federalexpress
Member
I suppose the issue here is that many people's income isn't going up by 10% and if they accepted everyone out there trying to pass through inflation plus increases, they will run out of money very quickly. So I guess what people are doing is trying to keep a lid on their personal cost increases that are beyond their income increases as best they can. This often means making changes to what you do, changing the way you spend your budget or just negotiating harder (especially with stuff like telcoms and media). Some of these people might well leave. It depends on how often they play.I don't get some people. Conversation with one of the guys I played with yesterday about next years fees. He was VERY unhappy and had voted no to the price increase of almost 10%....full membership went from £990 to £1090 (£1020 for me as a 66 year old fart). He was really mad because they evidently took away a slight discount for people who had been members for 10 years. I told him I didn't know ANY club they gave a discount for 10 years.....are there any and I just haven't noticed? With the cost of pretty well everything going up at the golf course PLUS the purchase of the front 9 from a local church......the increase was fine with me. The guy seemed to think a bunch of people might leave the club because of the increase....can't see it myself.
If a club is spending money on adding value, as seems to be the case with your club in acquiring land, then I think there is a much better case. But I suspect many clubs don't really look as hard for cost savings as individuals might do and find it easier just to try and pass the costs through. I guess we'll find out soon enough whether that works.
Clubs have all sorts of discounts. Ours used to have a discount for founder members, back to when the course was built, and also for couples, for 2 memberships. These were culled a few years ago and did cause some rancour. For some, especially the couples discount, it was part of the rationale for your other half joining so to take it away felt like 'bait and switch'. Might have been more reasonable to stop it for new members. At the same time, they culled 5 day memberships. I think we still have discounts for younger age groups up to aged 30 but I think you are maybe unusual if your club gives a seniors discount.