Golf Clubs & Weather

The golf industry in the UK has been taking some hard knocks since 2008, due to the economy. Membership falling year on year as disposable income gets less. The last 2 winters have seen some horendous weather that has closed courses when they're usually open. This year the season got off to a slow start as more bad weather closed courses, and it seems like I've not yet played on any firm bouncy fairways at all yet, and it's July.

My course was yet again closed yesterday and this course is normally open all year around. The lack of any decent weather, except for a few days in May, means that my club thats already seeing year on year revenues fall, are really going to be up against it. Many of us are already having to cope with our clubs accepting societies at weekends, and ever increasing pay and play guests, which have an impact on members. I expect to see even more clubs fail this year and go onto the market, but right now its probably not a great business to get into, even at at a cheap price.

The jet stream has caused mayhem over here, but believe its also impacted great tracts of the USA, with blistering temperatures right accross the mid west, and floods elsewhere. Last year in Australia we saw the wettest weather ever in NSW which saw some massive floods, whilst at the same time massive forrest fires elsewhere down under.

The last couple of years have seen me play in the wettest weather ever recorded in the Algarve, in March. The wettest February recorded in southern Spain.

Is it an industry in crisis?

My club will now accept small societies on Saturday and Sunday afternoons, as a private club, I believe we will survive, as we just need to break even, in fact we are not allowed to make profit ( in our constitution ).

I think a few proprieties clubs will go bust, already know of one that has, and due to this long term recession fear that many more, who need to show profit will go the same way

More to the point, I bought a pair of white trousers at the start of the year and I've still not been able to wear them!

I am a member of a proprietor club, and they do seem to keep fairly busy. A few years ago they invested in a lot of new drainage, so we haven't had too many days when the course has been closed (although, of course, it has been rather soggy at times). A few days with a buggy ban, but they don't seem to ban trolleys, presumably as the majority of seniors and ladies use them, so they would lose a lot of business.

We have good practice facilities, including a fairly new short game area, and various County and South West England teams regularly have weekend practice sessions at the club. There is a new cabin next to the driving range, with large screen TV for watching video lessons. There are also cottages to rent on site, which I presume these teams make use of at the weekends. This all provides regular income throughout the year.

We do have a lot of societies, but having 4 x 9's means that members can still be accommodated.

Then there are the weddings, business breakfasts, school proms etc, Sunday lunches etc, which take place on the upper floor.

As far as I know, there is still a joining fee, and I would say that the number of lady members has actually increased over the last couple of years.

We haven't had any white trouser weather though!

drive4show wrote:More to the point, I bought a pair of white trousers at the start of the year and I've still not been able to wear them!

D4S - you're back. Good to see you again. Fortunately my wide rimmed drovers hat works just as well as a rain hat!

Mary good to hear your club has expanded, to other areas, and not just golf, but I know a few clubs, in the area that are just pay and play golf, most of these clubs, if you go into the clubhouse, they are nicely laid out, and you wonder why they are empty, it's only when you get to the bar, and see the prices they charge, you can understand why the clubhouse,s are empty. An example of this, is at my club you can get a pot of tea, with a pot of hot water to top up the tea, for £0.70 at the local pay and play course a pot of tea only, no hot water is £1.80, so most golfers play the golf then go to the local pub for beers, tea or coffee.

Mary, you're obviously fairly lucky at your club, as it's obviously well established with a good size club house, and even more importantly plenty of space to expand .... practice area, cabins, cottages and an extra 18-holes. Unfortunatley most clubs just have the 18-holes and even though my own club has a fantastic course, the club house doesn't give us the room we need, so everyone is in one room, which is only the size of a spikes bar. WE're still waiting for the council to grant planning permission to build a large club house, but De Vere (Over the road) are contesting it because they have already lost half their membership, and expect to lose more if we get the new club house. De Vere's long game is to wait for our club to struggle and then buy it so they have 2 courses.

As for the membership, well the ladies section is dying due to the lack of facilities, and the owners recognise this but are stumped until we can build. Catch 22 though because as revenues fall due to economy and weather, the owners will need to gamble. Mrs Doc has been more or less running the ladies section and is so frustrated that she's probably going elsewhere next year, which will mean the death for the section. But only 16 ladies now and they're split into 2 as half work so can only play weekends and evenings, whilst the other half play Tuesdays. Comps are a joke as they then need to do seperate medals etc, otherwise pin positions and conditions are different for them if playing the same event.

Doc, I can see more and more ladies' sections folding in the coming years as more women have to work full-time and "ladies day" becomes a thing of the past. It is time that clubs woke up to this fact and allowed ladies and men to play their medals together at weekends (and during the week for seniors and ladies who are fortunate enough not to have to work). I seem to remember it's a system that works on the Continent.

LadyPutt wrote:Doc, I can see more and more ladies' sections folding in the coming years as more women have to work full-time and "ladies day" becomes a thing of the past. It is time that clubs woke up to this fact and allowed ladies and men to play their medals together at weekends (and during the week for seniors and ladies who are fortunate enough not to have to work). I seem to remember it's a system that works on the Continent.

LP this is already starting to happen at our place. We've had a few comp's that are mixed, and there's also been a lot of chatter from the members about it. Some ladies have complained that they have no chance of winning and some men are complaining about having to play with ladies. The ladies section play Tuesday mornings, but as there's only been a max of 5 turning up, and sometimes just 2, the tee slots have been cancelled. they are looking to get the Tuesday ladies playing with seniors on Wednesday morning.

Last season the ladies section over the road at the De Vere, all walked out in protest. They came over the road to us and all played the course, and everyone of them said it was fantastic. BUT due to the lack of facilities for the ladies, they opted to go to another local club. The other club already have a healthy ladies section of some 70 and with the addition of another 49 from De Vere, have caused some mayhem. The ladies section of this club is now dominated by ladies on Tuesday's which means a lack of slots for gentlemen members. They are also tying up slots on weekends as the ladies have open days and other events organised throughout the year. This has meant that a lot of male members are leaving. Clubs need to get their act together and have a happy medium, or they're just going to shoot themselves in the foot.

My club is realtively new (opened in 1994 I believe) - the family who took the decision to convert the farmland into a golf club had the foresight to build a clubhouse with facilities for weddings, corporate training etc on the upper floor.

We started off with 18 holes, and now have 36. The Spikes Bar and Ladies changing room does sometimes struggle to accommodate numbers when the course is busy with societies, but there is an extension being built on one side which I presume will allieviate this issue.

I agree that we are very lucky. I think it helps that the pro shop and reception staff have a reputation for being helpful and friendly to all, which keeps the members happy, and ensures that societies often return on an annual basis.

I would estimate that we get an averge of 24-30 on Ladies morning, and there are usually around 70 for the Spring/Autumn meets and Lady Captain's Day. So reasonably healthy compared to LP and Doc.

I think that the club nearest to us (Kingsdown - a members club) also has fairly good numbers. Although The Wiltshire, which is owned by Peter de Savary is currently up for sale.

Doc - I wasn't actually talking about mixed competitions as such but men and women playing their medals (and other comps) at the same time. My previous club (I left when I had my operations and haven't rejoined anywhere since) had a midweek (Tuesday) ladies day (when all the old dears played badly and slowly) and then let the rest of us play our comps at the weekend with men and women marking each other's cards. It actually made for a much more friendly game and there were only a few men who refused to play with "bloody women who should be at home doing the housework and cooking the dinner".

I'm not sure what you mean by "typing up slots at the weekend" though. If they are members, and pay the same subs (which I hope they do) then they are perfectly entitled to play at any time.

I assume from what you say that Mrs Doc is lucky enough not to have to work and so can play at any time midweek.

LP yes she's a lazy free-loading bitch She is however thinking about leaving next year and going to a members club 45 minutes away, where theres a very healthy ladies section. I'm a 'country member' of a club in Yorkshire and there are 120 lady members.

My comment about tying up booking slots, was about male members not being able to play at weekends at times, because the now large ladies section organises a full callender of events. Open's, freindly matches etc, etc, etc. Hence my comment about clubs getting better organisation if they are attract and keep members

Well our course closed at lunchtime yestrday and is still closed today as it was hammering down most of yesterday and last night. This for a course that is usually open all year around. Tough times ahead