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Will you rejoin your club for next year

  • 20-10-2020 12:22pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 702 ✭✭✭


    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.


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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 2,201 ✭✭✭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.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,551 ✭✭✭Glebee


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


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,201 ✭✭✭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


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,577 ✭✭✭newport2


    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.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,008 ✭✭✭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


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  • Registered Users Posts: 51,118 ✭✭✭✭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.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,909 ✭✭✭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.


  • Registered Users Posts: 12,554 ✭✭✭✭prawnsambo


    Absolutely. No question.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,724 ✭✭✭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.


  • Registered Users Posts: 346 ✭✭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


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  • Registered Users Posts: 444 ✭✭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..


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,884 ✭✭✭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.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,424 ✭✭✭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


  • Registered Users Posts: 592 ✭✭✭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.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,782 ✭✭✭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.


  • Registered Users Posts: 21,079 ✭✭✭✭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.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,008 ✭✭✭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....


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,724 ✭✭✭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.


  • Registered Users Posts: 477 ✭✭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.


  • Registered Users Posts: 17,579 ✭✭✭✭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?

    Free Palestine 🇵🇸



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  • Registered Users Posts: 3,782 ✭✭✭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.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,103 ✭✭✭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?
    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.


  • Registered Users Posts: 501 ✭✭✭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.


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,393 ✭✭✭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?


  • Registered Users Posts: 26,960 ✭✭✭✭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.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,782 ✭✭✭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


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,245 ✭✭✭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.


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,201 ✭✭✭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


  • Registered Users Posts: 48,742 ✭✭✭✭Wichita Lineman


    I'll definitely be rejoining my club.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 17,579 ✭✭✭✭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.

    Free Palestine 🇵🇸



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