Golf clubs low on membership

Where I play interviews etc have been gone for a very long time.

It is a simple case of turn up with your money and you can become a member. There are always vacancies. We have the largest membership in Dorset I believe.

Our promotions are reduced rate winter membership (one time only offer) and join now get the months up to the end of March included in the Annual subscription for free.

Minimal joining fee, more of an admin charge to cover cost of bag tags , club charges card (needed for booking in comps) etc
 
Grant85 said:
I imagine they have had a real economic reality check and have finally started to do a lot more to encourage new members.
Also note their intermediary memberships extend to 35.
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I heard they were thinking of reinstating a joining fee as there was a lot of new applications, obviously more than they wanted. It's an expensive yearly fee and definitely more than most are prepared to pay for membership when most other locally clubs are around £450 cheaper. Id have joined pollok but the lack of practice facilities puts me off if im honest, know a few members though and it's a nice track always well presented.
 
Grant85 said:
I imagine they have had a real economic reality check and have finally started to do a lot more to encourage new members.
Also note their intermediary memberships extend to 35.
Click to expand...

It's a fantastic course and clubhouse, attention to detail and service is excellent. I like it a lot.
 
Dave1980 said:
I’ve just joined Eltham Warren, mainly because how close it is to me, but also as they have a bit more flexibility with membership options. It may only be a 9 hole course, but has two sets off tees and is not the easiest of courses and has been I great condition this year.

Interestingly the club I left had a weekend membership option but had too many restrictions to go with it. How much would you be prepared to pay for weekend membership?[/QUOTE

I played Eltham Warren last year and thought it was a decent course
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Orikoru said:
On the one hand, I actually agree that someone from the club would obviously want to meet the new member in person before accepting them. But on the other hand, I wonder what on earth it would take for them to then reject said member based on that meeting?? Surely it must be pretty much a formality unless they openly admit to being a racist, or end up punching the captain in the face for some reason.
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I joined a club within ten miles or so of you fifteen years ago, after playing there many times paying green fees. The first few times I used the Members Only locker room, I discovered that a large proportion of the members in there were openly, horribly racist. Back to the Visitors locker room, and I started counting down the months left on my membership.
 
Bit of rough said:
I joined a club within ten miles or so of you fifteen years ago, after playing there many times paying green fees. The first few times I used the Members Only locker room, I discovered that a large proportion of the members in there were openly, horribly racist. Back to the Visitors locker room, and I started counting down the months left on my membership.
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That sort of horror story is why golf still in some parts gets a bad name.

Whilst this happened to you it's not indicative of other clubs or something that should put people off as golf clubs now are welcoming, friendly places plus these things are not the fault of a club but more of the people who hold such bigoted views which now in society are the very sad few. I'd also ask did you report this to the club that it had occurred because I'm sure something would have been done
 
Only joined in 2018 but for the new membership year starting April they changed the pricing structure. Used to have a full membership then a few categories under 30 (18-21, 22-25, 26-29 I think) that were cheaper. Now they're just having two rates, under 40 and over 40. Makes it slightly more expensive than it was if you're under 30 but cheaper if you're 30-40.
 
Orikoru said:
No, I was referring to all of the private members golf clubs around where I live which are around £1200 or more. Not even remotely affordable for me. Which is why I have a £100 membership at a club operating from a public course.
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You should have stuck in at school then 😉
 
Wolf said:
That sort of horror story is why golf still in some parts gets a bad name.

Whilst this happened to you it's not indicative of other clubs or something that should put people off as golf clubs now are welcoming, friendly places plus these things are not the fault of a club but more of the people who hold such bigoted views which now in society are the very sad few. I'd also ask did you report this to the club that it had occurred because I'm sure something would have been done
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It took me by surprise at the time. I'd become friendly with a few members from green fee rounds, regularly had a beer in the bar; I suspect I'd got to know one element of the membership before I joined, then encountered another element in a different area of the clubhouse. Honestly, I suspect many of them will be either dead or close to dead by now.

I'll be careful what I write about it; the geographical mention I gave earlier encompasses so many clubs, there's virtually no chance of someone correctly identifying the place I'm referring to.

I mentioned the racism to the club Pro, who'd been giving me regular lessons. Young bloke, good guy, liked him. He said something along the lines of "yeah, some of them are awful. You just have to ignore them, keep out of their way. Thing is, they've been members forever". 2004 - doesn't seem that long ago, but I'd hope there'd be no chance of a blind eye being turned today.

Something else disturbed me at that club, before I'd joined; the number of members who'd leave the bar clearly the worse for wear, and head straight to the car park. The Pro again: "If you're a copper at XXX or YYY nicks, you can play golf here for free. Lots of them do, they're here every day. Know what I'm saying?".

Thinking back to it now, it feels like it must have been the Dark Ages. 2004. Not that long ago.

Bringing "Golf Clubs - Things That Get On My....." bang up to date, I played a round on my own over Christmas at a course hundreds of miles away, visiting family. Nothing grand - a £25 green fee place. Busy day there, I was lucky to get on.

Not being the greatest golfer, I needed perhaps slightly more shots than many to get around, and was keen to keep moving briskly to stay ahead of the two ball behind me. On one of the last few holes, a Par 3, I hooked my tee shot about 25 yards left of the green, into the fringe of a neighbouring fairway. Hoofed it up to the ball, and saw a four ball game around 150 yards up the fairway, all of them on the move with trollies, balls pretty close to where mine had landed. What to do? Sod it, just play, get out of the way,

Lining up my putt, flagstick in (not quite 1/1/19), one of the four ball came over to the green. "You should have waited until we'd played our balls and passed you before playing". Hmmm. Yes, he's right, but really? "You're right, I'm sorry". Another of the four ball: "Take that flagstick out before you putt". Really? He's detected my nose is slightly out of joint, surely, and is making a bad joke to try and lighten the mood. "I'm practicing for 2019". "2019's not till next week. [pointing] Take That Flagstick Out Before You Putt". And off the four of them go, shaking their heads.

I was in the wrong on both counts; though the first time seems to me pretty trivial, the second time surely not even of concern to my mother. Funny how something like that can leave a sour taste in the mouth that lingers for hours.

I'm thinking of joining a club again now, as it happens. The first club has a membership offer on right now, which is pretty good, and it's a decent course. I discussed the options with a local teaching pro I know, not affiliated to a club. Another nearby option "good course, a few real asreohles though". And another "good course, seems like a really friendly relaxed place". Guess which one I'm leaning towards?

(Here endeth the essay).
 
robinthehood said:
Did they have some sort of rule against putting with the flag in ?
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Confession - I didn't read the local rules before setting off on my own for a practice round. But I got the very firm impression I'd bumped into members of the club's Standards Police, who took the opportunity to school me while they had the chance.

It's funny with hindsight, though at the time, perhaps slightly less so.
 
Bit of rough said:
Confession - I didn't read the local rules before setting off on my own for a practice round. But I got the very firm impression I'd bumped into members of the club's Standards Police, who took the opportunity to school me while they had the chance.

It's funny with hindsight, though at the time, perhaps slightly less so.
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They just sound like the usual arses that inhabit clubs up and down the land sadly.
 
I have seen a few clubs around here advertising membership deals without a joining fee, including, interestingly, Frilford Heath. Think membership there is still pricey, but surprised a course like that has to do that to attract new members.
 
Parsaregood said:
Most reputable golf clubs around south west Scotland would still require you to have a meeting with the captain or Secretary, I don't see why this is an issue, surely it's the clubs responsibility to go over the finer details of membership, make sure you are respectful, show you around the facilities etc. I wouldn't want my club to let in somebody who just phoned up and paid via card, I think there is value in a face to face chat, making sure the joining member is comfortable etc
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For me at least this sort of attitude could stop people, who would turn out to be great members, joining a club.

I agree, you may get the odd PITA getting in but come renewal time, tell them they are not being allowed to re-join. Plenty companies operate a probation period, clubs could do they same.

An interview with the captain/secretary won't prevent the odd "nightmare" member getting in.
 
KenL said:
For me at least this sort of attitude could stop people, who would turn out to be great members, joining a club.

I agree, you may get the odd PITA getting in but come renewal time, tell them they are not being allowed to re-join. Plenty companies operate a probation period, clubs could do they same.

An interview with the captain/secretary won't prevent the odd "nightmare" member getting in.
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My club did that, but it was made quite obvious early at the enquiry stage that this was more an introductory meeting and certainly not an interview.

The Captain and Vice Captain spent a lot of time meeting with and speaking to new / prospective members. Answering questions.
Asking about someones golf experience should they need to know about etiquette or dress code etc.

However I certainly agree that this may put the odd person off. Where it is not an interview, but more an introductory meeting, they should make it clear that it is such.
 
This one's tempting isn't it......................?

"There are two ways of joining ..........Golf Club as a new member. The usual way is through an existing member who must propose you with an introductory letter and seek support from several other members. If you are not known to members, there is an exceptional self proposing procedure which involves submitting a personal application letter and form plus support from suitable referees. Either way and once vetting and interviews have been completed satisfactorily, you can then be entered in a waiting pool of applicants from which new members may be selected from time to time. Once selected, you will be invited to join and become a member on payment of a joining fee and annual subscription."

Straight from their website, really nice golf course though.
 
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