Philip Reidreports on how Irish golf clubs are battling to cope with the challenges posed by unprecedented times

IN A nutshell, Irish golf clubs want one thing from this year: survival! And, to achieve that, the results of an Irish Times questionnaire would seem to indicate, the vast majority of clubs are showing flexibility in allowing members to pay their annual subscriptions over a phased basis, while there has been a general reduction in green fees aimed at ensuring there is cash flow which is the lifeline for any business.

The feedback from our survey is that times are indeed tough, but there is a generally positive outlook with clubs tightening financial belts.

Seeking to offer value for money and providing a quality service regularly come across as the main “mission statements” for the year ahead. Of course, it goes without saying that an improvement in the weather, something that is out of earthly hands, would go a long way to giving a shot in the arm to every club.

Clubs are getting innovative. For example, three of the top links courses in the west – Enniscrone, Carne and Co Sligo – have organised an amateur three-day tournament for July, the height of the season, at a total cost per player of €125, while the Donegal Links Challenge in the summer gives players the chance to play a 54-hole tournament at Narin Portnoo, Portsalon and Rosapenna for €99 per player. Nobody can argue with that kind of value.

But these remain tough times in the main. To that end, the GUI, ILGU and the PGA came together to produce a booklet to help clubs during these financially challenged times. Called “Promoting Golf Membership,” it provided clubs with guidelines under two main headlines: “Retention of Members” and “Attracting New Members.”

As the GUI points out, “it is by no means exhaustive, nor is it a blueprint – rather a tool to stimulate new thinking and debate at committee level and within the membership.”

Our survey revealed that many clubs are suffering through a loss of membership, a problem that has affected clubs in every part of the island and which is reflected in some of the “mission statements” they have given us for the year ahead with words like “survival” and “hanging on” providing an indication of how strained the situation is as clubs are hit on two fronts, firstly by the economic downturn and secondly by the weather.

What remains beyond question is that the quality and variety of Irish golf courses is as good as can be found anywhere in the world, but it is interesting to note many clubs are intent on going back to their core values of offering quality golf at good value with the sort of friendliness to green fee visitors that made the 19th hole a vitally important part of the growth of the Irish golfing industry over the past two decades.

Different problems face different clubs. As Sidney Houston of Aughnacloy Golf Club remarked, “in Northern Ireland our greater problem is the weather – generally, people will not play in very wet or cold conditions the like of which we have experienced since mid-October last year, which covers half the year. Small clubs like ourselves suffer greatly due to this and find it very difficult to maintain a cash flow. Financial assistance in some form would be of great help, during particularly bad years.”

These are tough times for the smaller clubs for sure as Highfield’s Avril Duggan explains, “The golf society market is very competitive and shrinking. The ‘corporate’ golf courses are slashing prices and making it even more difficult for us as the corporate/banking golf market has virtually disappeared.”

Joe O’Flynn of Rathsallagh and Denis Kane of Druids Glen sing from a similar hymn sheet in pointing also to a new phenomenon, the growth of the so-called “zombie golf courses” which – akin to the hotel industry – are price cutting.

As O’Flynn puts it in no uncertain terms, “As long as the zombie golf courses are being artificially supported and continue to be part of the oversupply problem and the driving down of the green fee rate, it is difficult to see an improvement on the horizon.”

Kane remarked, “We now have hotels, golf courses and retail businesses offering reduced rates to create momentum both for the international visitor and the domestic market. It is essential that the golf product still maintains high standards but offering great value . . . it is essential that all the tourism products of Ireland continue to promote with a greater effort and support from Tourism Ireland to encourage the markets.”

The buzz words from the “mission statements” are value-for-money, retaining membership . . . and survival.

Mission Statements

Adare Manor Hotel Golf Resort (Limerick)

“The level of course presentation and customer service cannot be lowered. We have set very high standards and on these standards reputations are made and sustained.”

Athlone GC (Roscommon)

“To improve all aspects of AGC to give members better value for money; to create a vibrant successful club with a course that is enjoyable and to create a strong working relationship with members.”

Aughnacloy GC (Tyrone)

“To continue to drain and maintain our course so that it is playable 365 days of the year, and to stay within last year’s expenditure in order to maintain our bank balance in credit.”

Balcarrick GC (Dublin)

“Our core values are providing an enjoyable experience and value for money.”

Ballybofey and Stranorlar (Donegal)

“To attract as many visitors and societies and get them across the threshold of the bar restaurant!”

Ballybunion GC (Kerry)

“To improve the quality of the product and try to keep our brand name to the fore in its key international markets. Being competitive and offering value for money is crucial for everyone in the industry going forward.”

Bantry Bay (Cork)

“To keep reducing expenditure, to find new ways to increase income, to maintain our standards . . . and keep hanging on!”

Black Bush GC (Meath)

“To raise the profile of the club in order to maintain last year’s levels.”

Bodenstown (Kildare)

“To have a vibrant, well-run club with a strong membership on a course that they are proud of, a course that is well maintained, well presented, generally playable all year round, challenging and acknowledged throughout the Irish golfing community as being a ‘top quality’ golf course.”

Carrick-on-Shannon (Leitrim)

“To keep costs to the minimum; no new spends.”

Castle Bearna (Offaly)

“To keep costs under control, to keep improving what we do, and not to discount below cost!”

Castlegregory GC (Kerry)

“To maintain value and friendliness, to examine closely all costs and to reduce costs without affecting course quality.”

Connemara Golf Links (Galway)

“To maintain the great standards of our course and clubhouse facilities for our members and visitors alike, to ensure people enjoy their golfing experience here, receive a warm welcome on arrival, good service and value for money. Above all to leave them with fond memories of Connemara with a view to their returning in the future.”

Cork GC (Cork)

“To meet all our budgets and keep our overheads down.”

County Longford (Longford)

“That every member of our club uses and enjoys the wonderful facilities available to them and that visiting golfers can be guaranteed a very warm welcome and great golf.”

Dooks GC (Kerry)

“Survival!”

Druids Glen (Wicklow)

“To beat the recession! It is essential that we maintain our high quality standards and service, both on the golf courses and in all service areas of the hotel, restaurant and bars.”

Dunmore East (Waterford)

“To continue to grow by offering a much better quality and value than our competitors.”

Elmgreen GC (Dublin)

“To push membership.”

Enniscrone (Sligo)

“To cut costs, give extra value and appreciate members customers.”

Farnham Estate Resort (Cavan)

“To provide a quality golf course.”

The Heritage Hotel Resort (Laois)

“To create the best possible venue for the best value.”

Highfield GC (Kildare)

“To offer the best product possible at a reasonable price which is inclusive and accessible to as many as possible.”

Killerig Golf Resort (Carlow)

“To struggle on as best we can.”

Kilrea GC (Down)

“To improve the quality of the product, ie better course, better clubhouse service, and better welcome or golfers.”

Millicent GC (Kildare)

“Survival !”

Rathsallagh GC (Wicklow)

“To continue to maintain the golf course to the highest standards and to provide a service-driven experience to the golfer from the time of arrival to departure. To continue to attract new members and to provide them with great value for money for their subs. “

Ring of Kerry GC (Kerry)

“To keep the hard hat on and carefully plug away.”

Rush GC (Dublin)

“Maximise revenue and reduce control costs.”

Skerries GC (Dublin)

“To manage our costs well stabilise our income to protect the clubs future.”

Stackstown GC (Dublin)

“To reduce overheads to the projected level of income, and be in a fit state to take advantage of the upturn when it comes.”

St Helen’s Bay (Wexford)

“We won’t compromise the standards of our courses, facilities or service, but will try to give good value for money and to make a bigger effort to expand our choices and activities.”

Tramore GC (Waterford)

“The Tramore experience to be a good one all”.

Tuam GC (Galway)

“To hold on to as many members as possible. To encourage new members to join. To help members by offering them the facility to pay their subscription by standing order.”

West Waterford GC (Waterford)

“To show why West Waterford won the GUI’s “Club of the Year 2009” – to have rates and course quality at its best and to continue providing young players to international teams!

Wexford GC (Wexford)

“To encourage and promote a friendly and warm atmosphere, and ensure that our visitors enjoy the experience.”