williamalex1
Money List Winner
quite a few clubs in my area ,are very near to going down the tubes
. whats happening in your area
. whats happening in your area
how many golf clubs are going to go bust
- Thread starter williamalex1
- Start date
GreiginFife
Money List Winner
I have 5 clubs around me and all are doing really well. My own club is thriving with near capacity membership and lots of wee initiatives to generate the income needed for additional work if needed.
Val
Ryder Cup Winner
A few in Anarkshire and surroundings reported to be n trouble, Cowglen rumoured to be in critical condition financially
T
thecraw
Guest
Good few in the Renfrewshire area are reportedly in trouble. I also know of two in North Ayrshire that struggle to survive. I think you'll see a domino effect if one goes a few will follow and banks will get twitchy bums!
williamalex1
Money List Winner
i think the opposite, if any of your local clubs go bust the remaining clubs should be ready make offers available to the affected members. for their own survival . its a hard old world., or amalgamation i.e. sharing equipment , labour etc is a possible option ? in these hard times clubs should have a maintainance programme only . no new projects
Last edited:
Mine has a full membership of 700
stevek1969
Money List Winner
A few clubs in my area are struggling i heard that today. Clubs have to be proactive in both keeping members and attracting new ones its hard work as the money is there so much know.
williamalex1
Money List Winner
long may it continue for you ,i hope they don't all turn up on the same day. any spare [ golfers ] send them up to us
Tommo21
Tour Winner
Royal Musselburgh, fith oldest club in the world is in deep trouble to the tune of 175k. SGM last night with a turn out of over 250 members who voted no confedence in the council by 230 to 20. More to come I think.
When council come up with getting rid of the pro as cost cutting, then members are going to fight back.
When council come up with getting rid of the pro as cost cutting, then members are going to fight back.
Phil2511
Global Moderator
My place is starting to find it tough. But all down to their own bad management and constant penny pinching. A pay and play facility that doesn't get played.
They got rid of some green staff and let the rough grow like a jungle, narrowed fairways and turned it into a difficult course for the casual golfer. They also put weekend green fee up 25% and now nobody is playing it. About 50 members of the club left and I'm sure double that figure for centre only members.
I recall summer 2010 and you would see at least 2 coaches in the car park every Saturday during summer months and sometimes as many as 7. Now they would be lucky to get 1 society a month.
Even last year the weekly revenue was close to £20k now it's lucky to reach £10k on a good week.
Every other club in the area are offering special deals and most have reduced joining fees to a fraction of the original or dropped them completely. Some of the guys who left our place got up to 4 months free golf from their new clubs, so I assume that other clubs in the area need to get revenue whichever way they can no matter how much less than before.
They got rid of some green staff and let the rough grow like a jungle, narrowed fairways and turned it into a difficult course for the casual golfer. They also put weekend green fee up 25% and now nobody is playing it. About 50 members of the club left and I'm sure double that figure for centre only members.
I recall summer 2010 and you would see at least 2 coaches in the car park every Saturday during summer months and sometimes as many as 7. Now they would be lucky to get 1 society a month.
Even last year the weekly revenue was close to £20k now it's lucky to reach £10k on a good week.
Every other club in the area are offering special deals and most have reduced joining fees to a fraction of the original or dropped them completely. Some of the guys who left our place got up to 4 months free golf from their new clubs, so I assume that other clubs in the area need to get revenue whichever way they can no matter how much less than before.
spawn_ukuk
Tour Rookie
My Local course i play always packed the weekends
Other local course was in trouble but then got bought, they are fine now
Other local course was in trouble but then got bought, they are fine now
Khamelion
Tour Winner
I know of one club close to where I live that nearly went bust last year, but they sorted themselves, got a load of new members and are doing really well now.
The thing I don't get though are the club secretaries who look at gift horses in the mouth, what I mean is, I was looking for a club that did a pay and play scheme, there's no point in me paying for a years membership as work commitments mean I only get to play every other weekend, or 26 weeks of the year, so when my dad approached the secretary of his club and asked if paying a couple hundred quid for membership but then still paid green fees albeit at a reduced rate, the secretary nearly had a coronary, I think the words were, "no no no we don't do that sort of thing here".
Why?
OKay the club membership may be full, but it's not as if I would be there every week taking up tee times and it's money in the bank for them.
When clubs are looking to make money to stay afloat, you would have thought new ideas to the club would have been welcomed with open arms rather than have the door firmly slammed in their face.
The thing I don't get though are the club secretaries who look at gift horses in the mouth, what I mean is, I was looking for a club that did a pay and play scheme, there's no point in me paying for a years membership as work commitments mean I only get to play every other weekend, or 26 weeks of the year, so when my dad approached the secretary of his club and asked if paying a couple hundred quid for membership but then still paid green fees albeit at a reduced rate, the secretary nearly had a coronary, I think the words were, "no no no we don't do that sort of thing here".
Why?
OKay the club membership may be full, but it's not as if I would be there every week taking up tee times and it's money in the bank for them.
When clubs are looking to make money to stay afloat, you would have thought new ideas to the club would have been welcomed with open arms rather than have the door firmly slammed in their face.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
I was a member of East Renfrewshire when a student in the late 70s- but left when they wouldn't allow me to extend my associate membership for a year when I qualified from uni and didn't know where I was going to be living. Whitecraigs was my nearest members club (15 mins walk from home - where mum still is) but when I was looking to join a club back then I didn't have the right connections so was stuck on the 7 yr waiting list LOL. I wonder how 'fussy' they are these days.
I had a mate who was a member of Elderslie - good track - pity about Foxbar, one at Fereneze (windy hilly), another at Eastwood (pity about the M77 - or maybe a plus?), and others at Cathcart Castle and Williamwood. Can't imagine these long established clubs would be in difficulty.
BTW - had a wander around East Ren a month of so ago (didn't play). The place has changed almost beyond recognition now that all the trees planted when I was a member have matured. Speaking on the putting green with a member of 40yrs - he said he preferred it back then - but the Forestry Commission controls what they can do about taking trees down. Sounded like he really rather regretted the planting. That said - it was a cracking track back then - and looked really nice today even with the trees. Must take my bats with me next time I'm home visiting my mum.
Fader
Tour Winner
One club that is no more than a long par 5 from where I work is currently in such a state they've sold different parts of the set-up to 3 different buyers.
-Clubhouse and function suite sold to a former pub landlord,
- Driving Range to a keen golfer and businessman,
- The Course and Greenkeeping facilities have been sold to a 3rd party indivivual.
Currently they are between the 3 of them arguing over who has to pay what bills, as the billing accounts for the properties are all interlinked e.g the water supply for all 3 is done through the same supply yet not one of them admits responsibility, only reason I know this is I work for the company that supplies them. Is a complete mess and no idea how they are going to rectify it and run a succesful club as 3 seperate entities.
-Clubhouse and function suite sold to a former pub landlord,
- Driving Range to a keen golfer and businessman,
- The Course and Greenkeeping facilities have been sold to a 3rd party indivivual.
Currently they are between the 3 of them arguing over who has to pay what bills, as the billing accounts for the properties are all interlinked e.g the water supply for all 3 is done through the same supply yet not one of them admits responsibility, only reason I know this is I work for the company that supplies them. Is a complete mess and no idea how they are going to rectify it and run a succesful club as 3 seperate entities.
Last edited:
T
thecraw
Guest
All barr Elderslie are in East Renfrewshire!
That said HairyKnees GC (Fereneze, my old stomping ground as a junior) struggles these days!
MegaSteve
Tour Winner
The economic bubble has burst... No surprise that clubs will be struggling to make ends meet... Ordinary working folk are prioritising their motoring/living needs over leisure desires... The wealthier clubs will survive as at times like these what money there is rises to the top...
As a business friend told me... There's no point in offering short term deals... They don't service the debt only add to it... Banks are a whole lot less tolerant now than they have been in recent times...
As a business friend told me... There's no point in offering short term deals... They don't service the debt only add to it... Banks are a whole lot less tolerant now than they have been in recent times...
MadAdey
Money List Winner
Fortunately mine is one of the best in the area and you need to travel 15+ miles in any direction before you get to another decent course. Also what they have done is allow people to pay the £600 joining fee over 5 years so you have to cough up £720 a year for 5 years instead of £1200 for the first and £600 after. which has worked really well and brought quite a few new members in. Also for next year they are looking at setting up a fairway credit account so that people can pay it on the drip over 6 months. I think the problem a lot of courses have is they are owned by companies trying to make a profit for shareholders, rather than mine that is owned by the members. No one to make money for as long as we do not spend more than we take in it is a winner. Sorry to hear that people may be at clubs that are struggling. I would be well P###### off if i had paid a joining fee, then have to look at moving elsewhere and having to pay another joining fee.
GB72
Money List Winner
My new club is in pretty good shape at the moment, membership is pretty much full, plenty in the bar, plenty of societies in the week to bring the money in so looking pretty good. Not sure how my old club is going. They are well down on their membership but there has been no talk of any financial problems so I can only assume that they kept decent cash reserves during the good times.
As Lincolnshire is pretty Rural, the courses are spread out and you tend to join the one nearest. Not sure that there is anywhere where there is more than a couple of courses competing for members and that seems to suit everyone.
As Lincolnshire is pretty Rural, the courses are spread out and you tend to join the one nearest. Not sure that there is anywhere where there is more than a couple of courses competing for members and that seems to suit everyone.
thegogg
Head Pro
Just heard this week that a course near me have gone in to administration another in the Chester area is in dire straights.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
Not surprising the clubs I mention (other than Elderslie) are in East Renfrewshire as that is where I'm from - but I know what you're getting at
Same sort of situation as where I am now in Surrey.I went to Paisley Tech and one of my mates there was an Elderslie lad - so I played there quite a bit - he did tell of the local Foxbar-ites taking pot shots at members using air guns. The perimeter fence was what you might find at Carstairs or Barlinnie
Sad to hear Fereneze struggles. Mind you for golfers new to the game it is a bit of a challenge in the wind (in fact it's a challenge with or without wind) so I could see it might struggle to pull in new members looking for a gentle stroll in the park whilst learning the game.
