Repaying the faith of 2020 

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Rosslare Golf Links. Image by Kevin Markham

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With golf clubs closed or running on reduced access for members for a number of months in 2020, there has been significant pressure on club management committees and course operators to compensate members for their inability to access the facilities at their home course. Many clubs were proactive in this regard early in the year but most have now realised that they need to do something in this regard and have acted in recent weeks and months.  

Stephen Nelson from Carr Golf, who manage a number of courses in Ireland, explains the challenges faced by Irish clubs in this regard due to COVID-19:   

Subscription extensions and partial refund requests to compensate for time lost due to closures were more common from members in privately owned clubs. Unlike gym chains, the golf club operating model makes it a difficult and sometimes unworkable solution. During closure, staff wages and suppliers still needed paying, implementing COVID protocols was costly and the cash simply isn’t there for many clubs to refund. Delaying vital 2021 subscriptions cashflow will be unworkable due to purchase patterns of course maintenance inputs. Aside from the issue of precedent, what happens if courses are forced to close for periods again in 2021? The strategy could cause irreparable long-term damage.  

“With rolling 12-month memberships at our six managed clubs, memberships expire throughout the year so we decided to reward loyal members sticking with the clubs with 13 months for 12 at a frozen rate, 5-10% cheaper than the rate that new members joining in 2021 will pay. Member Thank You events will also be hosted in Spring 2021 once the weather warms and social restrictions ease.” 

Many clubs have provided compensation in different ways, with some happy to offer financial reductions or refunds while others, unable to do so, have become more creative. For example, New Forest has offered a €100 reduction on 2021 membership for renewing members while Dromoland Castle offered a 10% discount for 2021. Galway Bay has reduced its 2020 fees by 20% for renewals and Mount Juliet has offered 2 months off its renewal fee. CastleHume are offering membership credits for 2020 closures while Arklow has gone above and beyond expectations by offering 3-months free membership to renewing members with Palmerstown House also crediting members with 3 months’ worth of fees. 

As much as players are feeling short-changed in 2020, clubs will be feeling even more pressure to do something for members. Sadly, it’s not always feasible, particularly for those in financial difficulty so if your club isn’t in a position to do something, rest assured, they won’t be the only ones. 

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4 responses to “Repaying the faith of 2020 ”

  1. Pete avatar
    Pete

    Being a member of a club is a two way street – if you decide to take up membership, I assume anyone with basic maths will realise that what you are doing is supporting a club you are joining with like minded individuals. It is nothing like joining a gym and you’re not obtaining some sort of bulk discount, as paying a green fee as you play will likely be a lot cheaper in the majority of instances. If you have thought this through like you should, expecting some sort of discount due to a (hopefully) once in a generation pandemic to me says that you should never have joined a club in the first place.

  2. Gerry avatar
    Gerry

    Well said Pete. Members’ clubs are like co-ops…we are all in this together.

  3. Michael Morrissey avatar
    Michael Morrissey

    It’s our club and we need to do what is needed to survive

  4. Christy+mcg avatar
    Christy+mcg

    I think the pay an play model is the way forward for most clubs,it does in my experience create a very significant cash flow all year round,lots of members don’t play their own course every week and don’t expect a rebate at years end,so the pay n play model would suit a significant amount of players,it could also free up tee times at weekends in large membership clubs,,a one off payment of say 250,plus GUI fee which by the way,, I don’t think anyone should be forced to pay,,and a green fee of 25euro which would bring golf into range for a lot more people wanting
    to start playing, should generate a very sustainable cash flow,

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