Turvey

Duke Fame

Anybody feel that the €2000 levy on members is a bit much, plus if members dont pay the loose thier membership of the club. Are they for real? Im sure thats going to face a legal test. I recieved bill from the club with no details of the plan, no minutes from the meeting no details on what happens if the members dont pay. From memory they need at least 480 to pay to make the plan work. What happens if a only a fraction pay up. I havent decided if im going to pay yet. but is it trowing good money after bad. Need more meat on the bone before I decide.

03mcgs0

Duke Fame wrote: »

Anybody feel that the €2000 levy on members is a bit much, plus if members dont pay the loose thier membership of the club. Are they for real? Im sure thats going to face a legal test. I recieved bill from the club with no details of the plan, no minutes from the meeting no details on what happens if the members dont pay. From memory they need at least 480 to pay to make the plan work. What happens if a only a fraction pay up. I havent decided if im going to pay yet. but is it trowing good money after bad. Need more meat on the bone before I decide.

I dont know anything about the situation but from the sounds of things thats terrible. In the current economic climate it would be difficult to see 480 people pay the full €2,000 for a levy.......

Garda S Horgan

I think only about half that amount paid 1000 last year and the same again is due this year. With the way things are going and the way you can now walk into clubs like St.Margarets for subs only I doubt anyone will be up for paying it. Maybe it's seen as throwing money as part of the investment in whatever initial share payment was there. However, unless there is land sold or the hotel is sold or rented there will be even more levys I reckon.
The golf bubble has well and truely burst though. Anyone coming today and asking for a 2k levy would be laughed at. Even a 1k levy might be enough for people to just leave and then you lose all the yearly subs of those people too.
Not sure what their situation is now but as a course it's getting better and better and still has great potential.

f22

I think it's an absolute liberty to ask members for that type of money, especially as the chances of the place closing anyway are quite high.

Personally I wouldn't pay 2k to play free golf for 10 years in the place. Way better courses for less money out there at the moment.

claiva

its a lovely course now alright.......shame about the levy situation though.....can they not make these clubs self sufficient - ie...cover the cost of running the club with the yearly subs ?
I mean there's no point in having bars and restaurants in them anymore....
Is is insurance costs that drives these type of levies ?

Garda S Horgan

It's the many millions of debt racked up thats causing the levy there though.
That and the low number of members.
Golf Clubs like Balbriggan with the club house in the town will survive I reckon, but some clubs with big club houses and a membership expecting bars and food and a pro shop ete, but are based out of the way will find it tough.
Back in the 80s I remember big nights out in the golf clubs on thursday/friday/saturday/sunday nights and everyone into a couple of cars and home.
It doesn't happen these days as much so some monster club houses are sitting idle.

eannamgp

I believe a deal has been done which will reduce the Clubs debt by about 70% and also reduce the day to day running costs significantly. I also believe that more people have paid the levy in the last month to avoid loss of membership as defined by the constitution of the Club. In my opinion, this in conjunction with recent falls in interest rates should see the club thrive.