When looking to join a club......

[Fish]

What are your MAIN criteria?

What is the most important factor that will make you move from your existing club or joining your first club or new club when moving to a new area?

I am in a meeting later today so please respond ASAP.

Topics I am covering are:

Joining fees, are they all that important to do away with when they can be spread over 10 years which they then become pretty insignificant?

(I am concerned were selling price, which anyone can do rather than selling the quality of the course and it's brand)

Would receiving a brochure from the club when considering joining give the right impression of it's presentation and image?

If joining over the winter or quieter months, would a reduced membership be attractive such as 9 months for the price 7 or 8 for 6 etc be attractive?

If you had a digital newsletter on your website updated weekly/monthly, would you log in and read it and do you currently use your current website much looking for information?

Does your club actively use social media for results, the course, social events, in fact anything?

Are you happy with having visitors on your course at weekends, not large societies, but controlled 4, 8 or 12 maximum and at known quieter times to create essential revenue or should it be weekdays only!

What incentives does your club currently offer you for introducing a new member, if any?

Dos your club have an Open Day geared around inviting potential new members and if so, what does it consist of and how productive do you think it is?

Obviously the course has to be good enough to join, I appreciate some people don't have the income to join the best available in their immediate area, and being the best will always be subjective, BUT, if the subscriptions were all the same for say 5 clubs in your area, what with the above taken into account (and anything else that's important to you) what would sway you between 1 or the other, discounting the joining fee at this time?

Do you have a Men's Open competition

Do you get involved in social events, if not why?

Are your social events geared around the older members that frequent them regularly, do you have gentleman's evenings, comedian (rude) etc.

How much emphasis and considerations are shown towards the juniors?

Thank you, I threw it together rather quickly as I've been away a lot this week and its crept up on me, so if your were unsettled at your current club or have just moved to a new area and are looking to join, or indeed just starting out, what are your key deal breakers to join if all things cost wise were pretty equal, or slightly more expensive but within your means.

 

[patricks148]

for me quality of the course and access to it.

 

[Hobbit]

I've moved clubs loads of times as I've moved around the UK & Ireland. Cost is the overriding factor. There is a number that pretty much everyone won't go past because they just don't have that amount of dosh. Then its value for money. No one joins a club where the course quality is rubbish.

Joining fees; as we know, not every club will have a joining fee. In an area where there are several clubs, and one has a joining fee you can almost guarantee that the one that has the joining fee is a better club. Market forces drive joining fees. Even the best club will drop its joining fee if its not getting applications to join.

Social events; in my experience clubs are putting more varied events on than they used to. Yes the majority are tailored to the older generation but the majority of members are not in their 20's/30's. If the club does put something on for that generation they will see less of a percentage of that age group attending because their need for childcare and they have a different level of disposable income.

Assuming all things are equal, the deciding factor for me is the quality of the greens. Fairways can vary, within reason, as can the bunkers and rough but if the greens a dodgy I'm not interested in joining.

 

[Grieve14]

I am currently debating moving clubs as this winter it has become almost impossible to get on the course (we have 2 x 18 hole courses) before 12 midday even when trying to book in advance the same day tee times become available which is a bit of a joke to be honest. so to answer your questions;

Joining fees: I don't quite get what you mean by spreading it over 10 years - the club I'm looking at joining, the fee and membership cost must be paid in full at the time of joining. I don't think joining fees should be charged though really as I am going to be spending a hell of a lot of money at the club for years to come, but I was told they charge it to try and deter club hopping

Brochure: We are in 2017, not 1990 - I wouldn't want a paper brochure as it is just clutter that will end up in the bin - a downloadable digital copy on the website should be sufficient.

Joining in winter: a reduced membership would be attractive, and I have been offered this at the club I'm thinking of moving to.

Digital newsletter: I would not log in to have to read it. At my current club a weekly newsletter is emailed to members which i think is the best method, but i believe it is also hosted on their website too.

Social media: yes it uses it for social events, hotel offers, visitor golf offers, course closures, etc but does not use it for results

Visitors: I do not mind visitors/societies over the summer, but in winter, with reduced daylight, they should not be allowed - this is why I'm leaving the club as we have big societies being booked at 9am at weekends meaning lots of members are unable to get a game before 12. weekday would be ok over winter I guess.

Joining incentives: the person who recommended a friend receives £50 on their club card for the bar.

What would make me join: the quality of the course and how well it is maintained, the vibe i get from being at the club, how easy it is to get a game at short notice, competition calendar, distance from home.

Open comps: yes we have a couple a year

Social events: No I do not get involved as they are generally geared towards older members - does anyone under 30 really go to a dinner/dance these days?? its the sort of thing my parents did when I was a kid.

Juniors: we have a pretty good junior section at my current club, not sure about the potential new club. Its not something that concerns me really at the minute though as my daughter is only 9 weeks old so far from playing golf. If in the future if she showed an interest in playing it would then become a factor in where I was a member,

 

[Cake]

I am having a round at a potential new club this morning... As a bit of background - I was new to joining a club last year, and ended up choosing my club based on them offering a flexi membership that meant I could ‘try it put’ without paying the full amount of membership and I am very grateful they offered this as it definitely has helped me make the jump (they are the only club in the area that do)


So initially my criteria was ‘accessibility’ through Flexi membership (current club) but I am now thinking that a more orthodox full membership would work, so the priorities have changed to ‘ease of use’ really:

It is a fair amount closer to home (5mins drive vs 20-35mins depending on traffic) so I could get out and play more frequently in the evenings

They have removed their joining fee temporarily, so I see it as low risk (my current club does not have a joining fee, so I could go back if it doesn’t work out)


Not sure that helps you... I am not sure your other points would have made much difference (a brochure wouldn’t for example) to my selection criteria.


Cheers,

Cake

 

[TreeSeeker]

Practice facilities, a few bundled lessons and then range of options. The membership price is of less importance, I.e. I expect to get what I pay for.

The package is the main thing, I'm unlikely to play much other than weekends, but will use practice facilities, most places only include use of them fully on full memberships which means I'm often looking at£500 more to basically just get them included.

I am factoring any joining fee as bring over 2 years for me I'll likely move by then. Bring open to visitors is important to me, provided as a member you can book in advance then Imo should be open to visitors priority. Social events les of a thing for the likely to move reason.

Had a number of discount rounds when looking for a club, and one free round which has helped, struggle to justify paying a £50 green fee to try a club that membership would be like 800.

Hope the meeting goes well.

 

[Marshy77]

Brochure - not interested, I'd have done my research online beforehand so a good website is more important than a brochure.

I'd guess that most of the things you have mentioned will have been looked at by the person looking at joining, like Hobbit said cost is the main factor initially and then go from there. Can you afford to join X Club and then look at the course, the distance to the course from home, the facilities (club shop, pro, changing rooms, clubhouse, practice area etc) and the members.

For me when I joined my old club I got a dirt cheap deal so money wasn't an issue. I'd played the course a few times and found it very tough so thought it would bring my game on but never been a member before would the course hold it's appeal in 6 months time or would I be bored?

And also can I get to play around the times that suit me. No point joining a club and not being able to get a game.

Cost
Course
Distance
Tee times
Facilities
Social Events

 

[Garush34]

Currently in the situation of looking for a new club. The biggest factor for me at the moment is the amount of comps available. My current club only have 15 weekend comps available and 10 Tuesday stablefords. For me I don't think this is enough on offer especially if you can't make a Tuesday. So I have looked around and found other clubs are offering around 30/35 weekend comps plus Wednesday Stablefords. Unfortunately these are only 9 hole courses and I would prefer 18 hole courses, but if the cost is going to be cheaper and more comps are available then it would be worth it.

 

[caboose]

I have a few clubs in the local area and am torn between two if I am honest. One is arguably better YET doesn't comprehend the term 'customer service', the other is associated with a corporate complex and does see more footfall, but is a bit cheaper.

I've joined as a summer member at the latter club two years in a row now primarily because of cost, despite the course not being as good (well maintained, but bunkers aren't the best, tee boxes aren't flat and the greens are always left slightly longer/slower because of the footfall they see). I did this year want to go and try a 3 month taster session at the other club, as it was advertised at £150 (bar-gain!). Two of us walked in cash in hand, yet nobody had said that the price was doubling at the start of their playing year. I fully understand the necessity to keep sustainable income, but not only did this make the pair of us laugh at the time, we made a point of stating we were heading down the road with cash in hand. The management genuinely scoffed at us as we walked out the door. The second club couldn't take our cash there and then, but sent us out free of charge 3 times in the end until they could do so.

In short, I really do think that the club 'brand' and perceived mentality needs to be a part to play here. I've had friends and work-mates move clubs because of poor management and club ethos, regardless of the standard of the club; Despite wanting to join club 'A' as mentioned above, I'll probably not go back until I hear of new management or one of my close friends joins.

FYI, I play off 18 (or try to), Male, aged 30 and grumpy before my time.

 

[Junior]

What are your MAIN criteria?

What is the most important factor that will make you move from your existing club or joining your first club or new club when moving to a new area?

I am in a meeting later today so please respond ASAP.

Topics I am covering are:

Joining fees, are they all that important to do away with when they can be spread over 10 years which they then become pretty insignificant? No, I would pay a joining fee for a quality course and active club.

(I am concerned were selling price, which anyone can do rather than selling the quality of the course and it's brand)

Would receiving a brochure from the club when considering joining give the right impression of it's presentation and image? No, it would seem a marketing ploy and would give the appearance that I was joining a Marriott type course. An open day, with the opportunity to chat with council and other members would give a better impressions. Maybe at the open day a 'membership pack' with details of roll ups, family days, competitions , fee's would be more appealing.

If joining over the winter or quieter months, would a reduced membership be attractive such as 9 months for the price 7 or 8 for 6 etc be attractive? No, but membership should be pro rata. ie. If you join with 6 months of the 'year' left , then you should only pay 6 months fee.

If you had a digital newsletter on your website updated weekly/monthly, would you log in and read it and do you currently use your current website much looking for information? Yes, we have a members area of the website with newsletters from the greens and house committee. Council minutes are also posted. We do have facebook and twitter and these are used for more 'social' type events. I look at them all regularly. At another club where I'm a country member, the pro does a weekly newsletter via youtube !

Does your club actively use social media for results, the course, social events, in fact anything? Social events and things that you you would put in the public domain are on social media. Greens information, council minutes, comp results etc are on the members area of the website.

Are you happy with having visitors on your course at weekends, not large societies, but controlled 4, 8 or 12 maximum and at known quieter times to create essential revenue or should it be weekdays only! I don't mind visitors at weekends, but it has to be controlled and not at the detriment to members. As you say, quieter times (after 4pm) and not in the middle of competitions etc.

What incentives does your club currently offer you for introducing a new member, if any? Our ladies are superb in this area. They hold new member competitions, they 'buddy' up new members so they become integrated etc. The Gents section of the club is not as good. A lot is left down to the individual to join roll ups , put their name down in comps to meet people etc , although they do have new member evenings , but, they are often only attended by new members.

Dos your club have an Open Day geared around inviting potential new members and if so, what does it consist of and how productive do you think it is? yes, we have an open day, and also a family day whereby members are encouraged to bring friends and family down and there is often a fun competition. This year, it was over 9 holes and the 'member' played tee to green and the 'non member' putted out once on the green. We have also had a few sessions of night golf which was very popular. Food has always been put on as part of the events and after the night golf there was a DJ etc and an evening function was put on.

Obviously the course has to be good enough to join, I appreciate some people don't have the income to join the best available in their immediate area, and being the best will always be subjective, BUT, if the subscriptions were all the same for say 5 clubs in your area, what with the above taken into account (and anything else that's important to you) what would sway you between 1 or the other, discounting the joining fee at this time? No, I'd probably join the best club / course for me and stick there. .

Do you have a Men's Open competition - Only 1 gents open per year. We do have a couple of seniors / lady opens. The club is very active during the week with various roll ups and swindles, so its hard to get them on. It's actually something the committee are trying to do to encourage revenue. .

Do you get involved in social events, if not why? Yeah, occasionally, not as many as I could though. Mostly because the crowd is quite a lot older than me.

Are your social events geared around the older members that frequent them regularly, do you have gentleman's evenings, comedian (rude) etc. Geared around older members. they have tried to encourage younger members but sadly the take up was small. mostly because of family time and the fact that younger people had other things to do socially. ie. The golf club just isn't the main area of their social life.

How much emphasis and considerations are shown towards the juniors? Lots. Our junior section has grown substantially over the past 3 years. We offer cheap coaching (from an ex-European tour) pro for them and also have a couple of volunteers who have really worked hard to grow the section. it's surprising how many parents want their kids to get into golf .

Thank you, I threw it together rather quickly as I've been away a lot this week and its crept up on me, so if your were unsettled at your current club or have just moved to a new area and are looking to join, or indeed just starting out, what are your key deal breakers to join if all things cost wise were pretty equal, or slightly more expensive but within your means. Quite simply, The quality of the course and also the friendliness of the members.

 

[Junior]

Robin, my answers are above. I'd be interested in seeing a copy of the report if you are pulling anything together to summarise responses etc

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Joining fees: I basically will not pay them, stopped me joining a club in Essex when I lived here and has stopped me applying for full membership at Beau and Sandiway. I could afford them but just disagree with them

Brochure: No need for one, I would go and play the course. More suitable for the likes of turnberry/woburn that appeal to overseas or distance players

Joining in winter: a reduced membership would be attractive, but not a deal maker/breaker. I would just join in the spring if I was looking and my current membership runs to then

Digital newsletter: Email would be better but on the club website I would view as well, as I am interested in reading about it. Social media our clubs does little, both clubs use email in the main

Visitors: I do not mind visitors/societies but at weekends at peak times I disagree with. This is an issue with Conwy, Comps on a Saturday which mean in winter I can not play there and on Sundays quite a lot of blocks out times(neither I knew about before).

Joining incentives: the person who recommended a friend receives about £100 on their club card for the bar(only starting this year). They run socials to encourage new and old members to play alike, so for instance my mum/Joanne goes to the ladies social on a Monday, Wednesday evening a 9 hole social that Adam goes to and on a sunday they do a weekend social which Adam has been to a couple of times. Think the seniors run one as well.

What would make me join: As a 2nd membership course quality and within 1.5 hours drive. As my main course how close it is to me and then quality of the course/layout has to be varied(dislike courses that all holes are fairly similar, whether that be tree lined, straight, heather, flat etc, so for instance I disliked New Zealand course as felt all holes were to similar apart from 16-18 which were great holes).

Open comps: yes we have a few a year. We entered a couple this year

Social events: No I do not get involved as I would rather not generally but we do attend the evening BBQ/HOg roast on the owners day.

Juniors: At out main club it basically doesn't exist but at Adams main club it has a brilliant junior section(hence why he is a member at oswestry as well), it is very well, run loads of events, comps, lessons, etc new club.

 

[moogie]

Quality of the course
Both design and maintenance

Affordability

Travel....distance from home

That’s my criteria sorted, short and sweet

On the subject of joining fees, in my county there’s probably only (I think) about 4 clubs that still have these, and only 1 really that can justify it.
The Northumberland

When talking to other golfers, joining fees is defenitely a deal breaker for quite a few people.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

My answer pretty much mirrors Moogie's above, in all points. I would only add that the clubhouse atmosphere and friendliness matters to me as well as I left one hotel course and didn't join another local course because the clubhouse lets them down. I don't want something exotic but it must be welcoming and friendly and they both lacked that.

We do not have a culture of joining fees up here so we tend to be against them.

The other points, brochures, social media etc are icing on the top and in terms of social media should be done, but they are something that could tip the balance between two equal clubs and would not change the balance of a 55-45 situation.

 

[jim8flog]

I would answer your questions from the other way round. I am a member of a very successful club with probably the largest membership in our and adjoining county.

We have no joining fees.

We provide a glossy brochure and invite prospective members to try out our club facilities but not the play without paying a fee.

We offer Winter membership which has gained us around 20-30 full members each year.

We have a very active website for members we regular emailed and tweeted newsletters etc.

We do not allow visitors on a Saturday on our 18 hole course (there are insufficient tee times for members in winter) but do on our 9 hole course.

Members get a payment for introducing new members.

No Open day but do run a 'meet and greet' for new members.

Personally Quality of the course and facilities would always outway joining incentives for me

We have Mens, Ladies, Mixed and Junior Opens.


We have an assortment of Social events and as the catering is Franchised they also run various functions aimed at a mix of ages. Some are successful and some not.

Juniors are welcomed with regular Saturday coaching sessions and greatly reduced membership fees sadly it seems that this is the one area where we do not seem to be successful in getting new membership.

 

[fundy]

for me course and facilities are number 1, got to enjoy the course, be able to see my self playing it again and again without getting bored of it and it be in decent condition, for me there needs to be practise facilities too, ideally a grass range and a short game area

once it meets those criteria then length of travel from home, and cost. im not going to pay a joining fee (im too nomadic and dont plan on staying one place for the rest of my life)

then it becomes about course accessibility, is it too busy with visitors/societies, what comps and roll ups are there that will help me integrate etc

2 hugely significant factors in my current club membership were that they offered an initial 3 month trial membership and they allow me to pay membership monthly which i can put on hold if im injured (which sadly has been almost 50% of the last 2 years)

 

[Yant]

There are only a few things that matter to me when joining a club. In no particular order;

1. The quality of the course/courses and facilities.
2. The way they are maintained and how playable they are during the winter (which leads on to the next point).
3. Value for money - i'm not prepared to pay a yearly subscription to somewhere that isn't useable all year.
4. Friendliness of the membership.
5. How exclusive is it - if there are going to be loads of groupon bookings taking up tee times on the weekend then i am not interested in joining. If i'm paying a yearly membership then i expect to be able to play and enjoy the facilities, especially over the weekend period.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Price>discounts>Length>difficulty>distance to drive>Members>competitions>Course quality

 

[huds1475]

This is an issue with Conwy, Comps on a Saturday which mean in winter I can not play there and on Sundays quite a lot of blocks out times(neither I knew about before).

Saturday comps are a no-brainer to be fair.

If you want to play Saturday comps, in winter, you can upgrade to Country and play in all the Saturday 'social' comps - 3 Saturdays / month from start of November to end March.

WRT the blocked out times on BRS...

> The members times you can see are to give members priority for prime tee times, essentially there for your benefit :thup:
> The ones that you can't book on BRS, you can book through the Secretary or Pro Shop by phone or mail :thup: They're just 'blocked' to give the club the options for visitors too.

Conwy bend over backwards to accommodate both members and visitors alike - and balance it pretty well. If you ever need anything, speak to the staff and they'll be happy to help.

 

[User101]

Quality of the course
Both design and maintenance

Affordability

Travel....distance from home

That’s my criteria sorted, short and sweet

.

yep, that pretty much sums me up.

As for all round play-ability, I knew when I signed up that there was a likelihood our course could be closed for 2 months of the year, I'm ok with that.