FAB90
Member
Yes reading the history of the club they bought it in the 50s but like you say as far back as i remember my dad being a member there everyone was welcomed!
Joining first club
- Thread starter FAB90
- Start date
Yes reading the history of the club they bought it in the 50s but like you say as far back as i remember my dad being a member there everyone was welcomed!
shane3003
Newbie
I feel let down by my club, I’ve not got out what I wanted out of my membership. I paid my fee upfront, I’ve had lessons with the club pro, I purchase range balls weekly, spend money in the clubhouse.
I have also given the club plenty of chances to deliver and feedback my thoughts, I’ve decided I’m not continuing my membership this year.
I just hope other clubs listen to this feedback and improve their new member inductions.
I have also given the club plenty of chances to deliver and feedback my thoughts, I’ve decided I’m not continuing my membership this year.
I just hope other clubs listen to this feedback and improve their new member inductions.
trevor
Head Pro
I’ve joined 3 clubs in my golfing career and never had any sort of introduction. They take your money quite happily then forget about you. A lot of golfers can be quite cliche as they get into a rut and just play with the same group every time so it can be hard to get known and not just play on your own every time. Roll ups are good if they are organised properly although my last clubs roll up consisted of groups of 4 going off the first whenever there was 4 people on the tee so you could see them hanging around in the car park until their mates had arrived.
HamiltonGuy
Active member
A few clubs in the lanarkshire region will require an interview if you don’t have a couple of people who will propose you. Still have joining fees around here too so I don’t imagine clubs are struggling all that much for members
FAB90
Member
On the application form it asks for two people to propose for you but they still want an interview aswell! There's no joining fee and they have increased the youth categories ages so they may possibly be looking for younger members.
Slab
Occasional Tour Caddy
Never had an interview for club membership
Doubt I'd entertain the concept
If it's a meet and greet or a familiarisation meeting or a welcome meeting that's fine but if they try and appraise the merits of your suitability in an interview structure then they can go whistle
Doubt I'd entertain the concept
If it's a meet and greet or a familiarisation meeting or a welcome meeting that's fine but if they try and appraise the merits of your suitability in an interview structure then they can go whistle
irip
Head Pro
We have a meeting with all prospective members. It is very informal, you wear whatever you like and its to introduce you to the committee and captain ETC.
You receive a rule book and a fixture list and are informed of role up times. Added to Whattsapp groups if you wish to be.
You are also informed on how to gain a handicap if needed and any club rules you need to know.
And of course are free to ask any questions you want.
We find this works well for us
You receive a rule book and a fixture list and are informed of role up times. Added to Whattsapp groups if you wish to be.
You are also informed on how to gain a handicap if needed and any club rules you need to know.
And of course are free to ask any questions you want.
We find this works well for us
HamiltonGuy
Active member
Issue is about 10 clubs in the vicinity have them. So what do you do, join a council course, join a further away course or bite the bullet a pat a fee for a club you’ll be a member of for some time
Backache
Assistant Pro
Clubs have to support themselves, historically most members pay to join so why should new members benefit from the capital put into the club without contributing something themselves?
Backache
Assistant Pro
I know they are, so are all the other members who have also contributed joining fees but by and large these pay the running costs, much of the infrastructue built up by a golf club over the years has been paid for by subscriptions.
duncan mackie
Money List Winner
You really have to consider the possible wider dynamics....
Many (most?) clubs that have joining fees are members clubs; many of those do not have competition fees, but even if they did they should always be cost neutral; catering is basically cost neutral and the pro shop will probably be a franchise, but in any event any money you choose to spend there will not meet the capital costs of the new mower sharpening equipment they need (as an example).
Parsaregood
Head Pro
It is still a predominantly Jewish club, anybody can join but you will be in a minority if you arnt from a Jewish background
D
Deleted Member 1156
Guest
Actually it is the new member's problem because if that club suits your requirements more than any other club then you have to decide if you want to pay the joining fee or not. All the best clubs in my area have joining fees and they are all head and shoulders above the clubs that have no joining fee. I paid £1k when I joined my club in 2008 and I'll be a member there for many more years so in the grand scheme of things it's no big deal.
HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
We have a very informal meeting for new members. Far less informal than a traditional golf club interview and far more of an orientation into the club, where everything is and who is who
Backache
Assistant Pro
It's entirely up to you of course whether or not you join a club and how much you are prepared to pay.
However members clubs are owned by their members , how much you pay and how it is spent is very much your problem once you are a member, the payoffs between course maintenance, course improvement, sources of funds and membership fees including joining fees will partly determine how much you enjoy a club for the money you pay,
It is always your decision whether or not to join a course with membership fees no one is making you . But it is hardly unfair that you do, the facilities didn't appear by magic they were paid for by previous members often from membership fees, why should you as a new member not make a contirbution ? If the club has developed good facilities with their exising and former members money why should they not ask you to?
Backache
Assistant Pro
It's up to the members how the fees are set every member has already paid a joining fee why should you not contribute as well?
If a club has 600 members and the average length of membership is twenty years(numbers invented) that is on average the equivalent of an extra 5% if the joining fee is one years member ship some are more. The existing members have paid this already why should you be different?
It may be sensible for clubs to do something like have a 10% increase in membership fee over existing members for 10 years to make it equitable but I don't see why a new member should get the benefits of the infrastructure of the club padi for by previous members and pay nothing towards it him or herself.
D
Deleted Member 1156
Guest
I'm not quite sure you understand the concept of a joining fee.
Joining fees create loyalty, that in itself allows clubs, which are a business, to project and plan for improvements that cost money, far more than any basic subs can cover.
They also stop people leaving on a whim, if the course is good and the rest of the clubs facilities match that, then people will happily pay a joining fee to be part of it, it effectively then, as a member, gives you a share of the club.
Most clubs spread a joining fee from anything up to 10yrs, so a thousand pounds could be spread by only paying £100 a year.
I, like many members were disappointed that we suspended our joining fee recently, yes it immediately created an influx of new members which in turn changed the demographics of the club greatly. there was some good gained from that, but it also brought some baggage with it also and certain standards have dropped along with basic attitudes and etiquette on the course!
Selling price in any business doesn’t work, clubs in areas all discounting and giving things away to attract new members won’t necessarily attract the kind of member that will spend and invest in the club to sustain a long term business plan and thus won’t be able to react to all the extra costs our variable weather, like lasts year drought, requires to keep a good healthy course in order.
Like anything in life that’s marketable, if you want the best or better option to other clubs & courses, then they’ll possibly have a joining fee, if you don’t want to pay a joining fee that’s fine, but the standard of where you want to play will be, in the main, much lower than those with joining fees.
They also stop people leaving on a whim, if the course is good and the rest of the clubs facilities match that, then people will happily pay a joining fee to be part of it, it effectively then, as a member, gives you a share of the club.
Most clubs spread a joining fee from anything up to 10yrs, so a thousand pounds could be spread by only paying £100 a year.
I, like many members were disappointed that we suspended our joining fee recently, yes it immediately created an influx of new members which in turn changed the demographics of the club greatly. there was some good gained from that, but it also brought some baggage with it also and certain standards have dropped along with basic attitudes and etiquette on the course!
Selling price in any business doesn’t work, clubs in areas all discounting and giving things away to attract new members won’t necessarily attract the kind of member that will spend and invest in the club to sustain a long term business plan and thus won’t be able to react to all the extra costs our variable weather, like lasts year drought, requires to keep a good healthy course in order.
Like anything in life that’s marketable, if you want the best or better option to other clubs & courses, then they’ll possibly have a joining fee, if you don’t want to pay a joining fee that’s fine, but the standard of where you want to play will be, in the main, much lower than those with joining fees.
A gradual sliding increase doesn’t do it for me, unless there’s a caveat that the new member doesn’t get a full share should the club be sold, I’d even go as far as saying no voting rights also! As you elude to, why should a new member have the same rights and share value as me immediately on joining without committing to the club by paying a joining fee that I have?
This goes for ‘flexible members’ also.
Mel Smooth
Hacker
If I was joining a golf club where I thought it was beneficial to wear a jacket and tie, or a suit, to a new members interview, then I wouldn't join.
Golf needs to move on - regardless of the clubs stature.
The "interview", should be an introduction to whichever member of the commitee is taking the interview (ideally the Captain), a description of the club, and it's history, how to enter comps etc.
It should be informal, while setting out the expectancies at that particular club with regards to member beahviour, dress code etc.
It simply should not be anything to be concerned about - if you are - look for another club where you feel welcome before you've even joined.
Golf needs to move on - regardless of the clubs stature.
The "interview", should be an introduction to whichever member of the commitee is taking the interview (ideally the Captain), a description of the club, and it's history, how to enter comps etc.
It should be informal, while setting out the expectancies at that particular club with regards to member beahviour, dress code etc.
It simply should not be anything to be concerned about - if you are - look for another club where you feel welcome before you've even joined.
