Tom- mine is not so much a complaint as an assessment that €80 for a round at N & P was not worth it to me. The course is good, but certainly not anywhere close to top tier, and my bet is that a links you might build there would be clearly superior. As I also noted in this thread, I thought that Lahinch was grossly over-priced. I understand that I am not in their target tourist market, and I certainly understand that the clubs can charge whatever the market will bear.
Sean- I think it is fair to compare different business plans, and, BTW, vis-à-vis the members, I much prefer yours over there. There is some advantage to not having to mess with finding a member in the UK to play a private club, though I find that the experience is much superior (can't think of a single bad instance) playing with a proud member, not to say anything about the savings in fees. Many U.S. courses allow unaccompanied play, sometimes simply by calling or writing ahead, but most often through your home pro. For more than economic reasons, I also prefer in the U.S. playing with a member who knows the course and its history. True, unaccompanied guest fees can be very high here and I have been known to pass on some renowned courses which discourage this type of play with an exorbitant green fee.
Jon- apples and pears? The two systems are generally different, largely reflecting considerable variances in culture and economics. In our top tier here, exclusivity plays a large part, but N & P is not close to that level in the RoI. My home club is in the second tier with a course that's competes favorably with some of the big boys. It is a sub-suburban course in an area with greater density and superior demographics than N & P's. Though it generates some revenues from Monday outings and guest play, dues make up the lion's share. Just to step on the course, it is around $500/month.
I suspect that N & P's business plan depends on significant guest play. If, as you say, its members can't spare €1.5 to 2.5k each to re-capitalize the club, I would be concerned with its future as a going concern. There is nothing about the clubhouse to suggest extravagance, and the stated debt does not appear to be outrageous (I know of a Dallas club that borrowed $10 Million for a $14 Million renovation). That N & P can't make debt service with an €80 guest fee and its current member roll suggests that members might need to pay higher dues and/or find a better price point to increase its guest revenues. In a remote site, it is harder to do. All the more power to the members if they can find an angel to relieve them of the debt.