Lanark_Golfer
Q-School Graduate
I agree with what you are saying, I am only thinking of a small discount and again only if it is affordable for the club, if not, full price without hesitation.
Intersting Article Reduced Fees for Seniors
- Thread starter GB72
- Start date
I agree with what you are saying, I am only thinking of a small discount and again only if it is affordable for the club, if not, full price without hesitation.
JustOne
Ryder Cup Winner
:thup: Like it!
I think the 5 day membership has negated the need for senior discounts.
Personally I can't think of anything better than being able to play lots of midweek golf when I retire, rather than mostly at the weekends as I do now.
Personally I can't think of anything better than being able to play lots of midweek golf when I retire, rather than mostly at the weekends as I do now.
jammag
Challenge Tour Pro
What you have to remember here is clubs have to offer these discounts because other courses do. Its like anything you want to buy something generally you will look around for the cheaper price, this causes other shops having to lower there price as well to be on an equal playing field. If you are in an area of 4 or 5 courses, if one offers cheaper memberships for different age groups they are likely to be the club they go to over the others. For a lot of people they like to play golf and price dictates a lot of things, a lot of these age groups are not loaded and cant afford to choose where they want to play if things like this came about the price dictates things.
Golfmmad
Tour Winner
I really like this pro-active approach and glad to see it producing good results.
But have you given similar thought to the retired folk? Remember, not all retiree's have a bulging pension fund to fall back on and do not have the disposable income they once had when working.
Although some seniors may get more value from their membership but at my club it's these members that tend to get more involved with events at the club. For instance, last year a working party of seniors set about cutting back a lot of overgrown bushes and small trees on the edges of fairways. Have to say it made a big improvement to many areas of the course, and all this at no charge to management!
backwoodsman
Tour Winner
Not sure about all the stuff about seniors being as tight as a duck's erse. At mine, (for those who play in our swindle) you have to beat them off with a stick in order to get to the bar first. And it's damned hard work trying to stand your own round as they keep buying.
Instead of age - how about "ability to pay" being the criteria for a discount. Or is that a bit too Commie?
Instead of age - how about "ability to pay" being the criteria for a discount. Or is that a bit too Commie?
nufc86
Club Champion
my club has no joining fee between 21-30, then it's like 50quid to become a full member. i said my comment about the bar cos every time i've been in it's been seniors having a pint. no sure if it's the same pint right enough.
Pants
Challenge Tour Pro
Hmmm. Just over 50p each on average. Should put your prices up Dodger
Just as a matter of interest, what part of (which) country is your underground bunker located where your seniors are so tight fisted?
Doh
Journeyman Pro
Is the right answer. Clubs that have reductions have to
balance the books somehow and make up the shortfall. So thats down to you and me to subsidise them,is it??
Mick47
Head Pro
Must say this pisses me off. If you were living on a pension that is maybe less than half the average wage you wouldn't be chucking money around in the bar either. I don't think there should be discounted fees for pensioners and I don't think they have any more say in running the show than anyone else, but they pay their membership like anyone else and there is no obligation to spend a pocket full of cash in the bar / shop after each round. You seem to be saying that only the well heeled are welcome, talk about snobbery geez:angry:
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GB72
Money List Winner
I am not sure i go for the argument about reduced rates for seniors due to inability to afford golf. What about the hard working 40 something who has to pay a full 7 day membership to get a couple of rounds at the weekend.
I suppose the logical argument is to have competitive fees for the age group you need to attract. In Dodgers case it was the thirty somethings. With my club it is any age between 30 and 65 that we are short of. The problem is that you then start getting a very complicated membership structure.
I suppose the fairest option is to charge everyone the same and I think that is what most clubs would want. A change in the law would have allowed everyone to apply that rule without the risk of another club doing something different. At a time when clubs need every penny, does it make sense to be offering reduced fees to what is one of the largest sections of the club.
I suppose the logical argument is to have competitive fees for the age group you need to attract. In Dodgers case it was the thirty somethings. With my club it is any age between 30 and 65 that we are short of. The problem is that you then start getting a very complicated membership structure.
I suppose the fairest option is to charge everyone the same and I think that is what most clubs would want. A change in the law would have allowed everyone to apply that rule without the risk of another club doing something different. At a time when clubs need every penny, does it make sense to be offering reduced fees to what is one of the largest sections of the club.
bigslice
Tour Winner
please note that my grandpa's deal was agreed 56 years ago! and times have changed.
i believe there should be different levels of pricing for different groups. or put restrictions in times of play. you have to keep junior fees down to encourage them to stay at the club. perhaps when older reduced fees when they stop playing in comps and give them a 5 day pass.
i myself is in the process of joining a new course but one of my questions wont be ' will the fees be reduced when im a senior'.
daymond
Tour Rookie
I don't get a discount, indeed a £25 increase in two day's time. It costs me about £2000 a year all in to play golf. Most retirees live on an annuity pension plus state pension.
Unless you younger people save a stack of money before you retire you will not be playing golf in your 'golden' years, club discounts or not.
Unless you younger people save a stack of money before you retire you will not be playing golf in your 'golden' years, club discounts or not.
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
oo:
chrisd
Major Champion
It's a rocky road to take in just saying that 5 day members (usually seniors) should pay more. Put the fees up by, say £50 and, as a result you lose, say 15 members, and our 5 day rate being about £850 pa, it would mean that the nett income to the club would be roughly the same - before the crisps that the 10 leavers would have bought at the bar.
need_my_wedge
Has Now Found His Wedgie
I'm obviously in the minority because I don't have any issue with seniors that have been with the club for 20+ years getting some kind of discount. It doesn't have to be £100's different, but something to reward loyalty for years in. I do understand the arguments put forward in previous posts, and agree that if the club is suffering financially, that this may not be feasible. The reality of it is that each club will be different and will do what it needs to do.
On a personal note, I know for a fact that when I retire in 20 odd years time I'm not going to have a very good pension. I support the club now and pay full membership, despite only playing two days a week at weekends. Come retirement, if there's a small discount that allows me to continue my membership, that'll be great because it'll likely be the only way that I can continue being a member. I'm pretty sure at that point I'll play more midweek and less at weekends too.
On a personal note, I know for a fact that when I retire in 20 odd years time I'm not going to have a very good pension. I support the club now and pay full membership, despite only playing two days a week at weekends. Come retirement, if there's a small discount that allows me to continue my membership, that'll be great because it'll likely be the only way that I can continue being a member. I'm pretty sure at that point I'll play more midweek and less at weekends too.
jplkorea83
Assistant Pro
I agree that if you've been loyal to a club for a long time you should get some sort of reward, such as reduced membership.
I also think that it's the people between 25 and 65 who have the hardest time paying subs. I'm 28 and buying a house this year, I don't have a lot of money to spare for golf. In the next couple of years, I'll have children for the next 18 years or so. Not a lot of spare cash floating around.
Old people on the other hand tend to have a whole lot of cash swimming around!
I also think that it's the people between 25 and 65 who have the hardest time paying subs. I'm 28 and buying a house this year, I don't have a lot of money to spare for golf. In the next couple of years, I'll have children for the next 18 years or so. Not a lot of spare cash floating around.
Old people on the other hand tend to have a whole lot of cash swimming around!
bladeplayer
Money List Winner
what a great idea & well done for not only having the foresight to stop & have a look at the reasons for the decline & figure out what the problem was , but also going & doing something about it when you found the problem ..
I do think the same thought has to go into the seniors fees tho , different clubs , different areas . different circumstances, so i dont think there can be a general yes or no that will cover it .. if you were losing your seniors (that had been members for say 7-10years) it would be time to review it , if you werent loosing many then there would be no need to .. the trick here is to do what you did .. pay attention to whats going on ..
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DaveM
Tour Winner
Let me put this the other way round. Why should the 20odd/30odd year olds, get reduced fees. A lot are on good money. Many of you have put forward argument as to why they should. Ok so if we take your points and let them. Surely that samething applies to OAP's. They may have been on a reasonable wage when/if they worked. But the drop in income on retiring can be massive. So surely the same augments for the young also apply to the old.
I became an OAP 2 days ago I still pay full membership with no problem. So the above does not apply to me .
I became an OAP 2 days ago I still pay full membership with no problem. So the above does not apply to me
.jimjoachim
Head Pro
Like a few others have said our club offers discounts up until age 30. Increases at 10% a year until you get to 31 and pay full rates.
Great way to get younger people in or to keep them after junior status. Most 21/22 yos dont want to be spending £800+ on golf membership but £300 makes a big difference!!
Then again i def had a lot more "disposable" income at 21/22 than i do now...
As for seniors, i reckon its nice to reward longserving members with reduced rates. Maybe it shouldnt be based on age tho.
Great way to get younger people in or to keep them after junior status. Most 21/22 yos dont want to be spending £800+ on golf membership but £300 makes a big difference!!
Then again i def had a lot more "disposable" income at 21/22 than i do now...
As for seniors, i reckon its nice to reward longserving members with reduced rates. Maybe it shouldnt be based on age tho.
