Subs renewal landed, was always going to be an increase but....

[Oddsocks]

..... Jesus Christ did I panic when it landed in an A5 envelope instead of the normal slim line item.

So the brunt of it,... The fees have gone up by £150 taking our course to a flat £1200 per year. Do I think my course is worth it.... Nope... But in their defence the course is going from strength to strength so the letter was at least worth a read. Bare in mind that we were recently (3 years ago) purchased by fox hills and they invested massively into the course.

£500k on plant.
£500k on course improvements, mainly drainage and all new bunkers over all 27 holes.
£1.3 mill on a new clubhouse refit.

In addition green staff poached from wentworth and Celtic manor , and sub contractors outed has seen the course bloom, and membership raise, but I've always thought the course should be no more than £1k per year. I was tempted to relocate this year to another local course.

Well after reading all 4 pages of the renewal letter I'm looking forward to the new season.

After acquiring a new ex Hilton hotels chef, the kitchen facilities are now up for a 60k refit, I'm guessing this is to cope with the large functions our club seems to host on a weekly basis. In addition to this £110k will be spent on course aesthetics and new pathways which I think the club needs to take the blandness away from it, a further £17k is going in on drainage which I'm guessing is improving 2 wet areas on the course as the rest drains well.

And the icing on the cake for me is the fact that our network card which gives us reciprocal agreements with 13 other courses is now up to 33 :thup:

Would you be happy to pay the additional £150 given the improvements,

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I think from reading that your course can only go from strength to strength mate and yes would pay the extra money for a course that can only go forwards.

 

[Rooter]

i think it sounds worth it with the upgrades etc. still pretty good value for the area you live in TBH!

 

[Oddsocks]

There are some cracking deals going on in our area at some courses that are seen to be better than ours from a course point of view

Addington palace, normally circa of £1600/1700, doing an introductory deal of £950 for the year
Purley downs, normally £1500, get 15 months for price of 12, with joining fee dropped...
The best one I've seen was north downs, normally £1000, it's now risen too £1140 bug if 3 join only two pay,

With most locals struggling I think it's a ballsy move from our club .... But our membership is growing,

 

[CMAC]

..... Jesus Christ did I panic when it landed in an A5 envelope instead of the normal slim line item.

So the brunt of it,... The fees have gone up by £150 taking our course to a flat £1200 per year. Do I think my course is worth it.... Nope... But in their defence the course is going from strength to strength so the letter was at least worth a read. Bare in mind that we were recently (3 years ago) purchased by fox hills and they invested massively into the course.

£500k on plant.
£500k on course improvements, mainly drainage and all new bunkers over all 27 holes.
£1.3 mill on a new clubhouse refit.

In addition green staff poached from wentworth and Celtic manor , and sub contractors outed has seen the course bloom, and membership raise, but I've always thought the course should be no more than £1k per year. I was tempted to relocate this year to another local course.

Well after reading all 4 pages of the renewal letter I'm looking forward to the new season.

After acquiring a new ex Hilton hotels chef, the kitchen facilities are now up for a 60k refit, I'm guessing this is to cope with the large functions our club seems to host on a weekly basis. In addition to this £110k will be spent on course aesthetics and new pathways which I think the club needs to take the blandness away from it, a further £17k is going in on drainage which I'm guessing is improving 2 wet areas on the course as the rest drains well.

And the icing on the cake for me is the fact that our network card which gives us reciprocal agreements with 13 other courses is now up to 33 :thup:

Would you be happy to pay the additional £150 given the improvements,

with all that serious investment and commitment a £150 increase is peanuts for all that

 

[Oddsocks]

I just can wait for the nine hole course, that will be week nights sorted!

 

[chrisd]

I just can wait for the nine hole course, that will be week nights sorted!

Long trek back from Australia just for a casual 9 holes Baz?

 

[Oddsocks]

Long trek back from Australia just for a casual 9 holes Baz?

It's moving slower than a boy racer in East Bourne with no battery in their mobility scooter, I'll be here another year at least

 

[swanny32]

I wish I could say the same thing about our place......but I can't. Fee's haven't gone up all that much though so can't really complain too much.

 

[Pin-seeker]

Or you could move to one of the other courses you mentioned for a year or 2 & then move back once the improvements have been made. With that amount of work going on it could get a bit crazy.

 

[patricks148]

£150 and to think us lot groused about £50

I suppose in your part of the world its not that bad.

Nairn is now the most expensive in the Highlands, except Skibo Castle, but thats more than 10K

 

[Oddsocks]

Or you could move to one of the other courses you mentioned for a year or 2 & then move back once the improvements have been made. With that amount of work going on it could get a bit crazy.

I did contemplate slutting it for a period and bouncing around the locals taking advantages of the offers.... But the misses talked me out of it, she likes the bar and restaurant there

 

[Oddsocks]

£150 and to think us lot groused about £50

I suppose in your part of the world its not that bad.

Nairn is now the most expensive in the Highlands, except Skibo Castle, but thats more than 10K

IT does pain me when I hear your subs per year, I could join three decent courses for the same as my one!

 

[Westy3469]

Our place has gone up about £125, but like you we have are investing a lot of money in new green keeping equipment and the course as a whole and besides I think it is the first rise in a couple of years

However if such a rise should become more regular, I would have to think about my options, although most comparable courses in our area are at least the same annual subs, if not a few hundred pounds more, plus a compulsory £250 levy (I may spend more than that in the bar over a year, but it is nice to know it is my choice)

 

[guest100718]

150 that's a big hike. Id reckon others won't be so happy to take the hit

 

[Imurg]

with all that serious investment and commitment a £150 increase is peanuts for all that

It is
As long as you can..

a. Afford it - OK it's only an extra 3 quid a week but it might be 3 quid too much in one hit.
b. It's value for money. As has been said, if they're pumping cash in and doing major improvements it may spoil the course for a while.

Another £150 a year would take me into the next bracket of Club and even with the amount I play it would be hard to justify

 

[Oddsocks]

It is
As long as you can..

a. Afford it - OK it's only an extra 3 quid a week but it might be 3 quid too much in one hit.
b. It's value for money. As has been said, if they're pumping cash in and doing major improvements it may spoil the course for a while.

Another £150 a year would take me into the next bracket of Club and even with the amount I play it would be hard to justify

I totally get that imurg , what goes in our favour is we have 27 holes.

When they rebuilt the course it was done in 9 hole stints, so we always had a perfect 18 holes to play on. I'm guessing with that experience they will do the same with phase 2..

I did wonder about a change due to the price bracket but here's my predicament, any course in and around this area is £1000 minimum with the high end stuff topping out at around 3k, so it still cheap. It's still the only club in the area with a swindle/roll up that is every weekend day that there is not a comp, and it's an early roll up meaning I can get away by 1" the only other club I know in the area with a roll up with the same frequency doesn't tee off until 10am,

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think the future looks rosy. I agree with Imurg although a little short term pain for a while as all the changes get implemented should pay dividend longer term. Of course, they may then get ideas and increase subs annually to boost profits, encourage visitors and maybe begin to price members out. For now I'd be tempted to stay and see

 

[Oddsocks]

I'll be there for another year but a possible move after Christmas will mean Ill have to find a new club in the new year....

 

[matt71]

With regards to the o/p his golf club looks bloody amazing ! Ok the subs are about £350 more than mine but the contrast is like chalk and cheese!

Even though ours is cheaper feel like I am being ripped off