Golf membership swap

[Doon frae Troon]

My club doesn't have reciprocals so I'd definitely be up for this. If the idea is a round swap, why would someone at a good course swap for a poor course? Both parties have to agree to it.

The county card in Northumberland is age related so again, not an option for some.

I like the concept. Whether clubs would agree............

I would be interested in how the age restrictions work.
Oldies only or oldies excluded ?

 

[clubchamp98]

A Jewish club, never knew that was a thing. Do they take anyone as a member?

Yes lots of Jewish people were denied membership of clubs so they financed their own clubs.

Not having enough for a full membership they let anyone join.
Great club I was at and some fabulous clubs all over the place.

 

[clubchamp98]

It’s near Eaglesham, apparently an Alistair MacKenzie design.

Bonny ton is a fantastic course we went there fo my 50th birthday tour

That’s a while ago though.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I would be interested in how the age restrictions work.
Oldies only or oldies excluded ?

Oldies only.

 

[Orikoru]

Sounds nice for the golfer, but I can't see why clubs would get on board with it. Not much incentive for them to give out free rounds to golfers who are members at other courses.

 

[KenL]

Oldies only.

Oldies only on the county card? That’s a shocker.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I would be interested in how the age restrictions work.
Oldies only or oldies excluded ?

Oldies only on the county card? That’s a shocker.

Taken from the website:

Open to County members aged 65 or over on 1st April 2025

Annual fee for membership of – £10

Members may play one round of golf per annum on each of the member courses on payment of the Members guest rate.

Only County members who belong to clubs participating in the scheme are eligible to apply for a card.

 

[D-S]

Taken from the website:

Open to County members aged 65 or over on 1st April 2025

Annual fee for membership of – £10

Members may play one round of golf per annum on each of the member courses on payment of the Members guest rate.

Only County members who belong to clubs participating in the scheme are eligible to apply for a card.

Is there no other County card available?

Its free (or at least paid for via the affiliation fee) wit no age restriction here in Glos.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Is there no other County card available?

Its free (or at least paid for via the affiliation fee) wit no age restriction here in Glos.

Not that I'm aware of. This was from Northumberland county golf. It would be odd to have two cards from the same association, wouldn't it? Why have one with restrictions, the other without?

 

[D-S]

Not that I'm aware of. This was from Northumberland county golf. It would be odd to have two cards from the same association, wouldn't it? Why have one with restrictions, the other without?

Agreed, but why on earth have restrictions at all?
This is a way of getting players from other English clubs to play a lot of different courses at a discounted rate (if that suits the clubs). A win for the golfer and a win for the clubs and a good benefit for being an affiliated member. Placing restrictions on it is a classic loss for both golfers and clubs.

 

[sunshine]

Sounds nice for the golfer, but I can't see why clubs would get on board with it. Not much incentive for them to give out free rounds to golfers who are members at other courses.

Not much incentive for a proprietary owned golf club.

But a member owned private golf club is run by the members. If they are getting free rounds at other courses then it makes sense

 

[D-S]

Not much incentive for a proprietary owned golf club.

But a member owned private golf club is run by the members. If they are getting free rounds at other courses then it makes sense

But if the course is full with non members getting free rounds with no benefit to the club maybe there will be a different view.

 

[sunshine]

But if the course is full with non members getting free rounds with no benefit to the club maybe there will be a different view.

But it's a swap. For every non member playing a free round, there will be a member playing a free round at an away course. The amount of rounds played on the course is the same. The amount of golf played by members is the same (some at home, some away) and the fees they pay are the same.

 

[sunshine]

Going back to the OP, I think this is a great concept and I would see that flexibility for reciprocals as a fantastic membership perk. My golf club offers reciprocals with 2 other clubs but they are in Australia and New Zealand so not very useful.

The majority of the comments so far are finding faults with the idea. They are correct in that people will look to exploit the scheme, so it will only work for clubs which are equal in terms of price and quality.

 

[rulie]

A version of this exists in Ontario, Canada, the difference being that all courses are owned by one group.

Membership - ClubLink

A ClubLink membership gives you access to every course in the ClubLink family. That’s more than 45 championship courses. Join one and play them all!

clublink.ca

 

[D-S]

But it's a swap. For every non member playing a free round, there will be a member playing a free round at an away course. The amount of rounds played on the course is the same. The amount of golf played by members is the same (some at home, some away) and the fees they pay are the same.

But it’s a loss/loss for the clubs involved.
No green fee of any sort coming in from either golfer. If it’s a members club they would have to make up the shortfall in green fee income in some way and it’s likely to therefore be from the members pockets.

 

[sunshine]

But it’s a loss/loss for the clubs involved.
No green fee of any sort coming in from either golfer. If it’s a members club they would have to make up the shortfall in green fee income in some way and it’s likely to therefore be from the members pockets.

I don't see it as loss / loss because it's not replacing a green fee.

It is neutral for both clubs: Let's say I play at my club 4 times a month. If this scheme was available I might play 3 times at my home club and once at a reciprocal club. The round at the reciprocal club isn't replacing a green fee.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

But it's a swap. For every non member playing a free round, there will be a member playing a free round at an away course. The amount of rounds played on the course is the same. The amount of golf played by members is the same (some at home, some away) and the fees they pay are the same.

Except, except...if my club is typical then reciprocals and courtesies tend to largely be taken by the same members as they have their fixed fourballs and are organized to get into the ballots. Members without regular playing companions or not in a regular playing group tend to struggle a bit on the 'swap' front. And any 'swap' scheme having a wider remit will likely have the same consequences for such members.

 

[sunshine]

Except, except...if my club is typical then reciprocals and courtesies tend to largely be taken by the same members as they have their fixed fourballs and are organized to get into the ballots. Members without regular playing companions or not in a regular playing group tend to struggle a bit on the 'swap' front. And any 'swap' scheme having a wider remit will likely have the same consequences for such members.

You’ve not read the OP. It’s not about 4 balls

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

You’ve not read the OP. It’s not about 4 balls

Indeed, though my response is about ‘the usual suspects’ getting in first to grab available tee times at other clubs - because they won’t be unlimited…they can’t be. Whatever swapping the app might support I can’t see good members clubs in my part of the world wanting to touch it…but of course who knows.