How Close Are You To Leaving?

[Crazyface]

When I joined my club, it had the best greens I've ever seen. Gradually over the years they've got worse, although we had a good year last year (greens wise). It's a beautiful setting, with some spectacular hole BUT, the back nine is "on a flood plane" and this is getting used as the excuse why the back nine is, not to put too finer point on it, a swamp, all year. Drains were put in by Severn Trent when they put a huge pipe in though the course ( before I joined) and it was superb, even after rain. But now? Shocking. Most of the time through the winter we're only on the front nine, and mostly on temps. The river burst it's banks two weeks ago and some of the large swap bits drained away?????? This was put down to the flood water "maybe" unblocking the drains. But no one will investigate this! I'm the comp sec I got dumped with it last year so am now more involved and want to see the course back to how it was but I am being frustrated by other committee members not being very communicative. Thing are being done to the course, but not the things that meed sorting, like the drainage.
So, do I hang in there? The members are great!!!! Or do I leave? My current thinking is to hang on one more year.

 

[Robobum]

I'm 1 month and 20 days away from leaving. Going to a muni to keep my handicap and will just be playing scratch open comps around the country with the money I'm saving

The green staff where I'm leaving are not managed and will do the absolute bare minimum they can get away with.

 

[fundy]

I come off the committee at the AGM next month, expect I will keep my membership until the end of summer and then reassess but be very surprised if Im still there this time next year.

Course took a big step backwards last year and pretty fed up with some of the stuff going on behind the scenes. Where I go is a far harder question to answer (especially if still living in Milton Keynes, hopefully we'll be on the move again!)

 

[Lord Tyrion]

The key thing to think about is where will you go to. If you have a good alternative then jump ship. If the alternatives are not so great then maybe give it one more year. If it is still the same then you are almost forced into moving. The only thing you don't want to do is cut off your nose etc. Take a deep breathe and think it through.

I find it is like doubting your putter or driver. Once you have doubts in your head you are more likely than not to move. It just nags away at you.

 

[Alex1975]

Done, gone... I left about two months ago. When I first joined and for a number of years the place just got better and better and it was a great cost/atmosphere/condition club. I felt that we then stood still for a while and started to move backwards.

I have to say, some of this was also about my lack of interest.

I don't have a plan but I have looked at Centurion, Ashridge and Berkhamsted but ended up making no decision. I could end up at a little 9 hole 4 mins from my house so that I can have a bit of fun and not be a missing father for this period of my life. That said, as soon as the little one shows any interest at all I will be on it like white on rice.

 

[Alex1975]

I find it is like doubting your putter or driver. Once you have doubts in your head you are more likely than not to move. It just nags away at you.

Ye, I have been looking at Scotty`s.... My poor Edel is... I duno what it is...

 

[patricks148]

i did think about i briefly, as the fee's have gone up by almost 50% since i joined. i was way too cheap to start with for a top 100 course. but i con't see the increase slowing down any time soon. Yes its way cheaper than down south. Money isn't a problem for me but once it gets to £1000 it will be double what most other clubs charge.

but it is the best course with the best greens ad you can pretty much play when you like.

 

[FairwayDodger]

I left one of my clubs, just couldn't justify two memberships when I'm about to take on a much bigger mortgage. Trouble is no club round here really seems to tick all the boxes for me so it's always a compromise.

The new house is nearer to a different course as well so I'll be having a serious think about joining there in the future. Different set of trade offs though.

 

[Region3]

I love everything about my place, but would have left this year if nothing were done about a couple of handicap cheats.

Thankfully they were dealt with and they're upset enough over it to not renew this year, so I'll be staying put.

 

[Liverbirdie]

i did think about i briefly, as the fee's have gone up by almost 50% since i joined. i was way too cheap to start with for a top 100 course. but i con't see the increase slowing down any time soon. Yes its way cheaper than down south. Money isn't a problem for me but once it gets to £1000 it will be double what most other clubs charge.

but it is the best course with the best greens ad you can pretty much play when you like.

Without getting into a rating Nairn discussion, what are they saying they spend it on? They charge fees on a par with Dornoch and slightly less than CS, but I can imagine that they are charging 2-4 times what other local private courses are.

Nairns greens were the best when I played it, so do they keep twice the green staff that other local courses do, have they re-designed some holes, built a clubhouse extension, or anything else that justifies the large hike on what you were paying 3-4 years ago.

I can imagine that its bearable if lots of the above have happened, and may even be a short term measure, but if carries on at that rate it can be unaffordable. Have the members kicked up a fuss at AGM's etc

I know some local courses here such as S and A and West lancs have had 5 year "building levies" of say £100 a year on top of the annual fees, but that is for a fixed term and for a particular benefit (brand new clubhouse, or major extension).

 

[Grieve14]

I'm leaving in the next month purely due to boredom of the same course for the last 18 months.

How long have you all been with your current clubs? Does it not get boring and repetitive playing the same track year after year after year?

 

[patricks148]

Without getting into a rating Nairn discussion, what are they saying they spend it on? They charge fees on a par with Dornoch and slightly less than CS, but I can imagine that they are charging 2-4 times what other local private courses are.

Nairns greens were the best when I played it, so do they keep twice the green staff that other local courses do, have they re-designed some holes, built a clubhouse extension, or anything else that justifies the large hike on what you were paying 3-4 years ago.

I can imagine that its bearable if lots of the above have happened, and may even be a short term measure, but if carries on at that rate it can be unaffordable. Have the members kicked up a fuss at AGM's etc

I know some local courses here such as S and A and West lancs have had 5 year "building levies" of say £100 a year on top of the annual fees, but that is for a fixed term and for a particular benefit (brand new clubhouse, or major extension).

from what i can see, its a money no object when i comes to equipment. we Bought a Graden Machine rather than rent it which i though would be a better, considering it gets used once a year at most and it was an expensive bit of kit. just spent a few 100K on new greens keepers sheds. Then this year a rough cutter and bailer. which is an expensive bit of farm machinery we could have hired.

but the biggest is the continued 80K loss on the bar and catering.. every year.

a few guys tried to get the membership fee discussed at the AGM, but the committee is a bit of a clique and it was just passed without any acknowledgment of it... same as the year before

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Happy with the direction of things at my place. Lots of new initiatives in last two years.

> free balls for our practice ground (that we don't have to collect);
> three bay 'rainy day' cover to one side of our practice ground;
> 3-player revetted-face practice bunker
> state of the art indoor swing studio;
> completely refurbished and extended pro shop;
> new hot drinks/soup area to side of main lounge;
> on-line competition entry booking;
> forward tees installed for young juniors;
> thriving junior academy (last Sat saw 27 under 10s on our chipping and putting ground)
> brilliant food and a great bar and dining room team (and it makes a good profit)
> thriving social side (i'm in our choir )
> minimal increase in subs this year - though a £40 levy added for course improvements.
> membership full
> plans for later this year to start on build of a 4 hole Par 3 course on our practice ground
> work to start on a new toilet block and facility for setting up BBQs etc between 11th green and 12th tee. (not a full half way house)

Downside? - our Saturday am roll-up has become too popular with existing and new members - nearly 40 of us last Saturday,

There are a lot of very good tracks in Surrey/Hants borders area so we have to compete very hard. And we seem to be doing that pretty well. This year sees my 14yrs at the club. Soon part of the furniture.

 

[Liverbirdie]

from what i can see, its a money no object when i comes to equipment. we Bought a Graden Machine rather than rent it which i though would be a better, considering it gets used once a year at most and it was an expensive bit of kit. just spent a few 100K on new greens keepers sheds. Then this year a rough cutter and bailer. which is an expensive bit of farm machinery we could have hired.

but the biggest is the continued 80K loss on the bar and catering.. every year.

a few guys tried to get the membership fee discussed at the AGM, but the committee is a bit of a clique and it was just passed without any acknowledgment of it... same as the year before

How many members do you have, on average?

You need to get a cabal, to take on the clique.:thup:

 

[fundy]

Done, gone... I left about two months ago. When I first joined and for a number of years the place just got better and better and it was a great cost/atmosphere/condition club. I felt that we then stood still for a while and started to move backwards.

I have to say, some of this was also about my lack of interest.

I don't have a plan but I have looked at Centurion, Ashridge and Berkhamsted but ended up making no decision. I could end up at a little 9 hole 4 mins from my house so that I can have a bit of fun and not be a missing father for this period of my life. That said, as soon as the little one shows any interest at all I will be on it like white on rice.

have to laugh, he chooses this year to put the price up too, not a huge amount but enough to smart considering the current condition

 

[GB72]

I left in November, liked the course I was playing at but had grown to realise that it was not a place that I enjoyed playing golf, it represented everything I disliked about the game. I had basically become a car park golfer despite not wanting to be one. Not picked up my clubs since but will start looking for a new place properly once the 6 nations is over and my weekends are more free.

 

[Marshy77]

> thriving social side (i'm in our choir )

Haha excellent

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Haha excellent

Good eh? There are more than two dozen of us. I just make a loud and low noise.

And we also (the members) annually put on a show - 3 performances to an audience of about 120 at a time. Write it, songs, comedy skits, scenery, props, music, lighting, production.

All for the Captain's Charity

 

[GreggerKBR]

I was really close, had an intro round planned at a new club etc.
Was just so annoyed that the course had gotten worse after they changed from 36 holes to 27 in order to free up budget and resources to improve the course. The greens were rubbish.

Then I went back for a round mid January and the course was actually okay,
Importantly the team had cleared loads of areas to improve sunlight etc. They'd stuck drainage into a green that was struggling etc.
After a good 2015 and poor summer 2016 it was better than the previous winter comparatively.

I've decided to stay on as it works for me and my partner. She's happy enough there.
And we can take the dog there and use gym/spa area as well.
And I'm sure there are some trophies that need to get in my cabinet!

 

[Garush34]

Happy with where I am at the moment. Have been there for about 5 seasons and things have been improving. The overall course condition is better. Practice facilities although not great have improved. Have a great bunch of guys that I can get games with and the comps are generally well attended.

The only issue I have is that there are not enough comps available. I would like to see more but I suppose it is maybe suitable for the majority of the membership.

I have no plans to leave anytime soon and wouldn't want to as it is one of the better clubs in the area.