What level of fees increase would make you look to move clubs

[mhwgc]

Clearly there's some really cheap memberships available but looks like its mainly due to location. My subs are £2150 but being in the Thames Valley that's what you're going to have to pay.
I certainly wouldn't think of moving for an increase of £50. Costs to the clubs continue to rise, just look at the price of petrol so they will need to pass that on to the members. I think most clubs would think carefully about much of an increase but if it's due to investment in the course or club house then it could be justified. For me it's more about other factors like condition of the course, facilities and clubhouse etc so if the costs increased considerably, say a 10% or £200 increase and the quality dropped I'd consider moving.

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Another thing to consider is if you are thinking about moving because of a £50 increase, are the other local clubs increasing their subs too?

 

[need_my_wedge]

I have been thinking about leaving for a bit now. I pay two full memberships and a junior membership, so with increases in all three likely (have had every year for the last 10), the additional fees will be threefold for me. our club doesn't do anything for familiy membership, which is a shame. I've had a look around to move, but there is only one club in the vicinity that I would consider, and that is more than double the price, and has a ridiculous joining fee that puts it out of the running instantly.

I went to another local club the other week that offers family membership (saving me almost £1000), but it just was not in the same condition, and doesn't stand up to what we've got. I play a lot of golf (well, I hack around a lot these days), two days at the weekends, and two additional evenings when they are light enough, so even with the increases expected, it is still value for money on our part. So unless they hike it more than £50 a person, I'll probably stay as is.

 

[Beezerk]

T£40 Or £50 a year is not significant, how many years has it been since the last increase, perhaps they tried to keep costs down for as long as possible?

But when it goes up £30-£40 year on year, your one pound a week increase at the start has gone to five pounds a week.
I think subs at my place were £600 when I first joined 4 or 5 years ago, this years it's just over £700 IIRC.

 

[richart]

If these clubs were in Surrey the fees would be higher. They are all on a par with the likes of the 3 W's which are probably £2k or more a year. But if they were in Scotland I reckon they would be £1k a year.
It costs 'x' amount per year to run a golf club, that amount varies depending on the standard so I stick by my comment that you get what you pay for. If a club is very good and has a high level of visitor income then the member subs will be lower but the overall budget will still be the same irrespective of the split between members and visitors.

Hankley’s annual membership fees are £1860, and I believe West Hill’s are just over £2000. Joining fees are the problem though. Hankley’s are 3 X annual fees, so over £5,500. West Hill’s are 2 X, so over £4000.

 

[NorwichBanana]

In April I'll be jumping from £450 to £880 I believe.
This is based on a new course (same club) and also moving up an age bracket.

 

[Parsaregood]

But when it goes up £30-£40 year on year, your one pound a week increase at the start has gone to five pounds a week.
I think subs at my place were £600 when I first joined 4 or 5 years ago, this years it's just over £700 IIRC.

Subs of 700 is cheap for golf, in the West of Scotland they range from 940ish to 1500ish (some more) unless you want to play public tracks in naff condition

 

[Beezerk]

Subs of 700 is cheap for golf, in the West of Scotland they range from 940ish to 1500ish (some more) unless you want to play public tracks in naff condition

I don't live in the West of Scotland though

 

[Parsaregood]

I don't live in the West of Scotland though

I don't see how you can moan about 700 a year subs personally, struggle to see how clubs charging that provide good quality without huge member numbers which brings other issues in

 

[jamielaing]

It comes down to what else is on offer. My place is £1k a year. I wouldn't move at the minute because the course is one of the best in Edinburgh (IMO). I cross the city to play there and am more than happy. To get a similar standard of course I would be paying a joining fee or increasing my subs so to consider moving I'm talking 20% + increase.

If however I was to move house and be near the bypass there's quite a few significantly less in price and the savings would be tempting.

 

[patricks148]

Subs of 700 is cheap for golf, in the West of Scotland they range from 940ish to 1500ish (some more) unless you want to play public tracks in naff condition

that can't be right!!!

Gairloch is £275, Ullapool £230 and Machrihanish is £369 they all look cheap to me

 

[Beezerk]

I don't see how you can moan about 700 a year subs personally, struggle to see how clubs charging that provide good quality without huge member numbers which brings other issues in

I'm not moaning, I'm just saying our fees went up about £100 over 4 or 5 years. Good luck to those who are prepared to pay £1,00 plus, I'm sure if I lived in those areas I'd have no choice but to stump up as well.

 

[Parsaregood]

I'm not moaning, I'm just saying our fees went up about £100 over 4 or 5 years. Good luck to those who are prepared to pay £1,00 plus, I'm sure if I lived in those areas I'd have no choice but to stump up as well.

Is your club a private members club ? Has there been investment in club facilities ? New machinery for greenstaff ? Is the club run to make a profit ?

 

[Beezerk]

Is your club a private members club ? Has there been investment in club facilities ? New machinery for greenstaff ? Is the club run to make a profit ?

No idea mate, I turn up, play golf, have a pint and go home. Oh they painted the walls in the bar earlier in the year, or at least a member did it at mates rates lol.

 

[HankMarvin]

First club is currently just under £3000.00 but wouldn’t consider leaving until it reached £4000.00 but even then would probably remain.

Club 2 is just under £1000.00, it’s local and where I play most of my golf but if it hit £1500.00 then I would consider joining another local club

Club 3 is £450.00 a Links course in the East (Fife) don’t think I would ever leave as the rate is super cheap and it’s a great course

Club 4 again is cheap and a Links course in Angus which I have just recently joined so will give it a few year to see how it goes but thi would probably be the only one I would probably leave if there was a large increase in fees

 

[Parsaregood]

No idea mate, I turn up, play golf, have a pint and go home. Oh they painted the walls in the bar earlier in the year, or at least a member did it at mates rates lol.

Well if you don't know, you should at least find out before you assum your yearly increase is a waste of money

 

[Beezerk]

Well if you don't know, you should at least find out before you assum your yearly increase is a waste of money

Who said it was a waste of money? You're very good at spinning peoples comments into a negative I've noticed.

 

[Mr Hip]

I'm paying just under £600 and I have been told that next year will cost an extra £10 but that's not been confirmed. The North East is awash with clubs offering all sorts of deals to attract new members. For me, it's the quality of the course first, how the club is managed second, cost then convenience. Bedlingtonshire could go up a couple of hundred, it's still less than my previous club, it's a real test and, so far anyway, seems to be competently managed.

 

[PaulyMcK]

Currently pay £462 per year, with this rising each year until I turn 30 when it will be roughly around £737 plus extras for Lockers etc. I would probably stay at the club until it reached around the £1000 mark. Already think our fees are two low compared to the courses around our area.

 

[Parsaregood]

Who said it was a waste of money? You're very good at spinning peoples comments into a negative I've noticed.

You were originally talking about the weekly cost of the increase year on year so it didn't sound like you thought it was a justified increase, when you admit you have no idea about what the money was used for you get angry, if your bothered about the increase at least find out why there was an increase