Goodbye membership - £125 increase is simply too much!!

[Mail Man]

Is your club open every week though? A lot of them £2.40's would be for nowt in JO's case.

Nope not every week, well that's a lie it will be open but sometimes you would not put a cat out in the weather we have had never mind playing golf in it.

Like I say it's all down to how often you can play and what the course/facilities offer but as I said @ only £2.40 or even £4.80 based on only getting 6 months golf I would not consider leaving but who knows things could change.

 

[fundy]

It was a very cynical move by the management after bringing in lots of new members on various deals. One i think they will regret. The main thing they had going was being pretty cheap. 699 for 2 courses was OK, but 799 pushes it up in to competition with far better courses in the area.

Unless I caught it on a very bad day back end of last year I couldnt see myself paying that to play there, similar to the likes of Abbey Hill and Three Locks around here there are just much better options at the price point imo

 

[JezzE]

I left Copthorne and have been at Ifield for the past couple of years Jezz.



East Sussex National (2 championship courses) have put their membership DOWN from £1760 to £1500 so I heard today.

Nice, but like Ifield, not very good in the winter.

Played my last D&T match at Ifield four or five years ago and it was in terrible condition in early April I think, but haven't been there for a while. I thought it was going to be dug up and given over to housing anyway, or is that not now happening?

 

[peterlav]

I left my Club because of a combination of £1K fees, course being shut for 3 months and work commitments.
Just joined Eccleston Park, which is offering a flexible membership, you buy an amount of credits, and depending on what day/time of day you play costs you varying amount of credits. Credits can be topped up, and any unused credits are carried over to next year's balance. A very forward thinking scheme which a lot of other Clubs should/will be looking at

 

[richart]

Not sure your membership was ever going to be good value based on the amount you play James. Not sure if the course is worth the hiked fees as I was never invited for a game.

I did like Copthorne though, and I see they have a their own set of traffic lights now.

 

[guest100718]

I left my Club because of a combination of £1K fees, course being shut for 3 months and work commitments.
Just joined Eccleston Park, which is offering a flexible membership, you buy an amount of credits, and depending on what day/time of day you play costs you varying amount of credits. Credits can be topped up, and any unused credits are carried over to next year's balance. A very forward thinking scheme which a lot of other Clubs should/will be looking at

There a few courses round here starting to offer a credit based system. For some it rreally does look like a good deal.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Unless I caught it on a very bad day back end of last year I couldnt see myself paying that to play there, similar to the likes of Abbey Hill and Three Locks around here there are just much better options at the price point imo

Yep - had to play their three times in mid handicap and scratch games. Course was in a poor condition for June and August. I enjoyed having to remove crushed empty cans of Strongbow from the area around my ball.

 

[guest100718]

Yep - had to play their three times in mid handicap and scratch games. Course was in a poor condition for June and August. I enjoyed having to remove crushed empty cans of Strongbow from the area around my ball.

Ive played 3 locks a couple of times in a society, it was OK, but not somewmere i'd look to join. bit of an odd layout aswell..

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Ive played 3 locks a couple of times in a society, it was OK, but not somewmere i'd look to join. bit of an odd layout aswell..

Yep agree with that - it's a nightmare at the weekend with the course rammed with pay and play.

My initial post was about Beadlow

How close are you to Bedford ? Beds and County or the Bedford are good value courses or are you closer to Hitchin ?

 

[3565]

Well I'll count my lucky stars then, we pay £650 a year, the course was open throughout winter, on full tees and greens and you can count on one hand the days it was closed this winter? Sorry that it's gone up that much, I'd be in the same boat if i found I was in your position.

 

[guest100718]

Yep agree with that - it's a nightmare at the weekend with the course rammed with pay and play.

How close are you to Bedford ? Beds and County or the Bedford are good value courses or are you closer to Hitchin ?

i live in hitchin. Looking at Letchworth if they shelve the joining fee completely or maybe Mill green which also give access to Chesfield downs as part of the crown golf open play.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

i live in hitchin. Looking at Letchworth if they shelve the joining fee completely or maybe Mill green which also give access to Chesfield downs as part of the crown golf open play.

Heard good things about Chesfield Downs

What about John O Gaunt ?

 

[Fish]

Our membership has increased by £50 taking my renewal to just under £1200 for 6 months of competitive golf and 6 months of social golf due to a shortened course over winter, I'm just waiting on a phone call but I'll be swinging my clubs for the last time on Saturday at my existing club.

If my move goes ahead, as it should, it doubles the amount of qualifying comps I currently get, no use of mats or temps in the last 24 months as its a Heathland course and only closes due to snow, is no further to travel, and will save me £400 a year, its a no brainer really.

 

[guest100718]

Heard good things about Chesfield Downs

What about John O Gaunt ?

I like chesfield but my friend doesnt. John O gaunt is nice but has a 1600 joining fee!

 

[rksquire]

I'm not sure it's as simple to just breakdown the increase into a daily figure - sure why don't the government slap on another tax and say sure it's only another 34 pence each per day. The top-line is what's important and if there's already a section of membership that felt £1,125 was a borderline justifiable figure then a 10% increase is likely to see others leave. £1,250 is a lot to set aside at the start of the year, especially as it's really only for 30 weeks or so in the year. Times are still tough - but it's tough for clubs and also their members.

 

[patricks148]

i suppose it all boils down to how many times you play and what you want from a club.

for me its comps, i'm not sure i could be a nomad with not competitive golf on offer.

 

[Billysboots]

I have every sympathy with those whose fees are rocketing in order to plug the finances of clubs hit by the poor weather.

But spare a thought for our members as well. Our course benefits from being sand/gravel based, and as such drains extraordinarily well. The impact is a course which never closes, and one which has consequently become increasingly popular with visitors when most other courses within a 30 mile radius are either shut or bogs.

The management continue to beam from ear to ear, whilst the loyal members struggle to book tee times. And just to really rub our noses in it, using the laws of supply and demand the club have recently hiked the drink and food prices yet again, knowing that they will still get visitors through the door as there is nowhere else for them to go.

Our management do not care about their membership - whilst our fees have not gone up, we are paying through the nose elsewhere and all because, somewhat perversely, our course is always open.

 

[CMAC]

my old club went up 10% every year, it was at £1800 5 years ago. I am now not a member


I have to say though it was exceptional value for money even at £2600 for the courses and facilities and if I lived closer I would join again in a heartbeat

 

[Deleted member 15344]

my old club went up 10% every year, it was at £1800 5 years ago. I am now not a member


I have to say though it was exceptional value for money even at £2600 for the courses and facilities and if I lived closer I would join again in a heartbeat

Which club is that ? How many courses does it have

 

[JustOne]

I thought it was going to be dug up and given over to housing anyway, or is that not now happening?

I think the land is up for grabs in about 8 or 9 years.

Not sure if the course is worth the hiked fees as I was never invited for a game.

Last year it wasn't good enough for me to invite anyone without feeling 'embarrassed' by it, it's no Camberley!! :angry: