Membership cost increase

[Don Shanks]

where are the very cheap membership fees and how do I get them

The North East. Less than £600 at beautiful Bamburgh Castle.

 

[Griffsters]

The North East. Less than £600 at beautiful Bamburgh Castle.

A ridiculous bargain

 

[Oddsocks]

Which course is that; Addington maybe?

I wished.

Adddington palace is now £2k pre any levy’s or union fees let alone payment interest.

The Addington is about £3000-£3500 ( I believe)

 

[IanM]

Rule of thumb.

Anywhere away from main centres of population and commerce you'll pay less money for housing and golf subs!

You can buy a mansion in Silloth for the price of a small flat in London. I'd rather be in Silloth, but 9 million people think otherwise, or cannot make the choice.

 

[timd77]

It’s an interesting point I was thinking about the other day.

So Kidderminster have put the fees up to £1475. It’s a nice parkland course, members club, usually very good condition.

My hometown is Shrewsbury, the Shrewsbury golf club is very similar in size and quality to kiddie, yet their fees are £1035. Kiddie and Shrewsbury are probably similar sized towns, I’d say Shrewsbury is probably a bit more affluent. So why such a big difference in running costs? Is it purely because Kidderminster is close to a couple of cities? Or do clubs have to pay rates and maybe the rates are higher in some areas than others?

I compared it to house prices. Pick a street in any town, you’ll have an average house price, for example, 250k. Then someone decides to sell and it goes up for 260. Then someone else sees that, puts theirs up for sale but for 270. Repeat ad infinitum.

It seems to me that kiddie have increased the fees from 1200 to 1475 because that’s what the local clubs charge.

 

[IanM]

They might put it up for sale, but does it sell?

Kiddie might well charge that price as they see what they consider similar clubs locally, charging that amount.

We have a club near us, charging about 60% of our fees. The difference in the courses is obvious, but not so marked that some haven't moved to the other club to save cash!

There are plenty of examples where there are local exceptions. But dig down and you'll see the reasons.

 

[upsidedown]

Have heard Shrewsbury have over 700 members so that could be why prices low ?

 

[The Lion]

I wished.

Adddington palace is now £2k pre any levy’s or union fees let alone payment interest.

The Addington is about £3000-£3500 ( I believe)

Ah cheers for the info. The Addington sounds ridiculously overpriced tho. There can’t be many more expensive members clubs than that in GB&I…

 

[The Lion]

The North East. Less than £600 at beautiful Bamburgh Castle.

Wonderful course Bamburgh. Sea views from every hole!

Even an angsty Scottish nationalist pal fell in love with it and can’t wait to go back!

This after slating ALL English golf courses as -1 on the lifetime tally of GCs played, along with the rest of our group!

Northumberland GM Forum Trip anyone?

 

[The Lion]

Rule of thumb.

Anywhere away from main centres of population and commerce you'll pay less money for housing and golf subs!

You can buy a mansion in Silloth for the price of a small flat in London. I'd rather be in Silloth, but 9 million people think otherwise, or cannot make the choice.

I like both tbh. GBI Cities are good fun, but so is the countryside!

 

[The Lion]

They might put it up for sale, but does it sell?

Kiddie might well charge that price as they see what they consider similar clubs locally, charging that amount.

We have a club near us, charging about 60% of our fees. The difference in the courses is obvious, but not so marked that some haven't moved to the other club to save cash!

There are plenty of examples where there are local exceptions. But dig down and you'll see the reasons.

Is this RND by any chance? A big part of the difference could be two courses vs one. After all, the course running costs virtually double, although you obviously have many more members as a result too.

 

[Oddsocks]

Ah cheers for the info. The Addington sounds ridiculously overpriced tho. There can’t be many more expensive members clubs than that in GB&I…

There has been huge investment and with a new clubhouse on route I reckon it’ll get to about £4k + JF.

 

[IanM]

Is this RND by any chance? A big part of the difference could be two courses vs one. After all, the course running costs virtually double, although you obviously have many more members as a result too.

No... I was talking about South Wales. Good example though. RND is about 2/3s the cost of Saunton. Maybe it's the course, or the two courses who knows. Saunton does well out of visitors and Opens, but as you say has high costs. They have done a lot of work over the past few years too.

Folk look at the relative costs and take their view. Clubs need to understand their market, or they suffer

 

[The Lion]

There has been huge investment and with a new clubhouse on route I reckon it’ll get to about £4k + JF.

That’s madness. Equivalent of £80 a round even if you play once a week.

I really wonder just how many people are rich enough to be able to pay these mad green fees — and in this case membership subs — after the worst cost of living crisis for over 30 years.

Prices including golf rates et al just don’t make much sense without there being serious economic repercussions ie a downturn resulting in price reductions or worse.

No... I was talking about South Wales. Good example though. RND is about 2/3s the cost of Saunton. Maybe it's the course, or the two courses who knows. Saunton does well out of visitors and Opens, but as you say has high costs. They have done a lot of work over the past few years too.

Folk look at the relative costs and take their view. Clubs need to understand their market, or they suffer

The latter para is a very good point and I really do wonder what’ll happen in the coming years after the tough times we’ve been through, which might just be the start of it all.

Obviously around London there’s more money, but how many new members are there who can afford to pay £2k subs plus same or more JF. It’s a lot, especially if you can’t play much due to the poor weather which is becoming ever more prevalent.

Add to that we’re now on the post-Covid drop off in participation, and it’s not hard to see serious cost pressures ahead.

 

[IanM]

Add to that we’re now on the post-Covid drop off in participation, and it’s not hard to see serious cost pressures ahead.

But are we? A club near here (Raglan) closed a few years back is reopening. Newport has a waiting list and a big (for here ) joining fee. All the decent clubs are full, the top tourist places are charging mad money..and are selling out these tee times.

Maybe it's the old thing of, if you're going ok, you're doing OK. But if things are tight, they are very tough indeed.

 

[Oddsocks]

That’s madness. Equivalent of £80 a round even if you play once a week.

I really wonder just how many people are rich enough to be able to pay these mad green fees — and in this case membership subs — after the worst cost of living crisis for over 30 years.

Prices including golf rates et al just don’t make much sense without there being serious economic repercussions ie a downturn resulting in price reductions or worse.

Any membership within a 10m radius from me is £1800 upwards.

The addington used to be a top 100 course (72nd I think) around 5 years ago and at that time I think a weekend tee time was circa £130-150. With the work they have already done along with what is pipelined I think they are aiming at top 50 ranking and with London memberships full or virtually full for anywhere decent I actually think they’ll get it.

It would surprise me if 2-3 years from now when the club house is in and potentially the new lodges, a round there at weekends would be around the £200 mark

 

[The Lion]

Any membership within a 10m radius from me is £1800 upwards.

The addington used to be a top 100 course (72nd I think) around 5 years ago and at that time I think a weekend tee time was circa £130-150. With the work they have already done along with what is pipelined I think they are aiming at top 50 ranking and with London memberships full or virtually full for anywhere decent I actually think they’ll get it.

It would surprise me if 2-3 years from now when the club house is in and potentially the new lodges, a round there at weekends would be around the £200 mark

That’s just madness. I do really wonder who pays these sort of green fees. They just don’t seem to offer any value at such inflated rates. Sure, there’s the Americans who will pay them, but they obviously only go for the very top courses such as Open venues and another 2 or 3 in the area eg Kent Coast, Ayrshire, Southport etc.

 

[backwoodsman]

That’s just madness. I do really wonder who pays these sort of green fees. They just don’t seem to offer any value at such inflated rates. Sure, there’s the Americans who will pay them, but they obviously only go for the very top courses such as Open venues and another 2 or 3 in the area eg Kent Coast, Ayrshire, Southport etc.

I'm not very far from Oddsocks, and the nub of the matter is that, round here, you either pay expensive fees, or you don't play. (OK, I'm over-generalising a bit, but you get the drift ...). In, or close to, London it's expensive.

Now, if you want to play a round and have a pint afterwards, then you really are in second mortgage territory

 

[sunshine]

Ah cheers for the info. The Addington sounds ridiculously overpriced tho. There can’t be many more expensive members clubs than that in GB&I…

Addington isn’t a members club it’s owned by the Noades family

 

[The Lion]

Addington isn’t a members club it’s owned by the Noades family

Yes I noticed that. A bit like Princes, proprietary clubs seem to charge quite a bit more than members’ clubs.

Rather hope that it won’t become a trend where members clubs sell out to operators who then increase prices and make them unaffordable for most.