how much of an increase in your membership fee is too much???

[patricks148]

Has our fee's though today and there looks to be another rise on the cards.

so in the 7 years i've been a member that is a 50% increase in the membership fee's.

yes its GM to 50 course and what i do pay is significantly less than you would pay down south for a similarly appointed club.. we are now the most expensive club in the area bu some £300.

so when would you say enough is enough?

 

[fundy]

when it stops becoming value for money and enjoyable for me

fees are creeping up at ours again, which in the past I have been fine with but feels this year the offering has gone backwards for the first time since Ive been there, including some essential work not being done as had been promised

expect id take your course at the price youre paying patrick

 

[stevek1969]

Mine has gone up £20 to £615 plus £50 bar levy, i can't complain as i never went to the AGM to vote against it, i don't think its justified this year after the condition of the course during the season.

 

[IanG]

Ours stayed the same for this coming year, £615+£60 on the bar tab.

50% increase over 7 years is a lot to swallow, but do you really want to play anywhere else?

 

[patricks148]

Ours stayed the same for this coming year, £615+£60 on the bar tab.

50% increase over 7 years is a lot to swallow, but do you really want to play anywhere else?

Not really , but the increases are unsustainable at this rate..

it prob was too cheap before but within a few years its going to be 4 figures at the current rate..

i enjoy the course and you can play pretty much at any time, unlike RD which is mobbed with visitors in summer.

looking at next year i could get Tain and Fortrose for less than Nairn

 

[stevek1969]

Next season could be my last at my place, I've got my name down for a St Andrews Links ticket, this entitles me to a Competition ticket which i can play around 60 comps over every course bar the Old and the Castle for £260, i'd have to join a club but i'd still be cheaper

 

[IanG]

Is there any rationale given for the increases? Presumably you have just got or are about to get a substantial sum from HMRC for the VAT case - makes the case for putting the member subs up pretty hard to make i think. Don't the increases need to be approved at the AGM ?

 

[stevek1969]

Is there any rationale given for the increases? Presumably you have just got or are about to get a substantial sum from HMRC for the VAT case - makes the case for putting the member subs up pretty hard to make i think. Don't the increases need to be approved at the AGM ?

Yeah at mine they are and they picked up £180k from HRMC which is hard to take.

 

[williamalex1]

Patrick has your club applied for a back dated VAT rebate on visitors fees, after the latest court case.

edit, sorry I typing while others were posting.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Looking at the fees you guys pay above the border then I would be very thankful , you are all playing some cracking courses at the fraction of the price people pay around here and further south

Ours will go up 2/3% this and will stay below 4 figures but I know most in the area are now going over 4 figures and none are really stand out

But it will always come down to if someone believes it's value for money and how often you play

 

[Lord Tyrion]

It's a balance based on quality of the course, costs of other courses in the area. If your course gets out of sync with others in the area of an equivalent standard then it will really grate and I would be thinking about getting on my bike.

 

[patricks148]

Next season could be my last at my place, I've got my name down for a St Andrews Links ticket, this entitles me to a Competition ticket which i can play around 60 comps over every course bar the Old and the Castle for £260, i'd have to join a club but i'd still be cheaper

Is there any rationale given for the increases? Presumably you have just got or are about to get a substantial sum from HMRC for the VAT case - makes the case for putting the member subs up pretty hard to make i think. Don't the increases need to be approved at the AGM ?

Patrick has your club applied for a back dated VAT rebate on visitors fees, after the latest court case.

edit, sorry I typing while others were posting.

its in the bank close to £350 K

 

[stevek1969]

its in the bank close to £350 K

A decent amount then :thup:

 

[BrianM]

Seems a lot, what are the other members saying?
Do you factor in your travelling costs for the year as well?

 

[patricks148]

Seems a lot, what are the other members saying?
Do you factor in your travelling costs for the year as well?

most of the members are retired and have been members for some time and are all paying less than half that on the senior package.

 

[Bobirdie]

From what i hear our club is trying to get the same rate for seniors as ordinary members this year. Don't know how that will go though.
Seniors will pay £80 more and the ordinary member will pay £70 less. May attract more members in there 30s. As I am one of only 2 or 3 iirc which is terrible.

 

[MadAdey]

Did you have someone new start looking at the finances a few years ago. Maybe they realized that the annual fees had been kept too low and they needed to increase, to cover the increasing cost of maintaining the course in the fantastic condition it must be in to be a top course.

 

[KenL]

Our full fees are going up £10, about 2%.

 

[Captainron]

I've been lucky enough to play at Nairn and I would say that it's a 'must pay'

 

[Canary_Yellow]

I'm very envious of the people able to be members at very good courses for £500- £800.

Any decent course near me is over £1,100, and plenty that are more.

£615 at North Berwick would make it good value even if you only played 20 odd times in a year. I think that's brilliant.