Membership cost increase

[Albo]

Well the cynic in me suggests that paying for the opportunity it help out may not be in the interests of the many.

Though thanks for the last 2 posters for giving me something to go on.

From what I can see, this is where my lack of wanting to be a part of something probably dilutes any of these benefits for me personally. If the car park needs weeding, I’d rather pay an extra £5 a year to have someone do it rather than getting my lazy hands dirty. Or moreover go to a new club with a better car park in the first place. For those who feel they belong at a club, care about and make an effort to integrate, I can see where that might work. Just not how I use nor view a golf club.
Should the club pack up and sell, I may get a pay off, I hadn’t realised that, though I’m not sure how likely that is ever going to come to pass, certainly not something I’d want to count on.

 

[Albo]

I think people view golf club membership in many different ways irrespective of the ownership model. Sadly not devoting your life to being a club person is another stick used to beat certain golfers with.

I will put my hand up and admit that a club membership to me meant little more to me than my gym membership. I enjoyed the course and met some decent acquaintances to play golf with and I chose that word carefully. At the clubs where membership was an option to me, the members were all nice people but I had little in common with them aside from golf and so never really classed them as friends and rarely met outside of playing golf. The clubhouse was to quiet and had a dress code and so did not suit me as a place for a beer and the social side was geared towards people looking for very different things to what I enjoy. Plus, I like to spend time with my wife and friends at weekends. It was a private members club but that made no difference to me,I was a consumer and when I felt I was not getting value I stopped being a consumer.

I know that to some, club memebership and the life around it is everything to some but there are people, me included, who see a golf club membership in the same way as a gym or any other club membership and nothing more. Now, one day I may find a club that changes that attitude but I have not found one yet.

Thanks for this, this is pretty much me also. I don’t see my membership as anything more than as you say a gym membership, be that course A, B, or C. I will go where I feel the value for product is best, hence my not understanding the part ownership bit.

This is educating me, so thanks all for that. It may not change me y outlook, but will certainly give me better insight into something I didn’t understand

 

[JonnyGutteridge]

But not 'part owner' as I don't believe I can sell my portion! I know all the rest and much of it applies to a non-member too! Here's the 1st definition I found 'If you have ownership, you can possess, enjoy, sell, give away, bequeath, destroy, or sell an item of property'! So 'part ownership' means you can sell you can do that to or with your part! Basically, the assertion that someone who pays their sub is a 'part owner' is rubbish!

Of course you’re an owner. If you all wished to and voted to do so, you could sell your club to a property developer.

You just are not issued a transferable share or a portion of the land - so there is nothing to sell. Your membership provides you with voting power.

 

[Neilds]

If you are a part owner of a golf club, why do you have to pay to play there?

 

[JonnyGutteridge]

If you are a part owner of a golf club, why do you have to pay to play there?

If you are an owner of a business, why do you have to pay costs incurred by the operation of said business?

Edit: a friend once told me about a bloke who joined up all the local snooker clubs in the area. Cheap as chips to join a snooker club, they struggle for members and they are member owned.

Naturally, property developers were all over clubs like this because their little run down venues were often prime locations and targets for development. He exercised his voting power in favour of selling, at every opportunity, and due to dwindling support for snooker clubs, and many others seeing the same opportunity as this chap, the sales were often approved.

He made a bucket load of cash, supposedly from his share of the sale proceeds. It’s one of those stories that I don’t know if it’s true though.

 

[SurreyGolfer]

Price rises of 6-8% at my club, 7 day membership going from £155 pcm to £165 pcm. Flexible membership unchanged.

Feels relatively restrained given the course and clubhouse investment as well as the macroeconomic climate

 

[IanM]

If you are a part owner of a golf club, why do you have to pay to play there?

I've paid off my mortgage, but I still get bills!

 

[Slab]

With the odd exception like Wimbledon I view membership at a members club the same as membership at a proprietory club, but at a members club you have the added responsibility of also being part of a group that (should) act as custodians of the club and course for the current membership and immediate next generation of members

Until the rare occasion of a sale etc takes place, membership of a members club isn't really ownership anymore than a proprietory club, with the above caveat

 

[backwoodsman]

Just had our renewal notice for next year's subs - applicable from 1 Jan. Pleasantly surprised to learn they are increasing only by 3% - still means a rise of £60pa but it could have been worse. (Seems our energy prices are fixed till end 2023 so will be interesting to know what happens next year).

 

[hovis]

If you are a part owner of a golf club, why do you have to pay to play there?

If I was a part owner of a club I'd expect to be able to change my shoes in the car park

 

[OnTour]

That's a great reply, pretty much how I feel. Once I'm bored with the place I'm off especially after getting done over when joining just before a COVID break and getting nothing in return (still gripes me)

month by month agreements should be law (said me) or even 3 months breakaway option.

I think people view golf club membership in many different ways irrespective of the ownership model. Sadly not devoting your life to being a club person is another stick used to beat certain golfers with.

I will put my hand up and admit that a club membership to me meant little more to me than my gym membership. I enjoyed the course and met some decent acquaintances to play golf with and I chose that word carefully. At the clubs where membership was an option to me, the members were all nice people but I had little in common with them aside from golf and so never really classed them as friends and rarely met outside of playing golf. The clubhouse was to quiet and had a dress code and so did not suit me as a place for a beer and the social side was geared towards people looking for very different things to what I enjoy. Plus, I like to spend time with my wife and friends at weekends. It was a private members club but that made no difference to me,I was a consumer and when I felt I was not getting value I stopped being a consumer.

I know that to some, club memebership and the life around it is everything to some but there are people, me included, who see a golf club membership in the same way as a gym or any other club membership and nothing more. Now, one day I may find a club that changes that attitude but I have not found one yet.

 

[hovis]

I think people view golf club membership in many different ways irrespective of the ownership model. Sadly not devoting your life to being a club person is another stick used to beat certain golfers with.

I will put my hand up and admit that a club membership to me meant little more to me than my gym membership. I enjoyed the course and met some decent acquaintances to play golf with and I chose that word carefully. At the clubs where membership was an option to me, the members were all nice people but I had little in common with them aside from golf and so never really classed them as friends and rarely met outside of playing golf. The clubhouse was to quiet and had a dress code and so did not suit me as a place for a beer and the social side was geared towards people looking for very different things to what I enjoy. Plus, I like to spend time with my wife and friends at weekends. It was a private members club but that made no difference to me,I was a consumer and when I felt I was not getting value I stopped being a consumer.

I know that to some, club memebership and the life around it is everything to some but there are people, me included, who see a golf club membership in the same way as a gym or any other club membership and nothing more. Now, one day I may find a club that changes that attitude but I have not found one yet.

Yeh, couldn't have wrote that better myself

 

[GB72]

Yeh, couldn't have wrote that better myself

You could have missed out the couple of typos, spelling errors and gramattical slip ups

 

[hovis]

You could have missed out the couple of typos, spelling errors and gramattical slip ups

I didn't notice them so maybe you're wrong there ?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It inevitably came up at the AGM a fortnight ago. The club were very open and honest about the state of the accounts for the year and what the planned additional fuel costs are expected to be as our fixed term expires in December. They haven't decided on a final figure for the annual subs yet but they are trying to cap it at 5% maximum but at this moment they haven't guaranteed that. I'll see what that comes out at per month and decide on my options.

 

[4LEX]

I enquired about the 3 of us joining Ellesborough in the December.....went on the waiting list and were able to play the course 6 times between then and the new season (April)
Received an email in the February checking that we still wanted to join....reply sent
Got another email late February informing us of the amount and that as soon as we had paid we would become Full Members with unlimited playing rights.
Fees paid very early March and we got a month's free golf.....well, 3 weeks as the first lockdown arrived but you can't have everything.
Perfect communication.....just the way it should be.

Always liked the look of it when I used to drive past to an ex's in Wendover!

 

[sunshine]

If I was a part owner of a club I'd expect to be able to change my shoes in the car park

Surely the appropriate response if challenged is I’m a part owner of this club and I’ll change my shoes in the part of the car park I part own ?

 

[clubchamp98]

Surely the appropriate response if challenged is I’m a part owner of this club and I’ll change my shoes in the part of the car park I part own ?

The way things are going club car parks will be sold off to NCP.
They will charge you to park there , so changing shoes won’t be a problem !

 

[Oddsocks]

That's a great reply, pretty much how I feel. Once I'm bored with the place I'm off especially after getting done over when joining just before a COVID break and getting nothing in return (still gripes me)

month by month agreements should be law (said me) or even 3 months breakaway option.

Most clubs near me will offer a 6 month break on medical ground in which case they role the credit to the following years membership renewal, good way of retaining members for both the current and following year.

 

[Oddsocks]

The way things are going club car parks will be sold off to NCP.
They will charge you to park there , so changing shoes won’t be a problem !

Maybe that’s the way around slow play. Franchise to a managed parking company and offer 6hours free. This will include pre round snacks, a slow round and a pint after. If you want two pints play quicker damit!!!!