Will private clubs in America survive committee governance?

[Chris Cupit]

Peter,

You have a very young average age for your club that many would envy.

I am going off of memory but for residents who live on a golf course I am 99% sure that it is less than 35% who are even golfers according to the NGF and for the industry as a whole, a club would be fortunate to get 20% participation from the surrounding neighborhoods most of which do not mandate club membership with a lot purchase (although that is becoming a trend at some higher end developments--you must join as at least a social member if you live in the community).

After the development is sold out and any developer subsidy is gone, that's when the fun of running the club as a business begins

[Peter Wagner]

Chris,
No, the national average per NGF is 35% homeowner buy in.  This points to a potential problem: is the golf community offering a product of interest to this 35%?  Given that the bulk of the 5000 course built in the U.S. in the last 20 years were residential it would seem that we have a built in target market to mine.

Yes we have an usually low average age and it's something we cultivate.  We are currently drafting a membership plan to attract 20-somethings.

We took our club early from the RE developer last July so the fun has already started for us! 

- Peter

[Mike_Young]

I think we are about to see some things stir with management companies taking over for committees..it was bound to happen and this thread was 8 years ago...

[Anthony_Nysse]

I think we are about to see some things stir with management companies taking over for committees..it was bound to happen and this thread was 8 years ago...

If clubs/committees think it through, they will think about how much control they have before signing off to a management company. They lose a lot of power once they do...

[Steve Lang]

   Real question is will Privates survive Clubcorp?


First thing done was spend money on F&B environment... now how can a real golf club not be able to host a full 144 player field in their dining room?  oh, forgot its for the social members...

[Steve_ Shaffer]

I just learned that Philmont CC (established in 1906) in suburban Philadelphia has hired Brown Golf Management- " The Leader in Golf Facility Turnarounds" ...


http://browngolfmanagement.com/about-us/


See an interview with Donald Trump, Jr. http://browngolfmanagement.com/#inthenews








 http://browngolfmanagement.com/golf-course/philmont-country-club/