I am a 31 year-old millennial that joined a private club at age 23. I had never seriously played golf before joining but am now a full-fledged addict that plays 60+ rounds a year. I initially joined the club because 1) intermediate dues were insanely cheap post-recession and 2) working in a professional services firm I was jealous of the partners that played “client” golf all summer long and wanted in on the action.
After several years of membership and a job change, my reasons for remaining a member have changed drastically: I now value the friendliness and convenience of the club, enjoy the challenge of the game, and enjoy playing with my dad (who is also a member). Even 8 years after joining, I am still one of the youngest members in the club. I drool over the wide variety of courses available across the US and world, and wish I had the time and budget to travel more extensively for golf. I could trade in my club membership and use the freed up dollars for additional travel, but I value the ability to escape at my local club, if only for a few hours at a time.
Only a handful of my friends (outside the club) play even casual golf, and an even smaller number have ever expressed any desire to join a club. Their demographics match up with the traditional image of a club member: white collar careers, married or in committed relationships, enjoy active and social pursuits. They choose to spend their time and money elsewhere though: travel, concerts, sporting events, tech toys. Even the athletically inclined are more likely to spend their discretionary income on gym memberships, cycling, running, hiking, Crossfit, etc.
All of this is a long-winded way of saying: golf is a difficult, niche sport that takes itself too seriously. Appreciating tradition is fine, but the obsessive deference to antiquated ideals, stuffy etiquette, and overly complicated rules is an immediate turn off to many new golfers and potential club members. Even if you get the prospective member over the new golfer hurdle, you then have to deal with stuffy clubhouses, outdated dining (dover sole, anyone?), and existing club politics – especially the NIMBY-ism of the “old guard” members resistant to change.
The clubs that will thrive into the future will have to find the right balance of a relaxed-but-upscale culture and amenities that appeal to the whole family without drowning the club in debt. Easy, low-cost places to start: quality golf programming for women (especially employed women) and children, less formal dining, unrelenting emphasis on member service, low tolerance for a**hole members. My millennial cohort appreciates an upscale lifestyle and is willing to pay up for it, but most clubs have been too slow to evolve with a changing entertainment and leisure landscape.