Subscriptions/current course closures - what is your club doing?

MikeH

MikeH

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evening all

Hope you're all well and staying safe/sane in these crazy times

know there's been a lot of threads/posts around this topic but looking to get a snapshot as of now - April 2 - as many subs will have been due for renewal yesterday

Looking to find out examples of anything that was/is being offered to members to either...

Encourage them to pay their subs by April 1/ASAP
Recognise that those who did pay on Jan 1 can't play at the moment

could be
Deferring renewal until courses are back open
bar card bonuses
extra months being added on to 2021 memberships
anything else innovative
any special options for those who have been impacted financially in a big way by the crisis

or is the situation not even being acknowledged?

If you do post a response be useful to know a)when your renewal was/is and b) name of your club or just area it is if you don't want to post the club name

thanks in advance

Mike
 
Hi Mike,
Literally just posted about this seconds ago!! Here’s a copy of my experience - wrong on so many levels. Hope you get the outcome you’re looking for. I understand club’s precarious position, but us members are at an even greater risk!! Apologies, it’s a bit long winded. All the best:
Hi,
I’m a member of a golf club who, like all others, have closed down due to the Coronavirus.
Yesterday they announced an offer for members to cancel, effective immediately. However, they only applied this to members who pay by direct debit. I paid in advance and they are refusing to refund. Essentially, keeping my money with no recourse. I’m aware that under Consumer law an organisation can’t make you pay for something that you can’t use, however they are refusing to refund or offer anything in the form of credit/extended membership as other clubs have in the area. They are essentially refunding monthly payers as they won’t have to fork out for the next 5 months (when membership ends), whereas us annual payers just have to wave goodbye to the money..., so they say. I’m furious about this but have sent amicable emails which have been met with a sneering response. Can anyone confirm my belief that this is a breach/material change of a contract. That withholding money for a service I cannot use is unlawful and advise what my best course of action is. I’ve tried to open a dialogue and even offered counter measures, but no response. They also won’t give me access to cancellation or grievance policies. And!! If you’re feeling bad for the club in anyway, they sent the email out offering monthly members the chance to cancel immediately a matter of hours after they took everyone’s subs for April. Whilst this doesn’t affect me, it’s a good insight into the arrogance and lack of regard I’m up against.

Any help is much appreciated... and there is more to the story ?
 
We've been encouraging members to renew subs and have waived those who pay monthly the £40 admin fee and also let it be know if you cant keep the payments you can stop at anytime and rejoin as soon as you can afford it/we're open again.
We will offer up to all members who have renewed some sort of bonus but we are still working out what that will be .
We sent out another newsletter today quoting from Golf Monthly ;)
 
My last course are stopping taking the monthly payments (a lot pay that way) for 3 months and are adding i think 6 months onto the term of anyone who has paid for the year in full. They have asked anyone who can, to pay half monthly fees for the next 3 months and they will gain 3 full months credit for this down the line. theyll review all in time for when 3 months is up
 
My new club (Ellesborough) allowed me ( and Fragger and CVG) to pay subs from 1st March and effectively allow us a free months golf. Subs due 1st April.
So we paid up before all this began
We've had a couple of emails from the Finance Board Member asking for subs to be paid asap
They are looking at ways to reduce costs and, once they've had as many subs in as they think they're going to get, are looking at what they can do for the members.
I'm expecting some information next week with an outline of what, if anything, they can do.
Communication is very good at Ellesborough and I dont expect we'll be kept in the dark about anything.

My previous club has already come out with a raft of measures designed to persuade people to pay by 1/4
Memberships will be extended by the amount of time the course is shut
Added to that, fees have been frozen for 2 years and, when play resumes, £30 will be credited to bar cards of full members and £20 to 5 day members and again at the start of next season.
This is going to cost the club in excess of £60k this year ..or about 60 full member's worth of finance.
 
We've furloughed 5 staff but with a skeleton staff left and all our standing orders, invoices from materials already bought etc which need paying we are looking at overheads of in excess of £20K per month whilst closed :(
 
I pay by monthly direct debit and I’m continuing to do so, I’m a member of one of the Crown clubs.
We have been told that our expiry / renewal date will just get pushed forward by however many months the lockdown continues for. It’s a bit of a loss if you just intend to stay there...
 
I am new to golf and joined a club for the first time in January and paid up for 6 months (£580).
their first step was to add a levy of £35 due in April for Direct Debits and £35 added on for new memberships on 1st August. They also asked for people to pay their yearly subs early, if possible, subs are due 1st August for the next 12 months.

I then received an email to say they had applied for a business loan and if that is successful those who have paid direct debit will not have to pay in May and June. I emailed them on Tuesday asking them what they intend to do for those people who have paid up front until 1st August, so far I have heard nothing back.
My thoughts are that if I lose a further 2 months then I should get either a refund or those months taken off next years subs.

Reading the article on Denmark opening courses it sounds positive but having seen the idiots at my club just before it closed it would be a bad idea in the present climate.

I think golf will do much better than football and rugby which may not get back to normal until they find a vaccine.
 
Yeovil

All members that paid by due date of 31st March will get a credit against next years fees for any weeks the course is closed.

Any member on the at risk list will get a credit for any weeks the club is open during their period of isolation.

There also appears to be some sort of special event being planned for later in the year for all those that paid by the due date.
 
I had already paid mine, so don’t know what is available to those that haven’t yet.

Due by 31.3.20 - Kedleston Park GC on Derby
 
East Midlands - members club
Subs due 1st April, pay by 30th April to remain a member.
Usual terms, but concession to pay half by 30th April and half by 31st August if that makes finances easier to manage.
Direct debit system unchanged.
Compensation for the period of closure will be returned in the form of credit to green card, but limited to a maximum of two months.
 
I paid my April 1st subscription in February to take advantage of a few free playing vouchers for guests, and just hope that the club survives, and any imbalance between those who've paid and still not paid is corrected when things eventually return to normal
 
Paid my fee's in Jan in full for me & the Mrs
Had an email from the club yesterday saying bare minimum of staff kept on.
Club losing £10,000 per month
No mention of any scheme to suspend DD's or extend memberships.
However, they did ask if members would top up bar cards / give loans & contribute extra money.

I barely played all winter due to the weather & now this.
I'm seriously thinking of going nomadic next year.
 
My fee's aren't due until the end of June, nest year starts 1st July. They don't need to do anything in reality for me, it's not exactly the clubs fault I can't play or am furloughed stuck at home.
I have no idea what they will be, but if I can afford them I will continue :)
 
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