Scottish Clubs Struggling to make Par

[Fish]

New clubs and the poor economy along with wet weather is driving down the prices and membership numbers dwindle to record lows.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-23283018

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Too many golf courses not enough golfers.

The only bright spot is that Clubgolf have introduced 350,000 children to golf with many of the new players being girls.

 

[Hacker Khan]

I think the point about the failure to attract new members and that a lot of golf clubs not being run as businesses are very fair ones. Far too many clubs to me seem to think they are immune from business influences and hide behind the bluster of etiquette and tradition. One glaring example to me is the sometimes ridiculous dress codes and rules for just going for a pint and a meal in a bar or restaurant. Stared Michelin restaurants do not have such rules, so god knows why some golf clubs think they have the right to. Would any sane business seriously wanting to make money from food and beverage impose such rules?

Clubs do need to be run as a business, you can combine tradition with a business focus, and the best clubs do and they will survive.

Also from a lot of replies I have seen on this forum, it would seem a majority of members would like to club to be run purely for their benefit, often at the expense of having visitors or doing much to attract new young members. And that kind of mindset, combined with the economic pressures and over supply in some areas will and is leading to falling participation over time as the existing members die off, literally and metaphorically.

Fairplay to Clubgolf for that initiative, but how many of those 350,000 will be encouraged to continue playing the game once they try and join a club? Well if a lot of them are girls then Muirfield is obviously out to start with (I wouldn't let it lie....)

 

[bigslice]

the SGU are trying to get clubs to address the problem of currently not running it as a business. hopefully everyone takes notice

 

[Doon frae Troon]

I remember an SGU conference about 15 years ago when this problem was addressed.
I could not believe the 'I'm all right attitude' that many club chairmen took.
They totally ignored the fact that the youth of Scotland were fast diminishing, if I remember correctly it was something like 2% per year less 18 year olds. At that time the birth rate and population of Scotland was dropping fast.
So many intelligent folk with their heads in the sand. I came away quite sad for the future.

Birth rate and population is thankfully now going in the opposite direction.
Still a big problem to address though and the clock is ticking.

 

[DAVEYBOY]

I bet they loved having his guide dog rolling around the nice white carpets in the Gleneagles clubhouse and hotel :rofl:

I know its not the only reason clubs are struggling to attract mew members but if clubs are losing members due to there old style traditions and etiquette then so be it, if they can't be bothered to move into the new era then its there loss. I don't think ill ever become a member of a club with some of the ridiculous rules I've come across since I started playing the game.

 

[DCB]

Fairplay to Clubgolf for that initiative, but how many of those 350,000 will be encouraged to continue playing the game once they try and join a club?

The good thing about Clubgolf is that if kids go on through their coaching scheme, they will be put into contact with a local club who participate in the scheme. Downside is that it is not without cost to the Clubs and can require a considerable time commitment from the club, their junior section helpers and their pro to keep things moving along. It seems to work well in more rural areas where there may be less competition from other interests the youngsters have. In an urban environment it is up against so many school and after school activities that it may not be so successful.

 

[Hacker Khan]

The good thing about Clubgolf is that if kids go on through their coaching scheme, they will be put into contact with a local club who participate in the scheme. Downside is that it is not without cost to the Clubs and can require a considerable time commitment from the club, their junior section helpers and their pro to keep things moving along. It seems to work well in more rural areas where there may be less competition from other interests the youngsters have. In an urban environment it is up against so many school and after school activities that it may not be so successful.

Sounds a good idea and to be commended. I suppose from a club perspective then it will be a significant commitment, but hopefully they will see it as an investment in their future.

 

[6inchcup]

I have read numerous threads on these pages from our Scottish members about how cheap membership/ green fees are north of the border compared to our overpriced (their opinion) southern clubs,the question is are they too cheap to be sustainable in the economic climate we are enduring at present,like all business's if they can't make it pay they will have to close and the other will reap the benefit,my club still demands a £1000 joining fee and close to the same in green fees, we have very few if any openings for new members and according to the last report a healthy bank balance and assets of over £1000000,this is because we have had good financial control over the years,the same cant be said for another local club less than 15 mins away that is struggling and try gimmicks to get new members to replace the ones that have left in droves some have joined my club,I think the boom time for clubs has gone and we have a saturation point,the best will survive and the others sadly will be housing estates within the next 5 years

 

[andrew_mac]

I have read numerous threads on these pages from our Scottish members about how cheap membership/ green fees are north of the border compared to our overpriced (their opinion) southern clubs,the question is are they too cheap to be sustainable in the economic climate we are enduring at present,like all business's if they can't make it pay they will have to close and the other will reap the benefit,my club still demands a £1000 joining fee and close to the same in green fees, we have very few if any openings for new members and according to the last report a healthy bank balance and assets of over £1000000,this is because we have had good financial control over the years,the same cant be said for another local club less than 15 mins away that is struggling and try gimmicks to get new members to replace the ones that have left in droves some have joined my club,I think the boom time for clubs has gone and we have a saturation point,the best will survive and the others sadly will be housing estates within the next 5 years

It's supply and demand in the market that is driving down cost of membership fees compared to south as once read that there are more clubs per square mile in Scotland than anywhere else the UK. Where I live for example and I had a choice of 9 clubs within a 15 minute drive of my front door! One of the clubs which has a £900 sub has recently had to drop the accompanying 1k joining fee as could not compete on price with the rest.

In my area the problems are more related to market economics as all the clubs were extremely welcoming and not OTT on etiquette.

 

[sydney greenstreet]

Our club has the clubgolf as it is the Pro at our bit that teaches it, and I see plenty of youngsters interested in golf.

 

[stevie_r]

It's supply and demand in the market that is driving down cost of membership fees compared to south as once read that there are more clubs per square mile in Scotland than anywhere else the UK. Where I live for example and I had a choice of 9 clubs within a 15 minute drive of my front door! One of the clubs which has a £900 sub has recently had to drop the accompanying 1k joining fee as could not compete on price with the rest.

In my area the problems are more related to market economics as all the clubs were extremely welcoming and not OTT on etiquette.

I did a quick check not so long back using google maps and their 'directions' tool; I found 20 clubs that it reckoned were 20 minutes or less away. Within 30 minutes it was getting ridiculous.

 

[Simbo]

It's not exclusive to Scottish clubs!!!!!!! All golf clubs are struggling

Probably only being highlighted here due to the Scottish open being won by phil and the open at muirfield.

 

[FairwayDodger]

I live about a fifteen minute drive from my course (through city centre traffic). I pass two courses on the way there and, to be honest, one of those is a much better course but cost determined where I went. There are certainly no hostage of courses competing for members round here; hard to count how many within 30 mins!

 

[GreiginFife]

I live about a fifteen minute drive from my course (through city centre traffic). I pass two courses on the way there and, to be honest, one of those is a much better course but cost determined where I went. There are certainly no hostage of courses competing for members round here; hard to count how many within 30 mins!

Either Autocorrect or Edinburgh clubs are getting really desperate

In Fife (well West Fife) there are not as many clubs as most would think. Yeah, get out to the East Neuk and it gets quite saturated but I only have 4 in a 15 minute (or 5 mile) drive. My own course is 7 miles away but is better than what's on offer more locally for bost cost and quality of club/course.
Muckhart also supports a very large junior section with an evenings coaching dedictaed to the juniors every Thursday, every week of the year. They get the practice ground and the "spare" nine all to themselves from 1700 - 2030 every Thursday.

 

[Bomber69]

Either Autocorrect or Edinburgh clubs are getting really desperate

In Fife (well West Fife) there are not as many clubs as most would think. Yeah, get out to the East Neuk and it gets quite saturated but I only have 4 in a 15 minute (or 5 mile) drive. My own course is 7 miles away but is better than what's on offer more locally for bost cost and quality of club/course.
Muckhart also supports a very large junior section with an evenings coaching dedictaed to the juniors every Thursday, every week of the year. They get the practice ground and the "spare" nine all to themselves from 1700 - 2030 every Thursday.

Greg,

Is Muckhart Golf Club not in Clackmannanshire rather than Fife.

 

[Grumps]

well we just had notification of an EGM called for next week as the club is struggling and the cash will supposedly dry up by sept if they don't impose a levy by then. so that could mean 1 less club in Dunfermline if council don't get the changes they want to impose

 

[Bomber69]

well we just had notification of an EGM called for next week as the club is struggling and the cash will supposedly dry up by sept if they don't impose a levy by then. so that could mean 1 less club in Dunfermline if council don't get the changes they want to impose

Fingers crossed it all works out and the members stick by the club.

 

[Grumps]

Fingers crossed it all works out and the members stick by the club.

usual few mumping their gums

 

[SGC001]

well we just had notification of an EGM called for next week as the club is struggling and the cash will supposedly dry up by sept if they don't impose a levy by then. so that could mean 1 less club in Dunfermline if council don't get the changes they want to impose

What sort of changes are they considering?

I know of 3 clubs fairly close to me that closed, still lots of supply compared to 20-30 years ago and it doesn't seem the demand is their to match it.