Joining fees and the state of golf

[toonarmy]

I've just paid my subs for the forthcoming season and had an interesting chat with the pro. My club have scrapped the joining fee from this season and I asked what the driver for this was.

It turns out that nearly all the local courses have scrapped joining fees due to membership numbers dropping. Apparently, the EGU has over 2000 less members now than it had 2 years ago. This despite more courses opening all the time (although many more than usual are also closing).

So, is the game in a bit of a dip? Are your clubs scrapping joining fees? Or is it just more and more people joining the Nomads rather than the Members?

 

[The23rdman]

Money's just so damn tight right now. I mean, who'd have thought the price of fuel would be where it is now 5 years ago?

I guess more and more people are going nomadic or playing golf on the PC instead!

 

[clubchamp07]

I know 8 guys who during the year travel all over Northern Ireland to play golf every Sunday. Not 1 of them have a handicap only what they give themselves. They dont play Portrush or co down but they go to very good course's and they have a great time. I think alot more people are doing this as the fee for a years golf is getting to much.

Our club, until a few months ago had a joining fee for our Junior's, thankfully we scraped it. But, yes we do have a joining fee for adult members but its not as much as it used to be.

 

[TonyN]

Not at a club my self but i went to look around one the other day and the pro told me that they had scrapped there joining fee's because they were 40 members down on what they wanted, and they thought it was going to get worse. Are we seeing an improvement in municipal courses maybe?

But i think it has a lot to do with the credit crunch thats going on at the moment, interest rates are rising all the time, people are selling there houses and buying shacks instead because they cant afford there mortgages. For most golf is a second place pleasure i think, if they cant afford it, they'll drop it like a hot bun!

Me personally, i'd sell a kidney to fund the habit!

 

[birdieman]

Joining fees are in place to stop players jumping around clubs, i.e. joining a different club every year.
Killjoys!

 

[mboy1980]

My club still charges a joining fee but you can pay monthly over 5 years so it only works out at £6 per month.

It's a good idea.It helps retain new members for the 5 years and the club still get their money.

 

[Brooksy]

My local club has a joining fee of £484.00 and monthly sub of £40.00. Yet thats for unlimited golf. But the course is still open to non members for £38.00 around.I havent joined because i rather pay and play at various club in the area for less and most are within 1hrs travel.

 

[DCB]

We have a club locally who went through the effort of an open day etc to entice new members. It was on the face of it very successful. There was no entry/joining fee involved only the annual subs or part of it for the remainder of that season. The following full season was fully subscribed with all the new members.

This year they are apparently looking for a considerable number of new members as many of the recently signed members have not renewed. Thats a lot of effort to bring in new members and have them disapear elsewhere, probably on a similar type of entry arrangement.

Given that the average churn in members in this area is around 30-40 per year, that means you need to find 30-40 new members each season just to stand still.

I feel that some form of entry fee is needed to keep people tied to a club for a period of time. If they don't committ then they will always be transient golfers.

A club is not just a place to play golf, it's a way of life really.

 

[thecraw]

I just paid £1k joining fee and a yearly sub of £720!!!!


Bloody disgusting but I wanted to play at a decent golf course so thats what it took!

 

[bunkered]

thecraw, what course is that.

 

[thecraw]

http://www.ranfurlycastlegolfclub.co.uk/

 

[bunkered]

Loooks nice, but green fee,s a bit steep, two course,s up beside me, Ladybank and Scotscraig are takin in members this year, i have been told its 1k for the first year on each course.

 

[GB72]

I could only afford to join a club this year because the club I joined gave a 35% discount to new members under 35. I think that times are going to become very tight in the next 12 months (much worse than at the moment) and many clubs are going to have to rethink their strategies. It really is going to become a 'buyers' market in areas where there are numerous clubs competing for the same group of members.

 

[Basher]

1k joining fee!!! Now that is steep!

When I joined my club, the joining fee was half the subscription for the year.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

My membership fee is £1290 (includes £50 bar levy and £60 rental locker - only 30 big lockers so they are like gold dust). Not sure what the joining fee was this year but I have a feeling it is approximately £800-1000 payable in two installments although I may be wrong on the exact figure. There was talk of scrapping joining fees so it may not even be due.

Before you all write how expensive my course is, I agree that the fees per year are high but given the prices of most of our neighbours (Mill Ride, Swinley Forest, The Berkshire, Wentworth and Sunningdale) they are actually very reasonable.

I get unlimited golf with no pre-booking (subject to competitions). We have a full fixture list with other clubs and a full diary of club competitions. It is a new and maturing course not quite 5 years old and so is one for the future. The club has to be "aware" of its prices to ensure a decent sized membership as the financial plans at the time of the club moving from with Royal Ascot racecourse were based on x members per year and the relevant revenue.

We do have a very good pay and play (Downshire) which I could join for a fraction of the cost but would have to pre-book every round, have limited fixtures and competitions and share my course in peak season with other green fees who may not have a full understanding of rules or etiqutte.

Money in my house is extremely tight and golf is my release from the day to day grind of modern life. It is a juggling act to find the money each year but I make the sacrifices because I believe I am in a great club which provides good facilities (new clubhouse opened at same time as the course, decent practice facilities).

 

[thecraw]

Loooks nice, but green fee,s a bit steep, two course,s up beside me, Ladybank and Scotscraig are takin in members this year, i have been told its 1k for the first year on each course.

Totally agree that its way over the top however thats sadly the going rate in and around the Glasgow area for a decent golf club. Ranfurly is a beautiful layout and very well kept.
I also beasted the overtime for 4 or 5 months in the run up to Christmas as I knew I had this outlay comming up some weeks i was doing five 14hr days in a row!!!!

I will reap the rewards now in the summer months!

 

[mboy1980]

Ranfurly Castle is indeed a good course Craw.

I actually gave it some thought this year as I was looking to switch clubs and I live in Greenock.

But in the end I joined this one.Very good value at £525.

www.gourockgolfclub.com

 

[TonyN]

Nice looking course Mboy, was there ajoining fee there?

 

[mboy1980]

Nice looking course Mboy, was there ajoining fee there?

Yes, £360 payable over 5 years.

So it's costing my £6 per month by Standing Order.

 

[medwayjon]

No joining fee at my club, £840 annual subs.

People keep saying that there is no money around, I say bo!!ock$ to that view. Over at the car auction friday there were private buyers paying the sort of money I would charge for a fully prepared car for one sold as seen, needing paintwork, tyres etc. No money? Hmmmmmm.