Should your golf club shut down the kitchen to save you money?

[Mel Smooth]

Many golf clubs run there kitchens at a loss - providing no more than a few bacon rolls in the morning and a few snacks in the afternoon, but most clubs - well we all know a lot of guys change there shoes in the car park and are offski without so much as a half a pint of diet coke in the bar - let alone heading in and ordering a decent meal to justify the cooks that are on site as well as the cost of food stocks, and expensive kitchen equipment.

So the discussion is, should clubs stop doing cooked food and shut the kitchens down in favour of maybe a few pies and cold sandwiches on the bar should somebody fancy a bite to eat.

The upside is all the members get a reduced membership. Would you be happy with a food free clubhouse?

 

[Arthur Wedge]

What about catering at events ?
Club matches
Internal and external functions
Sunday lunches
Evening meals

When looking at the function of a clubhouse it’s always best to look at the bar and catering as one

Remove food and you will prob remove a lot of money that goes over the bar

Why would it mean reduce membership

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Many golf clubs run there kitchens at a loss - providing no more than a few bacon rolls in the morning and a few snacks in the afternoon, but most clubs - well we all know a lot of guys change there shoes in the car park and are offski without so much as a half a pint of diet coke in the bar - let alone heading in and ordering a decent meal to justify the cooks that are on site as well as the cost of food stocks, and expensive kitchen equipment.

So the discussion is, should clubs stop doing cooked food and shut the kitchens down in favour of maybe a few pies and cold sandwiches on the bar should somebody fancy a bite to eat.

The upside is all the members get a reduced membership. Would you be happy with a food free clubhouse?

Couple of points with this and in general I’m kind of in agreement with it but perhaps there’s a best of both worlds scenario.

My first club always had the kitchen open and it barely got used Mon-Fri, people bought the odd sandwich Sat but main trade was Sunday lunches which we always massively subscribed. Yet because of the lack of trade through the week ran at a loss like you said as a result became almost impossible to run and lost several stewards that couldn’t make it viable.

My last club Mon-Fri kitchen didn’t open at all, bar staff came in an hour before opening and would lay out a selection of ready made rolls (ham salad, cheese & onion etc), pastries and pies. You could buy a filter coffee that was made in a pot behind the bar or get your latte, cappuccino etc from a machine they installed. Saturday they would open the kitchen between 12-2 only for post competition food, Sunday was a full on 12-5pm Carvery and it was always packed out and raked in cash. If you wanted a Brekkie on a weekend the starters/half way hut did bacon or sausage baps for the entire time the tees were open to comps 7-10am so no extra staff needed just a volunteer each week and all money went back to the club . Then if there were functions on or club matches kitchen opened and provided food but this was managed well as you always knew when fixtures were and how many covers were needed.

So I’d say my last club had it spot on in my opinion it doesn’t need to be open the whole time, open it at peak times, open it for functions/fixtures where you have guaranteed numbers and you have a profit turning business. So I believe you can make it work when done the right way. However your last point about saving membership money I don’t agree with clubs have subs already laid out they won’t then reduce them for removing the kitchen especially if people are paying the money and not using it anyway.

Lastly would I be happy with a food free clubhouse? Mon-Sat yes I would, Sunday well I’d still like to take the family out for a nice meal so keep it open then.

 

[irip]

I think it depends on how much the club push the fact they do food to the public as well.
Last place I was at members of the public would often use both the bar & the restaurant.
The club also owned the halfway hut and they always had a good selection of food in there.
It would also depend on where the club is based as in is it somewhere easy for the public to get to or is it out in the sticks without much housing etc nearby.

 

[Tashyboy]

Our place, I just don’t understand it at all. Because the manageress has a child at school. The 19th hole does not open until around 9.30. 30 or 40 folks have walked past the clubhouse in that time. There are other bar staff workers that are in the same boat and do not start until 9.30.
Another problem is costs.
The lads will not pay £5 for a sausage cob. The prices are no longer cheap.
The other week there were 23 people in the 19th. Everyone was from our fuddle, nearly everyone stays and has a drink whilst the money is given out.
I partly blame the club for being expensive, but it must be tough to run any hospitality business at the moment.

 

[IanM]

The opening post clearly applies at some Clubs, but is hugely inaccurate at others.

If any club found clubhouse services were not viable, dispensing with them is a discussion to have. All clubs keep accounts, so it's easy enough to access the information.

I think "car park" members are a rarity where I play. I sometimes have to dash off after I play, but its very much the exception. Sunday Lunch sells out every week, plenty of folk in there eating most days.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Our kitchen is contracted out. The infrastructure is there for them, but they supply the food and staff. The current people provide excellent food and together with the new (younger) bar steward have really improved the numbers who use the lounge now.
As for costs charged, they have to make money and last time I looked everything else had increased in price.
The quality is there, so why shouldn’t they make money.

 

[KenL]

Many clubs in Scotland have bar and catering that is franchised out.

I am very fortunate at my club as the service provided is excellent. I can get a breakfast roll (fried egg and tattie scone for me) and a barista style coffee at 0730 before my round. You can get a full breakfast, eggs on toast etc. if you fancy that.

It always disappoints going to an open and having to plan where to grab a bite to eat if the kitchen doesn’t open before 9.

 

[Neilds]

According to the latest report, our food and bar made £39k profit in the last 5 months so won’t be closing anytime soon

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Our place, I just don’t understand it at all. Because the manageress has a child at school. The 19th hole does not open until around 9.30. 30 or 40 folks have walked past the clubhouse in that time. There are other bar staff workers that are in the same boat and do not start until 9.30.
Another problem is costs.
The lads will not pay £5 for a sausage cob. The prices are no longer cheap.
The other week there were 23 people in the 19th. Everyone was from our fuddle, nearly everyone stays and has a drink whilst the money is given out.
I partly blame the club for being expensive, but it must be tough to run any hospitality business at the moment.

I’m intrigued as to what your members think is dear about £5 for a Sausage Cob, a quick google tells you the average price for one at Cafes across the UK is £4-£6 so I’d say your club has it bang on average for price. They’re a business at the end of the day and have overheads and need to make a profit.

BTW I’m not digging you out I’m genuinely intrigued as I play with a lad that is the same refuses to pay £5 for a breakfast bap at a club but will spend £10 in the garage on the way to the course buying a can of monster and crap snacks for breakfast instead it baffles me that I often hear golf clubs are overpriced for food yet people pay more buying rubbish

 

[Burnsey]

I’m intrigued as to what your members think is dear about £5 for a Sausage Cob, a quick google tells you the average price for one at Cafes across the UK is £4-£6 so I’d say your club has it bang on average for price. They’re a business at the end of the and have overheads and need to make a profit.

BTW I’m not digging you out I’m genuinely intrigued as I play with a lad that is the same refuses to pay £5 for a breakfast bap at a club but will spend £10 in the garage on the way to the course buying a can of monster and crap snacks for breakfast instead it baffles me that I often hear golf clubs are overpriced for food yet people pay more buying rubbish

I agree.

Our club sausage barm (no such thing as a cob where I live) is the same price on a plate, or in a bag and quality should not be confused with he crap sold in most butty shops en-route to the course.

Kitchen opening is later than the course in summer, matching up in winter, as first tee is later due to light of course. Could always open sooner, but economics say it isn't worth it. Opening times are enough to grab something after 9 holes (1st and 9th tee at clubhouse), or at the end, but if we want something earlier, we do grab it on the way, have something at home.

Pro shop opens alongside tee times, so drinks and snacks always available.

 

[Depreston]

Ours is some weird hybrid model at the minute

We have had all kinds of setups - in house, franchise, an agreement with Lumley castle to provide stuff from their kitchen you used to see a lad on one of our buggies bomb backwards and forwards with trays of bacon

The lass who runs the kitchen currently does the usual stuff 10-3… outside of these hours we have a merrychef on the bar that can do toasties and breakfast sarnies like you’d see in costa

On a Saturday she started doing a breakfast buffet 10-2 for £7. this was stumbled upon as she put one on for the Durham v Yorkshire county match had loads left over so charged a few quid to members and other spectators and it went down really well

I think it’s been reasonably successful

 

[Orikoru]

Our place doesn't open the bar or kitchen until 11am, so no breakfasts before your round, but you can get sandwiches, burger, pizza, ham egg & chips etc for lunch afterwards. I guess they weren't making enough money at breakfast time to bother with it.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

I agree.

Our club sausage barm (no such thing as a cob where I live) is the same price on a plate, or in a bag and quality should not be confused with he crap sold in most butty shops en-route to the course.

Kitchen opening is later than the course in summer, matching up in winter, as first tee is later due to light of course. Could always open sooner, but economics say it isn't worth it. Opening times are enough to grab something after 9 holes (1st and 9th tee at clubhouse), or at the end, but if we want something earlier, we do grab it on the way, have something at home.

Pro shop opens alongside tee times, so drinks and snacks always available.

Each club has that weekly swindle of the older retirees that want things open like the bar so they can have their pot of tea before going out - we had them and on a Tuesday with the ladies , so we opened the bar and over the two weeks all we sold was ten pots of tea so it didn’t justify staying open

They are also the same bunch that moaned when we moved the hot water urn behind the kitchen door because they brought their own tea bags up to keep refilling the pot

Our bar opens at ten now and that’s also the kitchen ,the halfway hut is open from 8 every day but during the week they just moan about the price of the baps , in their eyes they can go to Tescos and buy a packet of sausages and a loaf of bread for the same price

 

[Burnsey]

Each club has that weekly swindle of the older retirees that want things open like the bar so they can have their pot of tea before going out - we had them and on a Tuesday with the ladies , so we opened the bar and over the two weeks all we sold was ten pots of tea so it didn’t justify staying open

They are also the same bunch that moaned when we moved the hot water urn behind the kitchen door because they brought their own tea bags up to keep refilling the pot

Our bar opens at ten now and that’s also the kitchen ,the halfway hut is open from 8 every day but during the week they just moan about the price of the baps , in their eyes they can go to Tescos and buy a packet of sausages and a loaf of bread for the same price

Yep, I don't get the angst for getting a bacon sarnie at 7am.

We have a brew machine to use before the bar/kitchen opens and if hungry, open your fridge before you come, or call somewhere on the way.

My clubhouse isn't the best and I don't get involved in the social scene (tried), but I joined for the golf.

 

[timd77]

The last club I was a member of, the food side of things was really poor. Multiple changes in operation, contracted out, back to in house, staff off sick, staff leaving, emails most weeks saying kitchen closed. As a result barely anyone used it and it was a big burden on the finances. The bar was always busy after a round and so I always felt that if the food offering was decent and reliable, it would’ve made money. As it is, I felt they should’ve just offered sandwiches in the pro shop and had one of those hot food cabinet things in there too.

The club I’m at now makes an absolute fortune from food. It’s open early for breakfast, there’s always people in there eating. And they serve food throughout the day and welcome non members to eat there. Carvery on a Sunday is very popular and you have to book.

 

[Tashyboy]

I’m intrigued as to what your members think is dear about £5 for a Sausage Cob, a quick google tells you the average price for one at Cafes across the UK is £4-£6 so I’d say your club has it bang on average for price. They’re a business at the end of the day and have overheads and need to make a profit.

BTW I’m not digging you out I’m genuinely intrigued as I play with a lad that is the same refuses to pay £5 for a breakfast bap at a club but will spend £10 in the garage on the way to the course buying a can of monster and crap snacks for breakfast instead it baffles me that I often hear golf clubs are overpriced for food yet people pay more buying rubbish

There is a few places around here where you can get a sausage cob for £3.50, some of the lads use that as a yardstick. A couple of the courses around here are again a similar price. Me I don’t eat anything that can settle heavy on my stomach before playing golf so it has never affected me.
Re food in clubhouses. I suppose it is similar to going on a cruise. Around here you can get a pint for £3.50 upwards. Down London way. I would suspect it’s a good bit more. But go on a cruise ship and pay around £6 a pint. Southerners love it. Us tight northerners it is probably the top end of what we pay. Southern prices in clubhouses May be a bit higher.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I think you can split this discussion into two, it then becomes irrelevant for the first group. If you have a full membership, thriving clubhouse, good for you. This discussion will seem alien. Based on my experience at clubs around me, you are in the minority.

For the rest of us.......members often have an unreasonable and outdated expectation. The idea of a kitchen open all hours, 7 days a week is a luxury and with the recent price pressures on clubs, it is one they need to look at.

My first club used to have a permanent, live in steward. Ah, the glory days. And then things changed, smoking ban, stricter enfrocement of drink driving laws, minimum wage came into being, cultural changes. The takings dropped, the club didn't react because 'they always had a full time steward'. Until the club got into financial trouble, the committee changed and the new committee broke down the finances. The full time steward was unsustainable, the all day kitchen was unsustainable. An EGM was called, the members were in uproar but the secretary and spent the previous 6 weeks charting every penny made in the bar and the kitchen. He laid out the bare facts, what was spent, when it was spent. To those who moaned the loudest, he even identified what they had spent, or not spent as it happened. The club got rid of the steward, reduced the bar hours, reduced the kitchen to a bare minimum, sandwiches and pies on just a few key days and times during those days. The club got through the period and due to other changes were able to increase the kitchen hours over time. The key was knowing when people spent and meeting that demand. During the down times, don't open. It's basic business but too many clubs are hanging on to past glories or an ideal that is not affordable now.

To the original question, I think it would make an awful lot of sense for some clubs to close their kitchen and bring in pre made sandwiches, pies, pasties etc to sell from behind the bar. A kitchen at a club is not an essential. It's preferable but if times are tight, get rid. The course is more important.

 

[Crazyface]

If the quality is there, it will get used. Many at my place don't bother as the food quality has dropped dramatically. I rarely seen anyone eating now. Also so many scuttle off after playing I'd shut the place and offer it to a local restaurant owner to run as a restaurant at night. It's quite smart now after the revamp it got a few years ago.

 

[Burnsey]

To the original question, I think it would make an awful lot of sense for some clubs to close their kitchen and bring in pre made sandwiches, pies, pasties etc to sell from behind the bar. A kitchen at a club is not an essential. It's preferable but if times are tight, get rid. The course is more important.

And conversely, for some clubs, the kitchen is the heart of the club, with events etc.

There is no standard model, nor a standard member - we all join a club for different reasons. That said, I would never join for a bacon butty.