Golf in Scotland is sinking fast

[Chris Hughes]

Dornoch would not represent the general situation and problems providing and sustaining economical golf in the United Kingdom.


The new labour government have just put multiple daggers into the bodies of many small businesses by increasing wages, insurance contributions, business rates and employment laws. Golf Clubs will suffer and many more will close.

Bring on the robots! 😉

...and the "AI" pin-setting algorithms!!   

[Ken Moum]

I must agree with Mark, but I would also echo Adrian's point that Dornoch is in no sense representative of anything.

Apart from anything else, I am pretty certain it is the golf club that has the highest proportion of its revenue from non-members anywhere in the world.

I'm pretty sure ANGC tops them by several orders of magnitude,  but that's clearly a special case.

[Joe_Tucholski]

I'm very lucky I pulled the trigger on joining a local club in St. Andrews and got on the Links Trust Annual Ticket waitlist when I did. After getting in the local club I joined and signing up for the Links Trust Ticket it took me 7 years to get mine.  I'm hearing that waitlist is closer to 15 years long now.  I have no idea if that is true, just rumors I've heard.

Jeff I assume much longer than 15 years for folks getting on the list now IF things continue as they are.  I've been on the waitlist for 3 years and each year the number of people offered a ticket has decreased.  The last e-mail I received in June said they'd allocate 75 a year and I was 1106.  At current pace I'll be able to purchase after 18 years of waiting.  At those timelines I figure a number of people will be unavailable to purchase their ticket when their name comes up.


Local club membership also seems to be quite the wait.  New Club lists "considerable waiting lists are in place."


Another thing I noticed today is the visitor 3 and 7 day unlimited ticket options seem to be gone.  They were on the pricing list yesterday and maybe pending a 2025 price update, but I doubt it as there is now a 54 hole package with a food and beverage credit.

[Simon Barrington]

Ireland not Scotland


I have no knowledge of this club, but their comments (and lawsuit) regarding WHS Handicaps and not needing to be a Club Member to hold one are potentially interesting?


https://thegolfbusiness.co.uk/2025/02/irish-golf-club-announces-closure/

[Niall C]

Simon


That reads to me more like a business restructuring itself rather than a club closing. Certainly it doesn't appear to be a traditional club which is in charge of its own destiny. And 1,253 members is a huge amount even if many are effectively country members.


Niall

[Simon Barrington]

Simon

That reads to me more like a business restructuring itself rather than a club closing. Certainly it doesn't appear to be a traditional club which is in charge of its own destiny. And 1,253 members is a huge amount even if many are effectively country members.

Niall

Thanks
As I said, I have no knowledge beyond the article (& it's not my headline)
I found it interesting to see specific comment (& legal action!) regarding non-Member Handicapping which has come in from all the "Home" Unions under the WHS.
Does opening this mean more nomadic golfers and pressure on membership acquisition over time, especially younger golfers (who are needed by Clubs of all types to solve their demographic issues longer-term)?
I guess only time will tell, and noting this is a single example which may have other factors at play.

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