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

[The Squirrel]

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.

This is utterly brilliant. That guy is a hero!

I'm at a club that only just managed to get a significant price increase through the AGM despite the fact that not putting it through would have put the club deep in the financial doo-doo (somewhere they were already heading thanks to pricing too low). Many people have the financial acumen of a snail - see the comments re: a cup of tea should only cost the price of a teabag and boiling the kettle...

 

[Lord Tyrion]

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.

Completely agree, on all points. I think it is great when a clubhouse is buzzing, a bar and kitchen well used. Fabulous. Those that have that need to recognise that it is not always viable though and the circumstances that make their club succesful on that side of things do not always transfer. Clubs need to react accordingly, not just keep burning through money because of an ideal model they are chasing.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

Our kitchen hours open when we believe there is the biggest footfall

During the week it’s open a little later , during the weekend it’s from 9 in the summer

When it’s the winter that changes to 11 in the week and 10 during the weekend

It then closes around 4 during the week depending on any functions

 

[Lord Tyrion]

This is utterly brilliant. That guy is a hero!

I'm at a club that only just managed to get a significant price increase through the AGM despite the fact that not putting it through would have put the club deep in the financial doo-doo (somewhere they were already heading thanks to pricing too low). Many people have the financial acumen of a snail - see the comments re: a cup of tea should only cost the price of a teabag and boiling the kettle...

He really was that evening. He was not particularly well liked, gruff and miserable bloke who was not easy to get on with. During that period he was superb though. He saw the problem, he was methodical enough (helped that he was retired) to spend the time putting the case together and took apart anyone who tried to call for the status quo to remain. It was a really good lesson for me watching him. Be prepared. If you are making a case for something that is likely to be unpopular, have all of the facts at hand. Not just a feeeling or a vague few numbers, really dig into the detail. If you get over ruled after that, you just have to hold your hands up and walk away.

The majority of members, understandably, just want everything to stay the same. Same service, same pricing, same person serving you . The world keeps moving and clubs have to move with the changes. Fabulous if you don't but that is not the case for many.

 

[evemccc]

I have never used the catering facilities at my club, except for when I have had to (when it’s mandatory after the twice yearly jacket-and-tie, toast Her Majesty (RIP) / His Majesty, Port and Stilton following 3 course meal 36 Hole Club champs —- and I never would at my home club…I’m only 15 mins from home, after all

But I learnt in my avid visiting golf course days, that catering at golf clubs is generally excellent and relatively reasonable and would often eat breakfast, lunch and dinner (followed by shower) there, in a convivial setting. Certainly better value and nicer than alternatives in towns

 

[jim8flog]

Pre covid and for a short time afterwards our catering and bar was franchised. The franchisee gave it up as it was loss making for him. We tried to get another franchisee but were unsuccessful because te numbers did not add up. We have seen a definite decline in the numbers eating there notably losing a couple of local companies that regularly used to lunch at the club.

Personally I do not think we would close it because we would probably lose societies as a result and we have already seen a big decline in the number of societies we get.

We used to have a bar card levy to try to encourage car park golfers to use the clubhouse and their are some that want to see it brought back but one of the ex directors said the extra income it actually brought from profit was fairly insignificant in the great scheme of things, the vast majority of members spend more than the levy according to him.

I would imagine that cost of eating out has become a big factor for many, in this area the cost of a Sunday carvery at most venues has nearly doubled in the past few years. Funnily enough the cost of eating out is currently being discussed on the TV with quite a few being interviewed saying that had reduced the number of times they eat out.

 

[jim8flog]

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.

I once had an hours drive to get to an Open looking forward to breakfast there. They could not even provide a sandwich. Someone managed to find bit a bit of stale cake as the only thing they had (no charge for it obviously). Had we known before hand we would have stopped of or driven in to the local town before getting to the club.

I got in to the habit of taking food with me just in case.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Pre covid and for a short time afterwards our catering and bar was franchised. The franchisee gave it up as it was loss making for him. We tried to get another franchisee but were unsuccessful because te numbers did not add up. We have seen a definite decline in the numbers eating there notably losing a couple of local companies that regularly used to lunch at the club.

Personally I do not think we would close it because we would probably lose societies as a result and we have already seen a big decline in the number of societies we get.

We used to have a bar card levy to try to encourage car park golfers to use the clubhouse and their are some that want to see it brought back but one of the ex directors said the extra income it actually brought from profit was fairly insignificant in the great scheme of things, the vast majority of members spend more than the levy according to him.

I would imagine that cost of eating out has become a big factor for many, in this area the cost of a Sunday carvery at most venues has nearly doubled in the past few years. Funnily enough the cost of eating out is currently being discussed on the TV with quite a few being interviewed saying that had reduced the number of times they eat out.

I agree the cost of eating out has become more expensive, but then if the quality of food is good you don’t mind it.
At home, I have finally turned my wife to use the local butcher for all meat. Her arguement of the extra cost is wiped away as the quality of meat is so much better than the supermarkets and it cooks so much better and with less mess.
She now sees the benefit of paying a little more on the face value for food when there is a quality difference.

 

[LincolnShep]

I once had an hours drive to get to an Open looking forward to breakfast there. They could not even provide a sandwich. Someone managed to find bit a bit of stale cake as the only thing they had (no charge for it obviously). Had we known before hand we would have stopped of or driven in to the local town before getting to the club.

I got in to the habit of taking food with me just in case.

I am in the habit of ringing open venues to check that they're offering breakfast. If they don't, we'll meet somewhere else to spend our money.

 

[LincolnShep]

My new club has a very odd arrangement. The clubhouse is open Mon-Sat, but closed Sunday. I'm new to the club but I'm told that the couple that run the clubhouse are committed christians so they don't work on Sundays. I'm not knocking their faith but it's a shame for heathens like me who can't get anything to eat. I've played there five or six times so far and they've all been on Sunday so I've yet to enter the clubhouse - so no idea what's available!

 

[Arthur Wedge]

I am in the habit of ringing open venues to check that they're offering breakfast. If they don't, we'll meet somewhere else to spend our money.

Most Opens I have played in normally highlight in the sign up and emails etc what facilities are open etc

When we go to Beau they email saying Breaki is available from certain times etc

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Opens are surely a time when if you have a kitchen, you open it from minute 1. It's practically compulsory to have a bacon / sausage buttie before an Open. I never have one at my own club, always do before an Open. As do most other people playing based on the evidence of my eyes . Surely a day that is a money spinner for any club.

 

[Mel Smooth]

My new club has a very odd arrangement. The clubhouse is open Mon-Sat, but closed Sunday. I'm new to the club but I'm told that the couple that run the clubhouse are committed christians so they don't work on Sundays. I'm not knocking their faith but it's a shame for heathens like me who can't get anything to eat. I've played there five or six times so far and they've all been on Sunday so I've yet to enter the clubhouse - so no idea what's available!

Lots of fish and wine made from water would be my guess.

 

[irip]

Opens are surely a time when if you have a kitchen, you open it from minute 1. It's practically compulsory to have a bacon / sausage buttie before an Open. I never have one at my own club, always do before an Open. As do most other people playing based on the evidence of my eyes . Surely a day that is a money spinner for any club.

I always thought it’s the reason the clubs put on opens.
They lose a bit on the green fee and get it back and a bit more from the bar & catering.

 

[GreiginFife]

I suppose it's a reasonable notion but does anyone actually believe for one second that if their club ditched the kitchen that they would reduce the fees?

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I suppose it's a reasonable notion but does anyone actually believe for one second that if their club ditched the kitchen that they would reduce the fees?

It might stop them having to increase them though.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I suppose it's a reasonable notion but does anyone actually believe for one second that if their club ditched the kitchen that they would reduce the fees?

Knowing that the bar and catering at my club make a profit for the club, I would suggest the opposite would happen, increased subs.

 

[louise_a]

We used to have a steward that ran the bar and the kitchen, but after quite a turnover in the last 10 years we have now have outside caterers on a 3 month rolling contract. The steward still runs the bar and the clubhouse.

 

[Arthur Wedge]

My new club has a very odd arrangement. The clubhouse is open Mon-Sat, but closed Sunday. I'm new to the club but I'm told that the couple that run the clubhouse are committed christians so they don't work on Sundays. I'm not knocking their faith but it's a shame for heathens like me who can't get anything to eat. I've played there five or six times so far and they've all been on Sunday so I've yet to enter the clubhouse - so no idea what's available!

Blimey - Sundays is huge for us with lots of sittings for Sunday lunch

Are there just two people running the clubhouse

No chance we would be able to be shut on the Sunday

 

[GreiginFife]

It might stop them having to increase them though.

And you believe that would happen?