What is a fair suspension ?

[Mandofred]

They let you play ?‍?

Yeah....as long as I have the correct socks on......and don't turn my hat backwards.....and have a shirt with a collar......... I'm a firm believer in the club having a standard that must be followed by the members......but I won't ever believe that I am not allowed an explanation of why I have been suspended. I won't ever believe that if the club states that I can't view the legal document that states they can charge fees through the lockdown, that I can't challenge that. It's not right. Right....as in doing something that is the correct thing. Just doing something...because you can get away with it.....Trump comes to mind......

 

[hovis]

Where are you based?
I completely disagree.

I'm a nomad at the moment. No one will tolerate me.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Can only see the OP's situation getting messy. Was the email sent private and confidential or marked not for pubic display? If not then I think the club could be on thin ice but as I say not paying (or threatening not to) will give them some leverage

 

[MrC]

Context is everything without the full story it is impossible to give a judgement

In isolation it is very harsh

However the fact that it is now at legal action stage says that the relationships has broken down completely. Also if the club took this action regular then the membership wouldn’t last. All of this says to me that this is not an isolated incident......

 

[Mandofred]

Probably everyone agrees, especially about the hat ? ?...
Bear in mind we only have a brief explanation of the situation at the moment.

Yep, understood. My hackles come up IFFFFF the situation is as the OP has stated. We are not likely to hear from the committee of that golf club however.......so.....back to the soap opera

 

[slowhand]

Golf must be your only hobby. Golf definitely isn't a tolerant society

I was referring to Freemasonry

 

[harpo_72]

I thought as a members club the committee pretty much can do as it pleases provided it was past by the member votes .. so if you don’t show up be prepared for the muppets to start to run the show ..

 

[Ethan]

Indeed, we're only speculating on what was said.

I've just asked my tame lawyer about this and she's not 100% sure there aren't any specific members club rules but in general privilege would apply unless the officers had already shared the advice more widely than those who need it for their job. (Also caveated that rules might vary slightly in England)

Even if privilege applied, the club is perfectly free to waive it and disclose it to members individually or en masse. It is odd that they sought legal opinion on it, though, suggesting they anticipated pushback that they intended to resist.

 

[Blue in Munich]

Do we know if the advice was independent, or provided by a club member who is a solicitor? If the latter, it might explain some reluctance to release the letter.

 

[clubchamp98]

Do we know if the advice was independent, or provided by a club member who is a solicitor? If the latter, it might explain some reluctance to release the letter.

Could be they have asked a member who is a solicitor to make sure they get the answer they wanted.
If he’s a solicitor and giving LEGAL ADVICE I can’t see what difference it makes if he’s a member or not.
If it’s in writing and they use it as justification to answer a question from a member then they should at least back up their answer if the member asks them to.!

 

[Bermuda]

I think that you need to recognise that being a member is probably over for you now, would you even want to re join when the suspension is over, if you are going elsewhere then you should go out with a bang and spend the next few days at the club house!

 

[Neil Grice]

But the op said he called the president a lair and used colorful language so why would you assume it was civil?

I did try to keep it civil but it was escalated on both sides. I apologised for what i said in a private email. There was disrespect on both sides.

 

[Neil Grice]

Could be they have asked a member who is a solicitor to make sure they get the answer they wanted.
If he’s a solicitor and giving LEGAL ADVICE I can’t see what difference it makes if he’s a member or not.
If it’s in writing and they use it as justification to answer a question from a member then they should at least back up their answer if the member asks them to.!

I dont want to stray to much into the other legal issues as the query was really to get a idea of a fair suspension. I suspect it was in a letter/circular that was issued by the NGCAA which is the basis of their legal advice .

 

[Neil Grice]

Context is everything without the full story it is impossible to give a judgement

In isolation it is very harsh

However the fact that it is now at legal action stage says that the relationships has broken down completely. Also if the club took this action regular then the membership wouldn’t last. All of this says to me that this is not an isolated incident......

i am definitely a first time offender. After 4 years at the club

 

[PhilTheFragger]

My view is that if you want to continue to be a member in the future, then accept the suspension, rightly or wrongly, do your time and return.

Any action you take is only going to make the situation worse and will guarantee that you are not welcome in the future.

However if you feel that you have already burned your boats and there is no way back, then crack on.

It wasn’t the clubs fault that they had to close, they were closed for about 2 months
So we are talking about a sum of between £150-£200 (assuming average subs paid monthly)

You may find that the club rewarded those who stood by the club, with various sweeteners , like no subs rise next year etc.

 

[Neil Grice]

Thank you all of this it was enlightening. I really only wanted to get a view on suspensions but it was very powerful to hear in the main that my issues with the club , that of transparency, old boys club running things and a ganging up on any member that seeks merely to receive clarification for a major decision in recognised. "It isn't just me" is a great box to tick. Perhaps once the case has been settled or the court ( it will be magistrates or county court not small claims ) I can update. Thanks for taking an interest and giving me a gambit of views I appreciate then all even the ones that think I am wrong.

 

[Rlburnside]

My view is that if you want to continue to be a member in the future, then accept the suspension, rightly or wrongly, do your time and return.

Any action you take is only going to make the situation worse and will guarantee that you are not welcome in the future.

However if you feel that you have already burned your boats and there is no way back, then crack on.

It wasn’t the clubs fault that they had to close, they were closed for about 2 months
So we are talking about a sum of between £150-£200 (assuming average subs paid monthly)

You may find that the club rewarded those who stood by the club, with various sweeteners , like no subs rise next year etc.

No that’s not right it’s like accepting a guilty plea in court when you are not guilty just to get a lesser sentence. ?

 

[Ross61]

I dont want to stray to much into the other legal issues as the query was really to get a idea of a fair suspension. I suspect it was in a letter/circular that was issued by the NGCAA which is the basis of their legal advice .

From what you have said it sounds very harsh, but obviously we only have your version. As for still paying for your membership during suspension, on the face of it it appears wrong, but the subscription is usually paid up front for the whole year and paying by DD is usually a loan from a financial institution and the club already have the full payment so you are paying for the loan and basically they have not much to do with your “debt”.
Having read the name of the club before it was removed I know that it is at the top tier of clubs in the area with not too much else available, so I understand why you would wish to return to playing there. Unfortunately for you there is now bad blood between yourself and the management, I personally would feel uncomfortable about ever returning, but if you are of sterner stuff than me I would be trying to building bridges rather than burning them.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

I know it’s not right, but it’s practical

Ok he wins his case, opens the floodgates for other people to demand refunds from cash strapped clubs, some of which are already in financial trouble,

He loses and ends up with a chunky legal bill

Either way, he’s not going to be welcome back at that club

So I return to my first point , does he still want to be a member there? ....

 

[Ethan]

I know it’s not right, but it’s practical

Ok he wins his case, opens the floodgates for other people to demand refunds from cash strapped clubs, some of which are already in financial trouble,

He loses and ends up with a chunky legal bill

Either way, he’s not going to be welcome back at that club

So I return to my first point , does he still want to be a member there? ....

That is the pragmatic choice. Sounds to me like it has gone beyond reconciliation, and if so, fill yer boots, mate. But if he wants to stay, instructing his lawyer is not the way forward. If the Club is prepared to take a step back too, that would help.