment but certain iniatives are being put into change that especially considering some of the talent they produced in past years, one ex Junior currently on Challenge tour, another made the latter stages of British am this year, but currently only 2 junior members. The pro is bringing in a coaching structure to local schools to try and get the youth through the door.
As for food....... How much do you pay thats extortion. Usually eat at the course after our Sunday swindle, and a Ham, Egg Chips, and Salad with a pint of Lager comes to £4 in total.
stevek1969
Money List Winner
Its getting to the stage we cant afford to eat at the course i kid you not £8.50 for a salad it shocking
Fader
Tour Winner
I wouldn't pay it, nor for a few leaves, a slice of ham and a scoop of pickle.
Played in our swindle last week and there was 10 of us at a fiver in the pot each. The guy that won bought every one a coffee and cheese & ham ploughmans and still walked over £20 up.
Played in our swindle last week and there was 10 of us at a fiver in the pot each. The guy that won bought every one a coffee and cheese & ham ploughmans and still walked over £20 up.
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stevek1969
Money List Winner
We stopped having our Xmas Day there as well we now go into town as its a lot cheaper and the there's no watch tapping from the staff trying to shut bar.
They will lose members this year again a couple from our squad are leaving and had heard another set of guys are considering leaving as well,it doesn't bode to well.
Fader
Tour Winner
I don't understand clubs like this and there are many of them. Pricing their own members out of being loyal and remaining at a course they like, then they turn around call the member disloyal for leaving! It's their own price hikes that cause this, it's not a case of loyalty more a simple case of economics and the more you put prices in the club up, the less people can continue to afford them.
Then they put them up even more as they need to make the same amount of revenue from less customers (members). Decent food and drink need not cost the earth, but well priced food draws more people in. Surely thats a simple equation many of these businesses (golf clubs) should realise to generate more revenue, rather than feeding less people at a greater cost!
Then they put them up even more as they need to make the same amount of revenue from less customers (members). Decent food and drink need not cost the earth, but well priced food draws more people in. Surely thats a simple equation many of these businesses (golf clubs) should realise to generate more revenue, rather than feeding less people at a greater cost!
D
deanobillquay
Guest
Why can't clubs introduce a discount scheme whereby if you remain a member for 5 years, you get a 5% discount, after 10 years 10% discount and so on?
A lot of clubs just want your money and nothing else. Clubs will really need to modernise their way of thinking in order to stay solvent now.
A lot of clubs just want your money and nothing else. Clubs will really need to modernise their way of thinking in order to stay solvent now.
Steve does your £3.10 include any members discount or is that price before discount or is there no discount?
£8.50 is daylight robbery....either that or it's a muckle plate full!!
Members price for Guinness at Hirsel is £2.80 but without a discount it's £3.30 and I feel that is a fair price.....gone are the days where clubs were cheap cheap but clubs do need to be careful on pricing especially for members.
£8.50 is daylight robbery....either that or it's a muckle plate full!!
Members price for Guinness at Hirsel is £2.80 but without a discount it's £3.30 and I feel that is a fair price.....gone are the days where clubs were cheap cheap but clubs do need to be careful on pricing especially for members.
Gazboy
Assistant Pro
Ours created a 30-35 age bracket to attract more younger members (the 16-29yo's were already catered for) and they do special offers via a mailing list once a month or so for a round of golf & lunch for £25 a head, but I can't remember if it is for four balls only or smaller groups too. The chef is brilliant and food is fairly priced too.
stevek1969
Money List Winner
Its actually dearer than Alan i get 10% discount so it becomes £2.90 still dearer than the pubs. When we got to Ireland we use one our mates cards and put money on it he gets 70p of a pint which made it £2.40. Its not even that great Steak Pie is the same price i had a look at another local club and there was nearly a £2 difference for the same thing.
Its getting out of hand think i'll need to go to this years AGM.
Its getting out of hand think i'll need to go to this years AGM.
Food side of things can be affected by a few things....is it a franchise? If so maybe he's getting shafted by the club in terms of what he is paying them for a facility fee or a % of takings and feels he has to price high,maybe he's making a fair bit and is VAT registered which can have an effect on pricing or maybe he's just plain greedy!:smirk:
Drinks wise we put prices up this year as we had stood still for a year but increased the discount to 15% from 10 for members so their price stayed the same so for them there has been no increase for getting on 20 months but the price for outsiders went up and it's had a great positive effect on our margins/profit.........no-one,or at least few complain if a pint is 15p dearer at a golf club than their usual drinking establishment when your on a day away and the fact a pint was 10/15p dearer certainly would not stop me revisiting it again.
stevek1969
Money List Winner
No Alan its not a franchise its the club that sorts out the pricing ,when we go away we never normally bother about the prices as we're away for a day out, but we do use the club its just getting out of hand to be honest, was speaking to a council member and he was asking of ways to make things better, he didn't like what we had to say at first but came around in the end.
Its tough just now as you well no in your position to get people across the door and spend there cash but there still looking for top dollar for everything its nuts.
If it is in house the I would suggest there isn't much excuse bar the club being rather greedy.I am a more for less person than a less for more.We are in the throes of changing our franchisee and he has impressed us with his plans to take advantage of the fact we have gone to an Open Licence and he thankfully for us and our members is a more for less man and comes to us with glowing references so I'm excited to see what can happen at the cub with the right person in charge.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
My place has introduced an Academy Membership. This seems to be having some success - we're starting to get a good few new lady and gents full members from the Academy. Membership includes 12 rounds and 12 golf Lessons - plus etiquette and rules lessons. From our website...
The Academy is aimed at newcomers to the game or players who are seeking to return to the game after an extended absence. In both cases it is hoped that Academy members will have achieved a level of proficiency, etiquette and interest in the game, which will enable them to transfer to full membership in no more than two years
It is not possible for existing members of the club to transfer to Academy status.
The Academy is not intended as an avenue to cheap golf but to encourage new and past players to either take up the sport or return to the game.
Still not cheap - but a lot cheaper than full or even 5-day membership if you meet the eligibility criteria
And our chef is brill - excellent food and not that pricey (e.g. £4 for a good-sized bacon and brie panini)
The Academy is aimed at newcomers to the game or players who are seeking to return to the game after an extended absence. In both cases it is hoped that Academy members will have achieved a level of proficiency, etiquette and interest in the game, which will enable them to transfer to full membership in no more than two years
It is not possible for existing members of the club to transfer to Academy status.
The Academy is not intended as an avenue to cheap golf but to encourage new and past players to either take up the sport or return to the game.
Still not cheap - but a lot cheaper than full or even 5-day membership if you meet the eligibility criteria
And our chef is brill - excellent food and not that pricey (e.g. £4 for a good-sized bacon and brie panini)
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Phil2511
Global Moderator
The restaurant at our place has been very inconsistent over the past 2 years and now that there is something reasonable it is not getting the support it requires to make it better for those that do.
At one stage the previous caterer was charging £11.95 for a burger with about 5 chips on the plate. £9.95 for a fry £3.50 for a pint etc. yet had private booked parties on Weekends for birthdays or whatever and was doing all drinks for £2.50. Leading many of those that did support it to stop.
Now many people and groups have been used to doing their own thing going to places nearby that they don't bother trying the new caterer. The pro shop has to pay £1500 a month rent. Whereas at most places a pro gets a free shop and a retainer of about £20k per annum. Since he took over and the centre got rid of the reception staff they had they have saved £100k in wages and other expenses plus they have his £15k rental income. he gets 8% commission on green fees when people do actually come and play the course.
So the shop is losing money hand over fist and is likely to shut by the end of the season.
Then I see huge problems arising for us as they will have to employ staff to cover 104 hours a week plus holidays and other expenditure and lose that £18k rental income.
The greed of the owners has taken over and now it's slowly but surely getting worse for the pro and the caterer and ultimately the golfers.
At one stage the previous caterer was charging £11.95 for a burger with about 5 chips on the plate. £9.95 for a fry £3.50 for a pint etc. yet had private booked parties on Weekends for birthdays or whatever and was doing all drinks for £2.50. Leading many of those that did support it to stop.
Now many people and groups have been used to doing their own thing going to places nearby that they don't bother trying the new caterer. The pro shop has to pay £1500 a month rent. Whereas at most places a pro gets a free shop and a retainer of about £20k per annum. Since he took over and the centre got rid of the reception staff they had they have saved £100k in wages and other expenses plus they have his £15k rental income. he gets 8% commission on green fees when people do actually come and play the course.
So the shop is losing money hand over fist and is likely to shut by the end of the season.
Then I see huge problems arising for us as they will have to employ staff to cover 104 hours a week plus holidays and other expenditure and lose that £18k rental income.
The greed of the owners has taken over and now it's slowly but surely getting worse for the pro and the caterer and ultimately the golfers.
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