Should I quit my golf club?

Right been mulling this over for a few weeks now as my membership was due to expire, well, today!  I have only been at Brookfields nr Nantwich for a year and I love the people, the atmosphere and the practice facilities . . 

but

The course is in dreadful condition at the moment and doesn't look like it will get any better.  The greens are a absolute state at the moment, they are dead basically.  Bare, dusty and have recently been slit and seeded.  I've been told they will be back to their best (not sure I have ever seen the best) in a few months.  But that will be the end of the golf season!  Surely the Greens should be nearly perfect, its June for Christ sakes.

I love the place as it has helped me get down to single figures since last year and I always have fond memories of playing there, but the course is in such a mess at the minute.  I played yesterday and it was unplayable again - tees, fairways and for some reason they have dumped tonnes and tonnes of what I assume is weed killer onto the scrub land and rough in certain places of the course - its a real mess.

So basically I have a few options.  My mates at the club have already jumped ship and joined Gorsty Hill opposite Wychwood Park.  I've always liked this course and it has always been in cracking condition.

Its a bit more expensive and about another 10 minutes drive away.

In a nut shell I pay my fees for the golf course not for the social life don't I?

Any advice? 

Hi Chris,

I would say that if you like Gorsty Hill, it is in so much better condition than your club and some of your fellow golfers have already moved then I would probably do the same IMO.

At the end of the day I know the social side can be a very big part for some golfers but you have to weigh up that the main reason you are there is to play golf.  If the course isn't up to scratch then you are going to start resenting it, especially if your mates are playing a cracking track down the road.

Richard

I think you've made your mind up Chris .I had a similar situation where everytime I arrived at the course I just thought this has gone to the dogs. I then said to myself would I be happy bringing a guest to my club ? the answer was no so i walked, That was four years ago and I'm glad I did. Time to pack your bags and move on lifes to short to stay at one club IMHO.

Thanks gents.  No I wouldn't take a guest there at the moment, I would be embarrassed.  

Will report back from Gorsty Hill on Thursday.

What is the normal process for quitting the club?  Do I need an excuse? 

Tell them the truth I suspect your not the only one ,unfortunately they don't like to hear it sometimes and you just have to do your talking by walking.Usually a letter of resignation is acceptable,depending on the club a verbal notice is suffice. I was a bit more diplomatic and said I was after new challenges ,but they new the real reasons and there was a mass exodus not long after I left.

I have a question, which I don't know can be answered unless I ask my club direct.

When I joined my course there was a £1k fee which I was allowed to pay over 4 years. I've heard through the grapevine that there going to put the fees up next year taking them to over a grand so I'm contemplating going somehwere else (my course is great but it aint £1k a year great!). I've been there 3 years so this year will be my 4th BUT if I decide to leave am I legally entitled to pay the remainder of the joining fee? My thoughts are yes but anyone got any legal experience?

I play at Whychwood across the road and I like Gorsty allways in very good condition I very nearly joined but for the money Whychwood was a much better deal. There are days when the winds up at Whychwood and I'm losing balls left right and centre I wish I had joined Gorsty but on reflection I'm glad I didn't I couldn't join for a year the front 9 is far to easy I think you would get easily bored playing there.

Also the free golf at all devere venues you get easily makes up for the extra few quid a year you pay I have already played Carden Park 4 times this year so that would have cost me well over £100 if I wanted to do that

Chris, sounds awful, vote with your feet.

Chris, from the tone of your post I think you have already made your mind up on this!

You play golf for the enjoyment of it and if you're like me it's a bit of exercise as well.

Your present golf club hasn't got a course in a good enough condition for you to be able to enjoy your golf.

Be honest with the club and tell them you are joining another golf club because of the poor condition of their course.  If enough people do this they will get their act together and improve the condition of the course.

Remember this, you can always re-join your present golf club if they get the condition of the course up to a level you are happy with.

Russ

Hi Andy, only 3 weeks ago i was thinking along the same lines as yourself. Our greens at Atherstone were appaling condition dry, cracks and very patchy and it made me think i had made a mistake by renewing my membership in february.They were calling out for watering but the greenkeper wouldnt water them for fear of frost, they even coloured them green to make them look better!!

They have gradually come back to near perfect condition and this morning they were the best i have seen them for a couple of years, my point is it sounds to me a lot of greenkeepers may have had the same problem with the unpredictable weather.

A couple of years ago the Club forgot to book the company who re-connect the water to the courses watering system. We had to wait for a slot and the beginning of the year was hot and we nearly lost the greens.

BUT, by July they were back to their best. A few walked but it was not the course at fault. The following year the company was booked well in advance and the Greens Chairman releaved of his post.

TheLyth

It is definitly a common theme this year, we have had a really bad winter followed by a very dry spring courses are really struggling to recover. It is even more difficult for courses with only limited irigation systems, and even those with sprinklers all over the fairways and the greens are can struggle to afford the cost of kicking in the sprinklers at this time of year.

Our course had greens and fairways aerated middle of Apr and the greens are only just getting back to where they should be and there are still holes on some of the fairways where the sprinklers just don't reach. Unfortunatly we just have to go through this as no one can deny that in the long run these maintenance steps make the course better in the long run it's just unfortunate and unforseable that the weather would be so dry at this time of year.

John Flood asked "I've been there 3 years so this year will be my 4th BUT if I decide to leave am I legally entitled to pay the remainder of the joining fee? My thoughts are yes but anyone got any legal experience?"

John - the answer is probably yes but things are never simple. You've entered into a contract. If you break the terms, the club would have to pursue you through the County courts. It is a civil matter (i.e. not criminal). If the courts find against you, and you don't pay, then the club can go back to the court and ask for a court order enforceable by bailiffs. You could argue that the terms are unfair (you must say how and why) and/or you weren't aware of all of the terms etc. In all honesty, the remaining £250 is probably less hassle than fighting it!

Andy 

Well just got back from my round at Gorsty and I have to say, what a difference a course makes.  Superb tees, superb fairways and superb greens.  After to talking to the club president they will get quicker this summer as well!  

I shot an 81 - 9 over including 2 birdies, 1 on the last for the win! Think I am going to enjoy this course.  Such a different course.

Signed up there an then, as a good will gesture, they refunded my green fees today and bunged £40 on my club card as well!

Belter.  

Hope you enjoy it Chris, I know they make a mean bacon and egg bap over there so that sounds like a good way to invest the £40 to me. I also and I like the extra putting green they have installed on the first tee at Gorsty a great way to pass the time on a busy day when you are waiting for your slot.

Hawthorns designed both the courses up at Whychwood, Gorsty was originally the sister course before it was sold and set up on it's own. The greens are built on sand which is great as this means they are rarely closed in winter has to be a heavy frost to close them down

I only found out hey were built on sand when I went to repair a pitch mark.  The greens are top notch and are very similar to Wychwood across the way, infact the whole course is a lot like Wychwood.

Didn't know that Wychwood built the course and then sold it - it doesn't make sense to me!