I’m in my 40s and seeing young women getting into the game but not joining clubs, I totally get it. So, what’s putting them off? The same things that would put me off if I was an amateur player.
The Cost
Spending on a joining fee, sometimes over £1,000, and then often twice as much again on a golf club membership is a big chunk of annual income. When women work and have children, disposable income simply wouldn’t be dropped on a membership. I couldn’t afford or justify this.
I’d consider a club if it had leisure facilities and tennis, a gym or a pool. If this was something I’m already paying for, then golf as part of my leisure membership would be ideal. If a golf club has an affiliate membership where I pay a reduced green fee each time, I’d consider it…or even an off-peak membership. I do love 9 holes in the evening and the joy of being a member somewhere you can pop out and play a few holes and not feel you need to get your money’s worth.
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Limited Time
There are some weeks where I wouldn’t get to play at all and weekends are not an option, so there is expectation to play regularly in competitions and matches.
If I were to spend on a full membership, I’d want to be there a significant amount of time, and if the Wi-Fi was good, I could potentially work from a club. But most golf courses allow visitors, and certainly many that I’ve worked at, have regular non-members using the clubhouse to work, so membership isn’t essential.
My quieter times are often the club’s quieter times, so again there’s that appeal for an off-peak membership. As a member you can jump on a course at quiet times and do a mini loop if you’re lucky, this is where a membership would be great.
Katie Dawkins cannot justify the cost of a club membership
(Image credit: Howard Boylan)
I’m An Explorer!
Call me a nomadic golfer, but I’ve always got joy from playing different courses. The exploration of a layout and excitement of a new place will always be with me. As much as a familiar course will carry with it the knowledge of how to play it, I would miss the adventure of new places.
I really believe playing different courses stretches you as a golfer and exercises your imagination and increases your ability. If a golf course had a huge list of reciprocals where you can go and play free of charge, then that would be appealing to a point.
(Image credit: Katie Dawkins)
Social Side
I love walking into a golf club and seeing the same familiar faces and that’s a perk of my job. I get to walk into a room full of people that I can converse with, and that’s part of being a golfer coach.
I would also choose to go to many golf courses for a bite to eat, a good coffee and often the views are spectacular. But again, I would want to change this up and the social scene at a course wouldn’t attract me to join.
There are a few clubs nearby where you don’t need to be members to go to events or have a quick coffee. Don’t get me wrong, I think some courses do the social side exceptionally well. The Caversham in Berkshire, for example, has a buzzing social life and incredible food and drink to boot.
I think as I get older and if the right course was nearby, I’d consider social membership if visitors weren’t welcome. The thing is, at the majority of courses, they are. I’d want somewhere that is inclusive and socially diverse and a bit more modern. Some clubs have nailed this, such as Hamptworth Golf Club in Salisbury, but some need to work harder if they are to entice a younger (than me) audience.
Obligation And Competition
I’d 100% feel obliged to play at my home club if I was a member, which would limit me from playing at other places. I could not justify spending money on green fees anywhere else if I’d spent out on a membership.
On a competitive side, I think the way the World Handicap System works for handicaps these days makes it less enticing to go down the competitive club golf route. The whole handicap system frustrates me.
My golf has changed; I love different variations of the sport. I love a golf range, I love a simulator, and I love that competitive gamification of golf. Thanks to amazing technology such as InRange I can play around the world and have a handicap at venues who have this tech. I’m a tiny bit addicted to that and compete on the World Tour (6 holes) on a weekly basis.
(Image credit: Lauren Katims)
Now this isn’t to say that I don’t completely get why golf memberships are something so many players opt for. But I do think there needs to be a way to incorporate younger working golfers into clubs, especially women.
I’m not talking about getting women into golf schemes, we cater for the new golfer at many clubs with academy memberships. If you’re a member of the academy it is presumed you haven’t been playing long. If you work, you still need to get out on the course at the weekend and often this can be busy and intimidating.
Perhaps clubs need to begin to model flexible memberships towards the more casual nomadic golfer. Then they might see the average age decrease and more women out on the course. The way women are choosing to play golf is changing. It’s time for golf clubs to evolve.
