My experience .........we closed down the kitchen years ago. Every town has too many decent restaurants nearby.
The club manager where I belong is in charge of two things...keeping food service up to 'par' and getting outside events (weddings, parties, etc.) for the clubhouse. Food for outside events is catered. Even then, clubhouse is a break even proposition.
I think most clubs, outside the large metro areas, are going to the 'grill' idea more and more, serving a limited breakfast and good sandwiches and grilled items.
In Knoxville Tennessee (and I would guess most of the south) the first step in the demise of country club 'food' involved liquor. Liquor by the drink was not available in many areas of the south until 1970s or later. You wanted a drink with supper....... you went to a 'club' or to the 'country club'. There was a bit of a captive audience.
Then, in our case, the city wanted a big hotel downtown. Hyatt said they would build but only if they got liquor by the drink. They got liquor by the drink. So did all the other restaurants. That was the beginning of the end for food service at clubs that couldn't afford to lose money that the others reference.
The two clubs in town that do have 'supper' service survive on two words .... outside events. You have the Rotary for lunch, the womens' garden club for lunch, the symphony league for supper, the wedding for Billie Sue, Bobby's retirement party from Meth Labs Inc., etc., etc.
Club manager has to fill the clubhouse with outside events.