OT - Does marriage still matter to your club?

[Jason Thurman]

Way OT here, but I'm interested in understanding whether there's any trend of clubs redefining golfing and other privileges historically granted to spouses of members. In my area, I've observed a few clubs who have now begun to allow a full, unmarried member to name a "significant other" to receive what would normally be spousal privileges. Anecdotally, it seems like most clubs that go this route allow the member to name that significant other on an annual basis, and also require that the significant other lives in the member's household. I'm curious as to whether this is part of a broader trend, at least in the US.

[Rob Marshall]

Marriage not necessary at my club.

[Daryl David]

Both my clubs recognize significant others as members.

[John Kavanaugh]

Both my clubs recognize significant others as members.

Who do you pay for? Daryl or David?

[archie_struthers]

 


It's a difficult decision for some clubs as those without"partners" don't get the added value that those members get. I felt junior golf was super important so we also let children of members play with no charge until they were out of college or 23 years old.


In retrospect this probably wasn't fair to the members who didn't have spouses who golf. If I had to do it over would try to address this in some way. Would still let kids play free (hours limited for juniors on weekends). If someone was a "couple" irrespective of their sexual preferences they would receive the same deal. Had more of a problem with "corporate" memberships that tended to be a sham. Got rid of them when we bought the club.


Age pricing is more difficult though you want the young folks to participate, they are integral to club activities in my opinion so a discount til age 35-38 years of age seems a good business decision. They tend not to be married til 30 ish and if they are tend to have less time as they are career building or if they have children are really busy. Also think that once someone gets to be 70+ should get some perks or price reductions for their loyalty to the club. Easy when you own it versus the standard club , where members own the place.

[A.G._Crockett]

My club uses the term “domestic partner”. 


Single memberships with the accompanying $70/mo dues reduction are available only to “unmarried individuals with no dependent children”. Initiation fees are the same whether the membership is single or family.


I have no idea how or to what extent the club’s management or Membership Committee checks or monitors any of this.


I also suspect that this might be one area of difference between a true golf club and a country club with swim and tennis,etc.  Keeping up with who goes on the golf course is relatively simple, and single memberships are more workable at a golf only club. The pool and all the other areas of a country club, on the other hand, would be a thicket.

[Jeff Shelman]

My club allows people to name a significant other. That can only be changed once a year.

[SL_Solow]

We have had a similar rule for at least 20 years.  Never had any problems.

[Mark Chaplin]

No wonder US golf is so expensive, sounds like 70% of the club aren’t paying full subs with juniors and seniors getting cheap golf and spouses getting free golf. A single chap in his 50s is getting butchered by all the free loaders.

[SL_Solow]

Mark,  Most clubs charge fees for spouses/significant others to obtain golf privileges.  The same is true for juniors (usually a smaller number).  They don't pay an initiation fee or yearly dues as the dues cover the family unit.  Other fees and costs are added with use.

[Kevin_Reilly]

My club is a "family" club, so you pay the same initiation and monthly dues whether you are a single person, or family of 10.  Kids have full privileges until they are 27.  Similar to other comparable clubs in the area.


Maybe one thing where the Bay Area is more reasonable in cost than other areas?


If a single person or family of two wants to gripe about the cost, well, country clubs usually aren't a good economic choice....so you can go somewhere else.

[A.G._Crockett]

No wonder US golf is so expensive, sounds like 70% of the club aren’t paying full subs with juniors and seniors getting cheap golf and spouses getting free golf. A single chap in his 50s is getting butchered by all the free loaders.

If you find a club near me where seniors get a break, let me know.  Most clubs I’m familiar with offer breaks to younger adults to draw them in. Seniors get discounts at public courses; rarely, if ever, at private clubs.


If a club were to charge families with children by the person, they’d be out of business tomorrow. Likewise with spouses.  I’m a senior with no dependent children and a spouse you NEVER uses our club, yet I pay the same dues as a couple that both play and have dependent children who use the club. I’m subsidizing others, I know, but I knew that going in.

[archie_struthers]

 


Kevin the if you don't like it leave doesn't seem appropriate as an answer to a constantly changing business. For many years member retention was a critical issue to clubs , even if today it's not.


As to freebies for children til age 27 that's quite generous. Given the demand for tee times in our area. I'm guessing there are some restrictions? For clubs owned by membership they can craft their own rules and regulations but someone who understands logistics ought to be involved. We've see architecture by committee over the last fifty years and for the most part it's been a failure.

[Kevin_Reilly]

Kevin the if you don't like it leave doesn't seem appropriate as an answer to a constantly changing business. For many years member retention was a critical issue to clubs , even if today it's not.


As to freebies for children til age 27 that's quite generous. Given the demand for tee times in our area. I'm guessing there are some restrictions? For clubs owned by membership they can craft their own rules and regulations but someone who understands logistics ought to be involved. We've see architecture by committee over the last fifty years and for the most part it's been a failure.

Archie, it has worked for us maybe because of the club's relatively strong position in the local area.  Member-owned, it has always been a family club with swimming, tennis and a (good) golf course.  Pre-2020, we averaged 23-25,000 rounds per year (12 month season) so the golf course was never impacted.  Like everywhere else, play was way up the last 18-24 months.  But play by 21-27 year old "kids" has never amounted to any meaningful percentage of play. 


The rationale for such a long runway for members' children to retain privileges at the club is that they would be good future members, so keeping them connected to the club after college is a good idea.


As an aside, one of the great benefits we have always offered is to allow junior members (14-17) who have been "certified" by the pro (for etiquette and basic golf skills) to bring their non-member friends as guests for a low guest fee (something like $10-15).  My sons enjoyed taking their friends out for afternoon rounds via this policy.  We also open the course to the local high school's boys and girls golf team...another way to invest in the future of the club.


All of the above has worked for us...YMMV of course.

[Carl Nichols]

As an aside, one of the great benefits we have always offered is to allow junior members (14-17) who have been "certified" by the pro (for etiquette and basic golf skills) to bring their non-member friends as guests for a low guest fee (something like $10-15).  My sons enjoyed taking their friends out for afternoon rounds via this policy.  We also open the course to the local high school's boys and girls golf team...another way to invest in the future of the club.

That's a very cool idea.  I don't think I'd heard of a club having something like this.

[Mark Chaplin]

Kevin what is the clubs conversation rate of 27 year olds to paying membership and later full membership? Do the numbers back up the policy?

[Jeff Shelman]

We just passed a bylaws change at my club to extend privileges to dependents until they are 26 - in line with health insurance.


I agree that allowing them to get a start on their careers and keep playing golf may allow more of them to convert into a junior membership. We were already at 24, so the change isn't that big of a deal.


We also have a high school that plays at our course and have a cheap junior guest fee that is maybe $25 or something.

[Will Spivey]

As an aside, one of the great benefits we have always offered is to allow junior members (14-17) who have been "certified" by the pro (for etiquette and basic golf skills) to bring their non-member friends as guests for a low guest fee (something like $10-15).  My sons enjoyed taking their friends out for afternoon rounds via this policy.  We also open the course to the local high school's boys and girls golf team...another way to invest in the future of the club.

That's a very cool idea.  I don't think I'd heard of a club having something like this.

Carl,


My club does something similar, though we just doubled the Jr. guest fee ---- from $5 to $10! I think it's great, and I don't ever recall us having a problem.