credit crunch reader survey
Barlaston Golf Club Barlaston Golf Club is set in an attractive riverside rural location close to the canal town of Stone. In the midst of a quite dense population of golf clubs in the surrounding countryside the committee of Barlaston work hard to maintain the clubs status in the area. The club has around 600 members and although numbers have dropped slightly during the recession there has been a rise in juniors. Barlaston has no joining fee and has recently added an extra new member incentive by introducing its own standing order system for payments. Visitor numbers are steady, largely helped by Green fee two-for-one vouchers and societies find the course a favourite to play on, many returning year after year. The club is currently renovating an old building attached to it which will become an extra member’s room in addition to the current bar; varied social events play a vital part in Barlaston’s calendar. Club administrator Jamie Brown said “we seem to be faring well at present but in conjunction with our members are always striving for new ideas to take the club forward” In difficult times Barlaston has bucked the trend somewhat, a good course, easy going atmosphere and member loyalty have gone a long way to ensure that stable times lie ahead.
Wolstanton Golf Club Wolstanton Golf Club, established 1904 is situated on the outskirts of Newcastle-under-Lyme, in the heart of the Potteries. One of the industries that have suffered most during the economic downturn, the plight of the pottery firms has seen many job losses in the area inevitably leading to a knock on effect for the regions courses. Wolstanton has a healthy and loyal membership of 800 of which 90 are ladies and 90 are juniors. However, the current climate has led to a few losses in that department and the committee are looking at ways to increase turnover in other areas. They have already slashed visitor green fees for those playing with a member and introduced a payment plan to spread the cost of signing on fees. But it’s in visitor numbers, corporate events and societies that Wolstanton is looking to pick up on. Despite the inclusion of the ‘two-fore-one’ voucher scheme, visitors here account for only 5% of total income; Club Director Alan Read told us “We are currently looking at ways of marketing and advertising the club to give us more exposure and hopefully extra visitor and society income”. Wolstantons’ management remain committed to making course improvements through the recession to maintain the quality of its prized asset. Thanks to its prudent leadership and a real sense we got of club team spirit this friendly establishment may well be better placed than most to survive these difficult times.
Credit Crunch Analysis To a certain extent the answer to the question at the start of the feature is a clear yes. We found a few indications out there that the slump is impacting on our clubs economies. What is also clear is that the more traditional and well-established institutions are finding it harder than most to adapt and implement change. Their previously ever-present security of having waiting lists seems now to be a thing of the past which is forcing them to adopt a more pro-active approach in attracting both new members and visitors.
Staffordshire Golfer
On the flip side this is a great time for societies and unattached visitors to play even more golf at previously off the radar clubs. Maybe an opportunity too to take advantage of easier membership terms that some clubs are offering and join that local club you’ve always aspired to. Just like every retail based walk of life at present golf prices are down and discounts of all varieties are on the rise, we’ve included many examples of these on the following pages and hope they go some way to easing the worries of our regions outstanding Golf Clubs.
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