In my experience, a sound dictator works best at a golf club. But, get an unsound dictator and it's the most miserable situation ever. Clubs by committee with a vast majority of the membership being of the same social-economic class tend to work as well. When you have no screening process clubs seem to turn into high school popularity contests when they work by committee.
Here are my guidelines for a good club...
1. Single memberships ONLY. If your wife or husband wants to be a member, they have to buy their own membership. I would set up the ability for members to buy their children junior memberships.
2. No pool.
3. Focused on golf.
4. Hire the best club professional in my area. I would pay TOP dollar to get the best one I can find. When I say best, I don't necessarily mean the best player. I would want one that can play, teach, do club repair, and have outstanding interpersonal skills.
5. Hire the best Superintendent I could find. Same as #4 but in the maintenance field.
6. I would have limited tournaments. Men's, women's, and junior Club Championship (Match Play and flighted), a Stroke Play Championship, one member guest, one member-member, one pro-am, and maybe host an open amateur event (i.e. US Am Qualifier, etc.). No mixers, no President's Cup, no scrambles, no Jack and Jill, etc. I would host very few outings and only ones that raised money for charities. I would donate the course for those select few events.
7. Clubhouse focused on pro shop, locker rooms and grille. No big restaurant, ball rooms, or any other giant financial burden.
8. No tee times. Show up and get out in order of when you sign up.
9. Walking only with a few carts for handicapped people.
10. Caddy program. Encouraged use but not mandatory unless unaccompanied guests are playing.
11. I would enforce a pace of play policy like a nazi. Play in over four hours, you get a warning. Do it again, you get suspended. Do it a third time, we cut you a check for your initiation and tell you to not let the door hit you on the way out.
12. Reasonable guest fees.
13. I would start by getting a handful of original investors/members and build my membership SLOWLY. Maybe 10 new members a year. The screening process would be based on golfing knowledge, skill, community involvement, and personality. Race, gender, political ideologies, and religion play no part in eligibility.
Granted, there are more things I would include but this would be my ideal club. The possibility of pulling this off is near impossible, especially in the current economic climate. I think J.D. at The Palms in La Quinta has come the closest I have seen to this in recent times. It is a fun golf course with one of the best playing memberships in the country. Every time you show up, it's all about the golf. They have limited tournaments, no tee times and a strict pace of play policy. I can honestly say I have enjoyed every experience I have ever had there and I've played there a lot.
I know this doesn't exactly explain HOW to build a membership but I think if you set out with specific ideas for your club and enforce your policies religiously you'll get that membership.
JF