how to gain memberships for a golf course

^{How to Increase Golf Club Memberships}

• Know Your Market. One of the best ways of finding additional members is to analyze the characteristics of your current members and market toward individuals who share those traits.
• Encourage Referrals. There’s no better advertising for a golf club that the kind that comes from current members. ...
• Add Benefits. The more value a customer sees in a membership, the more likely he is to buy. ...
• Adjust Initiation Fees. Initiation fees can be a barrier when seeking new members, as the upfront costs to join can be too high for those who don’t feel they’ll use ...
• Strategic Partnerships. If your golf club is focused solely on the course and lacks amenities found in rival facilities, partnering with complementary businesses can make up for that perceived deficiency.

Full Answer

How can I increase the membership list for my golf club?

Golf clubs face increasing competition for members, both from other clubs and from additional sources of leisure and entertainment for busy professionals and families. Increasing the membership list requires a focused marketing campaign targeting those people most likely to be interested in joining...

How much does it cost to join a golf club?

The typical cost structure and membership types offered are: A one-time fee that can range anywhere between $1,000 upwards to $25,000 depending on the club. Many semi-private clubs do not charge an initiation fee; instead they charge a lump annual fee for full access to the course.

What is an individual membership to a golf club?

Typically, an individual memberships gives an individual unlimited access to the golf course, dining room, practice facilities, etc…You may find clubs that charge and individual member an added fee for use of a pool (if applicable). Many clubs offer reduced initiation fees and monthly dues for members under 36 years old.

Should your golf course consider a monthly or year-long membership?

If you don’t think the idea of a gym membership style subscription will work at your golf course, but still want to try out a monthly payment model, you may want to consider introducing year-long memberships with monthly payments.

What to do if your golf club is focused on the course?

If your golf club is focused solely on the course and lacks amenities found in rival facilities, partnering with complementary businesses can make up for that perceived deficiency. For example, partnering with a local swim club to allow your members to join at discounted rates gives you something extra to offer, while avoiding the costs of maintaining a pool yourself and ensuring that only those who would use a pool have to pay for the privilege.

How long can you avoid paying a club fee?

Allowing members to avoid paying the fee if they agree to be members for at least three years, for example, can ensure that the club is winning members interested in doing more than simply giving the club a trial run, and it maintains cash flow.

Is there better advertising for golf clubs?

There’s no better advertising for a golf club that the kind that comes from current members. Encourage them to refer their friends and colleagues to the facility by offering benefits for doing so, such as a month’s worth of free dues or free rounds of golf.

What is an individual membership in golf?

Typically, an individual memberships gives an individual unlimited access to the golf course, dining room, practice facilities, etc…You may find clubs that charge and individual member an added fee for use of a pool (if applicable). Many clubs offer reduced initiation fees and monthly dues for members under 36 years old. Upon reaching 36 years of age, these clubs typically start to increase the fees over time until they reach the "standard" individual membership fee levels.

How often can you play golf with a social membership?

Many clubs also included limited golfing privileges for social members - typically, the right to play once or twice per month.

What is a semi private membership?

Like Private club memberships, Semi-Private memberships have a wide range of costs and amenities offered. As all Semi-Private clubs offer access to the golf course to the public on a daily fee basis, the "feel" is quite different from private clubs. Members generally have priority access to tee-times (usually they can make them far in advance of when the public can make them). Like Private clubs, most Semi-Private courses offer several members only tournaments, weekly leagues, etc… The typical cost structure and membership types offered are:

Is the golf course open to the public?

The golf course and other club amenities (pool, restaurant, etc…) are closed to the public. Most private clubs do an excellent job of building a strong community, offering multiple golf events (tournaments, weekly matches, etc…) as well as social events (brunches, holiday parties, etc…) for their members to enjoy.

Do semi-private clubs have food and beverage minimums?

Most semi-private clubs do not have food & beverage minimums. Members are treated the same as paying customers although, from time to time, you will find clubs that offer charge privileges to members.

Do equity clubs refund initiation fees?

Clubs that offer equity memberships normally refund a large percentage of the initiation fee upon a member's resignation from the club. Non-equity clubs (like those typically found in the north/northeast) typically do not offer any refund of the initiation fee.

Which golf courses have more than one club?

In the UK and Ireland, there are many courses which each serve more than one discrete golf club. St. Andrews is a classic example. Everyone has heard of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club, but it is one of several clubs whose members play over the Links Trust courses.

What is corporate membership?

In these cases, companies buy into a certain level of membership at a club, designating a certain number of employees as eligible to use the club facilities, often for business-related activities.

How many clubs does ClubCorp own?

ClubCorp is another such company you may have heard of. In business for more than 60 years, it owns more than 200 clubs, including Firestone Country Club in Ohio, The Woodlands in Texas and Mission Hills Country Club in California.

How many clubs does Troon Golf have?

Troon Golf, which operates more than 400 facilities worldwide, has more than 100 clubs in its Troon Prive division. If you're a member of one club, you are entitled to arrange rounds for yourself, fellow members and up to three guests at any other club in the family, pending availability and certain time restrictions.

How many members does Sonoma Golf Club have?

Around the same time, Sonoma Golf Club in California asked the local county government for permission to increase its membership from 319 to 554 members, a 70% bump that included provision for 125 new golf memberships and 100 new social memberships. Even before the pandemic, courses of all stripes have sharpened their focus on customer loyalty ...

What is equity membership?

Equity membership. In simple terms, each member owns a piece of the club. Typically, the up-front initiation fee (sometimes called a "joining fee") represents a share of the club. On top of that, the member pays regular dues, usually monthly.

Where is Boca Rio Golf Club?

Boca Rio Golf Club in Boca Raton, Fla., is an exclusive private club with small membership that collectively administrates the course and related amenities. Tim Gavrich/Golf Advisor.

What is a golf club premium?

At this type of golf club, a person would pay a one-time premium and a monthly fee to become a member. With this fee, only members are allowed to play. In addition to the golf club, the member would also gain access to other facilities including, but not limited to, tennis, workout facility, swimming pool, and, of course, shoulder rubbing with those who also enjoy burning money.

What are the rules of Augusta?

Augusta is known for having many stringent rules including no cell phones, members only, invitation only, and no yelling common phrases. All of these infractions can result in immediate removal and suspension of one’s membership.

Can you have a membership at a single golf course?

Other Situations. As stated above, most memberships will only be valid at a single course. So, for those of you who enjoy variety in golf courses, a membership may not be best. There are some exceptions to this rule, there are plenty of semi-private golf courses that offer a unique experience and multiple golf courses.

Is a golf course membership valid for a single course?

Since the golf course membership will typically only be valid for a single course, those of you who travel will be best suited to pay the daily fee. Be sure to look into this option deeper as some courses partner with sister courses and give you a variety of options.

Do golf courses cost the same as married couples?

At most golf courses, families cost the same price as a married couple but, be sure to examine all the rates before taking this word as law. In any case, the membership will always be the best idea, especially if everyone in the family plays.

Do you have to purchase food and drink to be a member of a golf course?

This means that, in order to be a member, you must purchase a certain amount of food and drink from the course’s restaurant.

Can you walk on a golf course?

To remedy this situation, be sure to ask if walking is allowed on the course. If the answer is yes, go buy a golf buggy and roll your clubs along with you. In addition to saving you a couple bucks a day, this will help increase your physical exercise and help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.

1. What is the structure of the club?

There are several factors to consider here. Each has pros and cons you should weigh. As mentioned above, “bundled vs. non-bundled” is probably the most important structure to consider.

2. What has the club done in the last few years and what is it considering doing in terms of renovations and enhancements?

You want to know you are investing in a club that is willing to reinvest. The club landscape is constantly evolving. You will want to make sure you are joining a club committed to keeping up with the club trends and desires of both existing as well as new members to ensure it remains competitive and sustainable long into the future.

3. How will I get involved and meet people?

Once you have ironed out the more quantitative details, it is as important, if not more so, to be sure you’ve found a club that is a good fit for you personally. In my experience, every club has a unique personality and culture.

4. What is my exit strategy?

You might not be inclined to think about this when you’re excited about joining a club and starting a new adventure, but the reality is you may find that you are not able to play golf anymore, or maybe you want to move to another part of the state, or back up north. It’s crucial to know what your obligations are before you are in that situation.

5. Why should I choose this club over another club?

Central Oregon is full of clubs to choose from, including Pronghorn, home to 36 holes. Brandon Tucker/Golf Advisor

A final word from Golf Life Navigators

When the search involves a club membership and a home, there can be a bit of anxiety of whom to trust. After all, it is one of the biggest financial decisions you will ever make. Be sure to interview the club and real estate agent thoroughly before getting serious about an investment.

How to promote your club?

Besides word of mouth, here are some other methods your club can use to increase awareness: 1 Social media 2 Email 3 Posters, flyers, and billboards 4 Reach out to relevant organizations that could spread the word 5 Host local events

How to increase awareness of a club?

Besides word of mouth, here are some other methods your club can use to increase awareness: Social media. Email. Posters, flyers, and billboards. Reach out to relevant organizations that could spread the word. Host local events.

Why is membership marketing important?

Membership marketing is vitally important to the continuation of your organization, and should be simultaneously carried out in a variety of ways. Word of mouth is the most powerful way your existing members can drum up interest. Make it clear to your members who the club would like to recruit. For example, if you’re part ...

What time does a club practice on Tuesday?

For example, if you’re part of a recreational sports team, then your club can emphasize that you’re looking for everyone and anyone who can make practice and games on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 7-9pm. Emphasize that all physical fitness and activity levels are welcome.

Step 1

Acquire guest privileges through an invitation from a member. Exclusive clubs allow their members to invite guests. Clubs might have restrictions on how often guests can be invited or times they are allowed on the course. Typically, the guest fees are charged to the member's account.

Step 2

Join a club that has reciprocal playing arrangements with exclusive golf courses you want to play. Research both the club you join and the clubs you'd like to play. Some clubs have reciprocity agreements with other clubs throughout the United States and others have no such arrangements.

Step 3

Participate in a pro-am or charity tournament. Many PGA and LPGA tour events are played on exclusive private courses. Most tour events have a pro-am on Wednesday before the official professional tournament begins on Thursday. Some tournaments have an additional pro-am on Tuesday. Amateur charity tournaments also are held at private courses.

Step 4

Book a hotel stay at a resort that offers playing privileges on an exclusive course. The Hyatt at Gainey Ranch in Scottsdale, Arizona, for example, offers playing privileges for its guests at the private Arroyo, Dunes and Lakes golf courses adjacent to the resort.

Step 5

Find a club that offers membership for a day, such as the King Kamehameha Golf Club located on the island of Maui. Particularly in the off-season, exclusive clubs offer one-day memberships in an effort to entice potential members or increase revenue. Visit Florida in the summer, for example, and you can gain access to privates courses.