Membership Offer With a Difference

[Lord Tyrion]

But isn't it also based on a relatively good take up for new members? If they don't get that surely it's a money loser

All dependent on who gets full value and who doesn't. If 5 people join on this and use £400 worth of food and drink, at cost, then the club have the regular £500 fee and are another £100 up per person. Only 5 people but still a profit. If they have someone who is retired, eats and drinks for England then they are in big trouble. More people spreads the risk, no question.

I played at a meet at Hobbits old club, Cleveland, and afterwards one of the locals was talking about the turnover of beer in the clubhouse and what the average bar card spend was. Scary doesn't cover it. They could not run that scheme there, unless the membership fee was about £3k

 

[IanM]

Well, folk have on here have been calling for more creativity from golf clubs. I know people you would easily get value from this.... some of our Seniors would sell their houses and sleep in the locker room!!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

All dependent on who gets full value and who doesn't. If 5 people join on this and use £400 worth of food and drink, at cost, then the club have the regular £500 fee and are another £100 up per person. Only 5 people but still a profit. If they have someone who is retired, eats and drinks for England then they are in big trouble. More people spreads the risk, no question.

I played at a meet at Hobbits old club, Cleveland, and afterwards one of the locals was talking about the turnover of beer in the clubhouse and what the average bar card spend was. Scary doesn't cover it. They could not run that scheme there, unless the membership fee was about £3k

I would hope they've done the sums before putting the advert out and know what numbers they are looking at in terms of new members and potential costs. It is definitely an innovative way of potentially attracting new members and so anything that's a little different should be appreciated. For me I'd have focused on the unlimited golf rather than the beer and food but if it works then great

 

[Grant85]

View attachment 28495Anyone else seen an offer like this?

I think that's interesting.

Certainly more like the 'American' model where membership includes minimum spends on drinks and food, albeit at a fraction of the price.

Not convinced by the 3 pints per day. Obviously the vast majority will hardly use the drinks at all (assuming they are driving to the course) and others will hammer it and make a point of turning up every day even when there's 2 foot of snow on the ground.

Surely 'free pint after every round' would be sufficient and those who want to, or are able to, drink might stay for another one or two. Personally would feel the drivers would be subsidising the drinkers here unless the course is close to very good transport links.

I'd imagine culture will develop here where no cash changes hands, even if people stay for a 4th drink and that has its merits in terms of managing cash, monitoring / trusting staff and the security of the place.

But also perhaps stinks of a club on it's last legs, having one last hurrah to try and generate some cash flow to get through to the spring.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

But also perhaps stinks of a club on it's last legs, having one last hurrah to try and generate some cash flow to get through to the spring.

That was kind of my initial thinking and what Davemc1 says seems to back that up

 

[Cue_147]

Whats to stop three retired people going up everyday one with this membership and two standard... then spreading the drinks and food between the three of them.

This type of membership could get messy and political.

 

[ademac]

It seems a bit desperate to me.
Hard to see how they could sustain that, there would surely have to be a sacrifice in quality somewhere and I’d worry it would be the quality of the golf course.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I don’t know this Club, so have no personal stake in it, but maybe, just maybe they should be applauded for trying something different.

We’ve all seen the articles about Clubs closing down or declining memberships etc and all we get are comments about drink driving or stinks of a club on its last legs etc.

No wonder people get put off by the attitude of some golfers.

As from me, good luck to them and I hope it works, far better that a Club is supported, than people who live nowhere near it almost wishing it fails so they can tell us how right they were.

 

[Grant85]

Whats to stop three retired people going up everyday one with this membership and two standard... then spreading the drinks and food between the three of them.

This type of membership could get messy and political.

Yes - I think needs something more formal.

Like £100 of food and drink included each month and this is managed with a card system.
Even with someone playing twice a week and having lunch and a drink or two after each round... that is probably £20 per week minimum... so £80 to £100 pm. Plus a bit of additional usage as it is free.
The economics just don't make sense to me and generally if it seems to good to be true, it probably is.

Only way it would work is if the vast majority of members don't use much of their allocation.

 

[Orikoru]

If the normal fees are £500, as per LP's post, then the club have another £500 to play with per person taking on this membership. A bit like an all you can eat buffet there will be people who will win but far more will lose. How many are really going to go in every day and drink 3 pints? You may get some push this to the limits but the number who don't come close will likely far exceed the others. It is a good bit of PR for the club, a calculated gamble.

Yeah, this. If you're trying to work out the value of it I wouldn't assume that anyone is going to rock up every single day for their 3 pints and free sandwich and chips. As stated most people are going to be driving so that rules out the three pints for a start. And most people don't play golf every single day.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Whats to stop three retired people going up everyday one with this membership and two standard... then spreading the drinks and food between the three of them.

This type of membership could get messy and political.

Presumably there may be some small print that covers this. There may not and this is a loophole that could get exploited but hopefully they have this covered. It is definitely something they need to have thought through.

 

[rksquire]

It all looks very good, superb value for money - even not taking the proverbial, I can see 1 pint, 1 coffee, 1 toastie a week and availing of the monthly lesson; in the summer that might be twice a week - that would constitute about £600 a year (within taking full advantage!).

However, there has to be some T&Cs to this..... it says 'up to' 3 pints, maybe there is a limit (12 pints in the year, but no more than 3 any one day? for example). I hope it works out for them though!

 

[davemc1]

I don’t know this Club, so have no personal stake in it, but maybe, just maybe they should be applauded for trying something different.

We’ve all seen the articles about Clubs closing down or declining memberships etc and all we get are comments about drink driving or stinks of a club on its last legs etc.

No wonder people get put off by the attitude of some golfers.

As from me, good luck to them and I hope it works, far better that a Club is supported, than people who live nowhere near it almost wishing it fails so they can tell us how right they were.

friggin hell Paul, chill out. Approx 5 years ago it was a decent track. It used to boast the moniker that went along the lines of ‘always dry, always welcome’. The last few times I’ve played it, it was a swamp.
I don’t know what’s happened there for it’s condition to drop like a stone (making the Runcorn bridge a toll bridge can’t of helped) but make no mistake, it has.
I’m all decent offers, but not at the cost of course condition

 

[ademac]

I don’t know this Club, so have no personal stake in it, but maybe, just maybe they should be applauded for trying something different.

We’ve all seen the articles about Clubs closing down or declining memberships etc and all we get are comments about drink driving or stinks of a club on its last legs etc.

No wonder people get put off by the attitude of some golfers.

As from me, good luck to them and I hope it works, far better that a Club is supported, than people who live nowhere near it almost wishing it fails so

friggin hell Paul, chill out. Approx 5 years ago it was a decent track. It used to boast the moniker that went along the lines of ‘always dry, always welcome’. The last few times I’ve played it, it was a swamp.
I don’t know what’s happened there for it’s condition to drop like a stone (making the Runcorn bridge a toll bridge can’t of helped) but make no mistake, it has.
I’m all decent offers, but not at the cost of course condition

There you go.

Course is in poor condition and they are desperate for members.
Was obvious really.

 

[Coffey]

Just have a look at the recent reviews on trip advisor etc and you’ll see why it is so cheap.

 

[Junior]

Ahhh, its a shame they are sturggling. My first ever Forum meet was at Frodsham, organised by ColinT.

The course itself is ok (or was OK, i've not played it for a few years), and has some decent holes. One plus is that it drains (or used to drain) really well. I heard some of the usual bad stories about letting societies out in the middle of weekend medals etc. I hope they manage to turn it around. Least they are trying to be creative in trying to attract members.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

friggin hell Paul, chill out. Approx 5 years ago it was a decent track. It used to boast the moniker that went along the lines of ‘always dry, always welcome’. The last few times I’ve played it, it was a swamp.
I don’t know what’s happened there for it’s condition to drop like a stone (making the Runcorn bridge a toll bridge can’t of helped) but make no mistake, it has.
I’m all decent offers, but not at the cost of course condition

W

friggin hell Paul, chill out. Approx 5 years ago it was a decent track. It used to boast the moniker that went along the lines of ‘always dry, always welcome’. The last few times I’ve played it, it was a swamp.
I don’t know what’s happened there for it’s condition to drop like a stone (making the Runcorn bridge a toll bridge can’t of helped) but make no mistake, it has.
I’m all decent offers, but not at the cost of course condition

What you on about?
You’ve posted about the course from the fact you know it, I posted about those who haven’t got a clue or probably couldn’t even tell you were Frodsham is.
Homer even suggested they could be encouraging drink driving ffs! Grant goes on about it being on it’s last legs.
Like I and others said, they are trying something different, good luck to them, I’d probably guess if successful all aspects of the business would benefit.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

There you go.

Course is in poor condition and they are desperate for members.
Was obvious really.

Still doesn’t mean their efforts shouldn’t be supported!

 

[Orikoru]

Whats to stop three retired people going up everyday one with this membership and two standard... then spreading the drinks and food between the three of them.

This type of membership could get messy and political.

One pint each and a third of a sandwhich and bowl of chips?? I'm sure the club will cope.

 

[chrisd]

Do you mean like a blogger running a competition to gain followers and the prize not really existing? Leaving boys and girls up and down the country feeling cheated when the wedge vanished to a “friend”.

I cant believe that would ever happen 🤔