Reasonable to request a partial membership refund?

[Pants]

Tee times excepted, if you are otherwise happy there, why not be as bad as the others.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I'm not planning to play tomorrow - but just out of interest I have just checked our booking system. There is one place available in my usual rollup 31 playing - 8 tee times reserved...plus abut a dozen free slot befores 13:15. A fortunate position compared with the experience of our OP...and this is pretty usual situation and so don't feel the frustration and irritation as our OP - but I can imagine.

Plus if I wanted I could put myself down at 13:15 to play with our England Ladies and England Girls 2021 Ladies Orders of Merit winner (she won both ) as she's by herself just after 1pm. I knocked it round with her a few weeks back and it was very enjoyable. Walking off 18 after playing off our back tees I thought she was level gross - she corrected me, she was 4 under....whatever...

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I'm not planning to play tomorrow - but just out of interest I have just checked our booking system. There is one place available in my usual rollup 31 playing - 8 tee times reserved...plus abut a dozen free slot befores 13:15. A fortunate position compared with the experience of our OP...and this is pretty usual situation and so don't feel the frustration and irritation as our OP - but I can imagine.

Plus if I wanted I could put myself down at 13:15 to play with our England Ladies and England Girls 2021 Ladies Orders of Merit winner (she won both ) as she's by herself just after 1pm. I knocked it round with her a few weeks back and it was very enjoyable. Walking off 18 after playing off our back tees I thought she was level gross - she corrected me, she was 4 under....whatever...

One time left at 2.30 and has been fully booked for two weeks. I can definitely see where the OP is coming from

 

[SammmeBee]

Time is shortly about to catch up with badly run golf clubs……desperate for cash (although they didn’t actually need it) they took all they could and now they can’t fit them all on….at least in the OP those in the know (but actually know nothing and therefore the issue) can get themselves on…..

 

[Billysboots]

To answer the OP, and I confess I haven’t read the thread in its entirety so there may be an update, but I’d be surprised if the club give an inch.

From October to March at ours one day every week is set aside for a senior’s open rota. Members cannot get a tee until after 2pm. I once asked if the club planned to introduce a 6-day membership for those months and got very short shrift.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

One time left at 2.30 and has been fully booked for two weeks. I can definitely see where the OP is coming from

After 13:15pm we have a single lad booked at 13:30pm but absolutely no other tee bookings...it's not that we don't have the members - we do - over 650 I believe in all categories.

I guess we must be one of those clubs where a lot of us can play during the week and so put less pressure on weekend tee times. I feel for @Oddsocks

 

[SammmeBee]

After 13:15pm we have a single lad booked at 13:30pm but absolutely no other tee bookings...it's not that we don't have the members - we do - over 650 I believe in all categories.

I guess we must be one of those clubs where a lot of us can play during the week and so put less pressure on weekend tee times. I feel for @Oddsocks

And it’s dark after that this time of year……..

 

[timd77]

Bit of a weird one but in recent weeks (since November) it’s been impossible to get a tee time at my club. Despite 3 weeks booking in advance up until Friday night (14th) the only tee times available were 1pm onwards and due to the “types” of groups going out around 12.00-13-00 it’s impossible to get a round in, it’s 14 holes if your lucky. Yesterday was my first game at the club since December the first and on route I logged in to our booking app, again for the next two weeks I cannot get a time before 1pm and the only way of playing on the 5th is by entering a non qualifying comp.

Our booking for the 6th opened at 7.30 this morning and by 8.30 all pre 11.30 tee times including roll ups were full, from 11.30 to 12.30 is a mixed/ female roll up so again I can’t play a full round that weekend. When there are 5 roll ups which are all fully booked it’s simply become impossible to get a game at a sensible time as they’re all gone within an hour if you don’t book three weeks in advance by 8.00 am!

Given that on either weekend day I cannot get a slot, I’ve made my decision not to rejoin. Now here the crunch question, do I have solid grounds to request a refund on my final three months of my membership if I leave. As it stands if I can’t get a tee time it’s pointless being there so I’m better off investing the money into green fees elsewhere.

How did you get on with this in the end?

 

[Oddsocks]

To be honest the club have been exceptional, I discussed my frustrations giving many examples and they fully understood. They have advised this is a general issue in mid winter but have said that if I am truely that frustrated, if I give one months notice they will credit the remaining two months without question. During my notice month I would stand as a full member with full rights. They also come across sincerely sorry that this is the experience I’ve had, so much so that I’m almost tempted to “ can’t be them join them “ and start booking my golf more in advance.

It shows they acknowledge the issue which I think is great, got a lot of thinking to do this weekend as Monday is cut off!

 

[sweaty sock]

Hopefully this thread was fair warning thats its not going to be different at any other club...

 

[Oddsocks]

Hopefully this thread was fair warning thats its not going to be different at any other club...

In what respect?

 

[evemccc]

To be honest the club have been exceptional, I discussed my frustrations giving many examples and they fully understood. They have advised this is a general issue in mid winter but have said that if I am truely that frustrated, if I give one months notice they will credit the remaining two months without question. During my notice month I would stand as a full member with full rights. They also come across sincerely sorry that this is the experience I’ve had, so much so that I’m almost tempted to “ can’t be them join them “ and start booking my golf more in advance.

It shows they acknowledge the issue which I think is great, got a lot of thinking to do this weekend as Monday is cut off!

Do you have other good potential clubs that you’d like to join, if you left your current place? Have they waiting lists / joining fees etc?

Could you be a nomad?

Do you think the beginning of the end of the pandemic will mean a drop-off in golf participation in 2022/23…if so, when will this happen?

These are the questions I’d ask myself

 

[sweaty sock]

In what respect?

That most clubs, especially at the weekend, are going to be super busy and require some sort of sacrifice to get a game. So getting a refund and moving elsewhere might not make any difference.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

That most clubs, especially at the weekend, are going to be super busy and require some sort of sacrifice to get a game. So getting a refund and moving elsewhere might not make any difference.

Not all clubs have tee times or allow societies at the weekend though

 

[sweaty sock]

Serious question then for the forum, if I turned up at your club at 900am on a Saturday, unannounced, what time would i tee off?

At my very normal club, i wouldnt get a guaranteed time until at least 1330, and would budget at least 2 hours before the chance to join a 3 ball as a single player.

Would be worse in summer...

 

[evemccc]

You wouldn’t get off til after midday ….Roll-ups….??

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Serious question then for the forum, if I turned up at your club at 900am on a Saturday, unannounced, what time would i tee off?

At my very normal club, i wouldnt get a guaranteed time until at least 1330, and would budget at least 2 hours before the chance to join a 3 ball as a single player.

Would be worse in summer...

If you were a member, it’ll depend on others failing to turn up and you taking the space.

As a visitor, 2pm in the summer, 12pm in the winter.

 

[Neilds]

Serious question then for the forum, if I turned up at your club at 900am on a Saturday, unannounced, what time would i tee off?

At my very normal club, i wouldnt get a guaranteed time until at least 1330, and would budget at least 2 hours before the chance to join a 3 ball as a single player.

Would be worse in summer...

Bookings only at my club so not a chance of anything guaranteed. Might be able to join a smaller group but would mean waiting by the first tee to see if you could join them. This is for members only, visitors wouldn't get on without a pre booking

 

[HeftyHacker]

Serious question then for the forum, if I turned up at your club at 900am on a Saturday, unannounced, what time would i tee off?

At my very normal club, i wouldnt get a guaranteed time until at least 1330, and would budget at least 2 hours before the chance to join a 3 ball as a single player.

Would be worse in summer...

We're on a booking system but, assuming no-one adds themselves before then, if you turned up at 9am this Saturday you'd better not need a warm up as you'd be out at 9:04 ?.

There are 4 tee times between 9am and 10am that aren't full.

This is more rare in summer of course.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Serious question then for the forum, if I turned up at your club at 900am on a Saturday, unannounced, what time would i tee off?

At my very normal club, i wouldnt get a guaranteed time until at least 1330, and would budget at least 2 hours before the chance to join a 3 ball as a single player.

Would be worse in summer...

If you turned up announced then you would have to look at the tee sheet and see the earliest free spot which right now is 10:38