Membership cost increase

[Lord Tyrion]

Does any club offer reduced membership costs for people of benefits or low income in general. Plenty of posts about reducing costs for under 30s to make it affordable but not much in relation to making golf affordable for others. If the aim of reduced costs for certan groups is to put golf membership withing their grasp then surely clubs should also be looking at similar schemes for all low income individuals.

Are you confident that members would update the club instantly if circumstances changed? Do you also have a sliding scale based on pay?

Simple systems work best.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

I’ve never understood why seniors got so much discount. Other than they are typically the ones running the club.

They play the most and at my place appear to be responsible for the most damage to the course.

 

[r0wly86]

Does any club offer reduced membership costs for people of benefits or low income in general. Plenty of posts about reducing costs for under 30s to make it affordable but not much in relation to making golf affordable for others. If the aim of reduced costs for certan groups is to put golf membership withing their grasp then surely clubs should also be looking at similar schemes for all low income individuals.

I know of a few clubs that have financial assistant programmes, the person can apply to the club and put forward their case with evidence and if accepted fees will be reduced

 

[r0wly86]

I’ve never understood why seniors got so much discount. Other than they are typically the ones running the club.

They play the most and at my place appear to be responsible for the most damage to the course.

I think it is just a hangover from a time when most seniors would have been relatively poor, just haven't updated since the new generation of seniors have got to the bracket where in general they are better off than a lot of working people.

As an example my grandfather had a very modest armed forces pension and not much else, where as my dad managed to pay off the mortgage when he was 50 managing to put away a lot of money into savings and investments, and has a very healthy pension, and that is from being a teacher so not a particularly high earning career. Why should he who has very low expenditures and a decent income pay less than someone with a big mortgage and two kids, who can only play at weekends.

To be fair my dad agrees and offers to pay the difference between full and senior for a friend to make it cheaper for them

 

[GB72]

Are you confident that members would update the club instantly if circumstances changed? Do you also have a sliding scale based on pay?

Simple systems work best.

Agreed, they do but I am just putting forward the point that if people are quoting affordability as a reason to reduce the fees of certain demographics then it stands to reason that such policies should be applied accross the board. Perhaps a totaly shake up and fees are based on earnings with the lowerst earners paying less and the highest more.

 

[HankMarvin]

We are expecting an increase of just over £500 if reports are correct which is probably only fair given the current climate we are in as costs for everything have gone up.

 

[williamalex1]

I’ve never understood why seniors got so much discount. Other than they are typically the ones running the club.

They play the most and at my place appear to be responsible for the most damage to the course.

Senior's discount is restricted to those who have been a full member for a minimum of 25 consecutive years and are over the state retirement age set by the government.
Discounts start at approx. 12% for age group 65 to 68, 40% for 69 to 71, 72 and over get approx. 60%.
My 2 PPs are 70 but don't won't get the discount till they have 25 years of service.

 

[hovis]

Crazy really. Discounts offered the young men and senior golfers when typically they're at a time in their life when money isn't such an issue. Middle aged man with mortgage and kids pays more!!!?

 

[Deleted member 30522]

Senior's discount is restricted to those who have been a full member for a minimum of 25 consecutive years and are over the state retirement age set by the government.
Discounts start at approx. 12% for age group 65 to 68, 40% for 69 to 71, 72 and over get approx. 60%.
My 2 PPs are 70 but don't won't get the discount till they have 25 years of service.

Those are absolutely mental discounts and wholly unsustainable as the golfing demographic continues to creep older.

Clubs like Duff House Royal have the right idea, all adults pay the same amount, no Seniors discount

 

[r0wly86]

Those are absolutely mental discounts and wholly unsustainable as the golfing demographic continues to creep older.

Clubs like Duff House Royal have the right idea, all adults pay the same amount, no Seniors discount

Duff House Royal does have lower fees for those aged 19-25 years old

That being said the annual subs are only £535 which most people can afford, where I am £1,500 is the lowest amount you will be looking to pay for an average course, up to £2,500 for a good course

 

[apj0524]

Looks like a 20% increase this year, which I can see is necessary but is going to cause much discussion I'm sure

 

[Golfnut1957]

Does any club offer reduced membership costs for people of benefits or low income in general. Plenty of posts about reducing costs for under 30s to make it affordable but not much in relation to making golf affordable for others. If the aim of reduced costs for certan groups is to put golf membership withing their grasp then surely clubs should also be looking at similar schemes for all low income individuals.

We used to but having just looked on the website it appears to have gone.

I do know that when it was available there was no published fixed rate, just an offer to come and speak to the secretary with a view to discussing what could be arranged.

 

[JonnyGutteridge]

Just had the Agm report though, up to £1050, seniors and 30 to 35 abolished.. joining fee raised and reinstated, £1000. I'd suspect the 100 or so guys we had join the under 35 cat will all get gone at renewal as they were paying less than half price and no joining fee. Might actually go to the agm this year.

I’d be interested to know what everyone on the forum thinks of 30-35 rates being abolished?

I’m 29 so it’s particularly relevant to me. My club does not have a 30-35 category so from next year, I’ll be paying full member fees. Most local clubs (better and worse) have 30-35 categories. My argument is really that no one in their right mind would join our club between those ages because of the cost differential and that is an age group we don’t have enough of. However, understandably, some members I’ve spoken to hate the idea of “subsidising” fees for people in their 30s, some of whom are quite successful!

 

[D-S]

Looks like a 20% increase this year, which I can see is necessary but is going to cause much discussion I'm sure

Can I ask which club as it might be of interest to me as my club is local's and it iOS good to know what's going on in the region - if you don't want to make it public I would appreciate a DM. Thanks.

 

[GB72]

I’d be interested to know what everyone on the forum thinks of 30-35 rates being abolished?

I’m 29 so it’s particularly relevant to me. My club does not have a 30-35 category so from next year, I’ll be paying full member fees. Most local clubs (better and worse) have 30-35 categories. My argument is really that no one in their right mind would join our club between those ages because of the cost differential and that is an age group we don’t have enough of. However, understandably, some members I’ve spoken to hate the idea of “subsidising” fees for people in their 30s, some of whom are quite successful!

I look at it from a overall point of view. I am not one for simply giving discounts to try and attract certain age groups, I am not sure that I see the point. Juniors I understand and maybe some discounts above that. I see discounts as a way of attracting people to the benefits of membership. If discounts are applied up to 35, people could be receiving them for a decade or more, surely enough time to assess whether golf is something you want to pursue. On that basis, I would remove all of the subsidised fees and have a reduced rate for the first 2 years of membership across the board, which is plenty of time to see if golf membership and the club is for you. After that, you pay full whack like everyone else. This would also leave an enticing entry price point to everyone who is insterested in golf and I suspect that there are potentially more new members in their 40s who have given up their primary sport as age and injuries kick in. Most golfers I know used it to replace football, rugby, cricket etc.

You then have the argument of affordability. If the basis of the reduced fees is to make them affordable then you are making some big assumptions on the position of all of the members. If the reduction is on that basis then it should be a plan open to all members who do not have the available funds to pay the full cost.

I just think that there is a better system out there. I also am not sure that I see the fascination with having members is a certain age bracket. If the price and the product is good, they will come anyway.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I’d be interested to know what everyone on the forum thinks of 30-35 rates being abolished?

I’m 29 so it’s particularly relevant to me. My club does not have a 30-35 category so from next year, I’ll be paying full member fees. Most local clubs (better and worse) have 30-35 categories. My argument is really that no one in their right mind would join our club between those ages because of the cost differential and that is an age group we don’t have enough of. However, understandably, some members I’ve spoken to hate the idea of “subsidising” fees for people in their 30s, some of whom are quite successful!

Too many of us find too many things to harbour resentments about, things such as what others pay for that I pay a bit more for…and these resentments can build up and seriously influence our thinking, attitudes and behaviour in general - and most often in my experience not in a positive way.

There are ways out of this sort of thinking, though I learned yesterday that one I practice is one which less than 50% of the population even vaguely associate with, never mind practice. Me? I find that acceptance and forgiveness are marvellous ways of defusing my head by not holding on to things and not picking up quite unnecessary resentments, thereby preventing it turning into a washing machine of chaotic and angry thoughts.??

Well as imperfectly as I try, at least I try.

 

[Bdill93]

I’d be interested to know what everyone on the forum thinks of 30-35 rates being abolished?

I’m 29 so it’s particularly relevant to me. My club does not have a 30-35 category so from next year, I’ll be paying full member fees. Most local clubs (better and worse) have 30-35 categories. My argument is really that no one in their right mind would join our club between those ages because of the cost differential and that is an age group we don’t have enough of. However, understandably, some members I’ve spoken to hate the idea of “subsidising” fees for people in their 30s, some of whom are quite successful!

I'm also 29, I don't earn buckets but I do okay. I've got mates on 21k and I've got mates on 60k+ so its a real mine field when it comes to earnings in our category - but I do think keeping costs low for under 30's is a good idea. I don't plan on leaving my club now, its home. Its nothing special at all, hell we moan about it more than we praise it - but I wont consider leaving to go elsewhere.

My club's bracket also ends at 30, so I'm in my last year before going up to full fees, again similar to you locally there are clubs who do lower rates until 35 but being honest my club is so cheap in general that moving to one of those (although a far better course) would be more expensive than staying put and paying full at my place.

Also - no clue why people think you don't have a kid and mortgage till you're 30+... I have both

 

[GB72]

Too many of us find too many things to harbour resentments about, things such as what others pay for that I pay a bit more for…and these resentments can build up and seriously influence our thinking, attitudes and behaviour in general - and most often in my experience not in a positive way.

There are ways out of this sort of thinking, though I learned yesterday that one I practice is one which less than 50% of the population even vaguely associate with, never mind practice. Me? I find that acceptance and forgiveness are marvellous ways of defusing my head by not holding on to things and not picking up quite unnecessary resentments, thereby preventing it turning into a washing machine of chaotic and angry thoughts.??

Well as imperfectly as I try, at least I try.

I do not harbour resentment. What I do feel is that if the club has amount that they can budget towards reduced fees then it is far better targeted at everyone who may struggle to afford the cost of full membership rather than aimed at a demographic that the club feels it wants more of.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I’d be interested to know what everyone on the forum thinks of 30-35 rates being abolished?

I’m 29 so it’s particularly relevant to me. My club does not have a 30-35 category so from next year, I’ll be paying full member fees. Most local clubs (better and worse) have 30-35 categories. My argument is really that no one in their right mind would join our club between those ages because of the cost differential and that is an age group we don’t have enough of. However, understandably, some members I’ve spoken to hate the idea of “subsidising” fees for people in their 30s, some of whom are quite successful!

I wonder if this is more relevant to the expensive parts of the country. Personally, I don't see any justification for a 30-35 category. Up to 25, yes, past 25, you are in with everyone else.

 

[D-S]

We go from Juniors (very low or free) to 18-23 (Student Category 30% of full fee) then the price increases proportionally by around 10% of total fee every year until 30 when full price is paid. Hopefully by then you have a loyal, long term member who will contribute significantly to the club for a long period. Always better to have ‘home grown’ members than have to compete for transferees (or those disgruntled with their existing club), especially when times are tight which they will no doubt be again soon. The only other discount offered is for HM forces.