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

[Robster59]

What you doing to your 13th - an epic little hole from which you get possibly one of the best views you'll get anywhere in the country. Have you taken the trees out (I preferred it 'nude')

They've

• Relaid the tee
• Replaced the turf on the front of the green
• Increased the size of both the front left and right bunkers
• Put an additional bunker in the back where the old grass bunker used to be
• Used capilliary concrete in the bunkers to aid drainage
• Used artificial grass for the path to the green
• Putting in a new path from the 13th to the 14th
• A lot of the trees had been cut already but the club is looking at removing more.

This is the latest update from the Paul Hampsey, our Head Greenkeeper
"Up until the outbreak, we had made good progress and have shaped and drained the new grass bunkers at the back of the 13th green and are just waiting on new fescue turf arriving to turf out the base of them. We have also transplanted heather and fescue slabs to the surrounds of the new grass bunkers and on either side of the grass walkway. We plan to do the same with the tee banks at the new 13th and 14th tees.

The idea of this rough slabbing is to try and bring back as much of the natural vegetation to the out of play areas of the hole, leaving more than enough maintained turf for playability. This will give great definition to the tees green and surround and will also reduce maintenance to out of play areas so we can put more focus to priority areas."

I'm sure I've got more photos but this is the only one I can find at the moment, I'll add more if I find them.

 

[JollyRedDevil]

Our membership is £1380.00 rising to £1560.00 with union fees, cost of lockers etc.
They have said if we pay in full by the end of April then we'll get back %1 for every week the course is closed and 1% for every week the clubhouse is closed, up to a maximum of 60%. All the money refunded is to go on to our bar/club card.

 

[timd77]

I found out this morning that I’m being furloughed from Monday. First thought being ‘what unnecessary costs can I cut’ to protect my family and of course, golf was one of them.

As mentioned previously, I pay mine monthly via fairway credit and so wasn’t sure if I could cancel. The club have already emailed me back agreeing to cancel my membership and the fairway credit agreement, and that it won’t affect my credit score.

Quite surprised they’ve done that as the experience I’ve had with them since joining in September has been poor, so fair play to them.

Obviously I’m gutted to no longer be a member somewhere, I feel a bit homeless now! Hopefully things return to normal soon and I’ll find a new gaff.

 

[Bigfoot]

WP have told us that the time closed will be added to our membership and next years fees will be for 14 months from restart.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

And if only 500 members agree, do you raise it to £60.00 each for them and the other 100 members pay nothing?

No comeback on any member who doesn’t or can’t pay any extra?

Correct - no comeback.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Correct - no comeback.

Then it would be unfair imo, I’ll also admit I don’t know what would be fair, but hopefully Clubs will sort it to everyones benefit.

 

[Robster59]

And if only 500 members agree, do you raise it to £60.00 each for them and the other 100 members pay nothing?

No comeback on any member who doesn’t or can’t pay any extra?

It's the same when a levy is voted on at the club AGM. If it gets voted through there then everyone pays it.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

It's the same when a levy is voted on at the club AGM. If it gets voted through there then everyone pays it.

Agreed, but that’s done by democratic means, just got to hope Clubs don’t try and do it by other routes.

I’m lucky in that I could and would support the Club, unfortunately living in a deprived area in the NE, not many members are in the same position and our place would need to tread carefully if that option was needed. (Hopefully not)

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Then it would be unfair imo, I’ll also admit I don’t know what would be fair, but hopefully Clubs will sort it to everyones benefit.

If I choose to contribute then it cannot be unfair to me - because I made the choice.

 

[Garush34]

My club sent an email today detailing what the green keeper is doing during our closure.

They also asked for anyone that hasn't done so to pay their membership if they could to support the club. No mention of a discount or refund, which I'm glad they haven't. I hope the members support the club and pay if they can. I've already paid mine, and hope the clubs survives through this difficult time.

 

[louise_a]

I paid mine today, being retired I don't expect any reduction in my income but my expenditure has dropped so no problem paying fees, I want to have a club to. The club have sent an email out saying 2 greenkeepers will be continuing working so the course is being looked after, the also asked people thinking about giving up membership to contact the office, dont know what they are thinking of offering them though.

 

[Val]

Keep reading about the government meant paying 80% of salaries which they do indirectly, the business has to have the money to pay the employee first then the business claims it back.

Golf clubs need to have the money, money comes from fees. It's a huge vicious circle.

 

[OnTour]

Due 1st April - sadly I'll wait shut for 5 months through the winter with 3 Saturdays play (nothing said about possible rebate through that period) so I emailed the subs guy and said I'm happy to pay monthly for time I play or it's open but not the full amount. currently no work or pay so looking after me and my family first over a CLUB. happily except £1000 each for doing nothing if available ??

Communication is very poor at golf clubs, bury your head in the sand mentality. Staff on full pay through winter doing nothing, not even a tidy up, if they can't sit on a mower they don't work #TooWet for machines. run by the boys club sadly.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Communication is very poor at golf clubs, bury your head in the sand mentality. Staff on full pay through winter doing nothing, not even a tidy up, if they can't sit on a mower they don't work #TooWet for machines. run by the boys club sadly.

Don't know where you are a member but that sounds nothing like my Club.

A weekly e-mailed newsletter and communication this week regarding the subs due 1 April. Won't go into detail but suffice to say that the plan is very sympathetic to members whilst still acknowledging the Club's need for some funding in the short term.

As for course maintenance in the winter, again what you describe is in complete contrast to our greens staff. Drainage work, bunker renovation etc. are all done during those months.

 

[ferenezejohn]

Due 1st April - sadly I'll wait shut for 5 months through the winter with 3 Saturdays play (nothing said about possible rebate through that period) so I emailed the subs guy and said I'm happy to pay monthly for time I play or it's open but not the full amount. currently no work or pay so looking after me and my family first over a CLUB. happily except £1000 each for doing nothing if available ??

Communication is very poor at golf clubs, bury your head in the sand mentality. Staff on full pay through winter doing nothing, not even a tidy up, if they can't sit on a mower they don't work #TooWet for machines. run by the boys club sadly.

Is it the norm for your club to be closed as much or was it due to the extreme weather.
If not you need to find a new club.
Your 100% correct family comes first, the financial impact of this will be massive and golf clubs will be one of the luxurious people who lose jobs have to take a hard look at.

 

[Val]

Due 1st April - sadly I'll wait shut for 5 months through the winter with 3 Saturdays play (nothing said about possible rebate through that period) so I emailed the subs guy and said I'm happy to pay monthly for time I play or it's open but not the full amount. currently no work or pay so looking after me and my family first over a CLUB. happily except £1000 each for doing nothing if available ??

Communication is very poor at golf clubs, bury your head in the sand mentality. Staff on full pay through winter doing nothing, not even a tidy up, if they can't sit on a mower they don't work #TooWet for machines. run by the boys club sadly.

If that was my club I wouldnt have been a member long. Shocking if the case.

 

[Crazyface]

Well, I've had an e mail regarding my wifes membership. It run 12 months from when you join. She was due to renew end of Feb but for reasons I won't go into she didn't renew. Great offer from the club. If she pays now they are offering to allow unused points to be carried over and membership to restart from the day the government allows golf to re-start.
Now that's service !!!!!

 

[Zig]

Agreed, but that’s done by democratic means, just got to hope Clubs don’t try and do it by other routes.

I’m lucky in that I could and would support the Club, unfortunately living in a deprived area in the NE, not many members are in the same position and our place would need to tread carefully if that option was needed. (Hopefully not)

Where do you play Paul? I'm at Seaton and they raised the fees a significant amount this year to pay for additional work on the course. Agreed through the correct channels, and the course was starting to look fab when last there a couple of weeks ago. However, if the only option was to go back to the members and ask for another increase for covid-19..

Like you say, I'm not sure many clubs in the NE have the option of hiking the fees as people simply won't be able to afford it.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Where do you play Paul? I'm at Seaton and they raised the fees a significant amount this year to pay for additional work on the course. Agreed through the correct channels, and the course was starting to look fab when last there a couple of weeks ago. However, if the only option was to go back to the members and ask for another increase for covid-19..

Like you say, I'm not sure many clubs in the NE have the option of hiking the fees as people simply won't be able to afford it.

Seaham mate.

 

[Zig]

Seaham mate.

Have only played there once in an open... good day out! Played with an ex-member - Davey Turner - top craic! The pro shop seems really good and pro-active online too