Independent Golfer Ireland

coillcam

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122329302#Comment_122329302

From the limited amount of chatter I've heard so far, some (or many) clubs will likely choose to restrict independent golfers somewhat. Eg a gui club visitor will have preferential treatment.

What this means I think it's too early to say. There may be ring-fenced tee times, separate prize categories in opens etc. Scratch cups would probably block outright block igolfers or have stricter criteria - eg fully developed whs index and minimum number of comps in past year. That criteria is already in most clubs already.

However clubs won't disappear when independent golf starts. Membership is a different proposition.

An igolfer has to pay green fees to play and can only play open comps (if allowed by the hosting club/org).

Membership is unlimited golf, practice facilities, quick 6 holes, comps throughout the year, interclub teams.

If a small rural club thinks they will be destroyed I'd strongly question the logic. Eg assuming a local igolfer plays €60 per year sub to Golf Ireland and 12 green fees/opens at €40 a pop. They're sitting on a total outlay of €540 in a year. That can cover membership in plenty of courses for unlimited golf plus the other benefits.

I'll cherry pick here from google for current examples and exclude distance memberships for obvious reasons:

• Castlegregory ~€500 full member, €350 introductory member.
• Blessington Lakes ~€599 full member.
• Moate €650 full member.
• South Meath €500 full member
• Birr - €478 year 1, €628 year 2.
• Portlaoise €425 full member.
• The Heath €500 year 1 or €1100 for 2 years.
• Tullamore €468 introductory membership.
• Bearna €600 year 1 full, decreases for year 2.

Any regular igolfer obviously sees the value in joining a local club like above. The person who plays 3-5 times a year is not going to join a club, they weren't in 2024 or in the past. However they may do in future. Likewise for a society golfer. Hopefully the new scheme incentivises these people to take up a membership.

For people who want to throw in their membership because they don't use it. I believe they have to wait 1-2 years before they can join igolf. If someone falls into this bracket I think they were probably "dead money" to clubs anyway. There isn't a collection of public courses with open time sheets to play when you like. So the clubs will still get green fees and have opportunity to tap into potential new members.

There's an opportunity here for golf clubs to capture the igolfer's business and set them up for membership. It has to be done in the right way:

1. Balance restrictions on comps to protect club golfers from banditry. Don't dangle big prizes for bandits.
2. Have some igolfer schemes/bundles (5x green fees, order of merit, play x times get igolfer intro member special year 1, green fees + pro lesson bundle).
3. Expand membership options like pay to play, 5 days, off peak etc. Give more choice.
4. Make the igolfers feel welcome. If it becomes too much of "us vs them" sentiment, who'd want to join that club?
5. Societies - most clubs already have recurring visits and relationships. Lots of these people here will take up the scheme so they have a handicap to track. Often they play 2-3 societies and a common handicap would be welcomed. Added bonus of scores going to WHS for visibility.

Big clubs are not going to lose loads of members, some even have waiting lists. High end ones are a real luxury and that proposition won't change. I think it may make lots of clubs reconsider joining fees however. The only outlier is the small number clubs that relied solely on cheap distance or pay to play memberships to survive. They may have to reviewer their operating model or seek some sort of grant/scheme from Golf Ireland.

In the absence of public courses and no guarantee for to igolfers on tee sheet availability, I don't believe there's a threat to the vast majority of clubs.

callaway92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122330245#Comment_122330245

Still - I think the system absolutely suits someone like me tbh. They've definitely done enough analysis to show that it's a good system once they market it correctly to the right people. Golf Clubs themselves are absolutely awful at Marketing and while some will see no negative hit, some other clubs will, and will start scrambling in a panic then

coillcam

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122330416#Comment_122330416

It's a positive step, I agree. Quite clear that the communication with clubs hasn't been great given the fear being expressed.

Tbf golf is very traditional and stuck in its ways so change is always difficult.

bobster453

I know the official figures from England Golf look very positive but wonder on breakdown do they favour city clubs vs country clubs or one region vs the other.

Be interesting to see 2 or 3 years on how clubs in different regions view it now.

Agree clubs offering cheap distance membership may be in trouble..one synonymous with this appears to be rebranding itself more as an adventure destination for kids rather than a golf club anymore..most of their social media posts are pushing this.