50 clubs ‘could close this spring’

The chairman of the Organisation of Golf and Range Operators has warned that as many as 50 private members’ British golf clubs could close down this spring.

Colin Jenkins PGA, who is also the owner of Staplehurst Golf Centre in Kent, said that the tough economic conditions that golf clubs, like most businesses, have operated under for the last few years have become significantly worse due to the wet weather last year.

The rain resulted in golfers playing the game less, which will mean that club members, who clubs are financially reliant upon, will question whether their annual subscriptions, many of which are renewed in the coming weeks, are good value for money, said Colin.

“Fifty clubs could go bust this spring as their renewals fail,” he said.

“With the terrible weather from last year having already been factored in for most proprietary clubs, we may well be about to see a dreadful period for some membership clubs, because if the members don’t think that their membership is good value for money, they won’t renew – simple!”

Colin added that, with membership of golf clubs falling throughout the UK over the last decade, clubs need to offer different types of membership schemes to suit customers’ needs in order to survive.

“Membership of traditional golf clubs will fall off dramatically if more flexible schemes are not made available; only retired golfers can make sense of a traditional membership these days – no wonder, then, that the average age is rising,” he said.

“We need clubs to look at an annual fee of £100 to £295, which gives certain membership benefits including off-peak access and the sense of belonging to a club.

“The excellent points-based membership system run by the De Vere Group has over 11,000 golf members and is growing very fast; a similar scheme is operated by Tony Pennock at Rye Hill, where they have gained large numbers of new members in the past 12 months – despite the awful weather.”

Colin also stated that clubs that offer discounted green fees to guests of members are particularly at risk of losing members.

“The problem is exacerbated by the semi-ridiculous attitude that clubs have members’ guest green fees, which are often a fraction of the normal green fee,” he said.

“A member may well decide that he could be signed in several times by his friends for far less than the cost of renewing his subs, if he or she plays less than 20 times a year.”

He also said that some golf clubs will secure the members they need if they change how they are perceived.

“There is no way that golf club membership need be as unpopular as some clubs are making it seem – perhaps they could also loosen up the formality a bit too,” he stated.

“Some would argue that golf needs fewer courses, but in truth golf needs more family-oriented golf centres, where everyone is welcome and golf is part of a leisure experience. The sport needs to move with the times.”