Will you rejoin your club for next year

Golfhead65

I'm asking if anyone is considering not rejoining their club next year if the current situation continues as it is. Lockdown, out of lock down, no interclubs the way we are used to We didn't have a Captain's Prize and no majors . I might go P&P somewhere just to keep my handicap active. Interested in your views.

jamesbondings

Currently unlikely, primarily down to restrictions being county based. So even though I am on the boarder between meath and dublin I cant play in my home club. Add to that the current uptake in golf (which is fantastic!) is having a direct impact on members being able to get a tee time on weekends. This of course is proving to be a difficulty across the board for many members.

Glebee

If nobody resubbs for 2021 there may not be a golf club there come 2022
.:(

jamesbondings

Glebee wrote: »

If nobody resubbs for 2021 there may not be a golf club there come 2020.:(

I agree, however some clubs need to stop "making hay" and look after their current members. I have heard some clubs are taking 100s of new members, its not sustainable on the tee sheet. It is easier to retain a customer than get a new one.
My club have not addressed (not with me at all) the lost time on the subs due to covid lockdowns - something simple like a free fourball (for guests) would go a long way with me. Instead, nothing. I get they are all going to struggle in certain respects too. Maybe I am in a small cohort of members who reside outside of the dublin area, but even a non personalised email would have sufficed

newport2

jamesbondings wrote: »

I agree, however some clubs need to stop "making hay" and look after their current members. I have heard some clubs are taking 100s of new members, its not sustainable on the tee sheet. It is easier to retain a customer than get a new one.
My club have not addressed (not with me at all) the lost time on the subs due to covid lockdowns - something simple like a free fourball (for guests) would go a long way with me. Instead, nothing. I get they are all going to struggle in certain respects too. Maybe I am in a small cohort of members who reside outside of the dublin area, but even a non personalised email would have sufficed

I agree. Received a letter yesterday that we are getting a 5% discount next year and 4 x guest passes. Not much, but it's a nice gesture and means a lot.

BraveDonut

Sub is currently due.

I am lucky enough to live within 5km of the course (2km at a stretch) and could avail of casual golf if that was the only option.

I am taking the same approach as mentioned above. I want the club to stay in business and be there for me when covid issues have been resolved.
I will be paying my (considerable) sub in full

tayto lover

BraveDonut wrote: »

Sub is currently due.

I am lucky enough to live within 5km of the course (2km at a stretch) and could avail of casual golf if that was the only option.

I am taking the same approach as mentioned above. I want the club to stay in business and be there for me when covid issues have been resolved.
I will be paying my (considerable) sub in full

Reports suggest that all golf clubs will be closed. The 5K won’t come into it.

Tippex

I've never been a member of a club. This year is the most I have managed to get out ironically due to covid.
The last few years I've been travelling a lot but that came to a grounding halt this year (I only managed tom play once in 2019 and that was in Toronto). my buddy plays soccer and GAA so that has usually put the brakes on us getting out previous years.

The interesting one for me being in Bray is the number of "local" courses that have gone in recent years (glen of the downs, Djouce, kilcoole, balinastoe, now charlesland) all of these members has had to go elsewhere and surely the clubs like bray, delgany, old conna, greystones, druids all must be close to capacity for memberships so there must be room in north wicklow for a club to come back from the ashes.

prawnsambo

Absolutely. No question.

eoghan104

For me its a no brainer to join as the flexible membership option protects against Covid restrictions and you lose no value.

I expect any unlimited golf members in my club will have to think about their options. I would not be so quick to pay a standard membership with so much uncertainty.

frink

It is something I have been thinking about for a few weeks now. I have been down to 50% of pay since April and no sign of improvement anytime soon. That coupled with planning a wedding for end of next year (Hopefully!) I am considering deferring my membership for 12 months provided the club has no issues with that.

If the club has an issue with me deferring membership I may have to leave and look at a pay and play option to maintain my GUI handicap

Rippeditup

Yes 100% will be re-joining.. Starting a online executive MBA in Jan so I think golf will be my life saver as work and MBA and kids is going to be full on..

DuckSlice

I have already paid for next year, even if I hadn't I would be rejoining. Been there 20+ years.
I did have doubts this year when I hadn't even set foot on the course come June but decided to pay up this year, and recently paid up for next year also.

brick tamland

Im over 20k away and over a county border

I will wait an see how things look in Feb/March, and see how things are then. No point in paying subs they way things are currently

rickis tache

Moved to a new club last week. Current club (Jan to now) took on loads of members during pandemic and as said before by others the timesheet became overwhelmed. Members were asked to reduce times played during the week to 3 and once at the weekend. It didn't work.
Lads went out every day without any fear of reprisal from club, (must state that club is in residence in a resort). Got to the point it became a free for all so decided to move to a club that's 15km away from home but half the price. Current club is 7 km but may as well be on the moon as of tomorrow night.

DeanAustin

Without any doubt. The club has been pretty good to us in terms of how they handled the pandemic and the benefits they're giving us next year to compensate for the lost time this year. That's ratcheted up my loyalty to them no end.

It's a ****ty situation for clubs and players but I'm fortunate that I've held my job and live close to the course. Anyone in my position should be rejoining even if they get hardly any golf next year. For someone who has had their income reduced or lives a long way from the course, I could understand them having second thoughts.

PARlance

Already paid up and within 5km, so yes! Our club has handled the whole situation really well, brought on lots and lots of new members but despite an initial surge... it has been fairly easy to get out.

Haven't heard any complaints and most people I know are golfing more than ever.

BraveDonut

DeanAustin wrote: »

Without any doubt. The club has been pretty good to us in terms of how they handled the pandemic and the benefits they're giving us next year to compensate for the lost time this year. That's ratcheted up my loyalty to them no end.

It's a ****ty situation for clubs and players but I'm fortunate that I've held my job and live close to the course. Anyone in my position should be rejoining even if they get hardly any golf next year. For someone who has had their income reduced or lives a long way from the course, I could understand them having second thoughts.

What benefits are they giving you next year? We have taken on lots of new members but I am not seeing anything being returned....

eoghan104

BraveDonut wrote: »

What benefits are they giving you next year? We have taken on lots of new members but I am not seeing anything being returned....

Knowing your club, the fees and the current situation with timesheets I would be having to question my commitment to the place. There can't be an open door policy for new members if current ones struggle to get out.

swededmonkey

I'm not particularly happy with how my club have managed the new members situation. They had taken around 40-50 from a nearby club that closed at the beginning of the year and speaking with the handicap secretary, had another 50 join due to Covid. The timesheet has always been busy and I've accepted and managed that in the years I've been a member. The issue is that they are dictating that we cannot play twice on a weekend in order to allow all members a chance to play. My issue is that pre-Covid and a busy timesheet, this was never a problem. I work long hours and do not have much opportunity, if any, to play mid week golf, especially in winter months. With talk that subs are due to increase next year and they intend to continue imposing a limit of one game per weekend, I'm looking for a club elsewhere as are a large cohort of long standing members, many of which form the core of our interclub teams.

Mantis Toboggan

eoghan104 wrote: »

For me its a no brainer to join as the flexible membership option protects against Covid restrictions and you lose no value.
.

What's with the flexible membership, do you pay upfront and get refunded at the end of the year if you haven't played too much golf?

DeanAustin

BraveDonut wrote: »

What benefits are they giving you next year? We have taken on lots of new members but I am not seeing anything being returned....

A few things. They already give an early payment discount of over 7.5%, they're going to give the same discount again for anyone renewing. So pay early (before March) and you get 15% off the membership fee. Pay after that and you get the 7.5% goodwill gesture.

They're offering a one off discount in the restaurant (in addition to the existing members' discount), a free fourball voucher and a 25% discount on hotel stays (Sun-Thur).

Some of it probably isn't costing them a lot but overall it's a very good gesture. Some clubs, sadly, aren't in a position to do likewise.

I would also say that their communication during the pandemic has been exceptional while the courses have been in excellent shape all year.

L.O.F.T

Limiting members to 1 game a weekend or any limiting for that matter is a contentious subject. Getting value for your membership, for me, is playing as often as possible, be it a quick 9 or a competitive 18. I can imagine you will not be the only member considering their sub in 2021 if what you describe is happening within your club as they balance revenue and member expectations.
Managing the timesheet and balance sheet is never easy but with more people now joining clubs due to Covid restrictions within their own sports you can only see subs increasing once some clubs reach a cap on how many members they can cater for on a timesheet without imposing restrictions, in my opinion. What county are you in if you don't mind me asking?

swededmonkey wrote: »

I'm not particularly happy with how my club have managed the new members situation. They had taken around 40-50 from a nearby club that closed at the beginning of the year and speaking with the handicap secretary, had another 50 join due to Covid. The timesheet has always been busy and I've accepted and managed that in the years I've been a member. The issue is that they are dictating that we cannot play twice on a weekend in order to allow all members a chance to play. My issue is that pre-Covid and a busy timesheet, this was never a problem. I work long hours and do not have much opportunity, if any, to play mid week golf, especially in winter months. With talk that subs are due to increase next year and they intend to continue imposing a limit of one game per weekend, I'm looking for a club elsewhere as are a large cohort of long standing members, many of which form the core of our interclub teams.

tbayers

Considering moving clubs and taking up their special offers and their better intermediate rates. Might just take a break from golf for a few months and re assess the situation come January. Its a big outlay in current times and can't justify the price currently being asked when only open 80% of the time (even at that not all services have been available during that time). Over 150 new members this year, they will survive.

spacecoyote

Having to strongly consider my own options alright.

My club is 8k away, as well as across a county border from Dublin in to Kildare

Other options I have are Grange Castle, I don't like how its run, but its inside 5k, as the crow flies, 5.9k to drive it.

Beechpark, similar drive as my home club, but address is in Dublin, so saves on the county border issue.

Slade Valley, in range for the 5k, but don't know if its still open, or if I'd want to be a member there.

Newlands, in range for the 5k, but with a chunky joining fee and could have a waiting list even with that.

Lucan, outside the 5k, but in Dublin.

Citywest would have been the safest bet from a location perspective, if it hadn't been closed down.

Its really hard to know what to do. You can't know how long we're going to be in this environment, so is it short term thinking to jump ship?

GreeBo

Subs are due in Jan and will pay them unless something goes wallop in my life.

For those annoyed at their club taking on extra members without giving anything back, would you have preferred an increase in subs for 2021 instead?

We are seeing significant timesheet pressure, but it's more to do with everyone being around all year then any large influx of new members. It's especially obvious with the large numbers of intermediate members playing.

gypsy79

We are getting an increase of approx 6%

Add to that the fact that I renewed in March and by time next renewal comes round I will have had 4.5 months of golf most likely

sofireland

I am moving club for 2021, current member of Knightsbrook, and they're eliminating DD payment in January.
Sadly not able to pay the sub by the end of January (fair play to those who can)
Have joined Royal Tara, who I know anecdotally have always have busy timesheets at weekends. It's closer to my house, 5km away, vs 19km for Knightsbrook.

jamesbondings

GreeBo wrote: »

Subs are due in Jan and will pay them unless something goes wallop in my life.

For those annoyed at their club taking on extra members without giving anything back, would you have preferred an increase in subs for 2021 instead?

We are seeing significant timesheet pressure, but it's more to do with everyone being around all year then any large influx of new members. It's especially obvious with the large numbers of intermediate members playing.

If i was able to play at a weekend i wouldnt have a problem paying a couple extra hundred. I suppose I would of expected it given the year we just had

Wichita Lineman

I'll definitely be rejoining my club.

Mantis Toboggan

I'll have strongly consider not rejoining unfortunately.

Nothing to do with Covid. Our subs is the guts of 1200 euros. To get value from that I'd have to play roughly 40 rounds of golf and with a young child and busy job that's unlikely.

downthemiddle

We will be offering a one month reduction in sub next year to current full members. The intention, all going well, is to do the same in 2022. It is important to acknowledge and reward the loyalty of members in these difficult times.

Golfhead65

downthemiddle wrote: »

We will be offering a one month reduction in sub next year to current full members. The intention, all going well, is to do the same in 2022. It is important to acknowledge and reward the loyalty of members in these difficult times.

Fair play, that's what I think most members of clubs are only looking for, some sort of acknowledgement and not like a lot of clubs who took in a lot of new members, crammed up timesheets without any consideration and basically giving the two fingers to existing and loyal members

finglashoop

I renewed in July but had a long think about it first. Ultimately this ill be my club for the foreseeable future

I had no issue with paying subs through first lockdown as my income was unaffected. The club is closest to home,8 mins gate to gate so is really my only option to fit around life.

I have been less than impressed with a few things regarding time sheet, restrictions on unlimited members playing time and time sheet being rammed with societies and visitors and A LOT of new members, but i have managed to pick up cancellations 99% of the time. Not ideal to make any sort of solid plans and showing up hoping someone else doesnt isnt either.

Nothing mentioned about time lost being offered back when i renewed or anything of the sort over first lock down so i expect nothing if this goes ahead.

If its the case that the club cant afford it, so be it. Id rather pay so i have somewhere to play when we eventually reach some sort of normality.

Hopefully they do make exceptions for people who are in a precarious financial position.

Tommo 76

Probably will rejoin but I’ll be interested to see if they do anything on membership. Took on new members (which is good to see) but time sheet became a bit manic. Are other courses doing any incentives for their current members (apart from the earlier posters course who mentioned a discount for paying early)?

ger664

Will be joining again. Course up the road and I had no issue getting out over the summer. Time sheets and competitions did fill up but managed to get out a bit and play.

phelimb

Will more than likely rejoin....although did not make use of the membership fee this year so far. Probably cost me close to 50/60 quid a round based on the number of rounds I played - green fees would have been half that.

Really hope the club will give some incentive to rejoin - reduce fees/extra months or something. As it is, new membership fee is a couple of hundred less than existing members which I think is really wrong!

redzerdrog

Yeh will 100% be rejoining however I hope a few decide that it's not worth the money as the timesheet has just been mayhem lately

eoghan104

Mantis Toboggan wrote: »

What's with the flexible membership, do you pay upfront and get refunded at the end of the year if you haven't played too much golf?

So you pay €1,495 for the year. Can be paid over 6 months by DD if you wish. That translates to credit that can be used for golf, the proshop or bar and restaurant. Also includes all GUI fees and insurance and all that craic.

On a weekend competition €35 is charged from your credits each time. During the week for casual golf it's €20. You can only carry forward a balance of €150 to the following year. You can also top up the credit if you run out.

It suits a lot of people like me who like to play other courses also. I play as much outside the club as I do in the club. My subs are up at the end of November and last week I had a balance of €475 so have bought a ping driver for €455 that I will sell or trade in for something else in McGuirks. That is 455 that would be down the drain if it was a normal unlimited membership.

I don't think it can be beaten for value. There is also an unlimited option for €1,700/1,800.

blue note

eoghan104 wrote: »

So you pay €1,495 for the year. Can be paid over 6 months by DD if you wish. That translates to credit that can be used for golf, the proshop or bar and restaurant. Also includes all GUI fees and insurance and all that craic.

On a weekend competition €35 is charged from your credits each time. During the week for casual golf it's €20. You can only carry forward a balance of €150 to the following year. You can also top up the credit if you run out.

It suits a lot of people like me who like to play other courses also. I play as much outside the club as I do in the club. My subs are up at the end of November and last week I had a balance of €475 so have bought a ping driver for €455 that I will sell or trade in for something else in McGuirks. That is 455 that would be down the drain if it was a normal unlimited membership.

I don't think it can be beaten for value. There is also an unlimited option for €1,700/1,800.

That sounds like a brilliant system. For years we've been looking at traditional membership systems thinking that they work for fewer and fewer clubs nowadays. The fact that you can get stuff from the pro shop / bar if you're not getting through your sub would really encourage people to stay in the game and keep the pro shop, bar, restaurant going. But you're still getting a lot of revenue per member.

I definitely expect to see far more clubs operate some sort of system like this in the near future.

eoghan104

blue note wrote: »

That sounds like a brilliant system. For years we've been looking at traditional membership systems thinking that they work for fewer and fewer clubs nowadays. The fact that you can get stuff from the pro shop / bar if you're not getting through your sub would really encourage people to stay in the game and keep the pro shop, bar, restaurant going. But you're still getting a lot of revenue per member.

I definitely expect to see far more clubs operate some sort of system like this in the near future.

Yeah I agree. I wonder how sustainable it is but it seems to be working for our club. It really is hard to see any downsides for members that are not regular twice a week in their home club golfers. Even for them with Covid uncertainty it seems a no-brainer.

Mantis Toboggan

eoghan104 wrote: »

Yeah I agree. I wonder how sustainable it is but it seems to be working for our club. It really is hard to see any downsides for members that are not regular twice a week in their home club golfers. Even for them with Covid uncertainty it seems a no-brainer.

Problem for me would be that even if I wasn't playing much golf I'd still be forking out 1500 per year on golf.

Think I'd prefer a pay and pay type membership.

finglashoop

Mantis Toboggan wrote: »

Problem for me would be that even if I wasn't playing much golf I'd still be forking out 1500 per year on golf.

Think I'd prefer a pay and pay type membership.

I prefer the flat fee so the more i play the better the value although it is a good model to attract people who may not use up all credits on golf but can spend somewhere else within the club.

charlieIRL

I pay mine by DD and for 2021, the DD's start in July so I've already starting paying for next year.
I've only got to play my course maybe 5 / 6 times this year and very unlikely will get out again for the rest of the year as its more than 20kms away and in another county.
Its already an extremely busy course and they have taken on a lot of new members and increased the sub.

Hard to know what to do come next July and unfortunately not many other options close to me that interest me.

tayto lover

I’ve been a member of my club for nearly 40 years so I’ll be staying for sure.
What else would I do with my time?

Seve OB

eoghan104 wrote: »

For me its a no brainer to join as the flexible membership option protects against Covid restrictions and you lose no value.

I expect any unlimited golf members in my club will have to think about their options. I would not be so quick to pay a standard membership with so much uncertainty.

I'd be different. I didn't renew earlier in the year because I would usually spend most of my credits in the restaurant with the family. I'm different though as I am in another club and only in Castleknock also because of the credits option. I rejoined in the last few weeks because I couldn't play in my other club.

spacecoyote wrote: »

Newlands, in range for the 5k, but with a chunky joining fee and could have a waiting list even with that.

Yes there is a waiting list, you need nominations and seconds. I believe the waiting list has now been closed. Know a couple of lads who just applied and are up for consideration

eoghan104 wrote: »

My subs are up at the end of November and last week I had a balance of €475 so have bought a ping driver for €455 that I will sell or trade in for something else in McGuirks. That is 455 that would be down the drain if it was a normal unlimited membership.

They were allowing full credits to be carried forward earlier in the year and I'm not sure any different now, but they are not very good at communicating that, even when you ask!

blue note wrote: »

That sounds like a brilliant system. For years we've been looking at traditional membership systems thinking that they work for fewer and fewer clubs nowadays. The fact that you can get stuff from the pro shop / bar if you're not getting through your sub would really encourage people to stay in the game and keep the pro shop, bar, restaurant going. But you're still getting a lot of revenue per member.

I definitely expect to see far more clubs operate some sort of system like this in the near future.

Castleknock have been doing it for about 10 years now and since Carr golf came in they have adopted the system in other clubs they manage.

dan_ep82

I will but it stings, 6 months of golf this year.

Not the clubs fault but it certainly decreases the value for the like of me who will try to play twice a week. When the courses did open it was, and is extremly hard to get a tee time for more than a single between new members, the juniors when schools were off and societies. I understand why all of it is a thing it just builds a huge level of frustration after paying your fee's for half a years worth of slim oppurtunity.

Within 5k, worked through the last lockdown and working through this one in a different sector. I travel 500kms a day through 6 counties but can't visit my family who live less than 1km away nor can I do the one thing I use to relieve stress and get away from the world. I'd like a restart button at this stage.

Seve OB

I'm 32 years a member in my club. I have moved house and now live in a different county and over 20km away. But it's only 40 minutes away on the M50, it suits me as my 2 sisters and mum live local so often pop in for a visit after the game. My dad is also a member. I've no wish to leave. But my work has been hit hard with the covid and will be for as long as it is around. I'm 20 years in my job and have no wish to move on from that either. But we are down to working 2 days a week and the company is surviving on the EWSS. My wife is also out of work since Covid hit & we have 3 young kids.

As mentioned above, I am also a member of Castleknock as a second club as I live across the road from it, but I wouldn't really play a lot there, mainly suits me because of the credits, so can bring mates out & they pay me & I can use my credits to pay their green fees. Then the kids eat the rest of them in the restaurant. When we got back playing within 5km I was able to use up my credits by playing in Castleknock for an extra few weeks even though I was up for renewal. It softened the punch of not being able to travel to Wicklow till it reopened.

Then the Dublin lockdown (but still see Dubs names on the sheet:( ) hit & I rejoined Castleknock a few weeks ago on the credits again, thinking I'd be back in Wicklow soon and I'll have a full year from now to dip in and out of Castleknock and hopefully at some stage enjoy a few meals with the family.

But now it's looking more like I'll be spending all my credits playing golf, which is not really a good financial option as I'll run out of them fairly quick if i don't get back to my home club.

So out of work with plenty of time on my hands, I'll happily dip into my savings to stump up the fees (nearly €2k) to play in my long time club, but the uncertainty of amount of time I'll actually be able to play there coupled with my work/financial situation I'll have to think long and hard about what I do golf wise for 2021.

Covid was great for my game, got to play lots and was lucky enough to peak at the right time and won a couple of prizes which just so happened to be club Majors

I don't want to give it up for 2021, but unfortunately I might just have to.

Golfhead65

tayto lover wrote: »

I’ve been a member of my club for nearly 40 years so I’ll be staying for sure.
What else would I do with my time?

Yeah but while they are closed you can't play so what will you do with your time now, sure golf clubs love people like you. Hand over money with no guarantee of providing a service you pay for

Golfhead65

Seve OB wrote: »

I'm 32 years a member in my club. I have moved house and now live in a different county and over 20km away. But it's only 40 minutes away on the M50, it suits me as my 2 sisters and mum live local so often pop in for a visit after the game. My dad is also a member. I've no wish to leave. But my work has been hit hard with the covid and will be for as long as it is around. I'm 20 years in my job and have no wish to move on from that either. But we are down to working 2 days a week and the company is surviving on the EWSS. My wife is also out of work since Covid hit & we have 3 young kids.

As mentioned above, I am also a member of Castleknock as a second club as I live across the road from it, but I wouldn't really play a lot there, mainly suits me because of the credits, so can bring mates out & they pay me & I can use my credits to pay their green fees. Then the kids eat the rest of them in the restaurant. When we got back playing within 5km I was able to use up my credits by playing in Castleknock for an extra few weeks even though I was up for renewal. It softened the punch of not being able to travel to Wicklow till it reopened.

Then the Dublin lockdown (but still see Dubs names on the sheet:( ) hit & I rejoined Castleknock a few weeks ago on the credits again, thinking I'd be back in Wicklow soon and I'll have a full year from now to dip in and out of Castleknock and hopefully at some stage enjoy a few meals with the family.

But now it's looking more like I'll be spending all my credits playing golf, which is not really a good financial option as I'll run out of them fairly quick if i don't get back to my home club.

So out of work with plenty of time on my hands, I'll happily dip into my savings to stump up the fees (nearly €2k) to play in my long time club, but the uncertainty of amount of time I'll actually be able to play there coupled with my work/financial situation I'll have to think long and hard about what I do golf wise for 2021.

Covid was great for my game, got to play lots and was lucky enough to peak at the right time and won a couple of prizes which just so happened to be club Majors

I don't want to give it up for 2021, but unfortunately I might just have to.

Jaysus Steve, I wouldn't have thought you were even 32 yrs of age never mind being a member of a club that long. What's your secret.. Oil of ulay lol

GreeBo

Golfhead65 wrote: »

Yeah but while they are closed you can't play so what will you do with your time now, sure golf clubs love people like you. Hand over money with no guarantee of providing a service you pay for

If no one supports them and they close you won't get much service from them either, maybe next year you are trying to join somewhere further away for more money and an entrance fee due to higher demand?