Weekend membership.

[Parky24]

Bramley Golf club in Guildford offer exactly that a week and only membership. This includes bank holidays and after 5pm in summer during the week.

Sounds good but it's only £300 cheaper than full 7 day membership

 

[TreeSeeker]

As leftie says above, some clubs are run by professionals for free, and man do I appreciate it, they do a fantastic job.

Massively disagree with people who are saying offering a weekend membership would be unaffordable for clubs, the problem would be that it would be only marginally cheaper than a 7 day membership. I would however say a weekend membership, to me, sounds far more reasonable an offer than intermediate memberships.

For example I pay half price with full comp / playing rights, just because of my age since the club offer intermediate membership. Believe me I make the most of the course at all times. How is this more justified a discount, than a 2 day membership?

 

[Beezerk]

So are you saying that teachers, for instance, should expect to get reduced rates for having to take their holidays in the school holiday periods because the nature of their job means they can't take holiday in term times when rates are significantly cheaper? My son in law would love that one

🤔 confused.com I thought I was discussing golf clubs.

 

[Trapdraw]

As leftie says above, some clubs are run by professionals for free, and man do I appreciate it, they do a fantastic job.

Massively disagree with people who are saying offering a weekend membership would be unaffordable for clubs, the problem would be that it would be only marginally cheaper than a 7 day membership. I would however say a weekend membership, to me, sounds far more reasonable an offer than intermediate memberships.

For example I pay half price with full comp / playing rights, just because of my age since the club offer intermediate membership. Believe me I make the most of the course at all times. How is this more justified a discount, than a 2 day membership?

It’s not a more justifiable discount, if 2 day weekend memberships were available a lot of members would take them up no doubt about it. But clubs would struggle to make up the shortfall in income, it would force many to close. It seems it’s more a way society is at the minute, people want everything tailored to suit themselves. Cheap weekend memberships to allow them to keep a handicap, play comps and play other courses.

If you want to play in comps but still play almost as a nomad, it’s going to be expensive. If you can’t afford to do that, tough.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

It’s not a more justifiable discount, if 2 day weekend memberships were available a lot of members would take them up no doubt about it. But clubs would struggle to make up the shortfall in income, it would force many to close. It seems it’s more a way society is at the minute, people want everything tailored to suit themselves. Cheap weekend memberships to allow them to keep a handicap, play comps and play other courses.

If you want to play in comps but still play almost as a nomad, it’s going to be expensive. If you can’t afford to do that, tough.

Why does there have to be a shortfall? You simply put it at a price that is more than or even very close to the 7 day price, if idiots want to pay it, let them.

 

[patricks148]

It’s not a more justifiable discount, if 2 day weekend memberships were available a lot of members would take them up no doubt about it. But clubs would struggle to make up the shortfall in income, it would force many to close. It seems it’s more a way society is at the minute, people want everything tailored to suit themselves. Cheap weekend memberships to allow them to keep a handicap, play comps and play other courses.

If you want to play in comps but still play almost as a nomad, it’s going to be expensive. If you can’t afford to do that, tough.

i would tend to agree, people expect something for nothing and want everything there own way.

the crux is most people want to play at the weekend and most members of would play most of their golf at the weekends, hence its peaktime, weekdays quieter so reduced rates for midweek play seems logical. cheap rates for weekend play is ridiculous TBH, unless all your membership was weekday play and no one played at the weekend. i can't see many members clubs having that dilemma

 

[Orikoru]

Not really, I disagree with the " pay for weekend and weekdays are free" which is being bandied about. I'm a 7 day member not a 2 day and the others are free member. In most other situations, were I to reduce the times I can play I'd expect a reduced rate to match, say the rate of a 5 day membership.
Either way, I still think golf clubs are missing a trick here by not pushing the boundaries and introducing new schemes which benefits not jut the member, but the club as well.
Like I've always said though, golf clubs are like a business which is run by rank amateurs.

I would love a weekend membership as much as anyone, but for any club offering that, I don't think the number of new members they gained would outweight the number of 7-day members who would then switch to the weekend membership to save a few quid, so ultimately they would always make a loss. Unless the price difference between 7-day and weekend was very small.

 

[User 99]

Are there any clubs that offer a 6 day membership that excludes a Sunday? During the season I never play on a Sunday but have done a coke of times since the season ended but seems it's a 6 day but with Saturday excluded.

 

[patricks148]

Are there any clubs that offer a 6 day membership that excludes a Sunday? During the season I never play on a Sunday but have done a coke of times since the season ended but seems it's a 6 day but with Saturday excluded.

Redbourn down south used to offer 5 1/2 day membership and you could either opt for a Sunday or Sat afternoon. Not something you are likely to see in Scotland unless its in a city. Only one club up here even offers 5 day membership (Torvean) and thats a new thing. all the others are 7 day end of

 

[Beezerk]

Are there any clubs that offer a 6 day membership that excludes a Sunday? During the season I never play on a Sunday but have done a coke of times since the season ended but seems it's a 6 day but with Saturday excluded.

Is that called the religious noobhead membership?

 

[User 99]

Only one club up here even offers 5 day membership (Torvean) and thats a new thing. all the others are 7 day end of

Really ? I thought it was very common place nowadays to offer 5 days, certainly a few round here do, Alyth for example have done so for at least 20+ years.

 

[patricks148]

Really ? I thought it was very common place nowadays to offer 5 days, certainly a few round here do, Alyth for example have done so for at least 20+ years.

i suppose in the scheme of things membership up here is fairly cheap.

only cats we have
Full
Senior (20 years at the club) this has been cancelled now unless you were over 60 at last AGM
Country 50 miles plus
Overseas
Under 35
Junior

Royal Dornoch i believe only has full or junior, end of, plus you have to be a Struie member for a min 2 years unless you live in Dornoch full time

 

[Grant85]

I would love a weekend membership as much as anyone, but for any club offering that, I don't think the number of new members they gained would outweight the number of 7-day members who would then switch to the weekend membership to save a few quid, so ultimately they would always make a loss. Unless the price difference between 7-day and weekend was very small.

This is basically the issue. Clearly marketing a price point and encouraging new people to the game, is not exactly a great forte of most golf clubs. Ideally, with a price reduction, you would have to see an increase in participation to justify it.

Lets say for arguments sake, a club had 600 members paying £1,000. £600k in subs.
In reality this scenario is a fairly healthy golf club, who probably have a tee each weekend that is already over subscribed. However, the number of members they are starting with is not really the point.

They then offer 5 day memberships for £600 (Mon - Fri) and 2 day memberships for £850 (Sat - Sun)

100 existing members take up the 5 day membership (£40,000 drop in subs) - would need 67 new 5 day members to make up this shortfall.
100 existing members take up the 2 day membership. £15,000 drop in subs) - would need 18 new 2 day members to make up this shortfall.

These 'new members' are only the break even point. But realistically, what confidence would a club have of being able to bring in close to 100 new golfers to justify the risk and upheaval to their membership structure, even with a fairly decent marketing campaign?

One solution would be to say, we will have these reduced memberships, but they can only be, say 10% of the total membership.
In reality, you could very quickly fall below this level and never get back to where the 1st 'tranche' of restricted members are at the 10% level.

 

[TreeSeeker]

Just to add some fun to Grant's post. Alternately you could increase 7 day membership to £1137 to correct for the previously subsidised value of £1000. Then no new members required, with people paying for what they use.

 

[Ross61]

Redbourn down south used to offer 5 1/2 day membership and you could either opt for a Sunday or Sat afternoon.

Yep, My Dad was one of those members from the day it opened.

 

[patricks148]

Yep, My Dad was one of those members from the day it opened.

Back then that was probably the only option for reg weekend play around there. all the other clubs esp Harpenden were dead mens shoes, or Que up at 6am to play Batchwood or Stockwood park

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Is that called the religious noobhead membership?

A religious what sort of membership?

No idea what a noobhead is...

 

[jim8flog]

To me it is also why clubs don't offer summer only membership, they simply could not afford to or there would be so little difference it would not be worth it

 

[patricks148]

To me it is also why clubs don't offer summer only membership, they simply could not afford to or there would be so little difference it would not be worth it

Ive just had a great idea, just up the street for people that want cheaper peak day memberships.


what about..... Sunny Summer Saturday membership, the club pays for you to play in the summer on a Saturday

 

[Parsaregood]

Soo many people want cheaper this cheaper that, if you want cheap golf join a cheap golf club or your local council run course. If you can't afford to or don't want to pay the fees don't, at the end of the day clubs would only reduce fees if they were losing money and in desperate need of members, summer only deals ? The clubs would be aswell shutting down for 6 months, weekend memberships? Surely the full 7 day members would have tee time priorities over these guys. Either pay the money or don't, if you can't afford it join a cheaper alternative.