Is your club Charging Fees for the time the course will be closed?

[Deleted member 1740]

https://www.thegolfbusiness.co.uk/2...ubs-launch-appeals-for-donations-and-members/


Worrying times it seems......

How many others in similar situations??

100’s would be my guess.

 

[Duffer5]

happy with what my club are doing charging a 1/3 of normal subs till this is over

 

[OnTour]

Difficult times ahead, update we got a free month. I'm sure they don't actually watch the news 1st May is the new renewal date moved from April. written email talking about we haven't lost many days since 2015. seriously I've already washed the 5 months lost (email said 4 not true)

I'm paying pro rata from when we restart, no more! happy to ride my bike and run for a year and play opens and look at a new club for 2021 - club hasn't done enough for me to warrant sticking with them unless they change there attitude. sadly being part of a social club affects the ability to run a good golf club.

 

[Deleted member 1740]

This pandemic could see a huge change in how clubs run their subscription/membership fees in future. Monthly arrangements are there to help members more than the clubs themselves.

Membership fees are based on a yearly subscription, not on monthly basis.

Refusing to pay for “missed months” could lead to legal action. I know this was done at my old club who had a few new members, 6 iirc ,who signed up in April played for the whole of summer then in October left and cancelled the DD.

The club recovered all of the monies owed.

 

[fundy]

This pandemic could see a huge change in how clubs run their subscription/membership fees in future. Monthly arrangements are there to help members more than the clubs themselves.

Membership fees are based on a yearly subscription, not on monthly basis.

Refusing to pay for “missed months” could lead to legal action. I know this was done at my old club who had a few new members, 6 iirc ,who signed up in April played for the whole of summer then in October left and cancelled the DD.

The club recovered all of the monies owed.

true in a lot of cases but not all, have been a member on a monthly membership basis before

 

[Fish]

This pandemic could see a huge change in how clubs run their subscription/membership fees in future. Monthly arrangements are there to help members more than the clubs themselves.

Membership fees are based on a yearly subscription, not on monthly basis.

Refusing to pay for “missed months” could lead to legal action. I know this was done at my old club who had a few new members, 6 iirc ,who signed up in April played for the whole of summer then in October left and cancelled the DD.

The club recovered all of the monies owed.

It’s a legal contract at the end of the day, for 12 months membership, the monthly dd as you state, is simply a financial agreement to help spread the payments, with no guarantees to play any amount of times within each or any given month, unless it specifically states otherwise.

Those that choose to leave like in your example, would have no legal standing, anyone currently cancelling a dd could see themselves in default with interest to pay and those not rejoining until the lockdown is lifted could potentially find themselves struggling to rejoin anywhere and most definitely not the club they chose not to support!

 

[Deleted member 1740]

true in a lot of cases but not all, have been a member on a monthly membership basis before

There can’t be many that operate like that.

 

[nickjdavis]

Our owner has announced that he will look at pro-rataing next year's fees down to take account for the lost time this year.is

no guarantees yet...there's a long way to go before we get back playing and a lot will depend on how well the business bounced back once lockdown is lifted.

 

[need_my_wedge]

Club report on Covid stating that one unnamed club has been threatened with legal action by a member for not being able to play

https://www.bunkered.co.uk/golf-new...s-to-sue-golf-club-over-covid-19-restrictions

I get it, we're all frustrated with it, many members paying for something that we can't use. But if we don't, it likely won't be there to for us to use. It's hardly the clubs fault. Equally, an issue for those less fortunate, furloughed etc that maybe can't make payments. It's a tough situation all round, but suing the club us not the way forward.

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

Nobody is being charged fees.
Dues, which are not considered fees, have not been refunded, however.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Club report on Covid stating that one unnamed club has been threatened with legal action by a member for not being able to play

https://www.bunkered.co.uk/golf-new...s-to-sue-golf-club-over-covid-19-restrictions

I get it, we're all frustrated with it, many members paying for something that we can't use. But if we don't, it likely won't be there to for us to use. It's hardly the clubs fault. Equally, an issue for those less fortunate, furloughed etc that maybe can't make payments. It's a tough situation all round, but suing the club us not the way forward.

Part of me would feel like taking the hard line attitude and saying thats fine, we're cancel your membership with immediate effect and you can find a course that will let you play. Good luck. People need to have some realistic expectations and if the clubs have communicated their intention to continue to take subs while closed I wonder what the legal position will be

 

[Ye Olde Boomer]

Same thing, our membership fees are your dues.

Ah!

 

[IanM]

I've never seen a contract promising 12 months golf. But I've seen contracts with plenty of clauses about no liability for lost days. (I was a member at a course in the 90s which was often closed when wet!)

Refunds/suspension of fees are Goodwill. (As I understand it, but I've studied no law in 25 years ) unless someone has sign something different!
Even so, it has force majeure all over it!

Waterlogging, snow, government order... good luck in court pal