Are you a member of a golf club? If so, are you happy?
The time of year is fast approaching when some of you will be hanging up your clubs for the winter while the rest of us start to fret about our subscription demands for 2027. You do not need me to tell you that this has been an especially challenging year for the economy. Petrol prices are going through the roof. Food prices are steadily increasing. The cost of eating out is rising. If your favourite restaurant announces that it is revamping its menu you can be absolutely certain that will come with price increases.
So, what would make you walk away from your current club?
Subscription increase
(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)
When does it become too much? With the cost of living soaring, we are told that the rate of inflation stands at around 3.1%, although I would love to know how they work that out because it seems to me that it MUST be higher than that. So, that being the case, what constitutes a fair increase in our annual subscriptions? Logically, it should come in at around that same 3.1%. But will that happen? Highly improbable. Personally, I would be happy to suck up a 5% increase in 2027.
So, what happens if you are informed that your club wants 10% more, as will surely happen in some cases? To make matters worse, I would be willing to wager that there will be no detailed breakdown as to exactly why you are being asked to pay an above-inflation increase. In my view, it is absolutely essential that you are told what your money is being spent on. If they charge you more than you are happy with and don’t tell you why then it might be time to start shopping around.
Fairway repairs
You also don’t need me to inform you that this has been an incredibly challenging year because of the scorching-hot weather we have experienced in much of the UK. It has left many courses in a sorry state, to put it mildly. Grass is resilient and will regrow but when it has taken the sort of battering that it has in 2026 it is a different matter. Many courses have huge areas in their fairways where there is no longer any grass whatsoever. In these instances, there is going to be no recovery and when the inevitable rain comes it is a given that those patches will turn to mud.
What is needed is a massive reseeding programme. That doesn’t come cheap, but it is absolutely necessary.
Is your club planning a reseeding programme in the weeks and months ahead? If the answer is no, then you can be certain that winter conditions are going to be pretty dreadful. And what happens next year if, as seems probable, we have yet another long, hot and dry summer? Conditions will only get worse.
Poor greens
More than any other single area, the thing your course will always be judged upon is the condition of your greens. I am lucky - despite this year’s many challenges, our greens have been and remain, absolutely superb. There is nothing more likely to drive golfers away from a course than poor or downright bad putting surfaces.
Dreadful bunkers
Most of us spend our lives moaning about the condition of our bunkers. I have to say that the bunkers at my own course have improved dramatically. The greens staff obviously spent far less time than normal cutting the fairways, so they spent the summer focusing on our bunkers - and it is work that has paid off.
There is nothing worse than climbing into a greenside bunker which contains next to no sand - especially when you are playing to a green that slopes away from you with a pond on the other side.
Are you a long-suffering member of a golf club where bleating about your bunkers has become a favourite pastime? And has your club done nothing about it? Maybe it’s time for you and your mates to vote with your feet. Bunker shots are hard enough even when there is proper sand; when they are like concrete it is a complete lottery.
Clubhouse prices
Do you have a sharp intake of breath when you walk into the clubhouse and order a round of drinks? What possible justification is there for a club charging you £7-£8 for a pint of beer? Or £5 for a cup of tea or coffee? There are several golf clubs in Norfolk, where I live, that overcharge golfers in the bar. It makes my blood boil. I know of one club member who, when he finishes his round, heads to the local pub with his playing partners because the beer there is £2 a pint cheaper than in his clubhouse bar. That is scandalous.
Committee/Secretary issues
Do you believe or feel that your club’s committee or secretary listens to your concerns? Do they act upon them? Or do they just provide lip service and do nothing. Remember one thing - without you and your fellow members they would not exist. Their one and only duty and commitment should be to the members they serve. If they don’t, if they are wrapped up in themselves, find another club. This is 2026!
Inflexible pro shop
And speaking of 2026, how well equipped is your pro’s shop? Does he offer a wide change of clubs and miscellaneous golf accessories? Does he (or she) provide a custom fitting service? Is he open to a deal? Will he match the prices you can find online? If the answer is predominantly "No", why on earth would you ever give them any of your business?
Weak practice facilities
In this day and age there is absolutely no excuse for battered old mats and golf balls you would ask your dog to chase when it comes to driving ranges. We have every right to expect forgiving, springy mats when we are hitting upwards of 100 shots. If you consistently hit from a threadbare mat the chances are that eventually you are going to end up with a wrist injury. And the golf balls we pay for should not feel like lumps of stone. They should feel and behave like the balls we use out on the course. Otherwise, you learn nothing and get no benefit from your range session.
While memberships can be expensive, they also offer many golfers incredible value for money, and, if you find the right club, the experience can be truly rewarding.
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