Is Membership dead ?

[charnockpro]

Talking to a few of my members, they seem to think the membership model may well be outdated soon, we currently charge £730/$1182 a year for membership, they are saying that this is expensive. and they are asking for us to create a credit model which knocks a certain amount of credits off per round, this model has been used at other UK clubs but seems to have impacted hugely on the full membership subscription numbers

What is your clubs fee's?, What do you think?

[SCGolfer]

Honestly it isn't really worth it here. The club I live at you can do 6 month memberships that are $725. You have to add unlimited range for $10 a month so that is $60 more and it cost you $14 to play. With that deal you are looking at basically $130 a month plus the $14 each time you play. I typically play once a week...so lets just say I play 6 times in a month that is roughly $21 in membership and then $14 to play each time. That is $35 a round. You can currently play the course, which is public, for $28. The course has a snack bar and open room you can use for events, with no other amenities. It isn't worth it. I can drive 20 minutes down the road and play a county owned course that is in better shape with better carts and cart paths for $25 during the week. This time of year that course is $22. I drove an hour to Santee and played one of the resort courses on a friday for $21. All the private courses close to me are dying. Most of them have opened up tee times during the week to the public so they can generate income. Or they are mailing out coupons that allow the public to play on the weekend for like $100 for the foursome. You can play some good courses around here for a fairly decent price so most of the private course can't compete unless they have some big time amenities that you can take into consideration when joining.


Jason

[eclark53520]

After doing the calculations, around here for the cheapest rate i could find, i would have to play about two and a half full rounds per week with a cart to make it worth it....no possible way i could get that many rounds in in a season...

They just don't offer anything else with the memberships around here...all you get is more expensive golf(unless ur retired and play every day)

[Strider]

Some of the courses around me are offering twilight memberships that are usually half the cost. You can play anytime after 3 pm or so depending on the course and weekends may or may not be included. Pretty nice for peeps that have a fulltime job and can only get out in the evenings.

[mddubya]

Its not worth joining a club here either. Other than the status of being a member, the are no real advantages. The joining fees are ridiculously high, and the amenities offered just don't justify it. Which is why many of them are struggling, and a couple have had to go to Semi-Private to remain open.

[FATC1TY]

Actually, in my area, depending on the course, you can make out like a bandit being a member.

First, most courses here are member only.

Second, most are waiving initiation fees, which is a huge task for someone wanting to join on a budget.

I would join one if I wasn't going to move soon, and wanted a permanent course. But I don't right now.

One course, used to have $1,000 up front, $450 a month. Fantastic Ree Jones track, 7550 from the tips, and a practice area that would blow you away.

I was offered to join last week by a member for a special they are running. No initiation, $250 a month, for a year. Unlimited range and practice area, $14 for cart.

It's $92 to play 18 and a cart. If I played once a week, I'd come out ahead.

Alot of places here, charge a cart fee. That alone, puts the expense higher, if you don't play more than once or twice a week.. I have no interest in paying for a membership, unless I SAVE money in the long run. I don't get to play enough to make use of one at the moment.

Times are tough, and I think courses need to stay on top of it. Run some specials from time to time and I've seen numerous courses steady with traffic, or more than normal. There are plenty of courses around here that are cheap middle of the road priced courses that were $50-60 to play, and are now $35-45... I can deal with that. 4 rounds a month, and under $150 for all of it.

[floggerrushmd]

In my area there are just too many nice public courses for a private course to really survive. There are two that I can think of but both of those are insane initiation fees and monthly dues. Most of the courses are about $30-60 depending on when you play and where. It is tough for a course to make a membership with a price that could beat that. Now if I could afford to play on a private course I would because they are often empty so you can do some serious on the course practice. The emptiness of a fully private course is the best amenity and one that is often over looked.

[limpalong]

We're blessed with a beautiful course that has an annual membership ~$500. Bought a motorized cart this year. So, my half of the cart storage and electricity brings my annual cost to ~$800. Unlimited golf with no additional costs for golf. Only time there are some other incidentals are for entry fees of tourneys or stag nights.

There's another course in the area that is considered more upscale. Membership there is $1200/year + $15 for each round you play. That course has had some difficulty, financially. (Their rack rate if $75/round.)

Our course saw some membership decline this year. Most was attributed to the economy. Total revenues didn't fall much, since green fees were up slightly. Pretty well balanced out.

Course is worried about the future. Each year, over the past 30, seems similar numbers of 30 to 40 year olds have joined as attrition has seen members leave due to death, medical, moving away, etc. We're not seeing new members joining.

Will be interesting to see what the next few years bring.

[BrandonM7]

I ran the numbers here, and if I played only weekends, once a week, riding half and walking half, it would cost me an extra $8 a year to be a mamber - that's ignoring initiation fee (one place waiving their $2k fee, other place $1200.)

But I don't play on weekends. I also take the cart more than walk. And I don't play once a week throughout the year. And I like to play all the courses around here. Doesn't even come close to making sense for me. It would cost me hundreds of dollars a year for no benefit beyond a locker in the clubhouse.

[fisher]

I'm a member of a private course 3 miles from my house and for me its definately worth it. I play or practice almost every day. Last night for example on my way home from work I hit a bucket of balls on the range then went out and played two balls off of the first three holes before it got dark. The ability to jump on and play as many holes as I want when I want without worrying about paying a greens fee is absolutely worth it.

[Manavs]

Originally Posted by charnockpro

Talking to a few of my members, they seem to think the membership model may well be outdated soon, we currently charge £730/$1182 a year for membership, they are saying that this is expensive. and they are asking for us to create a credit model which knocks a certain amount of credits off per round, this model has been used at other UK clubs but seems to have impacted hugely on the full membership subscription numbers

What is your clubs fee's?, What do you think?

Charnockpro -

it pains me to hear your members say that especially considering how relatively low i find that price to be.

i got a few friends i can send over for you =)

"Moose, Rocco - help the Judge find his checkbook!"
caddyshack

[BrandonM7]

Originally Posted by fisher

Last night for example on my way home from work I hit a bucket of balls on the range then went out and played two balls off of the first three holes before it got dark. The ability to jump on and play as many holes as I want when I want without worrying about paying a greens fee is absolutely worth the $250 a month payment.

That's the only benefit I could find when considering membership - I could play a few holes after work on any given day. But mine just wasn't close enough to justify it. If I lived on the course (which I may fairly soon) it would be a totally different story. Walking out of the house and playing a few holes any given evening would absolutely justify the expense.

[295yards]

Around here you can get a membership for for $1800 if you purchase before Nov. 25 and you get to play the rest of this season free ( offered late August ). That is for 20 different courses total, with about only 6 in the area.

They have cheaper memberships that only offer certain courses, but most of those are much too far away.

Uniquely enough, if you live in a different part of the province you get all the same deals but with the courses that are closer to someone else. It almost forces you to purchase the very best membership plan with all 20 courses just so you can actually play the courses by where you live.

Some of these courses are real terrible and the ones that are not all play about 5 1/2 rounds due to overbooking. You gotta get out early on the weekends.

There are two very upscale private courses but the fees are retarded. $75,000 lifetime fee and a minimum tab of $600 each month put on your credit card for the proshop and banquet hall. This is every month! Not just the 5 months of golf we get around here. This is where the doctors, lawyers and overpaid salespeople play.

My friend has a membership at one of these courses for $8000 each year by buying into someone elses membership. But know that common people are getting on the course other snobby members are making a stink.

[Manavs]

Originally Posted by 295yards

There are two very upscale private courses but the fees are retarded. $75,000 lifetime fee and a minimum tab of $600 each month put on your credit card for the proshop and banquet hall. This is every month! Not just the 5 months of golf we get around here. This is where the doctors, lawyers and overpaid salespeople play.

thats what im used seeing memberships go for in the northeast, and south fla. $75k-289k joining fee, then 600-1200/month minimums. insane!

where are you 295yards that your getting it for $1800?

[FATC1TY]

There is a place on the other side of the city from me, it's $125,000 equity membership, and then $425 a month.

However, you do get to play damn near 6-7 courses, 2 of which are extremely private and ONLY for members.


Like fisher, if I was very close to a course, and it was nice enough to join, I'd certainly join one.. I might be moving soon, and it would lend me the chance to live ON, or very close to the courses.. 2 within 1.5 miles of each other that would allow me to play on, and an additional probably 12-14 more courses I could play reciprocal for cheap.

I just won't put an initiation fee down.. So those who waive it, or keep it under $250, are being looked at.. I think courses are figuring this out. It's easy to skip the upfront profit, and gain members...

Plus, an affordable guest rate is a plus.. If I join, let me bring friends and family from out of town to play for cheap... It's only more money in the bank!