How much?

[Grant85]

In this debate it is often assumed by some that clubs have a limitless requirement for new members.

However, at my Club, a long established Members' Club but certainly not a top 100 contender by any means, we cannot just accept many more. All new Full Members would, understandably, expect to be able to play on a Saturday which generally is Competition day.

As our Winter comps attract entries of 120 and those in the rest of the year 150 to 160 how do we accommodate many more members?

And, yes, we still charge a modest joining fee.

That is a great position to be in. However I would suggest that Saturday competitions being over subscribed is not the main barometer as this will be the case at a lot of clubs that don't necessarily have 'too many' members. Competitions ultimately are 1st come, 1st served.

I guess it depends on the demographics, as generally younger folk will be keen to play Saturday competitions and older folks, midweek social.

Potential to allow non-Saturday members at reduced fees - even if this is just a small number of existing members, knowing that you can fill the defect with new blood.

I guess what a business would do is keep increasing fees and costs until the membership was at a more balanced level.

 

[virtuocity]

You won't get a membership at 7 day. You have to join as a 5 day and wait for a slot.

Which makes it surprising that there's no joining fee- would be easy to put a 2k fee in there for 7 day membership, but they are a bit more forward thinking than that- impressive. Shame though- I think that if there were ever a 7 day membership up for grabs I'd need to have a serious think about it.

Would gladly join WGailes as well, but the joining fee is huge.

 

[patricks148]

Which makes it surprising that there's no joining fee- would be easy to put a 2k fee in there for 7 day membership, but they are a bit more forward thinking than that- impressive. Shame though- I think that if there were ever a 7 day membership up for grabs I'd need to have a serious think about it.

Would gladly join WGailes as well, but the joining fee is huge.

i don't think the joining fee is the biggest issue at WG, its getting the 10 rec letters. i think the members are limited in the number of recommendations they can make over a period of time too, so JF is the easy bit

 

[Parmo]

Sounds more joining the Freemasons than a golf club, than joke said it isnt far from the truth.

 

[Jacko_G]

i don't think the joining fee is the biggest issue at WG, its getting the 10 rec letters. i think the members are limited in the number of recommendations they can make over a period of time too, so JF is the easy bit

Course condition has been pee poor this year and last year too which isn't going to help them.

 

[jim8flog]

Apart from house pricing and perhaps golf course prices, what is more expensive in London?

Tesco is same price all over the country. , petrol the same.

.

That is incorrect, petrol prices in particular are very regional.

The Tesco bit is actually the other way round

It was one of the first things I noticed when I moved to the West Country was how much more expensive it was in Tesco compared to Woking where I moved from.

 

[patricks148]

Course condition has been pee poor this year and last year too which isn't going to help them.

I played it twice this year and both were not that bad, fairways burnt, but wasn't everywhere?

 

[Dasit]

Here’s just one link,
https://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/london

Wide range of costs and activities and currently the most expensive City in the UK, 4th in Europe, 12th in the World.


This one compared London to Manchester.
https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-livi...ndon&country2=United+Kingdom&city2=Manchester

Appreciate the links.

I live in London and find it funny the pricing they come up with. If you shop in the corner shop things do get expensive.

But we have multiple Lidl and Aldi within a 20 minute drive/bus ride.


Housing is expensive, my 1 bedroom flat cost £250k. Bills and council tax are cheap.


Back to golf, I think there is more of a premium on land in London and the south east, opportunity cost of what that land could do, rent and interest on the land, all pushes up price of membership.

In the 3 cities I have lived in recently there has always been options for memberships at fine courses for £1500 or less, which I think is great value if you can play twice a week.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Appreciate the links.

I live in London and find it funny the pricing they come up with. If you shop in the corner shop things do get expensive.

But we have multiple Lidl and Aldi within a 20 minute drive/bus ride.


Housing is expensive, my 1 bedroom flat cost £250k. Bills and council tax are cheap.


Back to golf, I think there is more of a premium on land in London and the south east, opportunity cost of what that land could do, rent and interest on the land, all pushes up price of membership.

In the 3 cities I have lived in recently there has always been options for memberships at fine courses for £1500 or less, which I think is great value if you can play twice a week.

There’s no doubt some of these courses were there before the City exploded, you only have to look at suburbs that are now firmly part of London that were built after WW2 and advertised as being in the countryside.
I think you’re correct that it’s the land these courses occupy causes some of the issues.
I can only think of 1 course between North Yorkshire and the Scottish Border that would set you back more than £1500.00 to join and it isn’t rated that highly.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I can only think of 1 course between North Yorkshire and the Scottish Border that would set you back more than £1500.00 to join and it isn’t rated that highly.

Close House? Were you thinking of Rockcliffe or is there somewhere else?

 

[Deleted member 15344]

There are some courses around here that are suffering because of the way they restrict people joining

About 5 years ago I was looking to join Ashridge - I popped into the office and the secretary was giving me the layout of how to join etc and then the Ladies Captain walked in - she then started to grill me about what I do for a living and age etc - as soon as I said I was over 40 she started to turn her nose up at me and then when she asked me what rank I was in the military and when she realised I wasn’t an officer - she said quite bluntly to me - “we don’t need members like yourself in the club , and the members would reject you when they saw your name on the board as prospective members” - I just laughed and walked out , i know they are currently struggling to get younger members and in about 10 years they will be in a bit of trouble.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Close House? Were you thinking of Rockcliffe or is there somewhere else?

I was thinking Rockliffe as Close House does cheaper deals.

 

[Wolf]

There are some courses around here that are suffering because of the way they restrict people joining

About 5 years ago I was looking to join Ashridge - I popped into the office and the secretary was giving me the layout of how to join etc and then the Ladies Captain walked in - she then started to grill me about what I do for a living and age etc - as soon as I said I was over 40 she started to turn her nose up at me and then when she asked me what rank I was in the military and when she realised I wasn’t an officer - she said quite bluntly to me - “we don’t need members like yourself in the club , and the members would reject you when they saw your name on the board as prospective members” - I just laughed and walked out , i know they are currently struggling to get younger members and in about 10 years they will be in a bit of trouble.

Sounds like you had a lucky escape I'd had to be a part of a club like that

 

[Grant85]

There are some courses around here that are suffering because of the way they restrict people joining

About 5 years ago I was looking to join Ashridge - I popped into the office and the secretary was giving me the layout of how to join etc and then the Ladies Captain walked in - she then started to grill me about what I do for a living and age etc - as soon as I said I was over 40 she started to turn her nose up at me and then when she asked me what rank I was in the military and when she realised I wasn’t an officer - she said quite bluntly to me - “we don’t need members like yourself in the club , and the members would reject you when they saw your name on the board as prospective members” - I just laughed and walked out , i know they are currently struggling to get younger members and in about 10 years they will be in a bit of trouble.

It's pretty shocking that there are still folk with this kind of attitude - even just on a personal level to treat another person like that is quite ridiculous.

If it's an exclusive club and they have a healthy membership, then they might not need new members - but if that's the case, then just say publicly membership is currently closed and treat enquiries politely - even if they still let in people by invitation.

As the old saying goes, be nice to people on the way up as you will need them on the way down.

 

[Jacko_G]

I played it twice this year and both were not that bad, fairways burnt, but wasn't everywhere?

Greens have been deadfully slow. Really slow.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

There are some courses around here that are suffering because of the way they restrict people joining

About 5 years ago I was looking to join Ashridge - I popped into the office and the secretary was giving me the layout of how to join etc and then the Ladies Captain walked in - she then started to grill me about what I do for a living and age etc - as soon as I said I was over 40 she started to turn her nose up at me and then when she asked me what rank I was in the military and when she realised I wasn’t an officer - she said quite bluntly to me - “we don’t need members like yourself in the club , and the members would reject you when they saw your name on the board as prospective members” - I just laughed and walked out , i know they are currently struggling to get younger members and in about 10 years they will be in a bit of trouble.

Thanks LP made me chuckle on a wet and dull day.

I had a couple of similar stories with Essex courses about 15 years ago, when I contacted them via the phone, just told to 'push off', before introducing myself. Afterwards I wrote in on my professional headed notepaper, never referred to the phone calls and I assume on realising I was a professional(and maybe a suitable person to be a member in their eyes !!), then they said come for an interview. I didn't end up joining after the meeting them, as I couldn't take the toffee nosed outlook of some of the committee I met. Far to down to earth kind of person for that kind of outlook. EDIT I know one of the courses have now dropped the joining fee and are short of members.

Times have/are changing for sure for a lot of clubs, thankfully but not all.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I was thinking Rockliffe as Close House does cheaper deals.

The deal for Close House is for the Filly course only I believe and as Khamelion and Moogie can atest there are a number of restrictions to that. The last I heard the full membership was £1,800 plus. (I'd pay it if I could though )

Those two are stand out up here though, you are absolutely right, and I suspect that membership is not that big a deal to them. Their business model is more about green fees and corporate than members.

 

[patricks148]

Greens have been deadfully slow. Really slow.

they were that all right, what it like at the moment fairways recovered?

 

[Jacko_G]

Not played at WG since end of September, greens were s l o o o o w. Running at least 12" slower than ours and I do genuinely mean at least.

Fairways were fine, I like a tight lie.

 

[patricks148]

Not played at WG since end of September, greens were s l o o o o w. Running at least 12" slower than ours and I do genuinely mean at least.

Fairways were fine, I like a tight lie.

i was thinking looking over the Railway line longingly than playing