Joining fees - did you have one?

[CheltenhamHacker]

So purely out of interest, and because it was mentioned a few times on the Annual membership tab, I would love to know the proportion of members that paid a joining fee, and whether they were happy with this or not! (Sounds illogical, but from what I gather, some members quite like that they paid a fee!)

I would guess that if you've paid a joining fee, you're less likely to move, am I right?

 

[Duckster]

I got my joining fee at half price (£250 instead of £500). I was a bit miffed that 3 months later they had a "membership-drive" where they dropped the joining fee altogether, but I was happy to pay it at the time, so hey ho.

Honestly, I'm not too sure if we still even have a joining fee.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

When I joined about 7 years ago it was mandatory. Since then it has come and gone several times. We currently don't have any joining fees. Nothing I can do about it not being there now.

 

[Doh]

When I joined there was a joining fee some fourteen years ago, it seemed the norm back then. Since then the joining fee has gone that's the way it is sometimes. Do I have any attachment to the club because I paid a joining fee, no not really. If circumstances changed and I found myself wanting to join somewhere else I would.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I believe in the value of a joining fee. However I am beginning to think that clubs finances have to be restructured a bit so that when you pay a joining fee up front you get a large % of it back through your clubhouse tab. So if I pay £1500 up front joining fee, then for the next 10 years I get £100 put on my clubhouse tab. The joining fee is therefore only £500 if you remain a member. But if you move - you lose. Or maybe you get a choice you sign up to when you join - 10yrs @ £100/yr on tab or 5 yrs @ £150/yr on tab etc. The longer you stay a member the more you 'benefit' .

 

[IanG]

Just paid off the second and final instalment of mine last week (~£1200 over two years) . It is large enough that I'm sure it puts some people off joining. On the other hand we still have a waiting list, so seems membership is still in demand.

I'd feel a little hard done by if they scrapped it next week but in the grand scheme of things a healthy club is more important, so I'd get over myself

PS I like Hogan's idea of making it a loan which is drip fed back to you in bar sales !

 

[HawkeyeMS]

when I joined we did, but I ended up not having to pay as it was deferred for a year and scrapped before I had to pay anything but I would have paid it. We did introduce a discounted JF last year which I thought was still in place but I see Homer says it has been scrapped again so who knows!!

 

[medwayjon]

Im not against joining fees totally, but the expectation to lump out say £1000 at year-1 would stop me joining.

Circumstances and health can change so it could be a grand down the drain.

I like clubs where they have joining fee that is payable in say 20% increments at the start of each of the first 5 years of membership

 

[Deleted member 18588]

I have answered yes, didn't mind at all but then it was 32 years ago and things were very different then.

This is NOT an implied criticism of anyone but in those days the only time you were likely to change club was if you moved from the area.

In any event the dreaded Waiting Lists made it impractical.In the late 80's you could wait in excess of five years to join some of the clubs round here, including our own.

 

[cleanstrike]

Just out of curiosity, why do clubs have joining fees over and above annual membership fees? Is it simply to discourage the less well off from joining or is there some logical reason for it?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I have answered yes, didn't mind at all but then it was 32 years ago and things were very different then.

This is NOT an implied criticism of anyone but in those days the only time you were likely to change club was if you moved from the area.

In any event the dreaded Waiting Lists made it impractical.In the late 80's you could wait in excess of five years to join some of the clubs round here, including our own.

Before leaving home I had put my name down on my local club (Whitecraigs) waiting list. I was 16 when I put my name down. 7yrs later I was offered membership. I was in my last year at uni. I told them I didn't know what I was doing after I graduated - whether I'd be in the Glasgow area never mind close to the club - and asked if I could delay my decision a year. They refused. I moved to England. Thems were the early 1980's days.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Just out of curiosity, why do clubs have joining fees over and above annual membership fees? Is it simply to discourage the less well off from joining or is there some logical reason for it?

Up front money - non-refundable if the member leaves after a year.

 

[guest100718]

I wouldn't pay one, There's a nice club local to me but it still has a joining fee of 1200! They did offer me membership at a reduced fee of 500 but that's still far to much. Plenty of nice clubs around with out a joining fee.

 

[cookelad]

I believe in the value of a joining fee. However I am beginning to think that clubs finances have to be restructured a bit so that when you pay a joining fee up front you get a large % of it back through your clubhouse tab. So if I pay £1500 up front joining fee, then for the next 10 years I get £100 put on my clubhouse tab. The joining fee is therefore only £500 if you remain a member. But if you move - you lose. Or maybe you get a choice you sign up to when you join - 10yrs @ £100/yr on tab or 5 yrs @ £150/yr on tab etc. The longer you stay a member the more you 'benefit' .

I like that idea a lot! Works well on a few levels for me! :thup:

 

[Blue in Munich]

Mine has a £2000 joining fee, or £2150 if you opt to spread it over 3 years. Whilst I'd rather have it in my pocket than theirs, I understand the reasons why and accept that it is a condition of joining so it's not a grumble, just an observation.

I believe in the value of a joining fee. However I am beginning to think that clubs finances have to be restructured a bit so that when you pay a joining fee up front you get a large % of it back through your clubhouse tab. So if I pay £1500 up front joining fee, then for the next 10 years I get £100 put on my clubhouse tab. The joining fee is therefore only £500 if you remain a member. But if you move - you lose. Or maybe you get a choice you sign up to when you join - 10yrs @ £100/yr on tab or 5 yrs @ £150/yr on tab etc. The longer you stay a member the more you 'benefit' .

That's got some merit in it, although it might open up the old chestnut about car park golfers again.

Just out of curiosity, why do clubs have joining fees over and above annual membership fees? Is it simply to discourage the less well off from joining or is there some logical reason for it?

At our club it is seen as a statement of long term commitment; that you want to join this club and stay, rather than pass through. A number of other local clubs have dropped it, and they find people join for a year, then drift off elsewhere, which makes financial planning difficult and can discourage other members from joining if they know they will be changing playing partners every year. It isn't to discourage the less well off at our club, but if it is done elsewhere I wouldn't be surprised.

 

[Albanach]

Mandatory joining fee at the club in Ireland...eye watering amount of money but I'll get value out of it over the next 30 odd years!

 

[CMAC]

When I joined Gleneagles there was no joining fee just high subs.

Now joined a local course and with the joining fee its the same in year one as Gleneagles

 

[Wayman]

No no joining fee

 

[Deleted member 17920]

Joining fee is £800, Only 3 clubs in this area still have one, I believe it does promote loyalty and I think it has shown with some clubs in the area having a massive change of membership every year. One club is 78 members down and another was over 120 down but they have just done a deal to get around 40 new members (18 months for the price off 12) it will be interesting to see how many stay after the 18 months.

 

[One Planer]

Nope, out course doens't have a joing fee.

Would I have paid one? Yes.

It's a cracking little course and is only a 10 minute drive from my door step.