Clubs with lower initiation fees for seniors

[Tommy Williamsen]

This might seem like an odd topic. I am not looking for another club, but are there clubs that have a lower initiation fee for seniors? I am 74 years old and certainly will not be a member anywhere as long as a 50 year old.

[Scott Warren]

Sick, a brand new way for under-40yo members who play once a month to get screwed!

[Jon Sweet]

Nobody better tell Scott about McDonald's senior coffee.  I would treat it much like any other thing, you never know until you ask! If there is a under 30 rate, there should be an over 70 rate IMO.

[David_Tepper]

Not aware of lower initiation fees for seniors, but a number of clubs I know of have lower monthly/annual dues for seniors. Some clubs offer a senior membership at a reduced rate that allows for play only on weekdays.

[archie_struthers]

 


Scott I don't know where you are a member but most places where I live have pretty good deals for Peeps under 40.

[Joe_Tucholski]

If there is a under 30 rate, there should be an over 70 rate IMO.

Jon I can see reasons to provide a discounted initiation fee to individuals under 30. 


What would be the incentive for a club to provide initiation discounts for those over 70?


As David mentioned I can see a reason to offer lower monthly dues for long standing members that are over a certain age.

[Jon Sweet]

Joe,
I suppose you say I will take less up front to get more out of them over time with the young. The old"er" you are saying I want it all up front, and will give them a discount month to month in case they check out early? Morbid but fair. If I was the initial poster I would give them a shout and ask, you never know.

[Tim Martin]

Between 2008 and 2020 pre covid there were no shortage of clubs that would entertain a discounted or no initiation policy in an effort to add members to the rolls and increase the monthly cash flow via dues only. New members were advised in certain instances to keep their arrangement on the down low so as not to cause ire with older established ones.

[SL_Solow]

A couple of points.  First, this thread demonstrates one advantage of a member owned club.  There are no special "secret" deals where the members own the club and initiation/dues are set by an elected board subject to the terms of by-laws. A club owned by investors with a profit motive makes its decisions in order to get a return on the investment.  Some of those decisions may be consistent with what a member owned club would do but others will not because of the differing motivations. Second, part of the reaction to questions such as these depends on one's view of what constitutes a "club". If a club is just a place to play golf with a limited number of people vying for tee times, then the attitude that the various age groups are in competition is almost understandable.  But if the club becomes a community of sorts with a common interest in golf where the members are interested in the long term viability of the institution, various concessions are made.  Younger members often get a break on dues/initiation to encourage them to come in.  Some clubs give them preference for early times on weekends as they are likely involved with kids' activities.  Long term members may be offered reduced dues in return for limited tee times recognizing years of service and changed circumstances on retirement.  Any club that makes rules to hurt young members risks waking up one day with no one young enough to perpetuate it.  Then the real discounting begins.

[Ian Mackenzie]

This might seem like an odd topic. I am not looking for another club, but are there clubs that have a lower initiation fee for seniors? I am 74 years old and certainly will not be a member anywhere as long as a 50 year old.

Sure, The Villages....;p-)


https://www.thevillages.com/


Just watch the STDs...;-)

[Dan_Callahan]

I'd be interested in joining a club that ties annual dues with speed of play. If you are slow as hell and take 5+ hours to play 18, you ought to pay more. A lot more. Enough more that maybe it drives you out of the game.

[Tommy Williamsen]

This might seem like an odd topic. I am not looking for another club, but are there clubs that have a lower initiation fee for seniors? I am 74 years old and certainly will not be a member anywhere as long as a 50 year old.

Sure, The Villages....;p-)


https://www.thevillages.com/


Just watch the STDs...;-)

Too many extroverts there. It would make me nuts.

[mike_beene]

On the other hand, they apparently have a golf cart drill team( think marching halftime band in golf carts)

[Mark Mammel]

A couple of points.  First, this thread demonstrates one advantage of a member owned club.  There are no special "secret" deals where the members own the club and initiation/dues are set by an elected board subject to the terms of by-laws. A club owned by investors with a profit motive makes its decisions in order to get a return on the investment.  Some of those decisions may be consistent with what a member owned club would do but others will not because of the differing motivations. Second, part of the reaction to questions such as these depends on one's view of what constitutes a "club". If a club is just a place to play golf with a limited number of people vying for tee times, then the attitude that the various age groups are in competition is almost understandable.  But if the club becomes a community of sorts with a common interest in golf where the members are interested in the long term viability of the institution, various concessions are made.  Younger members often get a break on dues/initiation to encourage them to come in.  Some clubs give them preference for early times on weekends as they are likely involved with kids' activities.  Long term members may be offered reduced dues in return for limited tee times recognizing years of service and changed circumstances on retirement.  Any club that makes rules to hurt young members risks waking up one day with no one young enough to perpetuate it.  Then the real discounting begins.

All true but irrelevant. Sorry, I know of no clubs that offer discounted initiation fees for older members. Why would they? Older members are retired, able to play lots of golf, and perhaps frugal such that the net revenue per member is low. In fact, though I think most private clubs offer some kind of senior membership, there's an issue  even for older members who might be eligible. It's age + years of membership, only so many seniors, etc.   

[SL_Solow]

Mark, my point was in response to Scott who appears to believe that the objective at many clubs is for older members or management is to take advantage of younger members. It was not intended to provide an answer to Tommy's initial question.  I agree that there is no evidence of any club that offers a discount for seniors and I concur in your reasoning.  However, as noted, some clubs will discount dues to members who reach a certain age plus years of membership in recognition of their long term service.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Mark, my point was in response to Scott who appears to believe that the objective at many clubs is for older members or management is to take advantage of younger members. It was not intended to provide an answer to Tommy's initial question.  I agree that there is no evidence of any club that offers a discount for seniors and I concur in your reasoning.  However, as noted, some clubs will discount dues to members who reach a certain age plus years of membership in recognition of their long term service.

I belong to a club that gives us lower dues we reach 75 and have been a member for at least twenty years. The dues are not much lower, however. It is a thank you for so many years of supporting the club. .

[Ian Mackenzie]

A couple of points.  First, this thread demonstrates one advantage of a member owned club.  There are no special "secret" deals where the members own the club and initiation/dues are set by an elected board subject to the terms of by-laws. A club owned by investors with a profit motive makes its decisions in order to get a return on the investment.  Some of those decisions may be consistent with what a member owned club would do but others will not because of the differing motivations. Second, part of the reaction to questions such as these depends on one's view of what constitutes a "club". If a club is just a place to play golf with a limited number of people vying for tee times, then the attitude that the various age groups are in competition is almost understandable.  But if the club becomes a community of sorts with a common interest in golf where the members are interested in the long term viability of the institution, various concessions are made.  Younger members often get a break on dues/initiation to encourage them to come in.  Some clubs give them preference for early times on weekends as they are likely involved with kids' activities.  Long term members may be offered reduced dues in return for limited tee times recognizing years of service and changed circumstances on retirement.  Any club that makes rules to hurt young members risks waking up one day with no one young enough to perpetuate it.  Then the real discounting begins.

All true but irrelevant. Sorry, I know of no clubs that offer discounted initiation fees for older members. Why would they? Older members are retired, able to play lots of golf, and perhaps frugal such that the net revenue per member is low. In fact, though I think most private clubs offer some kind of senior membership, there's an issue  even for older members who might be eligible. It's age + years of membership, only so many seniors, etc.

Exactly.


In fact, I think many clubs "slow walk" new prospective members who are (even) over 60/65 in favor of younger ones.
The coveted younger member whose family/kids will use all aspects of the club in greater amounts is what is sought.


Older members...?...not so much. Bad for the brand as they say...;-)

[Buck Wolter]

I've seen a number of high-end public courses offer Senior 'Memberships' M-Th to take advantage of low play days, might be a good compromise.

[Mike_Trenham]

We have free dues at age 85 and 40 plus years of membership.

[Carl Johnson]

Not sure about today, but 7, 8 years ago we had a "senior" membership for new seniors (not sure the senior age definition) that had a lower initiation fee, but it only lasted for 5 years, and then you had to renew.  This was just for new seniors.  Old time seniors had already paid their dues. Given the wait list today, even if the option is still available, it's probably meaningless.  Still, back in the day, it was a good strategy for the club.  As a very old senior member I've played with guys who renewed after 5 years and those who did not, and both seemed to be happy about the experience. 

[Sean_A]

I can understand encouraging seniors to play weekday golf by offering 5 day membership and still allow them to play in important weekend club events.

Ciao

[Duncan Cheslett]

I can understand encouraging seniors to play weekday golf by offering 5 day membership and still allow them to play in important weekend club events.

Ciao

Moving seniors onto 5 day membership at around two thirds of the cost of full membership seems like the perfect solution to me.


“Encourage” the move by mandating that Saturday comps are played off the very back tees! 😉

[Tommy Williamsen]

I can understand encouraging seniors to play weekday golf by offering 5 day membership and still allow them to play in important weekend club events.

Ciao

Moving seniors onto 5 day membership at around two thirds of the cost of full membership seems like the perfect solution to me.


“Encourage” the move by mandating that Saturday comps are played off the very back tees! 😉

I understand why clubs would want to move us seniors to weekdays, but many times our guests can only play on weekends.

[V. Kmetz]

Between 2008 and 2020 pre covid there were no shortage of clubs that would entertain a discounted or no initiation policy in an effort to add members to the rolls and increase the monthly cash flow via dues only. New members were advised in certain instances to keep their arrangement on the down low so as not to cause ire with older established ones.

+1... Single biggest demographic shift in club membership in modern history...occurred in 2010-2015 though I do not know how in a member-owned club with a board can "keep it on the down low"


At my old service club, you had people that paid 80-135K in 2000-2007 to the dregs of a slow moving lo-privilege waiting list of 25, while an aging crowd of people who got in for 5-10k in the 20 years previous made the rules...only to have that old group shed off in 2008, 2009 and be replaced by 35 year olds with children, who got right in, no seasons of waiting, for 20k or whatever special deal was up that season, with a full vote and enough of them to make younger person rules.


Many of these who joined in 2000-07 (I can think of seven member families off the top of my head) went batshit, resigned by 2013, 14 and beat it to Florida or Arz fulltime...some joined other local clubs where the terms were similarly favorable.

[Sean_A]

I can understand encouraging seniors to play weekday golf by offering 5 day membership and still allow them to play in important weekend club events.

Ciao

Moving seniors onto 5 day membership at around two thirds of the cost of full membership seems like the perfect solution to me.


“Encourage” the move by mandating that Saturday comps are played off the very back tees!

I understand why clubs would want to move us seniors to weekdays, but many times our guests can only play on weekends.

Tommy

It would be a choice for the member, not mandatory. I fail to see the downside. The club can add full time members and retain long term members who aren't bothered about weekends. This used to be a common category at English clubs. I think many now have dropped 5 day or reserved this category for existing members wishing to downgrade.

Ciao