Golf Societies

[Beezerk]

I need to pick your brains regarding golf societies, specifically if you pay subs to be in one.
The local micro pub started a society early last year, we have maybe a dozen or so members half of which are members at a local course where we play 90% of our games.
The guy who started it said we should all pay £20 a month subs during the season which a lot of us did but some didn't pay anything which is understandable under the current circumstances with Covid etc.
I had a game with one of the lads yesterday and we were chewing the fat over this £20 monthly payment, we both thought it was a bit steep and not really needed, specially given we didn't have an away trip as such last year. We have a meeting tonight where we are going to bring this up but we're a bit stumped about what to put forward as an alternative.

So how do you guys run a society, do you have subs, a joining fee or just keep it free as it's essentially just a bunch of mates playing golf together?

 

[Canfordhacker]

I am a member of a large society, and pay £10 per year. There is a committee of volunteers that runs it. We do pay entry fees (3 main meetings per year at decent courses, plus a 2 day championship away trip) but these are to cover green fees, prizes and a meal.
£20 per month seems steep to me and a little out of balance in terms of what people might get for it. If you are committing that amount of money i would want some sort of agreed (written?constitution? however you want to phrase it) statement of what you get for your money. If it is paying for non-members green fees at the course you belong to, I would question the fairness. If it towards some sort of trip, what happens if you can't make it? Other societies i am peripherally involved with tend to have no fees, just payment to play and contribution towards prizes or charity donations.

 

[Banchory Buddha]

I realise subs are very different in Scotland, but you'd be able to join a number of actual golf clubs for that amount annually, £240 a year to be in a society is a joke, £20 a year then OK. Guy is taking the piss

 

[PhilTheFragger]

Where does the money go?
Prizes or green fees

 

[PhilTheFragger]

my society pays £5 each time we play for prizes and pay our own green fees

Nearest the pin
Nearest the pin in 2
2’s pot
Winner
2nd
3rd
Most golf prize

 

[PJ87]

I've been a member of 3 society's

1 was £40 a month for like 7 events a year but they were really good courses most the time .. Woburn a few times etc did have good prizes

You didn't have to do that tho you could be a member providing you were in credit then you had to pay as you went

The other 2 (now just one as they merged)

Just pay as you go £7 added each time .. £5 prizes £2 twos club

 

[Beezerk]

I realise subs are very different in Scotland, but you'd be able to join a number of actual golf clubs for that amount annually, £240 a year to be in a society is a joke, £20 a year then OK. Guy is taking the piss

Yes that was the general thought we had yesterday, specially given how maybe half of the lads are total novices at the game.

 

[patricks148]

I'm in a sort of society, but we don't pay anything other that the costs for the other games organised outside our home course.

 

[Beezerk]

Where does the money go?
Prizes or green fees

I don’t know.

 

[3offTheTee]

Say there are 10 from the 12 paying i.e. £2400 per year. That is a huge amount for somebody to be looking after and I would be extremely worried sending that amount of money AND looking after it. Basically I feel it MAY BE open to fraud and I repeat the word may be.

What benefit have you seen and where is the money now?
It would be an almost impossible ask to get our Group to fork that amount monthly. when we go for an ‘away day” say 12 the course is booked and paid on a credit card and the rest of the group pay within 24 hours. these are usually Open Comps. so slightly different.

Good luck tonight and I will be interested to know the outcome

 

[PJ87]

Say there are 10 from the 12 paying i.e. £2400 per year. That is a huge amount for somebody to be looking after and I would be extremely worried sending that amount of money AND looking after it. Basically I feel it MAY BE open to fraud and I repeat the word may be.

What benefit have you seen and where is the money now?
It would be an almost impossible ask to get our Group to fork that amount monthly. when we go for an ‘away day” say 12 the course is booked and paid on a credit card and the rest of the group pay within 24 hours. these are usually Open Comps. so slightly different.

Good luck tonight and I will be interested to know the outcome

when I was a member at the £40PCM one we were like 40 members I think at the time.. maybe more.. had 30 people per event show up

anyways we always got a breakdown sheet on show of what we had in our accounts.. where it had gone etc

available on request aswell

when I stopped playing with them I got a cheque few weeks later for £87 which was nice

 

[Pants]

I've played in many societies over the years and have never heard of a monthly/annual fee. The organiser just confirms venue, date, cost of day for golf + breakfast or lunch, and whether there is any "prize fund" for the day. Can't see why there would be a regular "fee" and would be concerned if there was.

 

[PJ87]

I've played in many societies over the years and have never heard of a monthly/annual fee. The organiser just confirms venue, date, cost of day for golf + breakfast or lunch, and whether there is any "prize fund" for the day. Can't see why there would be a regular "fee" and would be concerned if there was.

Ours was very optional, some events were £140 or whatever so it was a way for people to spread the costs

 

[Blue in Munich]

In two; both ask a one off annual sub at the start of the season & then pay for the days as you go.

One of them does require you to be in the works lottery to be a member of the golf society; however the lottery subsidises each meeting quite well so you more than see your money back even if you don't win on the lottery itself.

 

[clubchamp98]

If your subs are used for deposits for bookings at the clubs you play.
That is then deducted from the cost of the day and you pay the balance that’s fine.
We did that. But it was £10 pcm just so the person doing the booking didn’t have to use his own money.
But £20 pm for no return seems very wrong.
Just be careful how you phrase the question!

 

[IanM]

Our Soc is £10 a year. We have a kitty from that, fines and raffles.

At the start of the year you get something with the soc logo on it.. shirts etc... kitty also pays for prizes.
You pay to play in the event at cost.

Sitting on £20 a month subs seems unnecessary at best.

 

[chico]

The society I'm in ask for a deposit in early spring and this is used for deposits on course bookings. Otherwise its pay on the day with a cash collection for prizes.
There's never a lot of money on hand so to speak.
Can I ask if you pay anything else on your outings or does the £20 a month cover everything?

 

[Tashyboy]

Let us know how it pans out. ?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Seems steep if you are paying monthly, and yet others aren't I'd be asking where the money is going and why some seem to be subsidising the rest. Most societies I've been in have an annual fee, usually towards an end of season do, and when games are booked you pay upfront for the golf and food (usually with a little more for some prizes on the day)

 

[Beezerk]

Well it was a good light hearted meeting over a few pints.
We’ve decided to scrap the £20 a month set up and we all agreed to pay £50 for the year, we will use this for away days that are being planned and make up any deficits ourselves. All the money from last year is still in tact and again ready to use for this years trips.
Last year was a bit random, it seems to be much more structured this year ?