Joining fees creeping back ?

sweaty sock

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I think the only thing wrong with a joining fee is the name.

I think its an ingenious way of capitalising on boom periods without penalising existing members.

It in effect allows clubs to increase their price when the market warrants it, and reduce price when it doesnt.

In every other industry prices fluctuate for demand, this is golfs way of doing it, without penalising existing members.

Way better than the way sky tv for instance screw their long term customers to allow new members loads of freebies...
 

Swango1980

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1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10 are all Yorkshire, not the NE. Most people up here class the NE as Northumberland, down to Teeside.

I presume 6 is Goswick. For there and Seaton Carew I suspect the wealth in the area doesn't justify a £1,000 joining fee, part of the equation surely? Close House is a money course, very nice by the way, and I suspect those joining would find the extra if necessary. At the moment, as far as I know, they don't have to.
Seaton Carew: Joining Fee = £250, Membership = £950
Close House: Joining Fee = £768, Membership = £2304
 

Lord Tyrion

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Goswick is 590 quid membership

bargain that!

Crazy isn't it?
There's 3 that I know of mate

Close house
£2344 + £768 JF

The Northumberland
£1525 + £800 JF

Whitley Bay
£816 + £575 JF

Not sure if any/many others....?
I knew The Northumberland and WB, wasn't sure about CH. None break the £1,000 barrier though :D
 

SwingsitlikeHogan

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think there's an abundance of clubs also... where i live there's probably around 20+ in a 10 mile radius and at least 5 within 10 minute drive
That might well be, but that’s no different from where I am on Surrey/Hants border…and almost all have JFs.

That aside, the way you stated that you wouldn’t pay a JF reflected a personal choice, rather than market forces and customer choice. What I imagine might be the case is that you may feel that you wouldn’t have to pay a JF for you to become a member of a decent club..which is rather different.
 

SwingsitlikeHogan

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I think the only thing wrong with a joining fee is the name.

I think its an ingenious way of capitalising on boom periods without penalising existing members.

It in effect allows clubs to increase their price when the market warrants it, and reduce price when it doesnt.

In every other industry prices fluctuate for demand, this is golfs way of doing it, without penalising existing members.

Way better than the way sky tv for instance screw their long term customers to allow new members loads of freebies...
Pretty much how some companies choose to pay their employees profit-related bonuses rather than give wage rises…my last employer being one…?
 

Depreston

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That might well be, but that’s no different from where I am on Surrey/Hants border…and almost all have JFs.

That aside, the way you stated that you wouldn’t pay a JF reflected a personal choice, rather than market forces and customer choice. What I imagine might be the case is that you may feel that you wouldn’t have to pay a JF for you to become a member of a decent club..which is rather different.

Just turns it into an elitist sport the old stories of joining fees, interviews and having to have a member sponsor your application just make me cringe
 

HomerJSimpson

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Just turns it into an elitist sport the old stories of joining fees, interviews and having to have a member sponsor your application just make me cringe

I would never want to go to the second point. I would hope the vast majority of clubs have stumbled into the 2000's and see how it's viewed elitist and why golf gets the reputation it does. I am on the fence about joining fees and am swayed to seeing the point, especially in this boom time. If a club can get as much revenue as a perspective member is prepared to pay then it's additional cash they wouldn't have AS LONG as it's then reinvested back into improving the course or buying new machinery. Of course there will be a tipping point when new members could decide a joining fee is too steep and will look elsewhere. That is where the GM or the people running the club need to know their market and their stuff
 
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Just turns it into an elitist sport the old stories of joining fees, interviews and having to have a member sponsor your application just make me cringe

Joining fees don’t make it elitist ?
 

Swango1980

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Just turns it into an elitist sport the old stories of joining fees, interviews and having to have a member sponsor your application just make me cringe
Elitest? Why? Do you think the joining fee is there so that only the "elite" are able to join? Myself and several others moved clubs last year and paid a joining fee. I can assure you none of us would be considered elite compared to the rest of the general population.

In terms of interviews, that depends on the interviewer. Maybe some of the top clubs ARE looking for a certain type of person that some might consider elite, although the annual subs may also be very high anyway. I am sure many interviews are simply a friendly introduction.
 

sunshine

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I think the only thing wrong with a joining fee is the name.

I think its an ingenious way of capitalising on boom periods without penalising existing members.

It in effect allows clubs to increase their price when the market warrants it, and reduce price when it doesnt.

In every other industry prices fluctuate for demand, this is golfs way of doing it, without penalising existing members.

Way better than the way sky tv for instance screw their long term customers to allow new members loads of freebies...

Agreed. No different from a fuel surcharge on an airplane ticket
 

SwingsitlikeHogan

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Entrance fees are not elitist.

But, very very large Entrance Fees are! But that's life.

Cars are not elitist, but we can't all afford certain ones! Some of us wouldn't want to buy them anyway. Bit like joining a golf club.
Aye that's right...I so feel one of the elite when I park up my rather bashed and scraped 108,000 mi!e VW polo 1.2 (worth about £500) in the club car park.?
 
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