Joining fees creeping back ?

[Imurg]

I'm not against joining fees..
What I am against is clubs that have a joining fee, drop it for a while, reinstate it, drop it etc etc etc....
Its unfair for some members to have had to pay a JF when others haven't.

 

[HarrogateHacker]

I'm not against joining fees..
What I am against is clubs that have a joining fee, drop it for a while, reinstate it, drop it etc etc etc....
Its unfair for some members to have had to pay a JF when others haven't.

Good point, think consistency is key, it must annoy both existing members or potential members if a club flits between High/Low/No Fees.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

This is exactly what I was thinking. 'Investing in the club' as people have been saying is nonsense unless you can withdraw your investment again when you leave.

Eh? If my joining fee is invested in building such as a new tee then the money is spent, it no longer exists to be withdrawn, and when I paid it I knew it would be spent, it can’t be unspent.

Besides. When I joined my current club I knew that the joining fee was me ‘buying into‘ being a member, and from the word go I would be playing a course reaping the benefits of the investment many thousands of previous members had made into it. I am certain I may well feel differently were it not a members club.

And likewise today, my subs go into improvements that for whatever reason, time notwithstanding, I might not see come to fruition. But that‘s how it is. As a member of a members club we are but custodians of the club, custodians of it for future members and generations. But I suspect that’s a minority view on what being a member is about.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Good point, think consistency is key, it must annoy both existing members or potential members if a club flits between High/Low/No Fees.

But again, if I am happy paying the joining fee why then should I feel resentful when others do not have to - though that should be for good reasons that should be explained to existing members. I was happy when I joined paying the joining fee; new members not paying the joining fee are happy. Everyone is happy. Resentment gets me nowhere, unless it leads me to choosing to leave - but then I walk away from my investment in the club. Doesn’t seem the logical thing to do.

 

[HarrogateHacker]

But again, if I am happy paying the joining fee why then should I feel resentful when others do not have to - though that should be for good reasons that should be explained to existing members. I was happy when I joined paying the joining fee; new members not paying the joining fee are happy. Everyone is happy. Resentment gets me nowhere, i unless it leads me to choosing to leave.

I'm not saying either you or I would be unhappy in that circumstance per se but I think that when you are trying to keep a large membership happy a consistent approach is probably your best shot. Personally if my club dropped JF's I wouldn't resent any new members but I would question whether the clubhouse and course was now so perfect that it requires no additional funds for improvements.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

We offer memberships with different age breaks so the younger you are the cheaper you can get your fees from up to the age of 35 when you then pay full whack. If you are joining at the moment, we have a joining fee in in pace and there is no discount based on age. Irrespective of age bracket, with the exception of the junior section, or gender (male and female members are regarded as members irrespective of their gender) once you join you are considered a full member and so entitled to vote.

I understand the arguments clubs have for the joining fee especially when like my club, it is full and there is a waiting list, and it makes sense if only from a cold economic perspective to cash in during the current boom. I also see the arguments from the other side. Does it buy loyalty. All it may do is tie a member to 2-3 years max and then they may be off anyway, potentially to a club without the fee (although Mill Ride is the only club locally that doesn't seem to have a joining fee)

 

[clubchamp98]

Men pay £1250 JF at ours.
Under 30 pay £0
Ladies any age £0.
Now I know a members club can set their own rules but imo that’s just not right.
I know the reasons given to boost the levels of these underrepresented groups.
But it’s just not fair imo.
A 29 yr old Billionare pays £1250 fees, a £31 yr old on minimum wage pays £2500 inc £1250 JF.
IMHO if you want to be a member you should all invest in the club and all pay the same to join.
Does this happen in other sports?

 

[Bamberdele21]

Are most people in here that are quite happy to pay the thousands in joining fees be more likely to turn their noses up at me if I’d roll up to their club as a visitor in my white van?

 

[Swango1980]

I've just joined a club and paid a joining fee.

If joining fees were scrapped I wouldn't resent new members. I'd simply assume they were dropped as the club felt they needed new blood and raise membership. Therefore, I'd be happy to welcome new members, as that represents a healthy club.

I also understand why Joining Fees were brought in a few months before I joined. Membership was getting high, and so although they didn't want to close the door completely, they put in to limit applications and ensure those that did apply were more likely to be committed to the club longer term. Furthermore, I recognise my joining fee will help provide additional funds to go towards the course I will play and hope to have many enjoyable times.

Life is too short to resent people just because they may have been more fortunate than myself in certain circumstances.

 

[clubchamp98]

Are most people in here that are quite happy to pay the thousands in joining fees be more likely to turn their noses up at me if I’d roll up to their club as a visitor in my white van?

What you drive makes no difference to me.

 

[HarrogateHacker]

Are most people in here that are quite happy to pay the thousands in joining fees be more likely to turn their noses up at me if I’d roll up to their club as a visitor in my white van?

I would hope not, the car park is across the road at our place so nobody would know or care what you arrived in as a visitor.

 

[Swango1980]

What you drive makes no difference to me.

What, you'd turn your nose up at him regardless of what he drives?

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Are most people in here that are quite happy to pay the thousands in joining fees be more likely to turn their noses up at me if I’d roll up to their club as a visitor in my white van?

More than welcome in your white van at mine.

Our joining fee is miniscule considering the quality of the place but then again as its not in a big population centre we don't have a huge number of golfers to attract locally.

 

[clubchamp98]

What, you'd turn your nose up at him regardless of what he drives?

Exactly

 

[Imurg]

Are most people in here that are quite happy to pay the thousands in joining fees be more likely to turn their noses up at me if I’d roll up to their club as a visitor in my white van?

I was chatting to an older Lady member a couple of months back and she said that, 20 years ago, I wouldn't have been able,e to park my Driving School car in the Club car park unless I took the headboard off.
These days...nobody cares.
We have white vans, blue vans, silver vans, taxis etc etc etc......
Still have a few Bentleys though.....got to keep the standard up somehow

 

[Bamberdele21]

I was chatting to an older Lady member a couple of months back and she said that, 20 years ago, I wouldn't have been able,e to park my Driving School car in the Club car park unless I took the headboard off.
These days...nobody cares.
We have white vans, blue vans, silver vans, taxis etc etc etc......
Still have a few Bentleys though.....got to keep the standard up somehow

I can only imagine how much it’s changed over the years.

Did Tiger Woods change all that?

 

[Imurg]

Not Tiger..not sure what caused the changes.
Probably some old guard retiring..

 

[SteveW86]

Are most people in here that are quite happy to pay the thousands in joining fees be more likely to turn their noses up at me if I’d roll up to their club as a visitor in my white van?

Depends if it has a big cock drawn on the back doors and the usual “I wish my GF was this dirty” quote

 

[SteveW86]

I'm not against joining fees..
What I am against is clubs that have a joining fee, drop it for a while, reinstate it, drop it etc etc etc....
Its unfair for some members to have had to pay a JF when others haven't.

Agree with this.

No problem paying a joining fee here, on the basis I’d plan on being there for a while. I’m buying in to be a member of the club, as long as the funds are used well then that’s what matters to me.

 

[Leftitshort]

Are most people in here that are quite happy to pay the thousands in joining fees be more likely to turn their noses up at me if I’d roll up to their club as a visitor in my white van?

As long as you park it in the visitors car park, change in the visitors changing room & pay the full green fee, drive what you like. ?