Doon frae Troon
Ryder Cup Winner
I would not expect anything soon.
PRIVATE MEMBERS CLUBS - Turning away business!!
- Thread starter Shiney1983
- Start date
I would not expect anything soon.
PNWokingham
Journeyman Pro
Surely not that doesn't sound like foxy!!
I've skimmed the posts, and got the gist. The op has a valid point, the club were willing to accept the bookings but baulked at the commission. 10% doesn't sound a lot IMO.
If members clubs should accept block visitor bookings is another argument. We get some golf breaks bookings and the like at my place but never at peak times so that's acceptable to me.
The op's business is a well tested model in other sectors, it provides a legitimate service, both to casual golfers and some clubs. There is definitely a place for it, but it won't be a fit for all types of club.
What he said!
While not worth doing for a chunk of clubs, especially the top 100/200, that are sought out due to being known to be good, and will easily be able to sell the necessary number of visitor spots without a discount, many others will jump at it. There is clearly a need for these types of business - if there wasn't people wouldn't use them and many others clubs would not accept the terms. End of - big market with different issues/priorities for different clubs and different players - the market soon sorts out business models that don't work - just look at what happened to the Oxfordshire and its 40k debenture and no visitor policy!
steveh
Club Champion
Not read every post on this one but I am surprised the club turned this down. Assuming the 40 golfers played in 4 balls with 10 minute gap between tee times, it would only be two hours on a Tuesday that members wouldn't be able to get out. And the club would be £3,600 better off. If my club we're turning away that type of business I'd be a bit annoyed but then I only ever play weekends.........
DCB
Well-known member
And ... you'd possibly be looking at a large slow moving group taking 5hrs plus to get round the course. Just what the members want 
Mind you, 5hrs seems a standard time for any outing/society groups nowadays but that's another story
Mind you, 5hrs seems a standard time for any outing/society groups nowadays but that's another story
steveh
Club Champion
That's a fair point but I suppose it comes down to how busy the course typically is at the time in question and how the event is communicated to the membership - I.e. There's a society out at 11am Tuesday, suggest you get out ahead of them if you're planning a round that day.
Let's just assume you did one of these a week. That's about £180k a year. If there's 750 members and the club offered to reduce subs by £130 a year per member and keep £80k to invest in the course or other facilities then I'd vote for it
Let's just assume you did one of these a week. That's about £180k a year. If there's 750 members and the club offered to reduce subs by £130 a year per member and keep £80k to invest in the course or other facilities then I'd vote for it
DCB
Well-known member
If you had one of these a week during the season, you'd soon lose some of those 750 members Seen it happen.
Seen it happen.
D
Deleted member 17920
Guest
This isn't what the op was on about it's the commission that he takes from the deal is the issue, lots of members owned clubs already take booking for 20-80 golfers regularly and this is never a problem, it's the 10% cut that's the issue that's been talked about. If there is a society on and it takes 5 hrs it's down to the club not providing marshalls to keep play in check, we have them for huge groups and they are all round within 4hrs 20 max.And ... you'd possibly be looking at a large slow moving group taking 5hrs plus to get round the course. Just what the members want
Mind you, 5hrs seems a standard time for any outing/society groups nowadays but that's another story
D
Deleted member 17920
Guest
In this day and age you wouldn't get 1 a week. And if you did the members subs would be heavily subsidised due to the fact the are doing a booming trade on green fees.If you had one of these a week during the season, you'd soon lose some of those 750 members
Foxholer
Blackballed
If you had one of these a week during the season, you'd soon lose some of those 750 members
Really depends on the culture of the Club.
Muirfield has specific 'Visitor' days and members really only go there on those days for the (fabulous) Lunch.
Old Fold Manor has (or had) a 'Public Day' or maybe days. I know another, very Private, club where most members either start on the 10th or sufficiently after the Society that they don't catch them. And the society income means over £1000 off members subs!!
If members know that a particular day is going to be problematic, then they can normally work around it. Tuesday actually seems to be the best day for Societies - most clubs seem to be at their quietest/least busy on a Tuesday.
Not knocking the business model at all, but a bit of lateral thinking might result in one that achieves the same result but doesn't cause either the Club or participants to think they've been used.
Doon frae Troon
Ryder Cup Winner
Tuesday is generally ladies day at many clubs.
Foxholer
Blackballed
That had crossed my mind. Discriminatory? (hides behind desk
) Maybe that's why clubs seem so quiet - all the noise is on the course! (dons crash helmet! 
).Definitely a case of finding an optimum day/starting time, but the 'best' time is something that efficient Clubs can sort out within their 'culture' pretty simply. I know 1 previous club, with considerable potential to increase revenue, has restrictions on both the number of members and visitors allowed. Not the best business model at the moment! Members are actually quite happy to be able to simply roll up and play almost any time, but the course suffers from lack of expenditure rather than amount of use!
beau d.
Assistant Pro
Very good..... The guys swing looks okay to me made the grave error of picking his head up. I have seen guys off scratch put a ball in there in the English amateur championship, should we turn them away???
I flew one up the fairway leaving a wedge into the green on the first 18 holes of my Captains Away day but, knobbed one in their on my 2nd 18 in the afternoon after stuffing my face and then trying to take the skin off the ball, brand new ball as well, gutted
It can be quite intimidating when theirs a big crowd watching, I watched some single handicappers take irons just to be safe
beau d.
Assistant Pro
Thanks for that Fish and I feel your remarks are very true re putting people off.
Does Foxholer really think I stood there and did nothing? I made it quite clear as did members of the course in question, that this was way out of order, sadly his behavior and the behavior of other people in the group continued in the same vein, even though I spent 18 holes looking for balls and trying to educate them on the absolute basics in etiquette, to no avail, I then decided I would no longer go with them as a lot are once a year golfers who care nothing for the course or it's members . Their attitude is I have paid my money and don't give a hoot about anyone else which doesn't sit well with me...
Going back to the discouraging posting, as a new member I feel some comments on this thread can and does discourage people. Shiney asked a question, myself and others gave their opinion and that's all it is. It is not the policy of my or others Club as a general rule, it is just their take on a question. I think it's due to the third party issue, probably a load of rubbish but that is my opinion. Diversifying the topic to simply "have a go" does nothing to enhance the debate or encourage newbies and even long serving members to get involved. I think we all need to be aware myself included that we sometimes go over the top when behind a keyboard after all we are all golfers. I hope this post does not offend anyone as that is not my intention, only to ask for consideration towards all......
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beau d.
Assistant Pro
I flew one up the fairway leaving a wedge into the green on the first 18 holes of my Captains Away day but, knobbed one in their on my 2nd 18 in the afternoon after stuffing my face and then trying to take the skin off the ball, brand new ball as well, gutted
It can be quite intimidating when theirs a big crowd watching, I watched some single handicappers take irons just to be safe
The worst I did was at Walmley in their open, when I hadn't been playing too long, there I was swishing away with the driver until the starter asked for quiet and announced my name and club, all stood and watched. Away went the driver and out came a 5 iron which still ended up in the bushes 20 yards away. I quickly shot down the fairway out of sight
......
Foxholer
Blackballed
Well, it wasn't obvious from post I replied to, but your expanded one indicates you tried to do the right thing - until exhaustion set in!
Apologies if it came across as overly negative - it was meant to be constructive (and tempered somewhat with that vid ). I'm sure I looked and saw a much higher post count than is shown now and you style seems an 'experienced forummer' one. Don't be surprised when/if threads veer off topic. It's pretty common. I've seen threads where the discussion is nothing to do with the OP and there are several 'sub-plots' running within it. That just seems the nature of Forums.
Welcome aboard also! Heard very good comments about BD, both on here and elsewhere - especially about its ability to absorb biblical downpours in at least 1 case!
beau d.
Assistant Pro
Well, it wasn't obvious from post I replied to, but your expanded one indicates you tried to do the right thing - until exhaustion set in!
Don't be surprised when/if threads veer off topic. It's pretty common. I've seen threads where the discussion is nothing to do with the OP and there are several 'sub-plots' running within it. That just seems the nature of Forums.
Welcome aboard also! Heard very good comments about BD, both on here and elsewhere - especially about its ability to absorb biblical downpours in at least 1 case!
Thanks for that Foxholer
Hacker Khan
Yurt Dwelling, Yoghurt Knitter
I saw that Hollinwell in Notts, a club constantly in the top 25 courses in the UK is now offering tee times on teeofftime or teetimes, can't remember which one. Granted it was only a couple of tee times, but when a club like that is advertising on those web sites then it makes you realise how desperate clubs must be for money.
But good on them I say, as it's a great opportunity to play a cracking course for non members at a not too ridiculous price.
But good on them I say, as it's a great opportunity to play a cracking course for non members at a not too ridiculous price.
D
Deleted member 17920
Guest
Hollinwell did a travelzoo offer last year, £140 or a £160 for a 4 ball, Tough times indeed for a lot of clubs.
