New GC - I'm on the move

[kev_off_the_tee]

After an enjoyable 1st year membership in the game I've decided to move to another club. I have been fortunate enough to play a good few courses and have taken advice from a few that that I've played with.

I'm just wondering how many people are coming or going.

Have those of you who are staying decided this because of cost, experiences of other courses, distance from home?

 

[Oddsocks]

On the mOve too, had enough of the management at my place, playing a prospective new course on Sunday

It's a shame as it also means stepping out of a committee role to but needs must

 

[richy]

Where you moving to?

 

[DelB]

I'm moving from a nine hole layout to an eighteen hole layout. Am hoping that the psychology of 18 different challenges will see my handicap tumble! :fore:

 

[GB72]

Undecided at the moment. The club I am looking at has a one month trial membership for £50 so I may sign up to that in mid to late Feb, see if I fit in, can find plenty of games etc then make a decision.

Every time I have had a rant about something at my club on here, the concensus is that if the way things are being run does not suit you then go elsewhere and it is getting near time to vote with my feet. Will go to the AGM in Feb, listen to the plans going forward then make a decision.

 

[kev_off_the_tee]

Where you moving to?

Whickham. If I'm honest I was after a change anyway but I'm hoping for a younger crowd. I think I'm considerable younger than the average of the members up there, and I'm 29

 

[Dodger]

Whickham. If I'm honest I was after a change anyway but I'm hoping for a younger crowd. I think I'm considerable younger than the average of the members up there, and I'm 29

I have played both and course wise you are doing right IMO.Is Tony McLure still weaving his magic round there?

 

[richart]

Whickham. If I'm honest I was after a change anyway but I'm hoping for a younger crowd. I think I'm considerable younger than the average of the members up there, and I'm 29

At our club Kev you would be classified as a junior.

 

[Garush34]

im moving club just waiting on the new mempership to come through. i moved because of the course conditions at my now old club were generally below par. usualy wet under foot even in the summer and for me is a bit of a boring layout. so ive moved to another local club that is a much better layout more fun to play, which i hope will get me out more and is in much better condition. it also has better practice facilities which for me is good as i like to practice if something is going wrong and try to work it out than just work through it.

 

[MadAdey]

Undecided at the moment. The club I am looking at has a one month trial membership for £50 so I may sign up to that in mid to late Feb, see if I fit in, can find plenty of games etc then make a decision.

Every time I have had a rant about something at my club on here, the concensus is that if the way things are being run does not suit you then go elsewhere and it is getting near time to vote with my feet. Will go to the AGM in Feb, listen to the plans going forward then make a decision.

What club you looking at moving to then? Sounds like a good idea to give a trial membership. Great way to get new members into the club. Nice to see there are forward thinking clubs out there.

 

[SwingSlow]

Staying put. Have a regular 4 with good friends and good banter. Course is improving all the time as they have a good greenkeeper with vision. Club is 2 miles from home. Good clubhouse facilities with friendly staff.

 

[Val]

I moved sat year to my local course after years at a course closer to my work

 

[Imurg]

Probably rejoining for at least another year but after that it's in the lap of the Gods - or HM Government to be precise.
Should be getting a final decision on HS2 soon and if it goes ahead it goes straight through the club.
OK it'll be a few years before it gets here but there will be zero investment in the course from the first day the Bill is passed. And that just means standards will drop.
Then I've got some tough decisions to contemplate...

 

[fat-tiger]

After an enjoyable 1st year membership in the game I've decided to move to another club. I have been fortunate enough to play a good few courses and have taken advice from a few that that I've played with.

I'm just wondering how many people are coming or going.

Have those of you who are staying decided this because of cost, experiences of other courses, distance from home?

what about ponteland or longhurst manor or these to far away,

 

[Hobbit]

Whickham. If I'm honest I was after a change anyway but I'm hoping for a younger crowd. I think I'm considerable younger than the average of the members up there, and I'm 29

Tyneside, Ryton or Prudoe? I like Tyneside.

DOH! I hadn't read your post properly... never played Whickham

 

[GB72]

What club you looking at moving to then? Sounds like a good idea to give a trial membership. Great way to get new members into the club. Nice to see there are forward thinking clubs out there.

Looking at Belton Park. I enjoyed it when I played it last year, it is a bit nearer home for me and the 3 loops of 9 give me a bit more variety and are more condusive to after work golf.

 

[Essex_Stu]

Staying put as long as our mainframe contracts are renewed. If not I might have to seek a cheaper alternative.

 

[full_throttle]

staying put, cost is a factor but as the course is only a few minutes from home I can make use of it everyday of the week during the summer without any travel expense.

 

[D_E_A_N]

How are you guys going to find joining new clubs not knowing anybody?

 

[Phil2511]

Unsure.

Basically down to management running the place into the ground and pretty much sticking 2 fingers up to all the members.

Alot of promises made and we are expecting to see results this year, but going by the general talk about the club itself it seems that the Golf Centre management are renowned for their broken promises. Or if they do give us something it's only after people leave and they realise they need to do something to keep the rest of us, even then they only come through with half promises.

Told last February we were getting a members club room with TV (Sky) so we had somewhere to sit have banter and watch good or football etc and to try and establish some kind of social side. We got a room at the start of December with a TV that is more suited to a kids bedroom and only the channels 1,2,3,4,5.

The course itself is great layout wise, not crazy hard but not easy either and wind can make it much different from one day to the next. But the bad management and greed has meant very little is put back into the course to keep it in any sort of reasonable condition. This has since meant lost revenue in visitor/societies and also many members have left. Approx 20% of the club members have left for other clubs.
The course now is in terrible condition from the heavy rain and they are opening it at times when it really shouldn't be to try and get extra cash and to as they think keep the members happy. So it will be interesting to see what course conditions are like when the new season comes around as at present there is more brown than green and even though some say it will recover but others are dubious. I only joined Sept 2010 and 2-3 months of snow closed and protected the course so it was good tee to green during the summer in 2011.

The great bunch of lads I play with is what has kept me there for the meantime. Many of whom are on the council and are working hard to try and get the centre to improve facilities and conditions. But even some of those guys are growing weary of the empty promises.

Plus the loss of club members who were the very active in competitions has meant that we have gone from having 3 sections to 2, so now in the 2012 season there will be low teen guys competing against the single figure guys and the high teens competing against the high guys. So I can see alot of upset people when it comes to who wins the money from the weekend competitions and the way some are at my place I foresee either more leaving or just not entering competitions as quite a few of the low men have already stated that it's unfair, stating things like I would have to shoot 3 under par to get those points and he shot 10 over off 15. Then the high man thinks he stands no chance against so many steady high teens hcappers.

For now I am waiting to see how things go with the course condition ways and if we ever get any of the other items promised. Some talk of the owner investing £500,000 but so far I have only seen some new sand in a few bunkers and a handful of new drainage ditches. So will see are they waiting for better weather to do more work or is the talk of the £500k just management started rumours to con us into not leaving.