Increased bar prices

[MegaSteve]

Still can't get my head around that any other club [Legion, Working Mans, Cricket, Con Club even] I go to as a visitor/guest I'll be paying the same for my drinks as everyone else in the room... Yet I go to a golf club as a visitor/guest and its perfectly reasonable to be 'tucked up' when paying for my drinks ...

 

[brendy]

Still can't get my head around that any other club [Legion, Working Mans, Cricket, Con Club even] I go to as a visitor/guest I'll be paying the same for my drinks as everyone else in the room... Yet I go to a golf club as a visitor/guest and its perfectly reasonable to be 'tucked up' when paying for my drinks ...

How though? visitors pay going rate (usually cheaper than local pubs still) and paid up members get discount.
Its not like they are paying more than the local prices.

 

[MegaSteve]

How though? visitors pay going rate (usually cheaper than local pubs still) and paid up members get discount.
Its not like they are paying more than the local prices.

Naively obviously... I thought once club has collected my green fee I am an honorary 'member' for the day... Clearly though I am seen as nothing more than an income stream... As I said all other clubs don't raise their bar prices for visitors/guests why do golf clubs feel the need? If dual pricing is not illegal its certainly immoral...

 

[brendy]

Pay your green fee and you get to use the same facilities as members, generally though, you are paying for the use of the course. As I said though, members pay out hundreds for membership why cant they have discount?
Do all subscribers to GM deserve a dozen golfballs whether they buy one copy or a years supply?
I, as a member get discount if I use my card, If I dont, I pay full price. How many pints or drinks are you going to have as a casual visitor out of interest?

 

[bobmac]

I'm sure there are hundreds of clubs across the country who give their members a discount of say, 10% off food and drink.
I've got no problem with that at all.
But....
There is a club near me that has a food menu at the bar with 2 prices for each item...members price and visitors price. Obviously the members price is lower.
That I think is wrong.

 

[MegaSteve]

How many pints or drinks are you going to have as a casual visitor out of interest?

I am a big man, 42" belly fed thru' a 20" neck via a 50" chest, so I take a lot of filling up... When its not my turn to drive I make the most of the bar ... Until this thread I had never given dual pricing a thought... As I said earlier I believed the practice to be illegal in licensed premises... Now I am aware I may well consider convening at a local Weatherspoons for post round drinkies... In truth though I'd most probably stay at the course as once in car you might just as well head for home...

Going back to my rugby days... Post match you'd repair to the bar for the real purpose of the day... Would be not quite right in my mind as say a home player paying 10% less for my round than the visitors when they stood their corner... In fact I'd be embarrassed/ashamed if it was the case... So why acceptable at a golf club?

 

[SocketRocket]

I am a big man, 42" belly fed thru' a 20" neck via a 50" chest, so I take a lot of filling up... When its not my turn to drive I make the most of the bar ... Until this thread I had never given dual pricing a thought... As I said earlier I believed the practice to be illegal in licensed premises... Now I am aware I may well consider convening at a local Weatherspoons for post round drinkies... In truth though I'd most probably stay at the course as once in car you might just as well head for home...

Going back to my rugby days... Post match you'd repair to the bar for the real purpose of the day... Would be not quite right in my mind as say a home player paying 10% less for my round than the visitors when they stood their corner... In fact I'd be embarrassed/ashamed if it was the case... So why acceptable at a golf club?

Because as a Member of the club you are paying a shed load of money towards the running costs of the place, a visitor is not.

 

[DaveyG]

Jeeeeesus why is it so wrong for members ( people that pay alot into the club ) to get a discount on the bar bill.

What next moan because members dont pay green fees everytime they play. This thread would fit in with the people moaning for no reason thread.

 

[Hobbit]

Freedom of choice; if the guy doesn't want to buy a beer or two that's up to him. But if the bar doesn't make budget, expect to have to pay through your subs.

I don't want to know what I spend in a year in the bar, and I sure as 'ell don't want HID knowing. But its worth it for the banter.

 

[Leftie]

At my club, there is a £250 levy for the bar card that is included with the annual subscriptions. Use it or lose it.

The club have the benefit of the members' money at the start of the year that helps financial planning, budgeting, overdraft, etc so it is right that the members should get a discount on bar and food purchases.

I an almost hear the gasps of horror as I am typing. £250 Compulsory That's daylight robbery - wouldn't join there.

Quite honestly, if you aren't prepared to spend a bit over the counter then are you the type of member a club wants? Realistically, that £250 roughly equates to buying a round of drinks every two weeks, or a pot of tea for 4 and a couple of rounds of toast per week.

The normal discount is 10% but when the course was closed due to the snow and frosts, management decided to increase the discount for the winter to 15% to encourage people in to the bar and restaurant. That worked a treat and although income dropped as is usual in the winter, it was nowhere as bad as it might have been.

I guess that every club I visit has members bar cards. I see no problem in paying the full price when visiting as I know that their members will be paying full price when visiting my club.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Until this year we had a mandatory £50 bar levy. However the club have done away with it and added £50 to subs instead. Not sure of the logic. I think the bar levy is a good thing as it penalises the car park golfer who wouldn't know the way to the bar anyway. That way the club get their subs and levy and if they don't use it they lose it. Heck if you can't spend £50 IN A YEAR then you don't really deserve the discount on food and drink it gives you anyway. Funnily enough though there were more than a few each year who didn't spend the levy

 

[In_The_Rough]

Until this year we had a mandatory £50 bar levy. However the club have done away with it and added £50 to subs instead. Not sure of the logic. I think the bar levy is a good thing as it penalises the car park golfer who wouldn't know the way to the bar anyway. That way the club get their subs and levy and if they don't use it they lose it. Heck if you can't spend £50 IN A YEAR then you don't really deserve the discount on food and drink it gives you anyway. Funnily enough though there were more than a few each year who didn't spend the levy

Agree with what you say. The logic behind the club scrapping the Bar levy is simple though really, they get more money in from annual subs and those that have always use the Club bar most of them will continue to do so therefore the club drags in even more money and those that never use the bar have been hit by paying more in subs.

 

[6inchcup]

Naively obviously... I thought once club has collected my green fee I am an honorary 'member' for the day... Clearly though I am seen as nothing more than an income stream... As I said all other clubs don't raise their bar prices for visitors/guests why do golf clubs feel the need? If dual pricing is not illegal its certainly immoral...

i have never got the logic that paying say £25 for a midweek round gives anyone the same rights as a full member of the club,yes the use of the changing facilities and the course etc BUT not the members lounge or the reduced bar prices a loyalty/bar card has don't forget members are there all the time and their money maintains the course you have decided to play,i have never been offended when visiting other clubs by having to eat and drink in the spike bar and actually find the banter and atmosphere more relaxed and friendly.

 

[MegaSteve]

don't forget members are there all the time and their money maintains the course you have decided to play,

So where does the visitors green fees go? Does the club sec. 'trouser it'? Or does it get split amongst the committee?

Visitors are a necessary 'evil' for many clubs... The least a visitor can expect is not to be treated as third class...