Modern Thinking?

[Sats]

Interesting points - I only used the gym as an example because it's the only other "thing" I have a membership for!

 

[Lazkir]

Our golf club is very poorly run. Our clique has gone from 20+ to less than 8 due to membership cockups and bad attitudes by the membership committee.
My wife and daughter tried to join at the beginning of the year as they both wanted to learn to play, and doing it together would be more fun.
Five times over two months I asked the membership secretary to sort out their membership and send me the invoice. I gave up after that.

The course is in the worst condition it's been for years and they have just 'warned' us that membership fees are going up.
I'm not certain, but if we can find somewhere that we all agree on, they are going to lose our group. Lots of grumblings in the clubhouse over the last week as well so can see them losing lots more.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Our golf club is very poorly run. Our clique has gone from 20+ to less than 8 due to membership cockups and bad attitudes by the membership committee.
My wife and daughter tried to join at the beginning of the year as they both wanted to learn to play, and doing it together would be more fun.
Five times over two months I asked the membership secretary to sort out their membership and send me the invoice. I gave up after that.

The course is in the worst condition it's been for years and they have just 'warned' us that membership fees are going up.
I'm not certain, but if we can find somewhere that we all agree on, they are going to lose our group. Lots of grumblings in the clubhouse over the last week as well so can see them losing lots more.

Kind of reiterates what I said. A gym and golf club will stand or fall by the efforts put in by the management and staff and the quality of service provided. Offer rubbish and the customers will eventually walk away

 

[shortgame]

Gyms/health clubs I've been a member of have all had peak / off peak / junior (some) / OAP rates... pretty standard...

 

[Capella]

Modern gyms are usually franchised businesses. They work like McDonalds. Max profit from the lowest possible investment. They don't give a rats ass about their members (and to be honest, most people sign up with a gym, show up full of good intentions for a month or two and are then never seen again, but pay the membership for at least a full year, maybe longer because they forgot to cancel the subscription). They are rather anonymous institutions.

Most golf clubs have grown over a long time, and they don't try to make a profit, they just try to somehow get by and at the same time they really care about their membership, not just because they bring in money, but also because the people who operate the club are pretty invested in the whole thing on an emotional level.

 

[PJ87]

If courses are being built now the way they seem to future proof themselves a bit is to have a gym or spa attached.

27 hole course being built near me. 9 holes are open atm with 9 more next year and the last 9 in 2020 I believe . It’s got a big club house with a gym and spa type environment. Decent restaurant above the club house.

Can have gym only memberships and the full package for golf and gym

It’s packed already. Been open a year and a bit now the 9 holes and gets good reviews. £40 a round I think it is for 18 holes (playing same 9 twice) yet still manage to keep the course busy.

Sensible to have the gym attached and the restaurant. Have lots of money spinning buisness’ under 1 umbrella so can help provide an overall profit if one decides to have a decline.

Where I used to be a member has a small hotel on site that during the week caters for businessmen , and at weekends they have a big venue on site to hold weddings or events.

Has a popular restaurant , again the golf aspect can be afforded to be run at a loss if ness

 

[Trapdraw]

All people want is a course that’s in decent condition, plenty of comps to play in, practice facilities, decent food. That’s it, no need for added gyms, hotels, spas, etc.
Most of the courses with added hotels and spas don’t really seem to care about the golf club members, they seem to be treated as second class citizens compared to hotel guests.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

All people want is a course that’s in decent condition, plenty of comps to play in, practice facilities, decent food. That’s it, no need for added gyms, hotels, spas, etc.
Most of the courses with added hotels and spas don’t really seem to care about the golf club members, they seem to be treated as second class citizens compared to hotel guests.

I agree that golf club members want a decent return for their annual investment and not stuck in a corner of the clubhouse every weekend while a function takes place. That said a good golf club can use wedding receptions etc as a valuable revenue stream as long as it's done with members in mind too. It's a balancing act. I have friends who were members of a course with a spa/gym attached and it wasn't a mix in the 19th that worked. Add in a constant battle for a parking space, delayed food orders and it wasn't somewhere I'd join

 

[Trapdraw]

I agree that golf club members want a decent return for their annual investment and not stuck in a corner of the clubhouse every weekend while a function takes place. That said a good golf club can use wedding receptions etc as a valuable revenue stream as long as it's done with members in mind too. It's a balancing act. I have friends who were members of a course with a spa/gym attached and it wasn't a mix in the 19th that worked. Add in a constant battle for a parking space, delayed food orders and it wasn't somewhere I'd join

I was a member of a place that was joined onto a large hotel, lots of corporate etc.
Never again, you feel like your shunted off to one side to accommodate hotel guests and corporate visitors.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I was a member of a place that was joined onto a large hotel, lots of corporate etc.
Never again, you feel like your shunted off to one side to accommodate hotel guests and corporate visitors.

That would wind me up, especially if the fees are pretty hefty. I guess the place sees golf members as regulars and so will be back week in, week out regardless whereas they want to ensure visitors are treated well (if only for the ratings on Tripadvisor etc)

 

[TheDiablo]

Modern gyms are usually franchised businesses. They work like McDonalds. Max profit from the lowest possible investment. They don't give a rats ass about their members (and to be honest, most people sign up with a gym, show up full of good intentions for a month or two and are then never seen again, but pay the membership for at least a full year, maybe longer because they forgot to cancel the subscription). They are rather anonymous institutions.

Most golf clubs have grown over a long time, and they don't try to make a profit, they just try to somehow get by and at the same time they really care about their membership, not just because they bring in money, but also because the people who operate the club are pretty invested in the whole thing on an emotional level.

Don't really agree with this, it's a very simple view of gyms. I've got some friends who view their gyms like I do my golf club - it's their main hobby and where they spend most of their spare time. Their chats with friends outside the gym are about what theve done at the gym.

Like there are different types of golf clubs - from pitch and putt through to Queenwood, equally there are different types of gyms. And just because there are Mcdonalds doesn't mean there isn't a place for high end burger restaurants that suit different people with different choices.

 

[PJ87]

That would wind me up, especially if the fees are pretty hefty. I guess the place sees golf members as regulars and so will be back week in, week out regardless whereas they want to ensure visitors are treated well (if only for the ratings on Tripadvisor etc)

It is clearly the future though. We are a small island with a huge population. So courses taking up huge space when not making lots of money will be more tempted to sell up to housing developers or just go out of buisness

So combine some real money spinners like weddings, spas etc to keep the stream in if for example we have a poor winter etc.

I’d rather have 3 good courses nearby with spas etc attached than 8 averages courses that aren’t maintained because falling numbers is starving off profits

Golf participation is on the decline they say. So got to roll with the changes

 

[TheDiablo]

It is clearly the future though. We are a small island with a huge population. So courses taking up huge space when not making lots of money will be more tempted to sell up to housing developers or just go out of buisness

So combine some real money spinners like weddings, spas etc to keep the stream in if for example we have a poor winter etc.

I’d rather have 3 good courses nearby with spas etc attached than 8 averages courses that aren’t maintained because falling numbers is starving off profits

Golf participation is on the decline they say. So got to roll with the changes

Sorry, this post is a load of crap.

 

[Imurg]

It is clearly the future though. We are a small island with a huge population. So courses taking up huge space when not making lots of money will be more tempted to sell up to housing developers or just go out of buisness

So combine some real money spinners like weddings, spas etc to keep the stream in if for example we have a poor winter etc.

I’d rather have 3 good courses nearby with spas etc attached than 8 averages courses that aren’t maintained because falling numbers is starving off profits

Golf participation is on the decline they say. So got to roll with the changes

They still need to be properly run.
We had a 2 course club around here. 2 decent courses good enough to host Jamega Tour events.
Spa, gym, function rooms all attached - the whole Country Club thing.
Only a short drive from several decent size towns.
It flourished for a couple of years but bad management saw if fold.
It wasn't through lack of numbers through the gate.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

It is clearly the future though. We are a small island with a huge population. So courses taking up huge space when not making lots of money will be more tempted to sell up to housing developers or just go out of buisness

Sorry but that’s nonsense - it’s far from the future

So combine some real money spinners like weddings, spas etc to keep the stream in if for example we have a poor winter etc.

I’d rather have 3 good courses nearby with spas etc attached than 8 averages courses that aren’t maintained because falling numbers is starving off profits

Golf participation is on the decline they say. So got to roll with the changes

It’s not

Agree with The Diablo

And the one course in the area here that closed was the resort hotel style course with two courses

 

[Trapdraw]

It is clearly the future though. We are a small island with a huge population. So courses taking up huge space when not making lots of money will be more tempted to sell up to housing developers or just go out of buisness

So combine some real money spinners like weddings, spas etc to keep the stream in if for example we have a poor winter etc.

I’d rather have 3 good courses nearby with spas etc attached than 8 averages courses that aren’t maintained because falling numbers is starving off profits

Golf participation is on the decline they say. So got to roll with the changes

If spas, weddings, hotels are the future for golf it’s knackered.

 

[Trapdraw]

The resort type of course with a spa etc are the places that hopefully close first.

 

[Wolf]

The resort type of course with a spa etc are the places that hopefully close first.

Totally agree

There's a hotel golf resort and spa about 15 mins from me. The course is ok at best despite the large sums charged to play there or be a member there! Factor in could barely park at 830am due to hotel guests, pro shop is abysmal just caters for the part time hotel golfer which is fine if you want to pay £90 for a polo shirt whilst buying the latest Pinnacle Gold ball, then the bar area afterward is as sterile as a surgeon's operating table. No atmosphere, over £5 a pint & £15 for a cheese toastie as it's premium hotel prices and nowhere to display winners boards or sign up sheets as this might put off hotel and wedding guests..

Drive a further 10mins down the road to a lovely little private members course, in great condition, cheaper green fee and membership, good practice facilities, plenty of parking and a proper bar and restaurant for golfers with atmosphere and still able to host functions.. I know which I'd choose all day long

 

[Hobbit]

Apart from a few premier hotel spa complexes, they’re an expensive waste of money. Usually poor courses with poor facilities, and staff that don’t care/connect with the guests.

As for the “way forward!” No. If membership at your average club is £1k you can bet it’ll be way more at a complex. And you’ll be paying for stuff you’ll not use.

Add to which every time a society/large party wants a weekend tee time you”l get booted. When you do finally get on, 5 hour rounds, footprints/trolley tracks through bunkers.

Modern thinking? Support what already works well. There’s enough well run private members clubs out there to prove the business model.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

It’s easy to forget that a private members golf club will have a maximum number of members so as to not create problems with courses so busy they take all day to play.
Gyms and other such clubs don’t have those constraints, or not in my experience anyway.