Overstepping my mark?

[Titleist3]

I’ve recently joined a new club (been here 3 months now) and I’ve noticed ways in which to improve the club/facility.

Here is a list of my suggestions, do you think it is cheeky of me to write these in the suggestion book or would you deem it okay?

- Repaint the club house white and repaint the areas around the windows to black as the current paintwork looks faded.

- Remove and replace the stones located at the bottom of outdoor staircase as these have lost their colouring and look worn.

- Inside the male changing room - replace the carpet and benches as the current ones look old and have started to tear.

- Embroidery on the locker room towels with the club crest on.

- Increase subscription fees to include the use of free range balls all year round (30 tees included)

- Tv in the locker room

- Complimentary deodorants and moisturiser etc.

- New notice boards in the locker rooms, the current ones look very old and worn.

- Two complimentary yardage books per year for members.

- Free tees, ball markers & pencils from starter during competition.

- Look to introduce breakout areas inside the clubhouse on the ground level for members to relax in ideally situated near the locker rooms.

- Individual shoe lockers (which the club can hire out and make money from) as opposed to just an open style in the locker room

- Improve and add lot more targets on the driving range with distances and pins etc.

- The mat on the range needs to be updated as at the minute it is very uneven.

- New range balls are required ASAP. Vast majority of balls are cracked or damaged with makes hitting them not ideal.

- Increase bucket size for range to 40 balls and 80 balls.
-

I don’t want to sound ignorant or a snob but I just think these things would help the club?

Cheers

 

[User101]

How much money do you think your club has spare ?

I ask this because most members don't have a clue, I didn't at mine til I seen the finances, a lot of clubs would love to do all those things, most probably aren't top of said clubs priorities.

Or to add, when speaking to the head greenkeeper, he told me, there isn't a single thing any member can bring up about the course that they don't already know about.

 

[rosecott]

I would suggest that you keep all these ideas documented privately and release them one at a time over an extended period.

 

[Imurg]

I would suggest that you keep all these ideas documented privately and release them one at a time over an extended period.

Agreed
Put them in all at once and you can expect a bit of a hike in fees - like about double - if they were to do them all..

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Your list does seem a bit exhaustive. Why not look on the website to see if the committee minutes are on there. That should give you some idea about expenditure plans, some of what you are suggesting may already be in the pipeline.

I'm assuming that you have joined a fairly prestigious club if you expect everything on your list?

 

[Fish]

😂😂

Why do you want to sit in the locker room and watch TV, have you ever been in business , if not, I reckon you’d be bankrupt very quickly.

I’d rather most of what you’ve proposed as far as finances are concerned go into the course, of which you’ve not mentioned, so the course must be the mutts nuts 🤔

 

[Titleist3]

😂😂

Why do you want to sit in the locker room and watch TV, have you ever been in business , if not, I reckon you’d be bankrupt very quickly.

I’d rather most of what you’ve proposed as far as finances are concerned go into the course, of which you’ve not mentioned, so the course must be the mutts nuts 🤔

The course is “the mutts nuts.”

That’s the frustrating thing. The idea behind a TV in the locker room adds to the little extras that can make a club go from good to prestigious.

 

[Grant85]

Personally think that almost all of these are simply things they can spend money on. Assuming the club isn't hoarding tons of cash - there is not much chance of them taking any of your suggestions seriously.

Appreciate that possibly investing in certain things could bring in more custom or members - but golf doesn't always follow conventional business practices, and like i said, unless they have spare cash up front - it's not going to happen.

Sure most or all of them would be nice - but it would be far more productive to suggest things that were cost neutral or cost saving that could help the club rather than simply wish list of things that would be nice to have.

 

[Fish]

The course is “the mutts nuts.”

That’s the frustrating thing. The idea behind a TV in the locker room adds to the little extras that can make a club go from good to prestigious.

So what’s the club then please.

 

[Titleist3]

So what’s the club then please.

Just sent you Inbox mate

 

[User101]

Just sent you Inbox mate

What's the secret ?

 

[Titleist3]

Well it’s just personal preference and I prefer to keep my club private as opposed to posting in a forum

 

[TreeSeeker]

I'd pick only the ones which you'd actually be happier for having, from your list for me that would be including range balls and newer range balls (i'd keep buckets small though)

Remember the free and complimentary bits you quoted, like free tees, yardage book etc, aren't free if you're paying membership, if you want them pay for them.

 

[Deleted member 1740]

I’ve recently joined a new club (been here 3 months now) and I’ve noticed ways in which to improve the club/facility.

Here is a list of my suggestions, do you think it is cheeky of me to write these in the suggestion book or would you deem it okay?

You’re a full member, you have a right to make suggestions for the good of the club

- Repaint the club house white and repaint the areas around the windows to black as the current paintwork looks faded.

Most clubs have a maintenance program although not yearly it might be a 3yr cycle and it’s coming towards it’s time.

- Remove and replace the stones located at the bottom of outdoor staircase as these have lost their colouring and look worn.

Would a good jetwash not revive them?? maybe you could offer an hour of your time to do this?

- Inside the male changing room - replace the carpet and benches as the current ones look old and have started to tear.

Valid point

- Embroidery on the locker room towels with the club crest on.

Most clubs rent towels and linen at an already expensive cost, I doubt the linen company would allow this. I’ve played at some of the top10/20 courses and I can’t remember seeing club crests on locker rooms towels.

- Increase subscription fees to include the use of free range balls all year round (30 tees included)

Increasing subscription costs for a minority of members to benefit could cost membership numbers, not everybody uses the practice facilities.

- Tv in the locker room

could potentially cost anything Upto £6000 to supply, fit

- Complimentary deodorants and moisturiser etc.

Really??

- New notice boards in the locker rooms, the current ones look very old and worn.

Again a valid point.

- Two complimentary yardage books per year for members.

Why 2??

- Free tees, ball markers & pencils from starter during competition.

All clubs should offer free tees and pencils, Being the bigot I am I prefer to use my poker chip marker

- Look to introduce breakout areas inside the clubhouse on the ground level for members to relax in ideally situated near the locker rooms.

I assume there’s a void space on the ground floor?? A room conversion could cost Upto £30k

- Individual shoe lockers (which the club can hire out and make money from) as opposed to just an open style in the locker room

- Improve and add lot more targets on the driving range with distances and pins etc.

Another fair and valid point

- The mat on the range needs to be updated as at the minute it is very uneven.

Fair and valid point

- New range balls are required ASAP. Vast majority of balls are cracked or damaged with makes hitting them not ideal.

This annoys me when you pay £6 for a bucket of balls and they’re crap, no excuses.

- Increase bucket size for range to 40 balls and 80 balls.

Fair and valid suggestion

-

I don’t want to sound ignorant or a snob but I just think these things would help the club?

Cheers

I’ve given my thoughts on it, id write a letter to the committee then they’d have to discuss it and give you a reply.

If it’s the club I think it is, I’d be concerned about the atmosphere in the bar than free moisturiser and deodorant.

 

[shortgame]

I hate tv's in the locker room then again I hate the prevalence of tv's everywhere nowadays with the same repeated news

Some of those ideas sound good if expensive

Range upgrades etc sound worthwhile/necessary

Some ideas sound like an unnecessary overhead to me, at least on the face of it

I too wouldn't push for everything at once unless there's some kind of plan underway to review and upgrade the club to move it to the next level

Oh and I agree about the greenkeeper comment someone made to - very frustrated lot at many clubs with their hands tied due to budget constraints

 

[shortgame]

👆 Agree with pretty much all of StuartC's post 👍

 

[backwoodsman]

Some of them would be nice, some of them might already be planned, but all of them will cost money. Who's paying. Members? Or green fees? Whichever it is, you need to be sure they think it's worth it and are willing to pay. Otherwise its a slippery slope.

If at all, I'd suggest them at intervals.

And forget TV in the locker room; that will not - under any circumstance - add any "class" or "prestige".

 

[Trapdraw]

Some of them are good ideas, realistically though how many members would use these extra facilities ? I bet for all the extra cost to implement these, only a few members would use them.
Whats the name of the club ?

 

[fundy]

Personally I would pick the top few that I think were affecting everyone and recommend them, then pitch some of the other ideas as things you would see as aspirational

For me of your list the range ones (new balls/mats and more targets) seem things that should be addressed, the rest I expect are less pressing/affect only a small portion of the membership/not needed

 

[North Mimms]

Like Stuart C, I've played a few top notch clubs and can't remember ever seeing embroidered towels!
Good quality plain ones are fine.

Ladies locker rooms often have a small selection of toiletries, but these tend to be bought by members not management