Recession and new ventures

[Mark Chaplin]

The credit crunch is biting on this side of the pond as well. At Deal we offer overseas life membership for $15k and although not pushed have very little take up. This is to join an established pedigree links course with a sound financial base, barely 90 minutes from London.

With the established Loch Lomond and Skibo is there a market to make Archerfield, Renaissance, Castle Stewart and Machrihanish to name those I'm aware of a success? Of course they have/will have high quality lodgings and good levels of service but how big is the market when the upfront fees must be $50-150k plus an annual of $3k +?

Playing at Gullane at the weekend you can see Kilspindie, Craigielaw, Luffness new, 3 Gullanes, Muirfield and you know North Berwick and The Glen are there. Isn't this the toughest piece of golfing real estate on this side of the pond for Archerfield and Renaissance to be competing in?

[Ally Mcintosh]

I'm not sure what the business models are for any of those ventures you've named Mark but they're surely different...


As I understand it,

- Loch Lomond and Skibo are private and rely heavily on international membership.
- Renaissance and Archerfield are private but seem to be targetting a lot of local membership.
-Machrihanish Dunes and Castle Stewart will rely more on Visitors Fees as opposed to being Members Clubs

I can see the first two struggling.... As the second two are in the same location, I can see the best quality package winning through with the other suffering.... Not sure about the final two but the Dunes course will surely have lower maintenance costs and the Castle Stewart course will have to provide the luxury end with close proximity to Nairn, Dornoch and Inverness being a pull...

Just thinking out loud... pure conjecture...

[Melvyn Morrow]

Ally

You mentioned Skibo, read about the original course at Skibo.
Toys for little girls?



Enjoy

Melvyn

[Ally Mcintosh]

Thanks Melvyn... I knew of the existing course but certainly hadn't seen that article before.

Am I right in saying that the current model is mainly international membership?... Do you know how they are doing?

[Melvyn Morrow]

Ally

In answer to your question the answer is no.

I have tried three times to contact the new club, but they never bother to respond, so have given up. Don't think I want to be a Member of a club that
can not show the basic courtesy of communication.

But what an area for golf, from Strathpeffer to Tain and up to Brora, why do I need to go overseas for my golf.

Melvyn