Flexygolf.com

Johnny86 · 17-03-2021 9:42am #1

I see this new venture has been launched aimed at casual golfers without a membership.

Golf Ireland seem like they'll tell the two clubs involved to stop.

What do people think? I'd probably be the targeted candidate for it but would have no intention of playing either of the clubs 3 times in a year to maintain a handicap. I'd probably only play 10 times per year anyway which is hard to justify membership for but would like to have an official handicap.

https://www.golfdigest.ie/news/flexygolf.com-are-now-offering-official-whs-handicaps-to-irish-golfers-despite-golf-ireland-opposition?utm_source=BenchmarkEmail&utm_campaign=Mar_17&utm_medium=email

fred funk }{ · 17-03-2021 10:41am

Johnny86 wrote: »

I see this new venture has been launched aimed at casual golfers without a membership.

Golf Ireland seem like they'll tell the two clubs involved to stop.

What do people think? I'd probably be the targeted candidate for it but would have no intention of playing either of the clubs 3 times in a year to maintain a handicap. I'd probably only play 10 times per year anyway which is hard to justify membership for but would like to have an official handicap.

https://www.golfdigest.ie/news/flexygolf.com-are-now-offering-official-whs-handicaps-to-irish-golfers-despite-golf-ireland-opposition?utm_source=BenchmarkEmail&utm_campaign=Mar_17&utm_medium=email

Without Golf Ireland's approval they're passing against the wind.

A Shaved Duck? · 17-03-2021 2:09pm

How is this a game changer its a distance membership, works out between 180 and 200 per year to play opens.

Casual golfers are not interested nor have the time, also we won't be playing opens this year I would imagine.

Johnny86 · 17-03-2021 2:45pm

A Shaved Duck? wrote: »

How is this a game changer its a distance membership, works out between 180 and 200 per year to play opens.

Casual golfers are not interested nor have the time, also we won't be playing opens this year I would imagine.

Yeah I'd agree...there are distant memberships available in the 200-300 zone that would be more suitable.

blue note · 18-03-2021 12:34pm

This has been touted as a problem for a long time and this is the most direct example of being able to buy a handicap I've seen. So it will be interesting to see the uptake on it. Will clubs lose members who choose to go for this option over meeting a member in a club? Or will non members start taking up this option?

My guess is that there will be a small few members who were considering whether to keep up their membership that will go with an option like this instead of renewing for another year / cancelling their membership. And there will be a few people not ready to take the plunge for full membership who'll try this as a way to start playing golf competitively.

But I guarantee you, this will not have a big effect on clubs. Membership is broadening anyway and this is part of it, but no club is going to feel a massive effect from this in their coffers.

slave1 · 18-03-2021 12:47pm

Johnny86 wrote: »

I see this new venture has been launched aimed at casual golfers without a membership.

Golf Ireland seem like they'll tell the two clubs involved to stop.

What do people think? I'd probably be the targeted candidate for it but would have no intention of playing either of the clubs 3 times in a year to maintain a handicap. I'd probably only play 10 times per year anyway which is hard to justify membership for but would like to have an official handicap.

https://www.golfdigest.ie/news/flexygolf.com-are-now-offering-official-whs-handicaps-to-irish-golfers-despite-golf-ireland-opposition?utm_source=BenchmarkEmail&utm_campaign=Mar_17&utm_medium=email

fred funk }{ wrote: »

Without Golf Ireland's approval they're passing against the wind.

If this allows golfers to get the Irish Golf Ireland (aka GUI rate) rate then perhaps it will gain momentum

paulos53 · 18-03-2021 12:48pm

England Golf have already announced that they plan to offer handicaps to golfers who are not members of clubs. They expect casual golfers to play more often if their rounds count for a handicap and that in turn will generate more green fee revenue for clubs.

If it is a success in England then it will only be a matter of time before the same scheme is offered by Golf Ireland. That would surely see distance memberships and schemes like FlexyGolf die off

Ollieboy · 18-03-2021 1:47pm

slave1 wrote: »

If this allows golfers to get the Irish Golf Ireland (aka GUI rate) rate then perhaps it will gain momentum

Getting a handicap is fine and I don’t have a issue with it, but it won’t get you Saturday and Sunday prime time spots which is what people really want and that’s what a golf membership gives you.

Seve OB · 18-03-2021 2:39pm

I don’t see it being any different to a country membership which you can already get. And by the time you factor in the green fees, it’s probably about the same money as some that have been available for years and years.

Flexigolf with their members comps etc????? Don’t really know how they will work that, but it sounds like a glorified golf society!

if I was their target market, I’d probably skip the middle man and go straight to highfield or blacklion directly.

I don’t really know much about those clubs (played highfield a few times and can remember that I didn’t rate it) but I guess it just gives them a bit of exposure by doing it this way

spacecoyote · 18-03-2021 6:05pm

Seve OB wrote: »

I don’t see it being any different to a country membership which you can already get. And by the time you factor in the green fees, it’s probably about the same money as some that have been available for years and years.

Flexigolf with their members comps etc????? Don’t really know how they will work that, but it sounds like a glorified golf society!

if I was their target market, I’d probably skip the middle man and go straight to highfield or blacklion directly.

I don’t really know much about those clubs (played highfield a few times and can remember that I didn’t rate it) but I guess it just gives them a bit of exposure by doing it this way

With distance, officially speaking, you have to play at least 3 rounds in your home club a year though, right?

Assume they're issuing these with some cash paid to some club to give them membership, but doesn't appear to be any link to a specific club associated with the deal?

slave1 · 18-03-2021 6:33pm

Seve OB wrote: »

I don’t see it being any different to a country membership which you can already get. And by the time you factor in the green fees, it’s probably about the same money as some that have been available for years and years.

Flexigolf with their members comps etc????? Don’t really know how they will work that, but it sounds like a glorified golf society!

if I was their target market, I’d probably skip the middle man and go straight to highfield or blacklion directly.

I don’t really know much about those clubs (played highfield a few times and can remember that I didn’t rate it) but I guess it just gives them a bit of exposure by doing it this way

Played Highfield once, don't remember much but I would love that clubhouse as a home, serious structure

Wombatman · 29-03-2021 12:15am

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/golf/arid-40253165.html

Wombatman · 29-03-2021 12:18am

Ollieboy wrote: »

Getting a handicap is fine and I don’t have a issue with it, but it won’t get you Saturday and Sunday prime time spots which is what people really want and that’s what a golf membership gives you.

You could get a lot of mileage out of open comps, Golf Now and a FlexiGolf handicap TBF. The variety of not playing the same course week in week out is a big appeal.

brick tamland · 29-03-2021 10:10am

Ollieboy wrote: »

Getting a handicap is fine and I don’t have a issue with it, but it won’t get you Saturday and Sunday prime time spots which is what people really want and that’s what a golf membership gives you.

During the winter that's true, but that's hard in most clubs anyway. If you're clever with bookings you certainly could with the amount of opens during the summer.

Wichita Lineman · 29-03-2021 10:20am

If Golf Ireland refuse to recognise their handicaps which is a possibility then they wont be allowed enter opens anywhere. In any event I suspect that clubs will probably be drastically reducing the number of opens held this year.

benji79 · 29-03-2021 10:21am

If they got a club here in Cork on board I reckon they’d do well. I’d know a lot of guys who this would suit

bustercherry · 29-03-2021 11:15am

Golf Ireland could just take away any participating club's affiliation too I suspect?

I suspect something like this will happen in the future but will be a Golf Ireland led initative rather than commercial venture.

DuckSlice · 29-03-2021 2:16pm

Does it make any difference to Golf Ireland? they will still get their 27 euro per handicap? Surely something that makes handicaps more available to people would be a good thing for GI, but not necessarily good for the clubs.

I can see both the positives and the negatives of this, it could potentially bring people back to golf who dont play because membership is too expensive, but clubs could start to lose the people that pay full membership to play just 5-10 comps a year.

CSWS101 · 29-03-2021 6:42pm

Wombatman wrote: »

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/golf/arid-40253165.html

As FlexyGolf director Tony Judge stated on a recent podcast: "Honestly, it’s throwaway money, €119. You’ve now got a handicap, you’re a member of a club, it’s (the price of) a round of drinks."

Where the fck is he drinking?

Seve OB · 29-03-2021 7:23pm

etxp wrote: »

Does it make any difference to Golf Ireland? they will still get their 27 euro per handicap? Surely something that makes handicaps more available to people would be a good thing for GI, but not necessarily good for the clubs.

I can see both the positives and the negatives of this, it could potentially bring people back to golf who dont play because membership is too expensive, but clubs could start to lose the people that pay full membership to play just 5-10 comps a year.

Golf Ireland are responsible to act on behalf of the golf clubs in Ireland. It is not just about collecting their 27 euro

Ryder · 30-03-2021 1:24pm

can totally see how this would suit some people, definitely me as someone who plays very few/almost no competitions

Dont see it as being good for the game/clubs. people who are thinking about taking the game up likely wont play many/any opens and there are plenty of clubs (even in the Dublin area) with reasonable enough subs

It will likely draw people who look at their subs per round played away if they feel that they can get better value with this, particularly in areas where signing up with a club is easy

So I think it would hit rural/quieter clubs the hardest...not sure that the extra green fees would make up the difference

Bgiraffe · 30-03-2021 4:08pm

Don't think clubs will feel much of a pinch from this product. What they're offering, versus club membership are two very distinct things. As a club member I love summer evening golf, playing a few holes at random times around work/kids, playing the odd club matchplay, the club 'majors' - basically all the stuff that you can't do with FlexyGolf. An FG membership would be no good to me really, I don't have 4-5 hours to play opens in various different clubs. Even if it is miles cheaper! The benefit of club membership to me is basically a few holes a few times a week.

Another interesting angle is that you could buy a FG h'cap, pay green fees with another FG member at any time in the week and play handicap counting rounds between yourselves. You need never play an actual comp and you'd still have a handicap that's going up and down. Some people might enjoy doing that.

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