What's the cost....

[Fish]

Were all selfishly moaning about the wet weather because we can't get out on our golf courses, especially over the Christmas & New Year holiday period and what will now be for most of us the last weekend before returning to work, but, what has been the financial cost and loss to golf clubs in lost revenue due to all these wet conditions?

I follow many clubs and their greenkeepers on Twitter throughout a large area of the Midlands & Central England due to my SkyCaddie duties and I can't remember such a period of time of mass closures which must be having a huge effect on lost income.

Do you still pop down the club for a drink or snack when the course is closed, maybe watch the TV for a while, have a game of snooker, or is it a case of if it's closed you don't go anywhere near it?

Should we try to support our clubs more at these times?

Should the clubs try to get the members to the club by reacting to these conditions and think outside the box by creating daytime specials in the bar & restaurant and some fun indoor bar game competitions?

What would get you down the club still if the course is closed?

 

[bozza]

I've been down twice in the last 6 weeks due to the weekend winter league being called off because of bad weather. Our place must be loosing a lot of money as the winter league is a shotgun start on the Sunday and then you have around 80 golfers in the bar after for the results getting a drink or 2 in and food.

We have a flightscope they use for club fitting/lessons so it would be good if they could use that when the comp is called off to do a nearest the pin challenge. It wouldn't cost them anything and they could charge a couple of £ for 5 balls or something. It would tempt me down to the club when the course is shut.

 

[chellie]

Me and HID were talking about this. Deals on food would probably have seen us going there instead of elsewhere to eat.

 

[ChrisB0210]

I generally only go when I play unless there's a social event that's worth attending.

I'd happily go down today for a couple of hours if there was something like an indoor putting challenge or some kind of game or competitive element to it.

However, I'm not going to go to the club just for the sake of it which is what I'd be doing if I went there today.

 

[Imurg]

There's next to no social side at my place, certainly nothing that would entice you to go there over a local pub.
I believe we are open but it'll be soggy as hell and not much fun in the wind and rain forecast..
Doubt much will be going on ..

 

[Rooter]

Our place has a winter league on gc2, not much else.

 

[Oddsocks]

We have an indoor simulator which can be used for fittings, virtual rounds on famous courses and nearest the pin challenges.

Unfortunately no one as the club thinks about doing anything pro active like this during bad spells. our club holds lots of functions such as business lunches, wedding receptions etc so I think this props the club up in difficult times

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Rarely go if I can't play or use the practice ground. The kitchen isn't open that late and food is over priced (in my opinion, although others have voiced the same view) for standard golf club grub, with nothing special to choose from. It's very quiet when the course is shut and to be honest I'd prefer my local where the food is better and there's more atmosphere. Of course the club will be losing money, but with conditions as they are (and set to remain so) and the way the kitchen is open and priced it's not doing enough to entice members

 

[Hobbit]

Just about to jump in a taxi to go down for a few games of snooker and glasses of fizzy water

 

[chrisd]

I'm really really brassed off, it looks likely we'll be closed tomorrow- first time this winter!

 

[gregers]

medal tomorrow,but apart from the range there is nothing else to entice me down to it if im not playing,i hardly ever use the range anyway.i practice on the course when its quite and throw a few balls up.