Sean
Very interesting , thanks for posting .
Stonehaven's difficulties are the same , a falling membership , but the reasons seem different .
We have always been the community golf club , and until recently you had to live within 20 miles of the club to be a member . Since WW2 , there had always been a waiting list and 10 years ago the wait was around 5 years , and there was a joining a fee of £300 .
This past three years we have lost members at an alarming rate . You can walk straight in and be accepted without as much as your name going in front of the committee nowadays . A joining fee ? , ha ! .
Two groups are thriving within the club . Our Senior members grows at an alarming rate , and it is estimated that in 6 years time , we will have more Senior members than any other group . This sounds great as they play a lot of midweek golf and do bring in extra trade to the clubhouse . Unfortunately they also expect their entitlement to reduced annual subs. , and there has been one heated EGM in the clubhouse about this already , and it resolved nothing .
Our Junior section is as healthy as it has ever been . We have plenty of keen youngsters with low handicaps that are also doing well in district comps.
So its the Ordinary members we are losing , the 17 to 50 year old bracket . Why ? .
1.The course itself doesn't suit the modern golfer . Everyone wants to play what they see on television and are much more willing to travel for it . A quirky , unfair , 118 year old , 63 acre , par66 with great views just doesn't attract nowadays .
2. Subscriptions have doubled in 9 years , although some would laugh at our thoughts of £360 a year being far too expensive , they are . The committee say we need these fee's to pay for the course upkeep and maintenance in this pc , health and safety world we have nowadays . Up to 10 years ago we had 2 of a greenstaff and most was done by hand . Nowadays we have 5 greenkeepers and everything is done sitting down , and the course is much more manicured ( and doesn't look or play any better ) .
3. Society golf .
And I am as guilty as everyone else . Start of the season I will buy a bunch of those 2fore1 vouchers and we travel around the country looking for value for money , and ticking off lists . Something we just didnt do that much in the past .
There are a few other reasons but I think those are the main ones that are killing off our local community based golf club .
The funny thing is while we struggle to survive , there is plans for two more golf course in the area . Stonehaven is a small town of 11,000 , and I cant see two clubs making money , never mind three . So something has got to give .
And are these new courses promoting themselves to the locals as community clubs ? .
No , "we want to build a championship golf course that will attract tourists , especially Americans" .
Best Regards
Brian