Might Be Time to Consider a Move

[GB72]

If you have read my posts recently you will have seen that I have had a few niggling issues with my club. Nothing on its own has been enough to make me question whether I should look at new clubs to join but the doubts have been increasing.

Anyway, I went up the club today for the first time in a few weeks (illness killed off my Xmas golf) and pciked up on the details of some matters to be voted on at the next AGM. Membership is down and if the stories are to be believed it is down by about 90 members out of a maximum number of about 550. To counter this the joining fee that I have just finished paying has been dropped for new members (no mention of it being waived for existing members still paying) and further that new members can join now and pay the 2011 annual fee for 15 months of golf. OK, I cna just about handle that if it gets people to join (though from previous threads you will note that I do not think that price is the only factor in this). What has wound me up is that the club needs additional funding so the proposal is to charge existing members and additional £75 a year (about a 15% increase) to cover the loss in income.

Now I am all for plans to increase member numbers but then expecting the current and loyal membership to pay more than new members when the line being pushed by the club is that we are losing members due to the economic climate makes no sense

Obviously I will be at the AGM to get the full details and have my say but to actually charge new members lower fees than existing members, on top of my other issues, may be a step too far.

 

[DCB]

Seems to be a common ploy in getting new members into a club. Give them a reduced sub for the first year. Depends how the club 'hook' them. Worst case scenario is they move on next yaear to another club with a better offer. The result of having no joining fee is that members have no reason to stay at a club if they are just looking for lowest cost golf.

If the club are spreading the cost of missing members to all existing members, then there will be trouble ahead. What have the club budgeted for in 2012 ? If things are that bad then a serious look at the budget and some serious cost savings need to be made. Losing 20% of your membership in one fell swoop is not a good sign.

 

[bobmac]

See you at Belton Park soon Greg

 

[DavidO]

It's definately a hard time for golf clubs, or similar institutions. They need to attract new members, but also need to be careful not to alienate existing members!

Try telling them how you feel? Think they might waive the rest of the joining fee?

 

[chris661]

If that is the "progressive" attitude then I think, for me, it would be time to try pastures new. It is beyond a joke that they expect loyal members to pay for the decline in membership. Our membership is staying the same this year after it went up a tenner last year!

 

[JustOne]

It's definately a hard time for golf clubs,...

Is it though? I tend to disagree, it's not like it targets the poor man. Any hardship is bought about purely by bad decisions and poor management. I'd love to run my local club, it'd be awesome.

 

[Oddsocks]

Is it though? I tend to disagree, it's not like it targets the poor man. Any hardship is bought about purely by bad decisions and poor management. .

Agree 100%, and in relations to other sports it's bloody cheap once your subs are paid and your kit is purchased

 

[DavidO]

Is it though? I tend to disagree, it's not like it targets the poor man. Any hardship is bought about purely by bad decisions and poor management. I'd love to run my local club, it'd be awesome.

Yeah, you have a point.

I was refering to a lot of people having to cut their cloth accordingly, so the likes of a golf membership may be the first thing to go if times are tough.

I do agree though that some clubs have to do more for their loyal members and not always look out to attract the new members only!

If the OP was me, i'd look to get get the balance of any joining fee waived or look elsewhere!!

 

[Dodger]

Is it though? I tend to disagree, it's not like it targets the poor man. Any hardship is bought about purely by bad decisions and poor management. I'd love to run my local club, it'd be awesome.

Really? It is very very hard for 99% of clubs at the moment and it has nothing to do with poor management and everything to do with the fact peoples cash is more and more becoming a prisoner.

If you think things are not hard then fire away at running a club my all means....not sure I would give your club long though.

 

[imran_ali]

Atleast you even have a AGM and get to vote!!!!!!!! Our club has turned OVER 1000 members in that last few years!

 

[DCB]

Atleast you even have a AGM and get to vote!!!!!!!! Our club has turned OVER 1000 members in that last few years!

What sort of club do you belong to if there is no AGM and no ability to vote ?

 

[JustOne]

Really? It is very very hard for 99% of clubs at the moment and it has nothing to do with poor management and everything to do with the fact peoples cash is more and more becoming a prisoner.

If you think things are not hard then fire away at running a club my all means....not sure I would give your club long though.

I'm all ears.... Why's that Dodger?

 

[Dodger]

I'm all ears.... Why's that Dodger?

You seem to of the opinion that things are not tough,might be reading you incorrectly but if you were to go in with the attitude that things aint tough and folk have cash to burn then I wouldn't fancy your chances of lasting much time.....my opinion,that's all.

 

[GB72]

I do have problems with the logic being applied. If people are leaving because their finances cannot streach to club membership then where is the logic firstly in making it more expensive (surely those on the cusp of being able to afford it may leave) and then putting up posters around the club emphasising that members are getting a far worse deal than those who sign up now.

What I want to know is what action has been taken to retain members and whether questions have actually been asked of members as to why they are leaving. Yes times are tight for many people but I sometimes feel that this is a handy excuse when members are leaving and saves having to actually look at what other issues may exist at the club (no roll ups or drawn comps, a club set up to suit the long term members, lack of atmosphere in the club house, anachronistic rules etc). Certainly nothing else has been tried before these proposed measures.

 

[AmandaJR]

It's another "brand new customers only" story that seems prevalent in lots of areas where you're tied in to a contract/membership and agree it feels like a penalty for being a loyal customer.

I think reducing or cancelling a joining fee is the way forward for most clubs to attract new members but not that the annual fees should be less. Our course, proprietary owned, offers 15 months for the price of 12 at this time of year and that seems a good offer without penalising existing members quite so much.

 

[imran_ali]

What sort of club do you belong to if there is no AGM and no ability to vote ?

its privately owned. I am considering joining somewhere where it feels like a golf club.

 

[JustOne]

You seem to of the opinion that things are not tough,might be reading you incorrectly but if you were to go in with the attitude that things aint tough and folk have cash to burn then I wouldn't fancy your chances of lasting much time.....my opinion,that's all.

I don't think it is tough, it's approx £1200/annum. It's the crap course, lack of facilities and piss poor atmosphere that keeps people away.

 

[chris661]

It's another "brand new customers only" story that seems prevalent in lots of areas where you're tied in to a contract/membership and agree it feels like a penalty for being a loyal customer.

The problem with just dropping the joining fee is that clubs cant really budget all that well if there is a fairly large turnover of members as they can just up sticks and leave, then it comes down to the club/course needing to entice people to stay, but if they are already running fairly tight how do you do that?

 

[JustOne]

The problem with just dropping the joining fee is that clubs cant really budget all that well if there is a fairly large turnover of members as they can just up sticks and leave, then it comes down to the club/course needing to entice people to stay, but if they are already running fairly tight how do you do that?

That's for the club to decide.. if they knew how to run a business they'd figure it out.

 

[GB72]

Having just had a look, the other club I would consider joining are running a £50 one month trial membership so I may give that a go then I can get a feel for the place and see how easy it is to get a game, see what the members and atmosphere is like.

Now that to me is a good idea and a good way of getting new members but my current club have not tried that.