Joining fees

[Biggleswade Blue]

That is certainly a factor. It's a lot of money, if you end up moving away in a few years time, but a bargain if you'll get 40 years membership out of it!

 

[Blue in Munich]

Joining fees promote a sense of loyalty to a club. More clubs will go to the wall if they are done away with as it's only a short term fix to get members in the door initially. If the condition of the course drops, people will walk and simply go to another local club that is in better condition. All the 'big 3' clubs in my area have joining fees.

Exactly. Left my old club a few years ago. Of the ones I know who went to another local club with no joining fee, none remain. Of the ones that came to my current club, which has a £2,000 joining fee, I'm not aware of any that have left. It may put some people off of joining, but those that do join tend to stay.

 

[guest100718]

If you are looking to join a club as a long term investment then a £500 joining fee shouldn't be too much of an issue. Different if people are looking to change clubs every couple of years though.

An investment? I join a club to play golf at a price I find acceptable, which is what more and more people want. This isnt the 1950s, its not a status symbol to be a member of the local GC anymore.

Lots of clubs round here boast a proud history stretching back over as 100 years, all have struggled for members and need to adapt to what people want from a golf club.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

An investment? I join a club to play golf at a price I find acceptable, which is what more and more people want. This isnt the 1950s, its not a status symbol to be a member of the local GC anymore.

Lots of clubs round here boast a proud history stretching back over as 100 years, all have struggled for members and need to adapt to what people want from a golf club.

As I said, many people are now transient for many reasons, not just cost. As a result they have to change every few years to keep an interest in golf and a membership of some description.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

As with clubs that have certain dress stabdards and entrance meetings etc some clubs will have joining fees

If you don't want to pay it then there will be plenty of club that don't charge one

It seems to me from looking at the courses the better standard courses still charge the fee

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

An investment? I join a club to play golf at a price I find acceptable, which is what more and more people want. This isnt the 1950s, its not a status symbol to be a member of the local GC anymore.

Lots of clubs round here boast a proud history stretching back over as 100 years, all have struggled for members and need to adapt to what people want from a golf club.

That's fine, horses for courses. Some people want to be members of top quality clubs and are fortunate enough to be able to afford it. Others have less money to spend on their hobbies and are happy to settle for a cheaper club and others prefer to be nomadic and pay and play different courses.

There is no right and wrong but in golf you very much get what you pay for. In any given area, you will pay more for the better courses. And yes, I would consider joining a club to be a long term investment.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Horses for courses so to speak. If a club can manage to charge one as there is a waiting list then it's their prerogative. It kind of keep golf at that club mostly a rich mans sport but hey ho. But if a club is struggling for members or the membership in in long term decline then they should look to see if the joining fee is one reason for this.

 

[guest100718]

As I said, many people are now transient for many reasons, not just cost. As a result they have to change every few years to keep an interest in golf and a membership of some description.

I am on my 5th club in 6th years and will probably move again after a year at my current place.

 

[Toad]

We still have one, when I joined it was your fee's plus one years full members subscription up front to join.

Now just a £500 joining fee deferred until you are offered full membership, this can also be paid over 2 years interest free, there is no joining fee for under 30's.

 

[guest100718]

As with clubs that have certain dress stabdards and entrance meetings etc some clubs will have joining fees

If you don't want to pay it then there will be plenty of club that don't charge one

It seems to me from looking at the courses the better standard courses still charge the fee

Knebworth, Letchworth, Millbrook, South beds, Welwyn garden.... All on a par or better than LBGC , 3 have dropped the fee some time ago and the other 2 have had spells of no fee, but once you have done it once, whos going to pay the fee if the know they can wait till its gone again.

 

[fundy]

Knebworth, Letchworth, Millbrook, South beds.... All on a par with LBGC, 2 have dropped the fee some time ago and the other 2 have had spells of no fee, but once you have done it once, whos going to pay the fee if the know they can wait till its gone again.

Wouldnt be keen to pay a joining fee but probably would for the right course, but would have to be somewhere pretty special. I only joined where I am currently because they were flexible enough to allow monthly payments with no joining fee. When I joined I wasnt sure how much Id be able to play because of my knee but theyve now had 5 years fees plus a hell of a lot more across the bar/catering, because they were offering a more flexible, modern solution, with a membership I wasnt committed to paying a full year for if I got injured again (unlike previous courses id been at!).

Can safely say I wouldnt pay a joining fee for any on that list though

 

[guest100718]

Wouldnt be keen to pay a joining fee but probably would for the right course, but would have to be somewhere pretty special. I only joined where I am currently because they were flexible enough to allow monthly payments with no joining fee. When I joined I wasnt sure how much Id be able to play because of my knee but theyve now had 5 years fees plus a hell of a lot more across the bar/catering, because they were offering a more flexible, modern solution, with a membership I wasnt committed to paying a full year for if I got injured again (unlike previous courses id been at!).

Can safely say I wouldnt pay a joining fee for any on that list though

Exactly, all decent enough courses, but all of them had a joining fee in excess of a 1000... its crazy.

 

[AmandaJR]

Joining fee always puts me off as we're an us and times it by two and that's very expensive golf! JoG would be on our list but not with the joining fees.

 

[guest100718]

As with clubs that have certain dress stabdards and entrance meetings etc some clubs will have joining fees

If you don't want to pay it then there will be plenty of club that don't charge one

It seems to me from looking at the courses the better standard courses still charge the fee

Your club offers a7 day membership with no joining fee as well.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I am on my 5th club in 6th years and will probably move again after a year at my current place.

Why have you moved so many times?

 

[guest100718]

Why have you moved so many times?

1 we didnt like (well my regualr PP didnt), 1 was probably a bit far away, 1 went down hill a lot. Plus there are lots of clubs in Herts/Beds and its nice to play different places.

 

[fundy]

1 we didnt like, 1 was probably a bit far away, 1 went down hill a lot. Plus there are lots of clubs in Herts/Beds and its nice to play different places.

wheres next?

 

[guest100718]

wheres next?

Whitehill

 

[fundy]

Whitehill

Remember when that opened, I expect its improved out of sight since I was last there!

 

[guest100718]

Remember when that opened, I expect its improved out of sight since I was last there!

Yes its very nice now. In the middle of nowhere though!