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What do you do about Club Membership fees if courses are closed

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    #32
    CalamariFritti
    Registered Users Posts: 5,461 ✭✭✭CalamariFritti


    Clubs will feel the pinch if some folks will be looking for a reduction. Most clubs won't have much spare cash if any and 3 or 4 weeks without open or regular competitions and green fees will sting alone. Never mind people cancelling their direct debits.

    I'm pissed off with what I think is an overreaction by the GUI but I will have to support my club.

    Of course if this goes on for the whole year then other solutions will have to be found.


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    #33
    Golfhead65
    Registered Users Posts: 702 ✭✭✭Golfhead65


    Somewhere on this thread The Puppet has gone to ground and The Puppet master has come out..


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    #34
    Mushy
    Registered Users Posts: 21,207 ✭✭✭✭Mushy


    I'll continue my DD, not that I've gotten to play this year and wouldn't for the foreseeable. I do think many will cancel them, and club could go under if it goes on for so long.


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    #35
    frink
    Registered Users Posts: 346 ✭✭frink


    I have paid sub in full in February but if it was via DD I would continue to pay the fees regardless. I'm fortunate to be still earning during this time but if I was suddenly out of work, I might have a different view.

    I would hope that they can manage the cash flow successfully to allow for some level of discount in the 2021 subscription.


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    #36
    the greatest game
    Registered Users Posts: 124 ✭✭the greatest game


    Last week in our own club
    It was bedlam - seniors especially and lots of juniors
    Monday and Tuesday this week it had levelled off and the seniors stayed at home
    - can not see why single player golf is not permitted ?
    GUi way to fast out yesterday evening
    This will close many courses

    Are there any courses that will stay open not affiliated to GUI ?


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    #37
    Wichita Lineman
    Registered Users Posts: 48,742 ✭✭✭✭Wichita Lineman


    slave1 wrote: »
    This is going to be a biggie, what with the weather I have not played my home course this yr, think I played it once since November, it could be months before the courses are open again, membership is not exactly short change and pretty much everyone I know bar 2 lads have not paid subs for 2020 yet

    I've played 'our' course 21 times since November so it was hardly the weather that kept you away every week.

    We closed as of today in line with GUI / ILGU recommendations and I can clearly see it's nothing to do with what the clubs were doing it's purely down to efforts to restrict movement of people. It's very disappointing but there are far more serious things going on. People are losing their lives and their jobs. Hopefully we will all still be there on the other side.


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    #38
    BigChap1759
    Registered Users Posts: 1,608 ✭✭✭BigChap1759


    Our lot have said they will give us credit on our gui card to cover a pro-rata refund from 1st-19th April. Better than nothing but not sure where they got those dates when they shut on 24th March??


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    #39
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Our club is struggling a bit. I have paid already and wont be looking for refund. But plenty haven't paid yet and probably won't. So things could get bad for clubs like that.


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    #40
    GreeBo
    Registered Users Posts: 27,120 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    dan_ep82 wrote: »
    If it's possible to get a holiday similar to the mortgages and just start later in the year I won't have a problem paying to keep it open. It will mean the courses may need to secure funding in the mean time which might not be possible for all clubs.

    Why would you expect a payment holiday? What expenses have disappeared from your course while you are not playing?


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    #41
    GreeBo
    Registered Users Posts: 27,120 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    Mantis Toboggan wrote: »
    You owe your club nothing, fair enough support it if you like but if there's a number of clubs in your area it's a buyers market.

    Trust me if you "support" your club for years and years and something happens that you can't pay the sub they won't be long showing you the door. I've seen it first hand. Like car insurance it pays to shop around.

    I've paid upfront already though, the course will be closed for the foreseeable. Hard to know what happens next.

    I guess like members, there are some clubs we can do without.

    My club has never had an issue with understanding someones personal circumstances and accommodating them wherever possible. A bit like your bank, if you actually contact them they are understanding, if you just dont pay and go radio silence, what else are they to do other than assume you are done?


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    #42
    Rikand
    Registered Users Posts: 20,348 ✭✭✭✭Rikand


    Big time over reaction by the GUI. Golf always considered one of the most low risk things you could do.

    We cant golf, but the streets are still thronged with people walking. Theres far greater social distancing on the golf course.

    GUI dropped a turd big time on this one


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    #43
    GreeBo
    Registered Users Posts: 27,120 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    Rikand wrote: »
    Big time over reaction by the GUI. Golf always considered one of the most low risk things you could do.

    We cant golf, but the streets are still thronged with people walking. Theres far greater social distancing on the golf course.

    GUI dropped a turd big time on this one

    Perhaps golf is low risk, but the risk profile of the majority of players is very high, so its a balance between the two.


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    #44
    davegilly
    Registered Users Posts: 680 ✭✭✭davegilly


    the greatest game wrote: »
    - can not see why single player golf is not permitted ?
    Because of the morons we have in society. Who cannot or will not do simply what is asked of them.

    My local O'Brien's, up to the day before yesterday, had people in groups of 3 and 4 sitting at tables in the cafe. These people are the reason everything has to close.


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    #45
    Rikand
    Registered Users Posts: 20,348 ✭✭✭✭Rikand


    GreeBo wrote: »
    Perhaps golf is low risk, but the risk profile of the majority of players is very high, so its a balance between the two.

    That's a good point.

    Just ban the over 60s then :)


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    #46
    the.red.baron
    Registered Users Posts: 1,632 ✭✭✭the.red.baron


    GreeBo wrote: »
    I guess like members, there are some clubs we can do without.

    My club has never had an issue with understanding someones personal circumstances and accommodating them wherever possible. A bit like your bank, if you actually contact them they are understanding, if you just dont pay and go radio silence, what else are they to do other than assume you are done?




    great what club is it? I want to join but I won't be able to pay this year as moneys a bit tight, I'm sure they will understand, maybe next year


    this will go on and on, there may be no golf this year, that's what people are looking at


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    #47
    paulanthony
    Registered Users Posts: 370 ✭✭paulanthony


    Members should hold fire before cancelling direct debits and give clubs a chance to consider the circumstances. You would hope that clubs can cut their costs a bit and reduce fees in order to break even over the next few months, like a lot of other businesses are doing. Obviously the course will need to be maintained so staff will be needed for this, but may be able to reduce time as there will be no traffic on the course.

    The government schemes will be there to hopefully make up some of the wages shortfall for other staff members who may not have work if the clubhouse is closed.

    There may then also be other ways to cut some costs in the short term (eg mortgage holidays) and lower fees by 50% (or something) and allow the club to survive and be there at the end of this. Our creche has done something similar - cut costs, negotiated with landlords etc and are charging 30% of fees while shut. Obviously its annoying to pay for "nothing" but by paying (as we could cancel now) you ensure that the staff keep their jobs/pay and the service is there when we get back to normal.

    Both the clubs and the members have to play their parts and of both can meet somewhere in the middle hopefully they can get through it.


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    #48
    blackwhite
    Registered Users Posts: 8,570 ✭✭✭blackwhite


    Depends on the circumstances.

    Ultimately, if it's a members-owned and operated club then you are paying for an annual stake in the club and the sub is your contribution to the costs of the club; it's not simply paying for a service to be provided.
    If it's possible for the club to scale back operating costs when closed to the extent to permit some form of rebate/deferral for members then that's great - but I'd imagine those circumstances will be very few and far between considering the green fee, competition fee and society income streams that will be lost.

    The argument is different if you're a "member" at a privately-owned course. In those cases your membership is really just a case of paying a fee to be allowed access the facilities. There's a very strong argument that any suspension of that access should mean entitlement to fees being suspended.

    Member-operated clubs which are located on a privately-owned course becomes another one again. If they can get the course owner to suspend rental payments for the land then there's possibly an argument for some of that saving to be passed to members, but the club itself will still likely have it's running costs to cover to maintain the course.


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    #49
    GreeBo
    Registered Users Posts: 27,120 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    the.red.baron wrote: »
    great what club is it? I want to join but I won't be able to pay this year as moneys a bit tight, I'm sure they will understand, maybe next year


    this will go on and on, there may be no golf this year, that's what people are looking at

    They would understand if you were a member, but you are not, so they wont care.:rolleyes:


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    #50
    the.red.baron
    Registered Users Posts: 1,632 ✭✭✭the.red.baron


    GreeBo wrote: »
    They would understand if you were a member, but you are not, so they wont care.:rolleyes:


    Is it an imaginary one?

    how many people do you think are out there playing who aren't paid up

    I'd say zero is the answer, I bet you don't know any


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    #51
    GreeBo
    Registered Users Posts: 27,120 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    the.red.baron wrote: »
    Is it an imaginary one?

    how many people do you think are out there playing who aren't paid up

    I'd say zero is the answer, I bet you don't know any

    There is a huge difference between being allowed to play versus being allowed to remain a member if you are not paying your subs.


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    #52
    blackwhite
    Registered Users Posts: 8,570 ✭✭✭blackwhite


    the.red.baron wrote: »
    Is it an imaginary one?

    how many people do you think are out there playing who aren't paid up

    I'd say zero is the answer, I bet you don't know any

    Good friend of mine is a member in same club as Greebo (unless Greebo has changed clubs in last 2 years).

    New baby due next month and after buying a new house meant that golf membership was under pressure. Club were happy for him to switch to Pavillion membership for next 2/3 years with no re-application of their joining fee whenever he decides to rejoin as a full member.


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    #53
    Euphoriasean
    Registered Users Posts: 1,017 ✭✭✭Euphoriasean


    Rikand wrote: »
    Big time over reaction by the GUI. Golf always considered one of the most low risk things you could do.

    We cant golf, but the streets are still thronged with people walking. Theres far greater social distancing on the golf course.

    GUI dropped a turd big time on this one

    Golf is low risk but also not a necessary risk,its a none essential movement/gathering of people. IMO The GUI had no other option but to shut courses down. Bigger things at play than missing a couple of weeks/months of Golf. In the current climate I find it hard to understand the outrage at their decision.

    Would have loved a round with this weather today, might jump the fence later. :p


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    #54
    blue note
    Registered Users Posts: 4,515 ✭✭✭blue note


    My membership is relatively low and I'll continue to pay, but I wouldn't judge people for considering it. I know personally speaking I'm worried for my job and my wife's income could drop dramatically too because of all of this. If making mortgage payments gets tight or you start eating away at our savings, you'd have to consider if you can afford to remain a golf club member.

    Golf clubs will suffer and it won't just be out of meanness of it's members.


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    #55
    DuckSlice
    Registered Users Posts: 2,885 ✭✭✭DuckSlice


    I think most clubs are willing to make some sort of deal. Some money is better than no money at all.

    Reading this now is making me feel a bit bad for not paying up my sub, but I haven't played at all this year and don't know when I will be able to play with all this. If I can get back playing in May I think I would pay the full membership but that's probably unlikely. I think if the club were to ask members for the help in this time then I probably would pay it up.

    Like many I haven't cancelled the gym direct debits, but the gym has decided not to take any for now.

    I think the GUI have made the right call, too many people are slack when it comes to washing hands and keeping distance. and you don't know who has touched anything before you.


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    #56
    BraveDonut
    Registered Users Posts: 1,034 ✭✭✭BraveDonut


    I would like my club to still be there when all of this is over, so I will continue to support them in every way that I can.
    Even one month of no DD's from a significant enough number of members could cause major problems for some clubs and force them to close.


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    #57
    GreeBo
    Registered Users Posts: 27,120 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    Rikand wrote: »
    That's a good point.

    Just ban the over 60s then :)

    Ah, but they are the ones with all the money and free time!


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    #58
    GreeBo
    Registered Users Posts: 27,120 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    etxp wrote: »
    I think most clubs are willing to make some sort of deal. Some money is better than no money at all.

    Reading this now is making me feel a bit bad for not paying up my sub, but I haven't played at all this year and don't know when I will be able to play with all this. If I can get back playing in May I think I would pay the full membership but that's probably unlikely. I think if the club were to ask members for the help in this time then I probably would pay it up.

    Like many I haven't cancelled the gym direct debits, but the gym has decided not to take any for now.

    I think the GUI have made the right call, too many people are slack when it comes to washing hands and keeping distance. and you don't know who has touched anything before you.

    If you expect the course and clubhouse to be in the same condition when you return to golf, then you have to expect to pay to keep it in that condition.

    Grass growth isnt on lockdown (yet!)


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    #59
    GreeBo
    Registered Users Posts: 27,120 ✭✭✭✭GreeBo


    Euphoriasean wrote: »
    Would have loved a round with this weather today, might jump the fence later. :p

    My back garden overlooks a (currently empty) pristine golf course....the force will need to be strong with this one later...


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    #60
    Euphoriasean
    Registered Users Posts: 1,017 ✭✭✭Euphoriasean


    GreeBo wrote: »
    My back garden overlooks a (currently empty) pristine golf course....the force will need to be strong with this one later...

    :D stay strong


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    #61
    DuckSlice
    Registered Users Posts: 2,885 ✭✭✭DuckSlice


    GreeBo wrote: »
    If you expect the course and clubhouse to be in the same condition when you return to golf, then you have to expect to pay to keep it in that condition.

    Grass growth isnt on lockdown (yet!)

    Well I never knew the grass wouldn't stop growing :eek:


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