Golf Club Joining Fees - Crippling Diversity

[KenL]

This is my 6th year at my club and I'm still paying off the joining fee. Wouldn't have even considered joining without being able to pay it off over 10 years.

Have just joined another club. I've been a member of this club in the past - used to join for winter, leave and rejoin the next winter. This time I spent two years on the waiting list and had to pay a joining fee (fortunately much smaller than at my home club). Can't say I blame them taking advantage of increased demand to try and encourage a longer term mentality.

Paying a JF over 10 years! Heard of clubs allowing a couple of years before.
What happens if you don't stay, do they expect you to pay the balance of the JF?

 

[sunshine]

financial apartheid

comedy gold.

I’m going to start a campaign against the discriminatory policies of Ferrari. It’s not fair that I can’t afford one.

 

[Deleted member 30522]

Lucky it has nothing to do a war in Ukraine then I'm aware of the cost in utilities & fertiliser, etc. I've seen our accounts. The Joining Fee increase, in my opinion, is simply political.

No indeed not, unless mainland Europe countries are maybe just unaware of it? We're paying 4x and more for our utilities than across the channel.

 

[Deleted member 30522]

Oh, costs haven't gone through the roof?

 

[Bunkermagnet]

If golf was a compulsary activity or essential for life, I would agree. But as it's a voluntary hobby its a pointless arguement. Why not start complaining about the costs to do open water swimming for triathlon training, or horse jumping clubs.
The only reason golf clubs fees are looked at is because in general they are quoted as an annual figure, yet many pay £60 a month for gym membership (£720 annually) or £100 a month for Sky etc (£1200 annually).
Look at what the monthly or per round costs are, and golf isn't that bad.

 

[shane3003]

If golf was a compulsary activity or essential for life, I would agree. But as it's a voluntary hobby its a pointless arguement. Why not start complaining about the costs to do open water swimming for triathlon training, or horse jumping clubs.
The only reason golf clubs fees are looked at is because in general they are quoted as an annual figure, yet many pay £60 a month for gym membership (£720 annually) or £100 a month for Sky etc (£1200 annually).
Look at what the monthly or per round costs are, and golf isn't that bad.

I like that viewpoint, comparing to your Sky subscription and then it doesn’t make golf look that expensive!

 

[Shooter McPowick]

Golf clubs have just lost the government support schemes surrounding the pandemic and immediately hit with the dramatic rise in utility bills.

At our AGM what it boiled down to was this:
Don’t pay any more = can’t continue to invest in the course.
Raise the fees = continue with improvements.

 

[Sports_Fanatic]

Lucky it has nothing to do a war in Ukraine then I'm aware of the cost in utilities & fertiliser, etc. I've seen our accounts. The Joining Fee increase, in my opinion, is simply political.

Perhaps you're referring to monthly management accounts as your heavily involved in a club, as if you're referring to year end accounts they'll clearly be showing the past picture, plus the delay as they are prepared and released so won't show anything on future forecasts. For example, perhaps the club were on a two year fixed energy contract and that ends this month. Then the costs to run the place are going to be very different from the prior year.

 

[SocketRocket]

Oh, costs haven't gone through the roof?

Yes but not for the reason you suggest

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Yes but not for the reason you suggest

You may night like it, but unfortunately it has had an effect and only adds to the total increases

 

[sunshine]

Here is a thought, are clubs that charge joining fees…
A) Profiteering from the current boom
No. There is lots of choice of golf courses and leisure activities. Golf clubs are almost all small independent organisations which set fees in line with their objectives. Don't think the word profiteering can ever apply to golf.

B) scared that their course is somewhat inferior and is the only way to reduce churn?
Surely this would backfire? If you overcharge for an inferior product people won't buy it. They'll just join somewhere else.

C) Being sensible and making money to improve the course at a time when interest is high
Yes this. Many clubs have been struggling and neglected course investment in the last decade so probably this is a chance to catch up.

D) Trying to maximise membership by buying loyalty
A bit of this too

E) Something entirely different?
They are managing demand. If demand exceeds supply, the simple action is to increase the price to reduce demand to the point where supply = demand.

 

[Jigger]

Our club allows direct debit payers to cancel at any time. Personally I think it should have a higher jointing fee to make those type of players commit more to the club.

Example. It’s a £35 joining fee at our club which is very low. My mate has just joined in month 10 and he had to join a waiting list. He got in by the end of month 10 as it was winter and some DD payers took advantage of paying for the summer and cancelling while the course is in winter conditions.

So while joining fees may seem like clubs are taking the mick, there are other factors including rises in costs that drive the need to have them.

 

[SocketRocket]

You may night like it, but unfortunately it has had an effect and only adds to the total increases

So that's why fertiliser and energy is so expensive. Give me a break

 

[Jason.H]

To be honest I much prefer the club I’m a member of now at £650 per year and no joining fee to the one I used to be a member of which was £1000 + joining fee back in the 2000,s

 

[timd77]

Our club allows direct debit payers to cancel at any time. Personally I think it should have a higher jointing fee to make those type of players commit more to the club.

Example. It’s a £35 joining fee at our club which is very low. My mate has just joined in month 10 and he had to join a waiting list. He got in by the end of month 10 as it was winter and some DD payers took advantage of paying for the summer and cancelling while the course is in winter conditions.

So while joining fees may seem like clubs are taking the mick, there are other factors including rises in costs that drive the need to have them.

Yeh, that’s crazy. My last club (the Staffordshire) had the same open ended policy and closed last year, one of the reasons given was people cancelling their membership. Just seems madness. You sign up for a year, you stay the year. Same with phone contracts, many gyms, car insurance, mortgages etc.

The joining fee thing depends how much. I’d love to join enville but they’re 2 grand to pay on top of £1700 a year membership. Fair enough, they get the numbers in and they’re probably aiming for the more affluent people, but it’s a shame for those of us who live locally but can’t afford/justify the joining fee.

 

[doublebogey7]

Fair enough, they get the numbers in and they’re probably aiming for the more affluent people, but it’s a shame for those of us who live locally but can’t afford/justify the joining fee.

I don't know who Enville are aiming at, but I do know that without that level of fees, they would not be able to maintain the course and facilities to a standard that attracts so many to go and play. Golf membership is no different to anything else we buy, the price generally reflects the quality of the product/service.

 

[IanM]

If you ask a member how much extra subs they'd be prepared to pay to improve the condition of their course, you often get a rude reply!

 

[Bunkermagnet]

So that's why fertiliser and energy is so expensive. Give me a break

I didn't say it was the sole reason, but everything has a accumulative effect, but then I suspect you know that but just want to argue a point

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

Wanted some opinions on the vexed subject of raising Membership subscriptions & Joining Fees.
Since the pandemic golf clubs have seen an exponential rise in playing numbers within UK, mostly from women & younger persons not normally attracted to the game, in addition to those wishing to play a new hobby or simply keep fit & socialise within a friendly environment.

I have had notification from several golfing friends around the country as to their clubs raising Membership Fee, Visitor playing fees, Guest fees & most strikingly of all Joining Fees. The latter was always seen as a barrier to certain sections of society whereby clubs where operating a form of financial apartheid. This was slowly being worn away over the past 15 years due to a dramatic fall in playing numbers & Full Member status at clubs around the UK.

My club has recently decided to double the Joining Fee & raise Subs by 10%, alongside raising Members Guest rates by 75%. The view of many at our club is this is being imposed at a time of deep financial worry for many, in the middle of a cost of living crisis & worse of all at a time the R&A alongside the home Unions are trying desperately to sell the game to those from lower social & financial backgrounds. In short, it is opportunism & short sighted of clubs to be imposing these increases at this time.

Just wanted some opinions from the experienced golfers on this Forum.

Golf appears to be withdrawing from its egalitarian era and reverting to a game for the privilieged.
it seems that way over here, in any case.

Things go in cycles. It may revert once again in the future.

 

[Deleted member 31467]

Golf appears to be withdrawing from its egalitarian era and reverting to a game for the privilieged.
it seems that way over here, in any case.

Things go in cycles. It may revert once again in the future.

I don't agree. My subs this year are £2k and if I play 3 times a week it works out about £13 a round. Many clubs are much less a year than mine.