What More Golf Clubs Are Finally Getting Right

I have always believed that golf clubs do a pretty poor job when it comes to communicating with their members. But if our latest survey is anything to go by then it seems that I might be wrong.

Are golf clubs finally getting the message? Or should that be: are you getting the message from your clubs?

With so many means of communication literally at our fingertips there is no excuse for not communicating in this digital age and our survey highlights a positive trend.

Featured Content

Four years ago, 88% of you told us that you received regular communication from your golf clubs. That was better than I would have expected. But this increased to 90% in 2023 and now in 2025 the number is 92%. I have to say that this is pretty impressive.

There is a lot of competition for golf club members out there. Thankfully, the days of clubs being staffed and run by old men who are out of touch with reality is largely a thing of the past.

I play a lot of golf at courses other than my own and am consistently struck by the fact that when I contact courses I am now speaking to young course managers who understand how business works. The way clubs are being run has most definitely changed for the better. It stands to reason that if your manager is young then they will be completely switched on to the benefits of what social media can offer.

However, it is interesting to note than when it comes to communication email is still the chosen method - 97% of you said that this is the way your club contacts you, much the same as we saw in 2023. That is fine and, on the face of it, is a pretty impressive figure. But most of us see dozens of emails pouring into our inbox on a daily basis. My own golf club sends out plenty of emails - it is the way the senior captain updates us on a weekly basis, it is how he tells us the line-ups for team matches and it is how the club keeps us updated about what is happening on and around the course and telling us about offers in the professional’s shop.

But here is the thing - I know for certain that many people either don’t read emails properly or simply don’t read them at all. Don’t ask me for a solution to this because I don’t have one. But I do know that I delete a LOT of emails without even bothering to open them, and I am willing to bet that most of you do exactly the same thing.

Surprisingly, just 19% of you received communication from your golf club via Facebook, up from 17% in 2021, while the figure for WhatsApp was 16%, a slight rise on 2021 and 15% via text.

Do you remember when you used to receive letters? Just 3% of you receive communication from your golf club this way, while a paltry 2% are contacted by phone.

We also saw an increase of around 9%, in those receiving communication via apps such as HowDidIdo, IntelligentGolf, England Golf or the Club.

And it comes as no surprise to learn that many of you still prefer to use the club noticeboard for your information. It is important for all golf clubs to remember that there are still many golfers whose lives are not dictated or ruled by digital or electronic devices. 

I spend a great deal of my life using social media. As I have recorded on many occasions, I believe it is important that golf clubs keep making progress when it comes to communication but, when all is said and done, the first thing I do every time I visit my own club is to head to the changing rooms to scan the noticeboard!

Related Content

Why Did Your Golf Membership Fee Increase in 2025

What Golfers Think About Club Membership in 2025: 10 Key Topics

Proof That Golf is Set For a BOOM Year in 2025

Golf Club Members vs Other Golfers

What Golfers Expect From a Modern Day Golf Club

The Things That Golfers Would Change at Their Golf Club