Golf Room 101

[upsidedown]

Their subscription fees “supports” the club

If you had a club that only had golfers that “supported” the club by using facilities then it would be about out of business

Most clubs have roughly 20% of members that play golf and the go home

For members clubs I'd say it's a lot higher than 20% ,indeed I know it is around 35% for us and other clubs in the area have similar numbers with one running up to 40%.
If youre at a propitery club or have a side business for functions like weddings then those members not coming has less impact but others it's a huge factor for budgets

 

[D-S]

Most normal members clubs would be better off if they had no catering function whatsoever. They often run at a loss as they need to provide, as a service, a variety of food for very long periods of the day. The revenue is rarely enough to make it a sound financial operation, especially if other overheads like gas and electricity are factored in.
Clubs need to provide food as it is part of the reason some are members, but if you could do away with the function altogether (extremely unlikely and unpalatable) they would be up on the deal.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

For members clubs I'd say it's a lot higher than 20% ,indeed I know it is around 35% for us and other clubs in the area have similar numbers with one running up to 40%.
If youre at a propitery club or have a side business for functions like weddings then those members not coming has less impact but others it's a huge factor for budgets

Most clubs budget from the subscriptions , green fees etc

Even members clubs should be looking at outside events which is why we hire out the club for weddings etc - they bring in a lot more money

Most catering at a club if in house runs at a loss , the bar takings of course will vary but it’s the people on the course bringing in the money.

 

[IanM]

Most clubs have roughly 20% of members that play golf and the go home

86.4% of all stats are made up on the spot!

Folk can do as they wish. How can it be compulsory to stop after?

That said, I'd be shocked if 1 in 5 players where I play, go immediately every time they play. Would be interested to know know how many members don't top up of spend their full bar levy at the end of the year.


OH NO! The thread has turned in to a row about folk not using the bar and generalisations

 

[upsidedown]

Most clubs budget from the subscriptions , green fees etc

Even members clubs should be looking at outside events which is why we hire out the club for weddings etc - they bring in a lot more money

Most catering at a club if in house runs at a loss , the bar takings of course will vary but it’s the people on the course bringing in the money.

Yes and we all go there to play golf but bottom line is , if we took away our catering and other income our club would need to find another £100 K to run ,I've taken off what catering costs to run .
It will be interesting to see this year Hillier Hopkins report who canvas
golf clubs

 

[Pin-seeker]

86.4% of all stats are made up on the spot!

Folk can do as they wish. How can it be compulsory to stop after?

That said, I'd be shocked if 1 in 5 players where I play, go immediately every time they play. Would be interested to know know how many members don't top up of spend their full bar levy at the end of the year.


OH NO! The thread has turned in to a row about folk not using the bar and generalisations

Let’s be honest it was going to

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Yes and we all go there to play golf but bottom line is , if we took away our catering and other income our club would need to find another £100 K to run ,I've taken off what catering costs to run .
It will be interesting to see this year Hillier Hopkins report who canvas
golf clubs

A club will be there for all different types of people - many only have the time to just play golf for the 4 hours and then disappear home to other commitments. They shouldn’t be looked down on by those who are lucky they can afford the time

Golf needs to lower the age of the active playing members to ensure clubs keep going , the caveat to that is they may not be able to go into a clubhouse and eat and drink etc due to other things in their lives

 

[Swango1980]

Black shoes with shorts
Black socks with shorts
Black gloves
Towels hanging off belt
Slow golfers
Speedy golfers that expect to be let through immediately, even though it is a Saturday morning and you are being held up by about 10 fourballs in front of you. Its a Saturday morning, it'll be busy, calm yourselves down, pace yourselves and have a chat with each other.
Texas Scramble WHS Handicaps
Specialist chipper clubs

 

[Arthur Wedge]

86.4% of all stats are made up on the spot!

Folk can do as they wish. How can it be compulsory to stop after?

That said, I'd be shocked if 1 in 5 players where I play, go immediately every time they play. Would be interested to know know how many members don't top up of spend their full bar levy at the end of the year.


OH NO! The thread has turned in to a row about folk not using the bar and generalisations

No one said anything was compulsory

And also when people do have a chat on here it doesn’t always mean it’s a row

We have normally anywhere between £5-6k left over from bar levies that aren’t spent

 

[Orikoru]

For members clubs I'd say it's a lot higher than 20% ,indeed I know it is around 35% for us and other clubs in the area have similar numbers with one running up to 40%.
If youre at a propitery club or have a side business for functions like weddings then those members not coming has less impact but others it's a huge factor for budgets

Surely it's offset by the number of members who pay a full membership then only end up playing 10 times a year.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Surely it's offset by the number of members who pay a full membership then only end up playing 10 times a year.

If anything most clubs are stood up by the guys who pay the premium for a 7 day membership but can only play on say a Saturday or Sunday

That’s the guys who are paying the most but playing the less

There will be some getting better value for those subs - but it’s all a choice

 

[HomerJSimpson]

ANother thread turning into a tit for tat point scoring exercise.

For the record since operating a deliveroo service (in agreement with the club) our catering is operating at a profit and another revenue stream over and above social functions (wedding receptions, wake - if that can be classed as such, parties etc)

 

[Bobthesock]

I don't mind stopping for a pint afterwards, especially in the summer when you can sit outside. If any sort of bar levy was introduced though I'd be finding a different club.
I would actually prefer to have no catering and a fridge with cold beers ran on an honesty system.
Seems daft to pay someone all day when in winter they might get less than 5 customers all day.

 

[evemccc]

A club will be there for all different types of people - many only have the time to just play golf for the 4 hours and then disappear home to other commitments. They shouldn’t be looked down on by those who are lucky they can afford the time

Golf needs to lower the age of the active playing members to ensure clubs keep going , the caveat to that is they may not be able to go into a clubhouse and eat and drink etc due to other things in their lives

Agree completely

It seems that some on here think to not be a scrounger or leech to your club, you must have a coffee and bacon roll before your weekend round, that round must be in a competition or club match, you must stay on for copious drinks and food after your round, and then in the evening you should be there for any Race Night or Quiz night or other social event your club is running….
You must spend a full morning, afternoon and night at the club to prove you’re a real member

So that is ‘Golf’…the sport for millionaires, retired people, or people with no families, friends or other interests

 

[venger]

Members whose always complain about the need for changes/update then promptly vote against said changes.

 

[pokerjoke]

Playing with people who believe they know everything.
Comments on everything from what the committee need to do, what the Greenkeepers need to do, course design as they are walking around.
Just experts on everything.
Like some on here.

 

[Swango1980]

Having read the other posts since commenting, I'll add another:

Golfers that think they are special, or that other golfers are inferior, based on how much they spend in the club house

I suspect we live in a different world to what we did when I grew up in the 80's (and before). Back then, being a member of a club seemed to be an integral part of the whole families life for many (half of my family were into golf, the other half yacht club). It wasn't just about golf or sailing, but a huge amount of your social life was spent at the club, including eating and drinking.

In this day and age, from what I see, the world is a very different place. Individuals typically join clubs to take part in the primary activity, but a much higher proportion don't get involved in much beyond that. It is much less of a family thing. There are so many other distractions in the world, that spending your life at the club is just not possible. Many will dart off straight after golf, because they need to do stuff with their kids, or not be in the bad books by being away from their wives (or husbands) for too long.

If you still have the flexibility to spend time in the club house, and the money to spend, then great. But, many people do not. Still, surely it is much better having them pay an annual subscription, rather than risk losing that altogether by trying to rip them off anyway and force them to pay that extra bit of money they didn't want to spend?

 

[hombre_paulo]

Sad sacks that spend 90% of their waking time at the golf club and think anyone who doesn't is a drain on the club....

 

[Backache]

Round our neck of the woods most clubs are not full and any member paying full rates is welcome.
Personally for many years I was probably more of a 'car park member'
My working hours were long and I had a growing family. Mainly I was having a few holes in the evening and the clubhouse wasn't open when I finished.
Nowadays I'm retired and spending quite a bit in the clubhouse on food and drinks.
I certainly get better value now as I can play more often, but I don't think I have been exploiting other members or vica versa at any point.

 

[Orikoru]

I don't mind stopping for a pint afterwards, especially in the summer when you can sit outside. If any sort of bar levy was introduced though I'd be finding a different club.
I would actually prefer to have no catering and a fridge with cold beers ran on an honesty system.
Seems daft to pay someone all day when in winter they might get less than 5 customers all day.

Would that actually be allowed with licensing laws and the need to ID people?