Your Club's Invitation Fourball Betterball

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

So ours is poorly subscribed this year.

What do you think the content and cost should be for your club's Invitation Fourball Betterball competition. Whether that includes food before and/or after; one or two rounds; balls and other goodies etc. entirely up to you - what do we like, and how much are we willing to pay. The latter clearly being a function of the former. I'll impose one constraint - the member pays the full amount - the guest nothing.

 

[duncan mackie]

I can only tell you that our Mixed invitation event, in a couple of weeks, is £53 total, and includes coffee on arrival, 18 holes and a full meal (an Asian themed Buffet in this case). It's being held on a Sunday.

Obviously your one constraint has no bearing given that anything can be agreed between the pair!

I think that the key to all these events is to deliver to the target market. For example, Seniors events on a Monday inc a meal afterwards and a reasonably spread (rather than value) prize table. Singles stab or 4BBB, doesn't matter. Can be am-am team format. The majority of ones I have played, or looked at, this year were between £25 - £45 a head for the above as visitors. We have another senior/vet event running next week (Thursday) where clubs enter a team of 3 and are then paired with a member - it was oversubscribed (we have 120 playing) and it's around £45 a head for the visiting players inc coffee/lunch and prizes.

Non-senior events have struggled for some time, with the unfortunate result that many have focused on the prize funds and running NQ formats - this has resulted in a 'new' audience, and lost the old one (I have time but won't enter a NQ event - organised events like the Surrey Tour aside )

 

[cookelad]

So ours is poorly subscribed this year.

What do you think the content and cost should be for your club's Invitation Fourball Betterball competition. Whether that includes food before and/or after; one or two rounds; balls and other goodies etc. entirely up to you - what do we like, and how much are we willing to pay. The latter clearly being a function of the former. I'll impose one constraint - the member pays the full amount - the guest nothing.

Ours is this weekend and I'd be amazed if there's much uptake, we got an email round on Friday last week informing us that is was going ahead as long as there are 40+ entries and the start sheet would be going up last weekend - REALLY???

I would think the price of a with-member greenfee + 2 comp entry fees would be about right (so that would be approx £30 at ours) maybe put another tenner on top to include feed!

It's swings and roundabouts who pays, as I would assume that as I'm invited to your course you would be invited to mine!

 

[Region3]

Ours is £5 per player which includes the 2's sweep (balls as prizes) and there are prizes from the pro shop down to 6th ranging from bags (1st) down through shoes, sweaters, shirts etc.

We usually have 100+ entries.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Obviously your one constraint has no bearing given that anything can be agreed between the pair!

Well OK - but it was my question and my constraint - besides - if I didn't think it had any bearing I wouldn't have applied it

Anyway - fine - and you are happy with near £60 for the pair?

...also a question on this bit of your response

The majority of ones I have played, or looked at, this year were between £25 - £45 a head for the above as visitors

That implies members don't pay? My scenario is where the cost is £X a pair, rather than members £X, guests £Y.

 

[GB72]

Ours is in a couple of weeks and fills up very quickly (in fact so quickly that I have never managed to enter as it is full by the time I work out who to invite).

Costs about £30.00 for a round of golf and food afterwards so is OK for value. That said, our club has quite a few better ball opens (not sure if we actually have an individual one) and they are generally well subscribed. The first one of the season was not fully subscribed but much of that was due to the uncertain weather.

 

[Val]

Ours is this week too and as far as im aware its full or just about full

 

[Doh]

Ours is £30 per pair including a meal I have never asked a guest to pay nor would I. But if the cost was nearly £60 I would be voting with my feet and not attending.

 

[duncan mackie]

Well OK - but it was my question and my constraint - besides - if I didn't think it had any bearing I wouldn't have applied it

Anyway - fine - and you are happy with near £60 for the pair?

...also a question on this bit of your response



That implies members don't pay? My scenario is where the cost is £X a pair, rather than members £X, guests £Y.

at £15 a head for food it's basically just under a visitor fee for an organised event with a few prizes thown in - seems to work!

my mistake re the other comments/prices, I was trying to illustrate the market price for 'golf and a meal and prizes' for midweek golfers currently - this is what has the biggest impact on whether people do invitation days or both go somewhere else!

Pyecombe a couple of weeks ago was £25 a head for 18 holes, coffee and bacon roll on arrival, excellent 2 course lunch with coffee and a courtesy round !!!!!!

 

[upanddown]

Ours is £10 per team.

The whole point in these sort of days is to attract people to speand money in the bar and restaurants afterwards, not to rake in a few green fees for a course that would be getting used by the members regardless.

By putting up prices like have bene mentioned, it will just scare alot of people away.

Propose that the fee goes to £10 next year and you will get a full sheet with alot of them making a day of it and having a few beers and bite to eat in the club.

 

[GB72]

Ours is £10 per team.

The whole point in these sort of days is to attract people to speand money in the bar and restaurants afterwards, not to rake in a few green fees for a course that would be getting used by the members regardless.

By putting up prices like have bene mentioned, it will just scare alot of people away.

Propose that the fee goes to £10 next year and you will get a full sheet with alot of them making a day of it and having a few beers and bite to eat in the club.

I agree with this point to a certain extent. Our fee includes food but it is pretty much always the same meal. I suspect that the club would actually make more if the cost of entry was lower with no food and people were free to spend their money on the usual club menu. I suppose that by adding food they guarantee that every entrant would have paid to have something to eat but the food on the normal menu is very good and if the aim is to attract new members then this shows the club in a better light.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Ours is £30 per pair including a meal I have never asked a guest to pay nor would I. But if the cost was nearly £60 I would be voting with my feet and not attending.

And that is exactly wheere I find myself. £60 a pair, including bacion roll and tea/coffee befoire plus lunch afterwards. I would never ask a buddy to pay - one of the pleasures of being a member of a club is inviting mates to a round of golf - and treating them to it. All the better and more fun if it's a formal club competition. But £60!...I'm already paying £1500 a year subs. So I'm not playing.

 

[cookelad]

And that is exactly wheere I find myself. £60 a pair, including bacion roll and tea/coffee befoire plus lunch afterwards. I would never ask a buddy to pay - one of the pleasures of being a member of a club is inviting mates to a round of golf - and treating them to it. All the better and more fun if it's a formal club competition. But £60!...I'm already paying £1500 a year subs. So I'm not playing.

If a large enough group of like minded members booked tee times immediately after the invitation and brought guests to play socially surely the club would have to take notice. I guess the question is are you the only one thinking this way (unlikely) or are a lot of members refusing to play for the same reason?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

If a large enough group of like minded members booked tee times immediately after the invitation and brought guests to play socially surely the club would have to take notice. I guess the question is are you the only one thinking this way (unlikely) or are a lot of members refusing to play for the same reason?

Well I've spoke to a few who are thinking likewise. To complete the picture it's an 8am shotgun start and there is wine with lunch. But I don't want to ask my buddy to pay - -and I just can't justify spending £60

Hence my original question. What do you expect of a Invitation 4BBB. Me? I think it should be relatively inexpensive so maybre £30 a pair - so a visitors green fee, prizes and entry into a 2s comp. Also make a day of it so have other fun competitions running alongside. If you have the main comp in the morning as in a shotgun start - then maybe in the afternoon you run something like a 3-club BB with pairs going out as they get together after abit of lunch - unscheduled - over say 6 holes.

I don't necessarily need a meal and I don't want to be paying £60 when I can pay £17 any day of the week for him to play a round with me.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I agree with this point to a certain extent. Our fee includes food but it is pretty much always the same meal. I suspect that the club would actually make more if the cost of entry was lower with no food and people were free to spend their money on the usual club menu. I suppose that by adding food they guarantee that every entrant would have paid to have something to eat but the food on the normal menu is very good and if the aim is to attract new members then this shows the club in a better light.

Which is all fair comment. But is money making the primary or secondary purpose of an invitation competition. I'd say not, it should ne a good way down the list. For me the main purpose of an invitation is for members and guests to enjoy a round and their day at my club - with members meeting other members they might not see that much, and guests meeting guests. And if the club makes money (which it will) - great - and if it results in one new member - even better.

My club can justify the cost - but they have got it the wrong way round and on the basis of wrong principles if you ask me.

 

[cookelad]

Well I've spoke to a few who are thinking likewise. To complete the picture it's an 8am shotgun start and there is wine with lunch. But I don't want to ask my buddy to pay - -and I just can't justify spending £60.

Hence my original question. What do you expect of a Invitation 4BBB. Me? I think it should be relatively inexpensive so maybre £30 a pair - so a visitors green fee, prizes and entry into a 2s comp. Also make a day of it so have other fun competitions running alongside. If you have the main comp in the morning as in a shotgun start - then maybe in the afternoon you run something like a 3-club BB with pairs going out as they get together after abit of lunch - unscheduled - over say 6 holes.

I don't necessarily need a meal and I don't want to be paying £60.

Yes, £30/pair sounds fair enough to me, that's the most I would expect to pay (unless they were including food)!

 

[full_throttle]

I'm now in the position of being able to afford to host my guest. Played the other weekend and the cost was £10 per paiir. No food, but a course in great condition and good company.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Yes, £30/pair sounds fair enough to me, that's the most I would expect to pay (unless they were including food)!

My place is including food - and the cost can be justified when it is broken down. But whether or not it can be justified, £60 is too much for me - and clearly quite a few other members - which is a great pity.

 

[Crow]

I'm now in the position of being able to afford to host my guest. Played the other weekend and the cost was £10 per paiir. No food, but a course in great condition and good company.

Being the recipient of FT's hospitality I can confirm the above!

Our's is this coming Sunday, £28 per pair for the round and lunch, good value and no hardship covering your guest.
That said however, the take up at our Invitation has been on the decline for a few years, I'm told that several years ago to get entry you had to trun up at the club at the crack of dawn on the day entry opened just to get your name down on the draw sheet. This year an email was sent out with 7 days to go saying that there were still a few places left!
I don't know the reason for this; is it just a general drop off in numbers playing due to the economic climate or are we becoming less sociable?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Being the recipient of FT's hospitality I can confirm the above!

Our's is this coming Sunday, £28 per pair for the round and lunch, good value and no hardship covering your guest.
That said however, the take up at our Invitation has been on the decline for a few years, I'm told that several years ago to get entry you had to trun up at the club at the crack of dawn on the day entry opened just to get your name down on the draw sheet. This year an email was sent out with 7 days to go saying that there were still a few places left!
I don't know the reason for this; is it just a general drop off in numbers playing due to the economic climate or are we becoming less sociable?

Just received an Email from the secretary and the format has changed from 8am shotgun start to tee-time off the first - still £60 though. £28 is, for me, pretty much bang on the money.