Optimistic post: has covid been good for golf?

[Oddsocks]

This is exactly why me, Fragger and CVG bit the bullet and went to Ellesborough.
Built on the chalk hillside it's like a sponge, just soaks everything up.
The lowest part of the course is the 10th green and 11th tee.
If there's a puddle on the green, wait 10 minutes and it'll be gone.
We'd have been open all January except when it snowed. We may have been carry only but we'd have been open. I've never come off the course with more than a couple of splashes of mud on the troos.
The 3 other clubs I've been a member of would been shut for certain.
We play all year round so we need a course thats open all year.
Its expensive for sure but I'll be paying my subs as soon as the letter hits the floor.

Exactly, Im now happy to pay more and enjoy that 3/4 months of winter golf rather than trudging through slop all winter

 

[sunshine]

Similar situation here
I was planning on switching clubs this year, to where Kraxx plays
But now unsure after the last year we've had to deal with, I'd like to see a long spell with no Lockdowns before committing to a switch of any kind

But what's peed me off at my club
I paid fees up front last March, £675
Yes, I know that may be cheap to some down south, but this is Newcastle.... And I've added the price for a reason..... Read on

Anyway the club decided after reopening after covid shut down to offer a new member deal (last May) for a ridiculously low £399 for 1st year, then renew this year at £499
So, that's £898 for 2 years golf if they take up the renewal deal

Meanwhile, club has raised the normal fee to £695
So if I renew, my 2years will cost me £1370........against the new member £898

Madness...!!

This I can assure you has got the backs up of many members.
50 new members paying peanuts

Many other things happened during 1st lockdown where tbh the members were taken for granted a bit, where they put green fees and tee times ahead of members for instance

I've still not decided what to do, need to see what my regular playing pals are considering
It's not just about money as the new club I was looking to move to is about 30% more again, but firstly need to see when we ever eventually are able to play again

It is very common across many industries to offer discounts to attract new customers. The problems arise when these discounts are available to a significant number of people, or are very substantial. The club is alienating its loyal customers. It is also encouraging customers to switch club every year to get a good deal, the way you might switch car insurance. Slippery slope.

On the other hand, £695 is ridiculously cheap, so maybe the glass is still half full rather than half empty!

 

[moogie]

It is very common across many industries to offer discounts to attract new customers. The problems arise when these discounts are available to a significant number of people, or are very substantial. The club is alienating its loyal customers. It is also encouraging customers to switch club every year to get a good deal, the way you might switch car insurance. Slippery slope.

On the other hand, £695 is ridiculously cheap, so maybe the glass is still half full rather than half empty!

Sorry, but £695 for fees
Is not ridiculously cheap
Not in Newcastle
But I've already said that's not the issue

The club we were considering switch to is £925, so the fees aren't the problem, I only quoted the numbers so as to highlight the new member price gulf
More about the clubs behaviour since lockdown no1

 

[Oddsocks]

Sorry, but £695 for fees
Is not ridiculously cheap
Not in Newcastle
But I've already said that's not the issue

The club we were considering switch to is £925, so the fees aren't the problem, I only quoted the numbers so as to highlight the new member price gulf
More about the clubs behaviour since lockdown no1

Try £1500 a year minimum unless it’s an absolute track!

 

[moogie]

Try £1500 a year minimum unless it’s an absolute track!

It's all relevant mate

All you southerners on footballers wages?

 

[Oddsocks]

It's all relevant mate

All you southerners on footballers wages?

If only.... and defo not with my wonky knee

 

[sunshine]

Sorry, but £695 for fees
Is not ridiculously cheap
Not in Newcastle

In Surrey, Berks or Herts it's common for fees two or three times that.

I know us southerners earn more money... but not 3 times more! And by the time we've paid our mortgage on our million pound bedsit, £20 per day to commute to work, £6 a pint, there's no money left for golf.

 

[Oddsocks]

In Surrey, Berks or Herts it's common for fees two or three times that.

I know us southerners earn more money... but not 3 times more! And by the time we've paid our mortgage on our million pound bedsit, £20 per day to commute to work, £6 a pint, there's no money left for golf.

exactly.

 

[moogie]

In Surrey, Berks or Herts it's common for fees two or three times that.

I know us southerners earn more money... but not 3 times more! And by the time we've paid our mortgage on our million pound bedsit, £20 per day to commute to work, £6 a pint, there's no money left for golf.

exactly.

I'm sitting here sobbing for you poor guys
Honest

I was enjoying my breakfast
Chewing my lump of coal
Until I read that

 

[Orikoru]

Sorry, but £695 for fees
Is not ridiculously cheap
Not in Newcastle
But I've already said that's not the issue

The club we were considering switch to is £925, so the fees aren't the problem, I only quoted the numbers so as to highlight the new member price gulf
More about the clubs behaviour since lockdown no1

It's definitely cheap. I wish there was somewhere near me at that price. I've just joined a club where it's 1180 a year and that was the cheapest in the area. Aside from my old place where you pay a small yearly fee but pay for each green fee on top. I would love to only pay 700 membership - on my current one I feel like I have to play there at least 3 times a month to get value, so lockdown is gutting at the moment.

 

[moogie]

It's definitely cheap. I wish there was somewhere near me at that price. I've just joined a club where it's 1180 a year and that was the cheapest in the area. Aside from my old place where you pay a small yearly fee but pay for each green fee on top. I would love to only pay 700 membership - on my current one I feel like I have to play there at least 3 times a month to get value, so lockdown is gutting at the moment.

A). As ive already said, I'm not complaining about 695, I put the figure out there to show relevance to the stupidly low new member deal, no other reason.

B). The fees are only relevant to the areas we all live in, just like house prices and salaries.
In my county, northumberland, there will be about 10 clubs more than that figure, but more at similar price and lower
I'd say 600-700, would be mid ground

 

[Orikoru]

A). As ive already said, I'm not complaining about 695, I put the figure out there to show relevance to the stupidly low new member deal, no other reason.

B). The fees are only relevant to the areas we all live in, just like house prices and salaries.
In my county, northumberland, there will be about 10 clubs more than that figure, but more at similar price and lower
I'd say 600-700, would be mid ground

Relevant to the country they're cheap. You don't have to get defensive about it, the fact that they're cheap doesn't at all diminish the issue you're having. It's just weird to say it isn't cheap when it is. Perhaps I should move to where you live.

 

[moogie]

Relevant to the country they're cheap. You don't have to get defensive about it, the fact that they're cheap doesn't at all diminish the issue you're having. It's just weird to say it isn't cheap when it is. Perhaps I should move to where you live.

I'm not getting defensive

I'm just talking from my stand point
From the area I live in
There are 10 more expensive courses in my area
More than twice that are less
So, for my area, it doesn't rank as cheap

I don't compare the price to Hampshire and Surrey prices.... Why would I...??
There's no relevance to me

In comparison
It's probably expensive when we hear what some of the Scottish lads pay
So should I mention that?
No, Coz it's not relevant to my area

The point regarding the stupidity of my club and officials, is now well and truly lost within this now.

 

[evemccc]

Relevant to the country they're cheap. You don't have to get defensive about it, the fact that they're cheap doesn't at all diminish the issue you're having. It's just weird to say it isn't cheap when it is. Perhaps I should move to where you live.

Agree with Moogie...

It is the SE that is the anomaly...Many parts of Yorkshire, Cumbria, the South West, Wales and Scotland, and I would guess in the midlands too, 700-800 is average

 

[Golfnut1957]

A). As ive already said, I'm not complaining about 695, I put the figure out there to show relevance to the stupidly low new member deal, no other reason.

B). The fees are only relevant to the areas we all live in, just like house prices and salaries.
In my county, northumberland, there will be about 10 clubs more than that figure, but more at similar price and lower
I'd say 600-700, would be mid ground

Here on the banks of the Tees it is pretty much as you say with the norm being around £700+, although I have seen evidence of one or two clubs testing the water. Seaton Carew is now up to £900 which is a significant jump and Wynyard have gone up to over £1200 which is a joke. It's a nice course but not that nice that I want to pay £500 a year more.

I wonder where the North/South fee divide is and is it just the home counties or is it just the North East.

 

[Deleted member 3432]

Here on the banks of the Tees it is pretty much as you say with the norm being around £700+, although I have seen evidence of one or two clubs testing the water. Seaton Carew is now up to £900 which is a significant jump and Wynyard have gone up to over £1200 which is a joke. It's a nice course but not that nice that I want to pay £500 a year more.

I wonder where the North/South fee divide is and is it just the home counties or is it just the North East.

I have just had a quick look Cumbria and it looks like Windermere and Ulverston ( South Lakes area) are the highest priced at around £720 than elsewhere in the county.

 

[patricks148]

i think for clubs that have visitors who subsidize membership fee's it has brought home the hole in the coffers when these visitors don't come. shame they didn't learn from tha last time the financial crash, some difficult decisions ahead for some clubs. My club are already talking about a big hike for 2022 and hearing rumbles that maybe Dornoch will double the membership fee's

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Really depends on the club. Most have seen big increases in members.

Some have seen increases in visitor green fees income, some haven't. Clubhouses clearly hit fairly hard, but alot are lose making anyway, so what with not being open much/furloughing, be interesting to see what the accounts show for losses on the clubhouse activities.

 

[Deleted member 3432]

i think for clubs that have visitors who subsidize membership fee's it has brought home the hole in the coffers when these visitors don't come. shame they didn't learn from tha last time the financial crash, some difficult decisions ahead for some clubs. My club are already talking about a big hike for 2022 and hearing rumbles that maybe Dornoch will double the membership fee's

The problem as I see it is which visitors are subsidising membership fees?

Obviously Dornoch and by association yourselves have benefitted from the premium rates charged to US visitors and therefore lost that income stream.

Do you know the % of green fees the US market accounts for?

I suspect you need to attract more home based visitors but are your green fees priced in a way that is going to achieve that?

We are fortunate the majority of visitors are UK based and despite being the middle of nowhere are actually fairly central north/south geographically.

 

[Golfnut1957]

i think for clubs that have visitors who subsidize membership fee's it has brought home the hole in the coffers when these visitors don't come. shame they didn't learn from tha last time the financial crash, some difficult decisions ahead for some clubs. My club are already talking about a big hike for 2022 and hearing rumbles that maybe Dornoch will double the membership fee's

I'm sat here not quite sure how to respond to that except with a why?
If my club doubled the membership fee that would be it for me, I'm retired and couldn't afford it. Fortunately it won't happen because I wouldn't be alone, there would be a mass exodus and with nobody to replace us the club would fold.
So what would Dornoch hope to achieve through doubling fees. Do they want to reduce the membership, banking on replacing them with visitors? Or is there a bunch of wealthy locals just itching to fill in the gaps? What on earth would they gain, except of course an increase in funds. Do they need money so desperately, I'd find that hard to believe?
I find the whole thing mind-boggling.