ADB
Journeyman Pro
Some clubs do, some don't, some are reduced, some are suspended....what is the reason for a joining fee and what benefit does it serve to the new member?
Joining Fee.....why?
- Thread starter ADB
- Start date
chris661
Money List Winner
None and clubs have cos they can.
S
Snelly
Guest
Supply and demand. Simple as that. If you can charge, you charge. if you can't, you don't. Just market forces in my view.
Currently free to join Devils Dyke near Brighton whereas it used to be about £800 joining fee.
Conversely, want to join West Sussex which is only 15 miles from the Dyke? Thanks, that will be £3500 please!
Currently free to join Devils Dyke near Brighton whereas it used to be about £800 joining fee.
Conversely, want to join West Sussex which is only 15 miles from the Dyke? Thanks, that will be £3500 please!
jeardley
Head Pro
same as our place... 5 years ago it had a 2 year waiting list and a £1000 joining fee.
Now there is no joining fee and they have been posting fliers through doors locally to try and
drum up membership.
Now there is no joining fee and they have been posting fliers through doors locally to try and
drum up membership.
both good replies, I've NEVER liked joining fees, same as health club joining fees............for WHAT?
similar to 'arrangement fees' for a mortgage.......whats that all about? I take out a mortgage, pay you an extortionate amount over 20 years, you take my house if I cant pay and I have to pay you £2000 extra for the privilege of doing it...its nonsense and they do it because they can.
similar to 'arrangement fees' for a mortgage.......whats that all about? I take out a mortgage, pay you an extortionate amount over 20 years, you take my house if I cant pay and I have to pay you £2000 extra for the privilege of doing it...its nonsense and they do it because they can.
"What benefit does it serve a new member?"
Well it isn't pocketed by the Secretary... it get's spent on what the members want, i.e. maintaining the club and the course.
Well it isn't pocketed by the Secretary... it get's spent on what the members want, i.e. maintaining the club and the course.
T
thecraw
Guest
Joining fees are so people like Snelly and Chrisd can keep out the working class man like myself!
Joining fees are wrong in my opinion although many of the top courses up here still have them!
Joining fees are wrong in my opinion although many of the top courses up here still have them!
ADB
Journeyman Pro
Is there still a demand for those wishing to pay that sort of money for the privilege of paying another x'000 a year for subs?
I guess my sights are set a bit lower and clubs like Devils Dyke are desparately trying to attract new members by offering flexible membership schemes and the fact that there is no joining fee is a bonus.
I was just interested to understand whether these will soon become a thing of the past or, if required, gave some benefit to the member.
We still have a £1000 joining fee and a waiting list, infact you need to put a £100 non refundable deposit down to get on the waiting list. The money fills the coffers of the club, and if used wisely can be of great benifit. Also after paying out a large joining fee, you think twice before chopping and changing clubs.
ADB
Journeyman Pro
Shouldn't that be covered by subs and any commercial income?
Curls
Journeyman Pro
Is the right answer, if there were no joining fees membership would be more transient, or at least that is the theory. In reality with more and more clubs scrapping them they eventually will be for only the more exclusive clubs to enjoy, and if you don't like it you play somewhere else (is their take on it).
T
thecraw
Guest
Thats just demographics now, plain and simple. People have greater choice, greater means of transport, travel links etc. You will always get a section of migrating membership every year.
stevie_r
Tour Winner
Loch Lomond (no, not the carrick) used to be an £80,000 bond in order to join - and you are only allowed to play 12 rounds per year
chrisd
Major Champion
T
thecraw
Guest
I'll just apply under my alter ego, Lord Craw of Bottomlickerhall.
ADB
Journeyman Pro
But is that not an investment which you could sell on? Its the joining fees that just disappear into the club coffers that I am questioning.
stevie_r
Tour Winner
you got it back on leaving once you had introduced two new members; you got £80,000 back on your £80,000 outlay so I wouldn't really call it an investment - unless of course you work in a merchant bank in which case I suppose it would be a bit of a result!
papyt
Challenge Tour Pro
I paid £1500 plus £850 green fee for my first year at my club,i chose to join the club and that was what it cost,i see the joining fee as an incentive to stay at the club but also it boost the money the club has to maintain the course as members expect it to be,we also have a cap on how many members we have,unlike some local clubs who have no joining fee no cap on members and a pay monthly arrangement its horses for courses,the benefit of my club is we do not have a booking of tee times scheme you can turn up and play whenever you fancy a game and on occasions i have been in the only group on the course,to me that is what being a member of a private club is about,if i wanted to have a game next Thursday and had to book a week in advance and had to play behind a 5 ball dressed in football tops or playing out of 3 bags i would join a muni,by the way my green fees have gone up to £930 this year but that is a small price to pay for what we get.
chrisd
Major Champion
stevie_r
Tour Winner
I absolutely agree with your point of view, it's all about personal choice. Would I join a club with a huge joining fee? absolutely not, I don't need to. This year cost me £370, no football tops, no 5-balls playing out of 3 bags, No need to book tea times, never had to wait behind more than two groups on the first tea, frequently had the course virtually to ourselves - if you knew when to pick and choose your times i.e. staying away from preferred tea times and the widely publicised regular roll-ups.
