Reduced Membership Deals

[Arthur Wedge]

If people are queueing up to join, then the club is throwing away cash if people approaching middle age get a discount.
Either that or they are fleecing the over 40s.

Why are we throwing away cash

Do you think that the only money brought into the club is via fees ?

Guess which bunch are spending fortunes over the bar ?

Are you ok with giving reductions to people over 70 ?

Our discounts are tiered and are structured to the point that when someone reaches 40 they haven’t got a bit financial jump that makes them considered leaving the sport

It’s proven to work , we aren’t losing money , the club has a healthy membership and it invests in the course every year

Without discounts many clubs would be struggling and maybe would have a bleak future because of the lack of people under the age of 40 joining clubs - we don’t lose members when they hit 40

 

[KenL]

Is it proven to work at your club or everywhere?

I'll say it again. It is only clubs in trouble that give a discount to 39 year old members.

Many courses round me have closed waiting lists and hundreds on those lists. These clubs do not give any discounts to people over 25.

Juniors and women can still join, to try and get a better balance. Women can get in quicker but pay a full jf and full fees.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Is it proven to work at your club or everywhere?

I'll say it again. It is only clubs in trouble that give a discount to 39 year old members.

Many courses round me have closed waiting lists and hundreds on those lists. These clubs do not give any discounts to people over 25.

Juniors and women can still join, to try and get a better balance. Women can get in quicker but pay a full jf and full fees.

How can you make a statement like that when it’s clearly false

There are multiple clubs around here offering discounts- none are in trouble

 

[TheDiablo]

I joined mine 7 years ago at 29. £1k fees and £600 joining vs £1600 and £2k for 36+

Subs stepped up by about 100 a year until 36. Now pay 2200

Would I have joined at full rate? Maybe, but probably not. I wouldn’t have had 2k spare at the time

Fast forward 7 years, the club has probably made £10k in subs, £2k in the pro shop, £3k in the bar etc - let alone a couple of future junior members.

Hopefully many more years and a lot of money spent to come. Money they wouldn’t have had without age discount policy.

 

[KenL]

How can you make a statement like that when it’s clearly false

There are multiple clubs around here offering discounts- none are in trouble

Works where you are then. Not something that happens here.

Are these clubs member owned?

Edit. What are your fees? Less than £1k is the norm for the links clubs around here.

 

[TheDiablo]

Works where you are then. Not something that happens here.

Are these clubs member owned?

Edit. What are your fees? Less than £1k is the norm for the links clubs around here.

Yes, member owned, full membership and long waiting list.

An above average, but not elite club in Surrey. That’s just the going rate here - is what it is!

 

[KenL]

Yes, member owned, full membership and long waiting list.

An above average, but not elite club in Surrey. That’s just the going rate here - is what it is!

Do younger people get in quicker?

 

[TheDiablo]

Do younger people get in quicker?

No.

We even told Lando Norris he had to join the back of the queue

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Yes, member owned, full membership and long waiting list.

An above average, but not elite club in Surrey. That’s just the going rate here - is what it is!

And here in darkest Berkshire. We offer discounts up to 35 (might be longer) and works well. Demographic definitely lower and membership thriving

 

[Neilds]

Is it proven to work at your club or everywhere?

I'll say it again. It is only clubs in trouble that give a discount to 39 year old members.

Many courses round me have closed waiting lists and hundreds on those lists. These clubs do not give any discounts to people over 25.

Juniors and women can still join, to try and get a better balance. Women can get in quicker but pay a full jf and full fees.

we give discounts up to 39 and have a refurbished clubhouse (15 years old), Toptracer on the range, ev charging points, solar panels, bunker refurbishment and drainage work currently ongoing. All this and have very healthy reserves in the bank.
If this puts us in the ‘in trouble’ bracket then I really fear for the rest of the clubs.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Works where you are then. Not something that happens here.

Are these clubs member owned?

Edit. What are your fees? Less than £1k is the norm for the links clubs around here.

Yes fully membered owned

Under £1k is what a 24 year old pays , full membership around £1.5k

 

[HomerJSimpson]

we give discounts up to 39 and have a refurbished clubhouse (15 years old), Toptracer on the range, ev charging points, solar panels, bunker refurbishment and drainage work currently ongoing. All this and have very healthy reserves in the bank.
If this puts us in the ‘in trouble’ bracket then I really fear for the rest of the clubs.

Similarly we have a fleet of battery operated buggies, solar panels and starting year 3 out of 4 of bunker renovation and also doing significant drainage work. Membership full with a waiting list and money in the bank. If we are also in the struggling bracket I think there will be loads going down before us

 

[Oddsocks]

Yes fully membered owned

Under £1k is what a 24 year old pays , full membership around £1.5k

The joys of being away from London and the Surrey/hampshire/Kent banding.

 

[Bdill93]

Works where you are then. Not something that happens here.

Are these clubs member owned?

Edit. What are your fees? Less than £1k is the norm for the links clubs around here.

My clubs less than 1k per year for full member or subsidised - our owners are on holiday every other week, live in an absolute mansion and are driving a Maserati and a 4x4 Tesla... I think were doing alright with lower price membership offerings!

We do also offer Seniors rates too. (Same price as our 5 day membership but for 7 days)

Full adult - 65p/m
5 day - 57p/m
Senior - 57p/m
18 to 30 - 42 p/m

 

[DeanoMK]

I don't normally weigh in on topics like this, but I've got to laugh at the over 40s telling the under 40s how much disposable income they've got, unbelievable

I am still benefiting from the slightly reduced rate at LB but we're also in a period where we've seen record house prices, record utility rises, high interest rates, record inflation. I've been working a second job for the past 9 years to ensure we have a comfortable life and it's that money that pays for my membership otherwise I wouldn't be a member anywhere.

 

[Mandofred]

I'm 67 and I get a slight discount....maybe £50. I don't get it myself.....I can afford to pay the £50 more, although I have seen a lot of older golfers complaining because they haven't received enough freebies. Most....I can't quite all, I'm sure there are some that £50 will be something they don't want to spend, don't need the discount just because they are old. But then again, I don't see why NHS etc should get discounts just because they work for the NHS. But....the club has the right to charge whatever they want as long as it makes some kind of sense I guess.

Maybe it's the old fart syndrome.....I don't pay for medical prescriptions, whatever the age is for free bus passes, etc......maybe they just start expecting extra handouts as they age?

 

[PJ87]

I'm 67 and I get a slight discount....maybe £50. I don't get it myself.....I can afford to pay the £50 more, although I have seen a lot of older golfers complaining because they haven't received enough freebies. Most....I can't quite all, I'm sure there are some that £50 will be something they don't want to spend, don't need the discount just because they are old. But then again, I don't see why NHS etc should get discounts just because they work for the NHS. But....the club has the right to charge whatever they want as long as it makes some kind of sense I guess.

Maybe it's the old fart syndrome.....I don't pay for medical prescriptions, whatever the age is for free bus passes, etc......maybe they just start expecting extra handouts as they age?

Very much agree. There is currently uproar at west ham because we have withdrawn concession prices for tickets. Now kids I understand that is ridiculous. They are your future adult members but the over 65 discounts or whatever it was... It's like expected to get a discount like you say

At the times when usually (not all) people have more disposable income by not being at work anymore, in the main having a paid off property etc.

My mate always says he doesn't want to retire early he wants to not work now and come to work until he drops so he can enjoy his life in his 30s and 40s then work from 50-80 instead lol got to admire his thinking

 

[nickjdavis]

just checked ours...

Standard 7 day membership is £1250
Under 25's pay £695
Under 17's pay £350

We have a current winter offer of membership for 6 months from 1st October to 31st March for £499.

 

[KenL]

just checked ours...

Standard 7 day membership is £1250
Under 25's pay £695
Under 17's pay £350

We have a current winter offer of membership for 6 months from 1st October to 31st March for £499.

That seems reasonable apart from juniors - very steep.
£70 at my club for the whole year. One peak visitor round is >£150.

 

[PJ87]

just checked ours...

Standard 7 day membership is £1250
Under 25's pay £695
Under 17's pay £350

We have a current winter offer of membership for 6 months from 1st October to 31st March for £499.

I just checked ours

£550 joining fee for 5 or 7 day membership

£150 a month for 7 days
£120 a month for 5 days

Under 16s
£25 a month plus £50 joining

16-19
£30 a month plus £75 joining fee

Both the junior ones are limited until after 12 at weekends

However it's a step forward because before they charged full whack