How much extra subs would you pay next year to support your Club if closed for 4 months?

[IanM]

Had an email last night to say our management board meet tomorrow (on Skype I assume) and will issue a statement thereafter.

As a members' club who have annual subs paid in January and a full membership, our fixed costs for the year will (should??) be covered. Will be very interesting to see what they say. It's the Pro and Steward I am worried about most. We have an average membership age of 56, so pretty spread out between working and retired. Some folk will be fine and some in trouble. Let's face it, food and mortgage is priority over subs and a new putter! A core of our members have been members for over 40 years and were probably born within 5 miles of the place, so the loyalty factor is high.

Of course, I might be on here tomorrow night venting over something apocalyptic!

 

[Parsaregood]

None, perhaps unless it meant closure of the club i would, I highly doubt this as our club is in as far as I know a strong position financially. Just paid £1200 in full for my fees today. Hopefully can get back out playing and get my money's worth soon. Bright side is with this good weather and a full maintenance schedule taking place with 2 squads of greenkeepers working separately the course should be in great shape when it reopens

 

[Radbourne2010]

Extra? ?‍ Seriously, we all want clubs to survive through this mess, but it is not for the Membership to dig into their pockets to bail these clubs out.

Simply put, Finance & Working Committees need a fresh approach to Societies, Social gatherings, Family space & entertainment. Even free range balls to entice after work brigade to hit some balls & spend some money at the bar or Pro Shop afterwards.

This will/should change everything at 90% of UK & Ireland golf clubs. Hopefully for the better ?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Extra? ?‍ Seriously, we all want clubs to survive through this mess, but it is not for the Membership to dig into their pockets to bail these clubs out.

Simply put, Finance & Working Committees need a fresh approach to Societies, Social gatherings, Family space & entertainment. Even free range balls to entice after work brigade to hit some balls & spend some money at the bar or Pro Shop afterwards.

This will/should change everything at 90% of UK & Ireland golf clubs. Hopefully for the better ?

A members club is owned by the members, therefore only the Membership can keep a members club going - 'bail it out' if you must. There is nobody else.

 

[Doodle]

Interesting letter from a golf club here for those of you on FB.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?st...90019029?sfnsn=scwspmo&extid=mUL2P0CIvHRrsn8S

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Had an email last night to say our management board meet tomorrow (on Skype I assume) and will issue a statement thereafter.

As a members' club who have annual subs paid in January and a full membership, our fixed costs for the year will (should??) be covered. Will be very interesting to see what they say. It's the Pro and Steward I am worried about most. We have an average membership age of 56, so pretty spread out between working and retired. Some folk will be fine and some in trouble. Let's face it, food and mortgage is priority over subs and a new putter! A core of our members have been members for over 40 years and were probably born within 5 miles of the place, so the loyalty factor is high.

Of course, I might be on here tomorrow night venting over something apocalyptic!

...thing about the mortgage is that you can take a holiday and then spread it over the remainder of the term - or if you can't afford the increased monthly payment then extend the term.

We did the latter some 7-8 years ago as the monthly payment was killing us alongside paying for both our children going to university. We extended the term by 5 yrs to when I'd be 70, and that knocked £500 off our monthly repayment. I knew we could do it as my wife was always going to be retiring before I was 65, and the balance outstanding on the mortgage when I turned 65 could be paid off using my wife's NHS pension lump sum.

 

[Doodle]

And so it begins.


From Twitter.
Sad to hear Henley Golf and country club has gone into liquidation. I will always have some great memories of the club where I started my PGA journey. Now more than ever Golf Clubs need to be supported by there membership.

 

[moogie]

And so it begins.


From Twitter.
Sad to hear Henley Golf and country club has gone into liquidation. I will always have some great memories of the club where I started my PGA journey. Now more than ever Golf Clubs need to be supported by there membership.

Tbh
I'd be really surprised if we don't lose atleast 1 or 2 clubs in my county, that are already in poor financial states, should the course closures continue for a long time, and say.... Lose the entire summer.

A club I joined about 20years ago, and was a member of for a long long time, for example, had a trading loss of £18/19k
Fees were raised hugely at last AGM
All went through well, and members understood and supported
This rise would have seen them get back to where they needed to be, if similar trading, green fees, bar takings, etc... To the year before

But if there's a long closure
With substantial drop in revenues from things like visitor green fees and bar takings, then I fear for the clubs future.....

I'd say there will be 3 or 4 that I know of in similar position

Dwindling membership numbers locally, means plenty are struggling

 

[Papas1982]

And so it begins.


From Twitter.
Sad to hear Henley Golf and country club has gone into liquidation. I will always have some great memories of the club where I started my PGA journey. Now more than ever Golf Clubs need to be supported by there membership.

How poor must their figures be if they're in liquidation already

That strikes me as people getting out with money on their pockets before it's too late.

 

[TreeSeeker]

How poor must their figures be if they're in liquidation already

That strikes me as people getting out with money on their pockets before it's too late.

Agree, if you're in a reasonal position, making money and only hitting trouble as a result of 2 weeks closure i can only imagine your lenders will be inclined to wait a while.

back to the original question gave it some thought and figure i'd be good for double, i essentially pay half given the intermediate membership option at my club, its a members club and i want to see it there for years to come, extra £1k isn't to be sniffed at, but better than the alternate imo.

 

[Parsaregood]

...thing about the mortgage is that you can take a holiday and then spread it over the remainder of the term - or if you can't afford the increased monthly payment then extend the term.

We did the latter some 7-8 years ago as the monthly payment was killing us alongside paying for both our children going to university. We extended the term by 5 yrs to when I'd be 70, and that knocked £500 off our monthly repayment. I knew we could do it as my wife was always going to be retiring before I was 65, and the balance outstanding on the mortgage when I turned 65 could be paid off using my wife's NHS pension lump sum.

Cant imagine paying off a mortgage until the age of 70 ? I feel for you. I suppose I'm lucky, I'm not even 30 and dont have a mortgage to pay

 

[Val]

Extra? ?‍ Seriously, we all want clubs to survive through this mess, but it is not for the Membership to dig into their pockets to bail these clubs out.

That's exactly what happens, why do you think clubs have levy's for course work, clubhouse etc? Members own the club, members are shareholders.

 

[Crazyface]

That's exactly what happens, why do you think clubs have levy's for course work, clubhouse etc? Members own the club, members are shareholders.

Are they? Really? The reality is they are only "shareholders" for one year. Then what? You wanna buy in again? Sure. Stump up the cash and we'll let you rejoin. Come on. Shareholders my eye!!! Have those who paid joining fees got and actual share certificate? Nope they haven't. So no one is actually a shareholder.

 

[TreeSeeker]

Are they? Really? The reality is they are only "shareholders" for one year. Then what? You wanna buy in again? Sure. Stump up the cash and we'll let you rejoin. Come on. Shareholders my eye!!! Have those who paid joining fees got and actual share certificate? Nope they haven't. So no one is actually a shareholder.

I've got a share certificate...

 

[BubbaP]

And so it begins.


From Twitter.
Sad to hear Henley Golf and country club has gone into liquidation. I will always have some great memories of the club where I started my PGA journey. Now more than ever Golf Clubs need to be supported by there membership.

To be clear, this is in Warwickshire, and not the Henley GC by the Thames.

 

[Val]

Are they? Really? The reality is they are only "shareholders" for one year. Then what? You wanna buy in again? Sure. Stump up the cash and we'll let you rejoin. Come on. Shareholders my eye!!! Have those who paid joining fees got and actual share certificate? Nope they haven't. So no one is actually a shareholder.

Read your constitution

 

[Jensen]

We maybe shareholders in name, but I bet nobody has EVER been paid a dividend !
Even during the boom times when clubs were making large profits, a dividend was never paid.
We are shareholders for any liability, mine is £30 per member. However I don't know if that's separate or included in the fees.

 

[ger147]

How do people feel about open competition bookings?

I always book some every year and this year in particular, I was organised and have loads booked as well as a few trips booked. I'm now about to start to hit bookings that will inevitably cancelled. I will deffo be looking for refunds from St Andrews Links and Trump Aberdeen but it occured to me, many of the ordinary clubs I've booked opens at I could probably just take the hit and let them keep the money.

Opens are a bargain and I've played at some of those courses before so £12 here and £15 there won't hurt that bad as the money was spent months ago and I have already enjoyed their hospitality in the past for a very small fee, and that could be the difference between some of these clubs surviving or not.

Thoughts?

 

[Papas1982]

How do people feel about open competition bookings?

I always book some every year and this year in particular, I was organised and have loads booked as well as a few trips booked. I'm now about to start to hit bookings that will inevitably cancelled. I will deffo be looking for refunds from St Andrews Links and Trump Aberdeen but it occured to me, many of the ordinary clubs I've booked opens at I could probably just take the hit and let them keep the money.

Opens are a bargain and I've played at some of those courses before so £12 here and £15 there won't hurt that bad as the money was spent months ago and I have already enjoyed their hospitality in the past for a very small fee, and that could be the difference between some of these clubs surviving or not.

Thoughts?

I’d be expecting refunds from opens.
You paid a fee to spefically pay a comp, if they don’t hold the company, they don’t get the money.

 

[Doodle]

Had an email the other day.
My 1st open of the season called off on 30th May (they gave me a refund)

I have another 10 or so opens booked throughout the season & I will expect a refund if they are called of.
Not really in a position to be that charitable I'm afraid.