What’s your take on this?

[KenL]

You’re still picking sports where female participation is high. It’s not just women who view golf/golf clubs as an elitist sport ‘not for folks like us’.

To flip it around slightly, I can remember a recruitment campaign to get more men to become primary school teachers. Was that wrong or discriminatory? No, it was just trying to get under represented ‘people’ into a role to balance things up and make the world a better place.

Anyway, thankfully we’re all allowed our own views on this and so we’ll have to agree to disagree ??

Yes, more men required in primary schools - a lack of male role models for some pupils. Same salary though, so not a good analogy.

 

[PJ87]

And by the way, I mentioned this policy from York Golf Club to my wife - who normally does the weekly shop, and she said straight off the bat "That's sexual discrimination".

Bet you still leave by this code aswell.

Their lucky to even be on the course.

 

[timd77]

Honestly, I can’t be bothered anymore, don’t want the thread to end up being deleted and so I’ll exit the discussion ??

 

[Deleted member 15344]

It’s a tough one

you could look at it a number of ways

1. if someone is earning more money than me should they get cheaper membership because they are female ?

2. Is it the same as discounts for younger people ? Imo it’s not because they are what’s needed for the future of the sport and peoples clubs

3. Do clubs need to increase a specific sex demographic for the future of the club or are they trying to balance the club ?

I don’t think it’s right that there are different levels of membership fees depending on the gender

maybe it would be better to offer the discounted membership fees if they are given restricted membership

But I can see why clubs are doing it

 

[fenwayrich]

If this policy were challenged, I would be very surprised if it was deemed to be legal. And if I was a loyal lady member of the club, I suspect I would be rather peeved.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I understand where the club are coming from. Surprised in this day and age no-one has tested the validity in a sex discrmination case. It wouldn't affect me as a male member as I'd have to pay the asking price if I want to be a member so what others are paying is irrelevant. My club doesn't differentiate on gender although we do have price breaks based on age

 

[apj0524]

I understand where the club are coming from. Surprised in this day and age no-one has tested the validity in a sex discrmination case. It wouldn't affect me as a male member as I'd have to pay the asking price if I want to be a member so what others are paying is irrelevant. My club doesn't differentiate on gender although we do have price breaks based on age

And this boils my blood, when I questioned this the argument was that the younger guys have young families and less disposable income, so how come many of them are a member of of two or three clubs then because the colt membership allows them to do this

 

[KenL]

My club does a reduced membership up to 23, I'm fine with that.
My last club did reduced membership up to 30. Used to play in medals with a guy who was close to 30 and a lawyer. ?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

And this boils my blood, when I questioned this the argument was that the younger guys have young families and less disposable income, so how come many of them are a member of of two or three clubs then because the colt membership allows them to do this

We've had this conversation on here before and for what its worth I agree with you

 

[clubchamp98]

We have had no joining fee for women for about 5 years.
This does make me wonder what the split in men/ women should be 70/30 maybe 80/20.
All clubs differ.
But imo if you Want to be a member you should pay the same as all the other members.
Under 21 or still in full education excepted.

 

[Mark1751]

I don’t see a problem with offering a discount to attract new members, especially if underrepresented at the club. I can see why some folk get upset as they think/feel it’s discrimination against others and we’ve been taught that discrimination against some based on gender/race/sexual orientation/religion is wrong. Some folk just like to have an argument about anything these days.

 

[Oddsocks]

What’s your take on this:
View attachment 42370Thats nigh on £1.1k cheaper for your first year if your female.

My take is that golf is a bloody lot cheaper away from London!

On topic I guess the club are proactively trying to increase their denial section which is good, it would only grind me of there was a big waiting list of full members which would generate better income for the club than discounted females.

Declare yourself as non binary

 

[Orikoru]

Declare yourself as non binary

Joking aside, I did think this was another potential spanner in the works of male/female pricing offers these days. Ultimately I'm sure different pricing for different genders will be a thing of the past as it proves too problematic.

Personally I don't care about the offer in the OP though. Obviously just means they want to attract more female members, so be it. I only care if my own membership is affordable, not too fussed about what someone else pays.

 

[Slab]

I understand why a golf club (or any club) would want an inclusive membership. Not least because it’s the right thing to do but why alienate (or continue to alienate) half the potential consumer base

Likely many clubs will face a challenge doing this because for decades they were created by men for men & run by men. I can’t imagine what it’d be like to walk into a club and see it from a women’s perspective. I guess a financial discount is just part of what might be needed, but on its own a 1yr cheaper price may not be sufficient to eat into an imbalance

 

[r0wly86]

sticking my law hat on

That is a clear case of direct discrimination based on age.

There is case law of a couple going swimming, both 62, the woman gets in free because he is an OAP (going back to the 1990s) he was charged because he wasn't despite being the same age. This was held to be discrimination based on gender. This doesn't seem to different.

They may be able to argue that it is a genuine attempt to achieve a legitimate business aim, however I think this only applies to age for Direct Discrimination but could be wrong.

If male members decided to bring a claim for discrimination I think they would probably succeed.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

I honestly believe you should just pay an adult rate whatever that may be once you are over 18.
Its more about affordability.
As a probably bad example, how is it right that if a woman chief executive earns 100k a year pays less than say a train driver on 50k a year.

That's life. There's no suggestion that the fees are means tested, it's simply about the club trying to attract an under-represented group of people to the club.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

It’s a tough one

you could look at it a number of ways

1. if someone is earning more money than me should they get cheaper membership because they are female ?

2. Is it the same as discounts for younger people ? Imo it’s not because they are what’s needed for the future of the sport and peoples clubs

3. Do clubs need to increase a specific sex demographic for the future of the club or are they trying to balance the club ?

I don’t think it’s right that there are different levels of membership fees depending on the gender

maybe it would be better to offer the discounted membership fees if they are given restricted membership

But I can see why clubs are doing it

1. Irrelevant as the reduced fees are nothing to do with the gender pay gap
2. Presumably this club thinks that getting more women into the club has a benefit to the club as a whole. Purely speculation, but maybe they want golf to be a family pursuit and see that as growing the game? Maybe they just want to grow their ladies section?
3. Hard to say, isn't it? I guess we'd have to ask the club.

On your final point, at many clubs the unfortunate reality is still that as a woman, you do have restricted membership with prime tee slots on weekend mornings taken up by mens comps, or otherwise women not feeling welcome at that time at the weekend. Again though, that's not relevant to reduction in fees.

My view is how can trying to get more women to be members of a golf club and grow the game be a bad thing? Yes, I take the point that just reducing the fees for 1 year doesn't deal with the primary issues, but at least it suggests to potential joiners that it values having women members.

 

[r0wly86]

1. Irrelevant as the reduced fees are nothing to do with the gender pay gap
2. Presumably this club thinks that getting more women into the club has a benefit to the club as a whole. Purely speculation, but maybe they want golf to be a family pursuit and see that as growing the game? Maybe they just want to grow their ladies section?
3. Hard to say, isn't it? I guess we'd have to ask the club.

On your final point, at many clubs the unfortunate reality is still that as a woman, you do have restricted membership with prime tee slots on weekend mornings taken up by mens comps, or otherwise women not feeling welcome at that time at the weekend. Again though, that's not relevant to reduction in fees.

My view is how can trying to get more women to be members of a golf club and grow the game be a bad thing? Yes, I take the point that just reducing the fees for 1 year doesn't deal with the primary issues, but at least it suggests to potential joiners that it values having women members.

It is obviously a noble goal, however you simply cannot use discrimination to achieve your goals. It is a minefield to even have separate categories based on gender, for non-binary, transgender etc golf clubs could be looking at massive amount of discrimination claims.

 

[Canary_Yellow]

It is obviously a noble goal, however you simply cannot use discrimination to achieve your goals. It is a minefield to even have separate categories based on gender, for non-binary, transgender etc golf clubs could be looking at massive amount of discrimination claims.

Yes, fair enough. I think most clubs have got rid of different fees, at least the ones I know of round my area.

 

[Wabinez]

Is this going?

whilst at it, why should I pay the same amount for my membership as I can only play 1 day at a weekend, whereas the retired get to play 7 days a week without issues.

I should also be offered a cheap rate.