[Mike Sweeney]

The Connecticut State Golf Assoc put together a survey of their clubs. The PDF of the report is located at:

http://csgalinks.org/Golf_and_the_Economy.pdf

I found this quote most interesting:

"The impact of women on golf is profound! Years ago club memberships were sold to men and a great many of those memberships were part of their employment package. Wives and families just came along for the ride. Now, women are primarily the decision makers on which club their family will join or at which public facility their family will golf. Social atmosphere and mobility for the children are key factors in helping women make these decisions."

[Dan Herrmann]

The only social atmosphere Laura cares about is the golf.  She's now a gca snob. 

[Jud_T]

Doesn't this apply to Country Clubs and not Golf Clubs?  Who the hell would want to join a Country Club anyway?   

[Bill_McBride]

Doesn't this apply to Country Clubs and not Golf Clubs?  Who the hell would want to join a Country Club anyway?   

Families with kids!  Not you I assume, Jud?   

[Adam Clayman]

And why do I know what a duvet cover is?

[Terry Lavin]

More's the pity.

[John Moore II]

This is certainly true if the family wants something other than golf from the club. But if golf is the only factor, and the other, ladies functions, are going to be done some place else, then it comes down to the man making the decision, most likely. And yes, this could only apply to Country Clubs and not golf only clubs.

[Pete_Pittock]

I think it is saying that when faced with the choice between a golf club and a country club, a family will tend to go to the country club with the social activities, swimming pool and tennis courts if the wife has a say in the matter.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Mike,

Who authored the article ?

[Jud_T]

a couple of key quotes:

club items (food, dues, etc.) are too expensive;

On a sharp decline over the past seven years is full-service dining

[John Moore II]

a couple of key quotes:

club items (food, dues, etc.) are too expensive;

On a sharp decline over the past seven years is full-service dining

I don't think food items at clubs are all that expensive. When I was with Avestra Golf, CC of Whispering Pines had full service dining and the prices there weren't any higher than at a sit-down restaurant out in town. The same can be said of Mid South when we offered dinner (maybe once a month as a special thing). And the typical grill room prices aren't any higher than a decent joint in town (certainly more expensive than Burger King or something, but not more expensive, than say, What-A-Burger). But I do agree that fewer and fewer clubs offer full service dining. The ONLY way for that to work is to have some semi-high minimums that members must meet every month. Otherwise, full service dining will fail horribly.

[Terry Lavin]

This is a subject that has been beaten to death, but it bears repeating that the old days of people organizing their social lives almost exclusively around the country club are gone, gone, gone in most places.  Over the past thirty years, the restaurant industry has grown by leaps and bounds while elegant dining at clubs is decidedly on the wane.  Regardless of which spouse is most influential in club selection, there's no business model that is designed around families taking a substantial portion of their meals at the local country club.

[Roger Wolfe]

Key to family happiness:

1.  Join a GOLF CLUB... not a full service country club.
2.  Use the money you save to join a SWIM/TENNIS/FITNESS club.

Why is everyone obsessed with doing everything at the same place?  Golf clubs
do golf better.  The other clubs do swim, tennis and fitness better.  Enjoy the
fact that each facility focuses on what they do best.  Trying to be everything
for everyone is tough and usually only achieved and done well at high $$ clubs.

A golf club, if you can find one, is usually affordable while swim/tennis/fitness
fees are almost negligible.

Now if you are looking for pretension and stuffiness... I can't help you!

[Bill_McBride]

Key to family happiness:

1.  Join a GOLF CLUB... not a full service country club.
2.  Use the money you save to join a SWIM/TENNIS/FITNESS club.

Why is everyone obsessed with doing everything at the same place?  Golf clubs
do golf better.  The other clubs do swim, tennis and fitness better.  Enjoy the
fact that each facility focuses on what they do best.  Trying to be everything
for everyone is tough and usually only achieved and done well at high $$ clubs.

A golf club, if you can find one, is usually affordable while swim/tennis/fitness
fees are almost negligible.

Now if you are looking for pretension and stuffiness... I can't help you!

When my kids were little, or at least early teens, I loved going out to play and dropping them off at the pool and tennis courts to hang out while I played.  My son got a great start in golf and tennis, my girls just loved the tennis and the pool.  No kids I would prefer a golf club.  With a family, the full club is a better option - to me.

[Chris Flamion]

I am going thru the same thing right now.  My wife wants a full country club with social functions and everything that comes with it like a pool etc.  I am looking for a hard golf club, regardless of location as long as it is driveable.  The one thing we agree on is why any place would serve more than booze and simple food, we can't figure it out.

[Dan Boerger]

The two aren't mutually exclusive! There's room for clubs that are golf only, and for clubs that offer swimming, tennis, paddle, you name it and a full range of family activities. I've belonged to both and we are now at a full service, what some might label "family" facility. It works for us.

An additional benefit of the family facility is that there seems to be a strong supply of new members coming from that group -- but perhaps that's the MO for any thriving club these days.

[PThomas]

speaking of non golf stuff, i wonder if they ever put in the bowling alleys in at Dismal River?

I wonder how that place is doing, considering its location and the fact that the course has taken a pretty good beating in some quarters....

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