Bigfoot
Tour Rookie
That's a great pity as I have enjoyed playing there a number of times. The members have been very welcoming and encouraged me to join in with their group.
Golf clubs low on membership
- Thread starter Dave1980
- Start date
That's a great pity as I have enjoyed playing there a number of times. The members have been very welcoming and encouraged me to join in with their group.
Robster59
Tour Rookie
Now sadly confirmed
Eastwood Golf Club closes
I've not commented before but this has been coming for a while. It was known they've been struggling for years and an EGM was called a couple of months ago as the club was on the brink then. They closed on Thursday with the members playing their last round on Wednesday.
They've basically run out of money and, combined with falling membership, the club just became unsustainable. For a club that reached its 125th anniversary last year is a sad loss., for the members, and for those employed there. And it's a salutary lesson for all the clubs in the area. A club has to evolve in the right way to survive.
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ScienceBoy
Money List Winner
I would love to be a member but golf takes far too long to play.
We need high quality, short and interesting courses. We don’t need 18 hole “championship†courses with “USGA†spec greens that in the end are glorified fields.
It’s sad but some courses will close, we have too many like the above, it’s a fact.
Golf needs to be accessible, fun to play and take a reasonable period of time.
To do so courses need to be cheaper to manage, take up less space and be closer to the population they want to serve.
I see a future for 9, 12 or 14 hole courses if Golf can ever accommodate such a change.
Will 18 hole courses ever completely go? No, they shouldn’t either, but the should be more room for alternatives to 9 and 18 hole courses.
9 hole courses also need to lose the stigma, they should be embraced rather than laughed at.
We need high quality, short and interesting courses. We don’t need 18 hole “championship†courses with “USGA†spec greens that in the end are glorified fields.
It’s sad but some courses will close, we have too many like the above, it’s a fact.
Golf needs to be accessible, fun to play and take a reasonable period of time.
To do so courses need to be cheaper to manage, take up less space and be closer to the population they want to serve.
I see a future for 9, 12 or 14 hole courses if Golf can ever accommodate such a change.
Will 18 hole courses ever completely go? No, they shouldn’t either, but the should be more room for alternatives to 9 and 18 hole courses.
9 hole courses also need to lose the stigma, they should be embraced rather than laughed at.
Reemul
Head Pro
I have 2 club memberships at the moment.
1 is a 9 hole course par 32. Take around 75 minutes to do 9 holes, great for after work or a short time round. My other membership is at a full 18 hole course. Thing is I can get round there in 3 hours with my son which is great and even the 9 holes is 90 minutes. So the 9 hole membership is going in June.
I find it's about playing at the right time. Normally I play on a Sunday morning as it fits family life but it's busy and can take a lot longer so we've started playing in the afternoons as it's got a nice pace to it.
Additonally playing 9 holes of the 18 still works, club are happy for us to play either the front 9 or the back if it's not too busy
1 is a 9 hole course par 32. Take around 75 minutes to do 9 holes, great for after work or a short time round. My other membership is at a full 18 hole course. Thing is I can get round there in 3 hours with my son which is great and even the 9 holes is 90 minutes. So the 9 hole membership is going in June.
I find it's about playing at the right time. Normally I play on a Sunday morning as it fits family life but it's busy and can take a lot longer so we've started playing in the afternoons as it's got a nice pace to it.
Additonally playing 9 holes of the 18 still works, club are happy for us to play either the front 9 or the back if it's not too busy
Matty6
Challenge Tour Pro
We now have a waiting list for male members. Plenty of spaces for women’s and juniors though.
HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
I can never see a time when you'll get 12 or 14 hole courses and to be honest by the time you've committed the time to play 14 holes you may as well play 18. Is there really a stigma towards 9 hole courses. Well designed with two distinct set of tees can provide a varied challenge and there are loads of great ones about. Didn't GM (or maybe someone else) do a feature on some of the best in the UK
Biggleswade Blue
Head Pro
I think accessible 9 hole courses is a great way to play, and terrific for those who are time poor, as well as an easier access route for new and returning players. It can of course be a loop of a 18 hole course, but perhaps a club can offer a reduced green fee for just 9 holes for visitors? I don't think many do.
I also think that clubs with space could set up 9 hole par 3 courses to complement their 18 hole main course offering. The 9 hole can be cheapish to play, no dress code, and becomes a gateway to the bigger game for those who want it, as well as a great way for members to practice their short game. Would the costs of that be significant? I wouldn't have thought so as they already are looking after 18 holes, but I'd be interested to know. Then, make the clubhouse accessible to all, members, players, visitors, anyone who wants to, to buy a meal and a drink.
I'm genuinely interested to know why struggling golf clubs do not do this.
I also think that clubs with space could set up 9 hole par 3 courses to complement their 18 hole main course offering. The 9 hole can be cheapish to play, no dress code, and becomes a gateway to the bigger game for those who want it, as well as a great way for members to practice their short game. Would the costs of that be significant? I wouldn't have thought so as they already are looking after 18 holes, but I'd be interested to know. Then, make the clubhouse accessible to all, members, players, visitors, anyone who wants to, to buy a meal and a drink.
I'm genuinely interested to know why struggling golf clubs do not do this.
Slab
Occasional Tour Caddy
Perhaps clubs without space for an extra 9 could consider an offer of a 9 hole membership from their existing 18 holes (after all if clubs can offer 5 day membership instead of 7 specifically to accommodate folks who forfeit playing at weekends, why not offer 9 holes instead of 18 for those prepared to forfeit half the full size course)
Make it the back 9 and for most of the year, even playing at weekends, it wont affect the folk playing full medals at many clubs
maxy33
New member
Totally agree with this.
I also think clubs need to be fairer about their pricing of 9 holes - a lot of the places I've asked have been full 18 holes price / 2 + a random amount!
I'd love to take my son for 9 most nights, and if it was about £10 I would, but it's usually more than that.
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
I think pitch and putt courses are the best way to bring new people into the game.
On a different note, it is rumoured that Deangate Ridge may be re-opening, with something to do with an unknown covenant placed on the land when it was given to the council by the MOD requiring the land to be used for sport. As a result it's felt easier to keep it as a golf course.
Heres hoping
On a different note, it is rumoured that Deangate Ridge may be re-opening, with something to do with an unknown covenant placed on the land when it was given to the council by the MOD requiring the land to be used for sport. As a result it's felt easier to keep it as a golf course.
Heres hoping
Grant85
Head Pro
I believe there is a stigma in that people tend to join 9 hole courses solely on a budget basis. And these obviously tend not to be celebrated courses or courses with a top designer.
Completely agree with the point about 12 holes. I feel this would be the ideal number of holes in a lot of cases. 12 would be far better as people could play a lot more competition golf midweek. You could tee off about 7:30 / 8pm and get a medal round or a matchplay in. Guys with work / families could play a lot more 'proper' golf through May to September.
Clubs would still have a good variety of holes with 12 but would have to maintain less land and fees would be adjusted.
Problem with this is it still costs the same to maintain the 18 holes and the key point is a club is limited by the number of guys on the 1st tee. So you would devalue 18 hole membership if guys are turning up and there 8 guys on the 1st tee playing 9 holes.
Slab
Occasional Tour Caddy
Not really any different to having to maintain a course for 7 days for a group with 5 day membership
And as I suggested it would make most sense for any 9 hole membership to be restricted to the back 9 which would cut out any problem on the 1st tee
r0wly86
Head Pro
I don't think you will ever lose 18 hole course.
What may happen is that doing 6, 12, or 18 holes will become the norm rather than 9, or 18.
6 holes allows for a very quick blast around, doesn't take long at all and so clubs could run evening comps quite late into the year, 12 is a good amount, I often feel like 9 isn't quite enough sometimes but I don't fancy a full 18, 12 would fill that gap nicely. And then 18 holes for comps or those wanting a full day out
What may happen is that doing 6, 12, or 18 holes will become the norm rather than 9, or 18.
6 holes allows for a very quick blast around, doesn't take long at all and so clubs could run evening comps quite late into the year, 12 is a good amount, I often feel like 9 isn't quite enough sometimes but I don't fancy a full 18, 12 would fill that gap nicely. And then 18 holes for comps or those wanting a full day out
HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
I am pretty sure we offer 9 hole rates these days after 5.30 which would be ideal for taking youngsters/visitors onto a course in the evening when it is quieter and get them into golf.
I don't see pitch and putts as an answer. They take considerable space most clubs won't have and in my experience, a lot of council owned ones are never kept to a reasonable standard especially the greens. That said, places that do have them attached (Hoebridge being an example, Sandown Park another) have made them into good mini courses and perfect for younger kids in particular. If you can find one locally in good nick they would represent a cheap and easy to play introduction
Whilst I can see a logic to clubs offering a 9 hole membership, I fear many would be reticent as it is surely open to abuse. Who will ensure this category of member stop after 9 and don't play a full 18 (in the same way as do clubs check 5 day members aren't on the course at weekends)
Grant85
Head Pro
It just defers the problem and you end up getting held up on the back 9, which is arguably even more frustrating.
robinthehood
Hacker
Bunkermagnet
Journeyman Pro
They dont have to be to a "good course standard", just being there and a place for non-players to grab an interest in the game at it's almost very thinnest tip. Sew the interest and enjoyment at an early easy stage, and then watch it grow. Without putting greens, crazy golf and p&p, golf will not get the amount of new players it will need in time.
Jacko_G
Blackballed
2blue
Journeyman Pro
Yeah... shocking.... gonna take some turning around..... radical thinking of some kind required... & I'm not sure the Trad Golf Clubs are capable of doing it.
