How much are your clubs fees going up this year

[PNWokingham]

just had our renewal for start of May and up around 6% to an eye watering level, especially when i try and work out price per round. Guest fees Fri-Sun also up 20% to £85. I love the course but not sure i can justify the price given i probably only play 30 times a year and have also joined The Caversham. Dilema as to running both for the year or just staying with new course and going full instead of credits

 

[Boomy]

Maybe this year, but they won't next year. Much like the golf world changed suddenly in 2020 with a big increase in participation, it is going to have a similar change in the opposite direction within the next year.

On a purely simplistic level, petrol prices will make anyone who lives more than a few miles from their home club think twice about rejoining. Then you have the increased cost of living, other sports/hobbies going back to normal, etc.

I think any club implementing increases above inflation is taking a risk, and not thinking ahead too far.

Everything has gone up for the golf club as well - the cost of utilities to keep the lights and heating on in the clubhouse/bar/changing room etc. Fuel costs for the plant/machinery. Fertiliser/feed costs have gone up for any cultivation work.

I think any club not implementing slightly higher increases are taking a risk and could be risking a (forced) much bigger increase in the future (obviously there’ll be exceptions where visitor revenues have increased or membership has significantly increased)

A pal of mine was mildly grumbling about the fees going up by £25 for the year! £25! That’s an increase of £2.08 a month… the same guy must spend £1,000’s every year on kit, clothes and stuff he doesn’t need. If I was cutting back I wouldn’t start by looking at my club subs (and it’s a 46 mile round trip for me to play) As with other discussions on here there could be (is) a huge difference for Scotland, North England and Southern England prices so it’s all relative to where you live but then again more often than not the same also applies to income (North vrs South)

How many times you can play over the 12 months is the biggest factor as to whether it offers good value or not, but then I’d factor in the mental health benefits of getting out for a game with friends in the fresh air (hard to quantify in cash terms) I did a review of my outgoings a few years ago and stopped wasting money on things I really didn’t need (new mobile phone every year which meant a big contract, full sky package which most of it we didn’t watch, amongst other things as well) Those reductions/changes would have more than covered double my golf subs.

 

[howbow88]

Please note, I said higher than inflation increases. I wasn't saying that their shouldn't be any increases at all.

The fact that you wouldn't cancel your membership if things got financially tight at home is great for you. We all have our priorities and I think it is most definitely important to always have at least one thing each week/month that is mostly enjoyable. Whether that's some form of sport, cinema, travel, theatre, live music, etc.

But I suspect that for a heck of a lot of members, if things get tight at home, cancelling golf membership will be a very real consideration. Anyone with kids, anyone who has a long distance journey to their club, anyone with other cheaper hobbies that they can do as an alternative - football, cricket, rugby, etc, will most definitely consider dropping their golf membership. Could you imagine working out finances for the year and you see that it's a choice between a family holiday or golf membership? 'Sorry kids, no Euro Disney this year. Daddy wants to play golf with his mates.'

You're right of course that costs are going up for everyone, golf clubs included. But that is where whoever is setting the prices needs to think things through properly. Simply looking at how much their membership numbers have probably increased, and how much more expensive energy bills will be, and then increasing prices above inflation... It will likely make those on the edge consider ditching their membership. And then if any of those guys do renew, the following year their expectations will likely increase. If the greens are a bit bumpy and the fairways need a mow, the guys who begrudgingly renewed and paid more than they felt that they should have, will probably not be too happy about minor issues that never bothered them previously.

You're absolutely right in that this whole thing is not a one way street, and golf clubs are not charities. But more thought needs to be put into price setting than just 'our costs have gone up, so we will just pass this on to our customers'. It is short termism.

 

[howbow88]

That was a long post - apologies for rambling on

 

[Boomy]

Please note, I said higher than inflation increases. I wasn't saying that their shouldn't be any increases at all.

The fact that you wouldn't cancel your membership if things got financially tight at home is great for you. We all have our priorities and I think it is most definitely important to always have at least one thing each week/month that is mostly enjoyable. Whether that's some form of sport, cinema, travel, theatre, live music, etc.

But I suspect that for a heck of a lot of members, if things get tight at home, cancelling golf membership will be a very real consideration. Anyone with kids, anyone who has a long distance journey to their club, anyone with other cheaper hobbies that they can do as an alternative - football, cricket, rugby, etc, will most definitely consider dropping their golf membership. Could you imagine working out finances for the year and you see that it's a choice between a family holiday or golf membership? 'Sorry kids, no Euro Disney this year. Daddy wants to play golf with his mates.'

You're right of course that costs are going up for everyone, golf clubs included. But that is where whoever is setting the prices needs to think things through properly. Simply looking at how much their membership numbers have probably increased, and how much more expensive energy bills will be, and then increasing prices above inflation... It will likely make those on the edge consider ditching their membership. And then if any of those guys do renew, the following year their expectations will likely increase. If the greens are a bit bumpy and the fairways need a mow, the guys who begrudgingly renewed and paid more than they felt that they should have, will probably not be too happy about minor issues that never bothered them previously.

You're absolutely right in that this whole thing is not a one way street, and golf clubs are not charities. But more thought needs to be put into price setting than just 'our costs have gone up, so we will just pass this on to our customers'. It is short termism.

Indeed, I did read your original post as higher than inflation increases and I meant setting it slightly higher than inflation is likely a good thing. I suspect there is a rather large gap between those clubs under increasing, and those that are over increasing fees.

There’d be no cost cutting going on if Euro Disney was the holiday destination ?

Please don’t take my discussion as an “I’m ok and can still pay, so everyone else can” that isn’t at all how it was intended. There will indeed be some families/people who need to possibly cancel memberships due to the increased financial pressure, but also there’ll likely be situations where if other non essential things were reigned in more money would be available for recreational activities ?

I’d be hopeful that a lot of clubs will also be looking to increase revenue via other activities too: social events, opens, entertainment nights, attracting more visitors with deals etc

Increasing ahead of inflation could actually be classed as longer termism - especially with the recent announcement from the Bank of England. A bumpy road lies ahead.

 

[sunshine]

Could you imagine working out finances for the year and you see that it's a choice between a family holiday or golf membership? 'Sorry kids, no Euro Disney this year. Daddy wants to play golf with his mates.'

Too right. Golf is much more important than Mickey Mouse. ?

 

[BubbaP]

Seems where I'm playing is staying the same. Not massively surprised as the hotel, estate, clubhouse are being renovated - so we're having a little inconvenience. Next year may be a different story...

Edit (April) : oh well, above was misinformation. Now confirmed a 12.5% increase ?