Follow on from clubs going bust

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

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.

What a mess. Golf clubs as a cash cow? Not when members clubs have to work hard to basically break even. A flawed 1990s business model based on money that only existed in the imagined 'value' of the houses we live in.

 

[Phil2511]

Big time mate. Owned by a Lady of the nearby Estate, used as a cash cow to keep the Estate running. They actually got rid of a green keeper last year and the estate got rid of the full time gardener and now the green staff have to do 50hrs between them doing the gardens within the Estate.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Big time mate. Owned by a Lady of the nearby Estate, used as a cash cow to keep the Estate running. They actually got rid of a green keeper last year and the estate got rid of the full time gardener and now the green staff have to do 50hrs between them doing the gardens within the Estate.

Maybe she could do her wee bit in turn - serving behind the bar in the clubhouse or waiting the tables. A bit of quid pro quo that would do her Ladyship's reputation no harm whatsoever.

 

[Phil2511]

She may have to lol. But realistically she a bit of an eccentric and deaf as a post. Well in her 70's so an unlikely and probably unwanted idea lol

 

[GB72]

I think the best example of the sort of thing my club is doing is when the cost of beer went up earlier in the year. Everyone had an email apologising that the increase could not be absorbed but the club then went to the brewery and found a cheaper option so those that want to can still have a pint at the old price.

It is the one thing that my old club and my new club have in common, good, affordable food. Something around a fiver will get you something to eat and a pint and so most people stop after their round. Where my current club may miss out a bit is that they do not serve breakfast and there were always a fair few at my old club who would turn up early for some food before they went out. The other great value at my old club was the half way hut. £2.50 got you a very good sausage or bacon roll and a cup of coffee.

What my current club does do well is integrate and look after new members. There are events for them to meet others, plenty of drawn comps and a relaxed atmosphere that encourages people to stay.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

What my current club does do well is integrate and look after new members. There are events for them to meet others, plenty of drawn comps and a relaxed atmosphere that encourages people to stay.

Our roll-ups are excellent; we try hard on the Social side - and I'm always a willing fourball or foursomes 'go-to' partner ('even' mixed) for new members.

 

[GB72]

Our roll-ups are excellent; we try hard on the Social side - and I'm always a willing fourball or foursomes 'go-to' partner ('even' mixed) for new members.

I think that the mixed matches is one area we are not great on. Some weekends there are only mixed comps but we do not really have any way of publicising that you are looking for a partner for the match

 

[Garesfield ACE]

Sunday lunch at mine £6.95 the most meat iver ever had eating away from home..............with a pudding/dessert £1 extra.

Outstanding value.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Food at our place is a franchise and the quality seems to be a bit hit and miss. Think they are getting rid at the end of the year but we've had a succession of people in over the years and to be honest it is an area that is not making as much money for the club as it should

 

[Slicer30]

One complaint I had last year was the lack of competitions at our place.

To their credit, there have been additional fixtures added this year so more chance to get the handicap down. The rain has affected a few but definetely had more cards in this year than last year.

 

[stuvr6]

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!

Sorry Evesdad, but the current offer is £100 on your bar tab and £100 off next years fees.
I'm also led to believe the joining fee amount is 'negotiable', so it would appear that the club is trying hard to attract new members.

I agree that the fourth isn't ideal, but they appear to be solving an issue that arcs back to drainage done years ago that has failed, with less that a full quota of greenstaff.

I think that more than a few members forget that the club is not built on the same free draining land of Longcliffe
or Charnwood, and considering the weather we've had, I think that 95% of the course is very good.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

The Irish guys who were leasing Brunston Castle have given up and the Members appear to be running it.
Fourth group to manage it in 10 years.
Shame as it is a pretty good Donald Steel course. I was a member there for a few years but found that it was not a very welcoming place.
Can't see it lasting for too long.

Season Ticket sales at the eight South Ayrshire courses are up but I think visitor fees are down.
The courses are all in good condition now and represent astonishing value. They tend to pick up the guys who give up the private club memberships.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I think that the mixed matches is one area we are not great on. Some weekends there are only mixed comps but we do not really have any way of publicising that you are looking for a partner for the match

Funny one 'mixed' comps. I enjoy mixed golf - though only started playing it in the last couple of years. As blokes we can learn a lot from a half decent lady golfer.

We're not going away this coming BH weekend so I thought about playing in the BH mixed foursomes. In clubhouse couple of weeks back I saw a lady member I'd played with before and chat with a fair bit. Asked if she fancied playing in the comp (I know she doesn't have a regular partner for foursomes). She agreed - excellent. But boy did I get some 'nudge nudge wink wink' looks and comments frmo all the guys that heard me ask and her accept. The fact that she is divorced, French, and wore a garter when she played in our France team in a recent World Cup comp we had...! Nothing to do with me asking of course - just a pleasant lady and potentially v good golfer - I'll get her round and we'll score well.

Don;t listen to all the 'mixed gruesomes' jibes - I think that is just if you play with your OH

 

[thecraw]

The Irish guys who were leasing Brunston Castle have given up and the Members appear to be running it.
Fourth group to manage it in 10 years.
Shame as it is a pretty good Donald Steel course. I was a member there for a few years but found that it was not a very welcoming place.
Can't see it lasting for too long.

Season Ticket sales at the eight South Ayrshire courses are up but I think visitor fees are down.
The courses are all in good condition now and represent astonishing value. They tend to pick up the guys who give up the private club memberships.

Totally disgaree. The Ayrshire courses are very poor now in my opinion. I played Darley and Lochgreen about 7 years ago and the greens, condition, presentation, bunkers etc were all superb. I played then again in June and the courses have gone drastically downhill. You can see the lack of investment and its quite clear to the eye that the attention to detail is nowhere near what it was 7 years ago. The bunkers were poor, even the new ones were crap, crap sand and inconsistent. The greens were also inconsistent and the fairways were not defined.

Its just typical of modern councils. They see a cash cow and strangle it until the standards slip. The courses are needing TLC and investment.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Crawford, SAC have invested well in the courses since they were able to sidestep competitive tendering.
They are operating as one unit now with good greenstaff. Dalmilling, Belleisle, Girvan and Maybole are much improved.
Darley takes a bit of a bashing from the Marr College kids and the local vandals, Seafield is overplayed and Lochgreen is not as good as it should be.
You must have caught them all on a bad day.
I would cetainly cross swords with you on thier quality from 7 years ago.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Pity hearing that Darley is not in great condition at the moment - my Elderslie mate and I used to pop down every so often for a day at Troon. We'd play Darley and I always enjoyed it. Also enjoyed Lochgreen - but never much of a fan of Fullarton though.