How do clubs become more sustainable

[Mike Lane 1977]

Hi guys, just been running though some ideas in my head this morning of how golf clubs could get themselves in a better state of play to become more sustainable, what's your thoughts on this?

Mine are:

• Run more junior events as they are the future of golf
• Better customer service ie more professional, happier staff, more helpful staff
• Better facilities

Let me know your ideas..........

 

[Canary_Yellow]

Challenge the status quo.

My club has an average member age of something stupid like 58 which clearly isn't ideal. The people that run the club are also largely in this type of age bracket, not that that is necessarily a problem, but there's no doubt that people as a general rule act in a way that is reflective of their own, or their friends, interest - it's natural.

However, the people that run golf clubs shouldn't lose sight of the fact that they're not just running the club for their benefit or for the immediate benefit of the current membership. They shouldn't just accept that because things have been done a certain way in the past they should continue to be. Golf clubs need brave leaders to take them forward into the 21st century.

I'm not suggesting throwing the baby out with the bath water and allowing a free for all, but, moving with the times would be a good start in many cases, things like dress code for the clubhouse etc. would be a good start.

I fully agree with your point about encouraging junior golfers, but I'd add to that and say I'd like to see more interaction between the junior section and the adults section, rather than it being like two seperate golf clubs that share a course.

 

[Mike Lane 1977]

100% Golf clubs do have this stigma of them and us between juniors and adults. Also the number of women in clubs is limited, golf is very male orientated and again reduces the interest from girls. if clubs could find a way to encourage this i feel this could make a difference

 

[GB72]

Challenge the status quo.

My club has an average member age of something stupid like 58 which clearly isn't ideal. The people that run the club are also largely in this type of age bracket, not that that is necessarily a problem, but there's no doubt that people as a general rule act in a way that is reflective of their own, or their friends, interest - it's natural.

However, the people that run golf clubs shouldn't lose sight of the fact that they're not just running the club for their benefit or for the immediate benefit of the current membership. They shouldn't just accept that because things have been done a certain way in the past they should continue to be. Golf clubs need brave leaders to take them forward into the 21st century.

I'm not suggesting throwing the baby out with the bath water and allowing a free for all, but, moving with the times would be a good start in many cases, things like dress code for the clubhouse etc. would be a good start.

I fully agree with your point about encouraging junior golfers, but I'd add to that and say I'd like to see more interaction between the junior section and the adults section, rather than it being like two seperate golf clubs that share a course.

Pretty much this

 

[Birchy]

Old boys make the decisions hence clubs are mainly run to suit .............. Old boys :thup:

 

[Slab]

Hi guys, just been running though some ideas in my head this morning of how golf clubs could get themselves in a better state of play to become more sustainable, what's your thoughts on this?

Mine are:

• Run more junior events as they are the future of golf
• Better customer service ie more professional, happier staff, more helpful staff
• Better facilities

Let me know your ideas..........

Do you mean juniors are the future of golf or junior events are? Regardless I think both are open to be challenged to see if they really are the future

Better Customer service, most certainly

 

[Hacker Khan]

Challenge the status quo.

My club has an average member age of something stupid like 58 which clearly isn't ideal. The people that run the club are also largely in this type of age bracket, not that that is necessarily a problem, but there's no doubt that people as a general rule act in a way that is reflective of their own, or their friends, interest - it's natural.

However, the people that run golf clubs shouldn't lose sight of the fact that they're not just running the club for their benefit or for the immediate benefit of the current membership. They shouldn't just accept that because things have been done a certain way in the past they should continue to be. Golf clubs need brave leaders to take them forward into the 21st century.

I'm not suggesting throwing the baby out with the bath water and allowing a free for all, but, moving with the times would be a good start in many cases, things like dress code for the clubhouse etc. would be a good start.

I fully agree with your point about encouraging junior golfers, but I'd add to that and say I'd like to see more interaction between the junior section and the adults section, rather than it being like two seperate golf clubs that share a course.

A very erudite and well argued post there. And if I could give it a 'like' I would.

I'd just add that more clubs need to be places where a larger proportion of the population would want to visit and spend their cash and leisure time. And not places where you feel they are doing you a favour by letting you visit. As as you say, with the average age of the members nearly hitting 60 then surely that can't be good for the future of the club and game in general.

 

[Mike Lane 1977]

Just that I was once a junior and now I play a large part in my local club, it is always a challenge getting the interest from younger players, there are plenty of people trying to get younger people into golf but when they get to the clubs they are given the cold shoulder from the older members, such a shame. Customer service is always poor, in the bar and pro shop they aren't interested

 

[patricks148]

Old boys make the decisions hence clubs are mainly run to suit .............. Old boys :thup:

You miss the point that 90% of golf members are "old Boys"

 

[Hacker Khan]

Just that I was once a junior and now I play a large part in my local club, it is always a challenge getting the interest from younger players, there are plenty of people trying to get younger people into golf but when they get to the clubs they are given the cold shoulder from the older members, such a shame. Customer service is always poor, in the bar and pro shop they aren't interested

I'd say most of the customer service from the bar staff or pro shop I have received at clubs is very good. For example I played Sheringham last week and all the staff I came across were very helpful to me. As I think most realise that you have to have some customer facing skills to survive nowadays.

As a visitor to a lot of clubs the biggest issues I have had is generally with (some of) the members. Again most are quite friendly, but unfortunately it only needs one officious unfriendly type who sees you as a nuisance to kind of spoil the impression of the club. Who I seem to come across on too many occasions.

 

[Birchy]

You miss the point that 90% of golf members are "old Boys"

Why do you think that is?

 

[patricks148]

Why do you think that is?

Golf is an older persons game always has been. i didn't start till i was 40, it didn't interest me before that as i did other sports.

 

[Slab]

Golf is an older persons game always has been. i didn't start till i was 40, it didn't interest me before that as i did other sports.

Something I hear a lot and the reason I'd question if juniors are the future, efforts for building membership/increasing revenue may be better spent in attracting the 40yr old's when they're 35yrs old

 

[pokerjoke]

Hi guys, just been running though some ideas in my head this morning of how golf clubs could get themselves in a better state of play to become more sustainable, what's your thoughts on this?

Mine are:

• Run more junior events as they are the future of golf
• Better customer service ie more professional, happier staff, more helpful staff
• Better facilities

Let me know your ideas..........

Junior golfers wont make a sustainable economic growth until there older and spending
money in the clubhouse.
However offering juniors a cheap deal at a young age and looking after them well for the future
is the way to go.
Different clubs offer a different level of help.
I understand Taunton and Pickeridge which is situated near me has a good junior section.
My club has not got one.
In fact at T&P some work in the club.
My club used to have a membership of 500 I understand now we have around 120.
This will never ever change until new younger members are introduced.
The way my club is run frustrates me because its in decline and nobody seams
to want to change things,who knows what the future holds but it doesn't look good.

 

[FairwayDodger]

I think clubs need to do much more to equalise the "golf membership experience" for men and women in their clubs. It comes back to the "old boys" and "old girls" situation where they are all quite happy with the status quo but it just doesn't work for younger members. Particularly, in my experience, the females. Most of us ("younger" ones) work nowadays and want to play golf at the weekend (possibly every weekend depending on enthusiasm) - clubs accommodate that with varying degrees of success.

Part of the problem is thinking is very binary in nature. Clubs think "men want x, women want y" whereas the truth is much more complicated than that. I'd like to see the end of men's/women's sections in a club in favour of a single membership playing and competing together with a balance of competitive and "fun/social" events taking place both midweek and at weekends such that every member can pick and choose to play the type of golf that suits them on the days that suit them.


I'm also in favour of relaxing dress codes in the clubhouse. I find it ridiculous that I can't pop in for a drink or some food when I'm in the area purely because I have jeans on.

However, the simplest thing golf clubs could do immediately is to reply to membership enquiries promptly! It is astounding how many clubs don't reply to emails for days or weeks.... or don't reply at all!

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Golf clubs appear to be filled with old men, old women and young lads.

Men & Women aged between 30 & 40 should be the target for clubs - especially couples.
If they get properly involved in the club they can give 30-40 years membership to the club and hopefully bring through the next generation of members and star players.

So clubs somehow have to fit in around the aims, likes and availability of those players.

 

[GB72]

I find the whole debate about focusing on the junior section fascinating. There is no doubt that juniors are the future of golf but not necessarily the future of a club if you look at it from a totally selfish point of view. Many juniors pay nominal fees and have little to spend in the bar or shop yet still receive free of subsidised lessons (It used to be group lessons at my old club). I suspect very few of those will go on to become full members at that club. Many will find other interests or move away with work or university. All of this initial expenditure to produce a healthy junior section may not see any financial reward and any that it does receive could be decades down the line.

There are, however, groups that could have a far more dramatic impact on current revenues. Women would be my first target. Many clubs could do with increasing the size of their ladies section so why not have free lessons to attract women to the game. Any member attracted would pay full fees and more than likely have funds to spend in the club facilities.

I would also look at the 30-40 age group. Many men are stopping playing impact sports at this age such as football or rugby and are looking for a new challenge. I have rarely seen free introductory sessions for men but this could, again, produce immediate financial gains.

I would also add that clubs tend to focus their marketing and promotion at the keen or knowledgeable golfer. There is some market for attracting existing golfers to the club but what they need to do is make themselves attractive to people who have not tried golf and that needs more forward thinking.

So, looking at the future of the sport, juniors need to be encouraged but I suspect that they have little impact of the financial sustainability of a club.

 

[Mike Lane 1977]

Good point, like you say it only takes 1 thing to spoil and experience

 

[patricks148]

I find the whole debate about focusing on the junior section fascinating. There is no doubt that juniors are the future of golf but not necessarily the future of a club if you look at it from a totally selfish point of view. Many juniors pay nominal fees and have little to spend in the bar or shop yet still receive free of subsidised lessons (It used to be group lessons at my old club). I suspect very few of those will go on to become full members at that club. Many will find other interests or move away with work or university. All of this initial expenditure to produce a healthy junior section may not see any financial reward and any that it does receive could be decades down the line.

There are, however, groups that could have a far more dramatic impact on current revenues. Women would be my first target. Many clubs could do with increasing the size of their ladies section so why not have free lessons to attract women to the game. Any member attracted would pay full fees and more than likely have funds to spend in the club facilities.

I would also look at the 30-40 age group. Many men are stopping playing impact sports at this age such as football or rugby and are looking for a new challenge. I have rarely seen free introductory sessions for men but this could, again, produce immediate financial gains.

I would also add that clubs tend to focus their marketing and promotion at the keen or knowledgeable golfer. There is some market for attracting existing golfers to the club but what they need to do is make themselves attractive to people who have not tried golf and that needs more forward thinking.

So, looking at the future of the sport, juniors need to be encouraged but I suspect that they have little impact of the financial sustainability of a club.

totally agree.... except the women part

 

[MattM]

So some are saying that juniors are the future and others saying adults (men and women) around the 35-45 age group are the future.

Probably means that making clubs much more 'Family' friendly is the future - get the parents and the kids in together.