Clubs in the financial rough

SURVEY:IF, IN the main, the outward appearance of your average golf club is one of immaculate lawns and pristine fairways, the stark reality is that many are in the financial rough and facing a battle for survival.

Responses to a nationwide questionnaire for The Irish Times highlight how hard clubs have been hit by the downturn in the economy, with many either slashing entrance fees or doing away with them entirely to attract new members.

The main findings are:

* Loss of membership revenue – some 14,000 golfers have not renewed memberships in 2010.

* Many clubs have introduced instalment payments for annual subscriptions.

* Sharp decline in corporate days.

* A fall in society outings.

* Reduced green fee revenue – both from societies and overseas visitors.

* Reduced green fees: the majority of clubs have cut fees for the second successive year, some by as much as 50 per cent.

The biggest problem, however, has been the unprecedented drop-out rate, members opting not to renew their annual subscriptions. This has led the Golfing Union of Ireland to issue an edict that those players on so-called “leave of absences” are prevented from playing interclub competitions or in Opens.

The poor weather has also damaged the ability of clubs to recoup revenue through green fees.

Clubs have adopted some novel marketing techniques to offset some of the downturn, with many introducing “Beginner’s Membership” categories aimed at those who have never played the sport. This offers newcomers the opportunity to join a club without paying an entrance fee and at an reduced annual subscription.

Another factor which is proving detrimental to any hopes of an upturn is the dismal weather, which has left many golfers with no inclination to dust off the cobwebs on their clubs just yet, with the result that many clubs have felt a big reduction in their green fee revenue.

There is a strong feeling that an improvement in the weather – and, in particular, a good summer – is necessary to get a large section of golfers playing again.

Many clubs say there are few signs of economic “green shoots”, although there have been reputed sightings of one or two helicopters arriving to courses, reports of which are rivalling first viewings of the cuckoo.

But the flipside of the coin is that the so-called “nomad golfers”, who don’t have a home course and play social golf among their circle of friends, have never had it so good, with green fees slashed and deals available almost everywhere.