Hi all, our course is introducing a course utilisation fee starting at the end of the month,for full members the fee will be $6/3 for 18 and 9 respectively,my question is does your club do this or any others that you know of?
(full m/ship is $1500 pa and 3rd highest in the district)

How many times you play per week?
How often comps held?
How much is comp fee?
How many members at the club?
Our club doesn’t do this.

They introduced a ‘fee’ for social players who brought their own motorised cart but this was removed as people were kicking up too much of a stink. It was like 4 bucks or something. Even charged members a motorized cart rego fee, for cart path funding, don’t think this is still enforced either.
Which state are you from?

Hi Cally

It was introduced at my course (in Brisbane) last year by the management committee. It applied to all members. This was done mid-way through a financial year without any notice to members apart from a notice in the club house. It was apparently mentioned at the previous AGM “to be looked into by the committee”.

Fee was similar to yours and was designed to “catch” a number of members who played the course 2 to 4 times a week but not in comps. If you played in a comp the fee wasn’t charged.

If you don’t like it would first suggest you see if it has been approved at an AGM. If not, read the Club Rules and By-Laws to see if the committee has the power to bring in such a fee (mine did).

Introduction of the fee caused a lot of complaints and at the next AGM new committee was installed, the fee dropped and Constitution amended so that committe no longer had the power to introduce golfing related fees without AGM or EGM approval.

Cheers

My club charges $3. Other clubs I know about charge up to $5. I assumed all clubs did it now.
I don’t know how they work out the price. $6 is a bit rich knowing it will increase a buck or 2 every year.

It sounds like the clubs are needing a bit of a cash injection to keep the place running. “Levies” or whatever you want to call them are coming in all different forms nowadays as many clubs are struggling in this recent economy and bad weather.

Its most likely as mentioned above something the club can do without getting full member support (ie its not in the constitution). Im sure its not something the Board is doing just because they feel like it, its most likely a necessity to stay in positive cash flow.

Our club needs to raise $21,000 for new sprinklers. They sent me a letter to ask for a donation. Am happy to.

Like Madam said clubs needs to stay in the positive, but there are better ways than slapping levies on.

Our club needs to raise $21,000 for new sprinklers. They sent me a letter to ask for a donation. Am happy to.

Like Madam said clubs needs to stay in the positive, but there are better ways than slapping levies on.

Handicap, I’m working on it. – Edit: Feb 2013 still, working on it.

Id be interested in understanding the reason behind the levy and if the members were informed prior to it being implemented? Or did they just slap it on?

Communication is so very important in these types of decisions.

Our club needs to raise $21,000 for new sprinklers. They sent me a letter to ask for a donation. Am happy to.

Like Madam said clubs needs to stay in the positive, but there are better ways than slapping levies on.

Handicap, I’m working on it. – Edit: Feb 2013 still, working on it.

Where you at?

A utilization fee? That is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve heard of. Isn’t that what the membership is? $1500 is a fair whack what does one get for that if they have to pay for golf on top of it. If my club tried to slap something like that I would be looking elsewhere.

At a course in Sydney, it’s around $5 and they call it a “machinery levy”.
I don’t pay one at my club but I think if the annuals are low, it’s fair.
Of course if you play a lot of social golf, you would want to do the figures as you may be better off at a club that doesn’t have such a levy (albeit higher annuals).

Full membership at my club is around $1700. We have to pay something like $9 for 9 holes and $16 for 18. It’s a pretty decent course that could probably charge quite a bit more for membership. I think it’s done as a way to keep membership prices down and encourage time poor players to maintain memberships.

Full membership at my club is around $1700. We have to pay something like $9 for 9 holes and $16 for 18.

That is absolutely disgraceful.

Full membership at my club is around $1700. We have to pay something like $9 for 9 holes and $16 for 18.

That is absolutely disgraceful.

if you play 30 times a year thats another $500

Would you be happy if they sent out a notice that Fees had increased by 28% ??

I think that is steep..

12 posts in and the OP hasn’t commented yet…... Maybe too busy slapping on something somewhere else coz its hump day

Turfers, there is a rumour circulating about a one-off levy at Piney.

Full membership at my club is around $1700. We have to pay something like $9 for 9 holes and $16 for 18. It’s a pretty decent course that could probably charge quite a bit more for membership. I think it’s done as a way to keep membership prices down and encourage time poor players to maintain memberships.

Turfers, there is a rumour circulating about a one-off levy at Piney.

Totally ignorant about almost everything except golf.

Is there??? How much and what is it for?

Turfers, there is a rumour circulating about a one-off levy at Piney.

Totally ignorant about almost everything except golf.

Is there??? How much and what is it for?

Bring your daughter to the slaughterrrrrrrrrrr

$150 per member to keep the club afloat. I meant to ask Terry when we were chatting at Bribie on Monday but somebody joined in before I had a chance.

we pay $3/$2…used to be $2/$1
ain’t no such thing as a free lunch

Turfers, there is a rumour circulating about a one-off levy at Piney.

Totally ignorant about almost everything except golf.

Is there??? How much and what is it for?

Bring your daughter to the slaughterrrrrrrrrrr

$150 per member to keep the club afloat. I meant to ask Terry when we were chatting at Bribie on Monday but somebody joined in before I had a chance.

Totally ignorant about almost everything except golf.

I am totally ignorant to almost everything except golf, hope that clears things up : )

Originally there was a water levy of $4/2 this was introduced during a drought a few years back but we’ve had no real water issues for quite a while.im lucky in the fact that I work at the club and get to play 4-5 times a week however this new fee or as I like to call it the” board mismanagement fund”basically means my m/ship fees will double.

Originally there was a water levy of $4/2 this was introduced during a drought a few years back but we’ve had no real water issues for quite a while.im lucky in the fact that I work at the club and get to play 4-5 times a week however this new fee or as I like to call it the” board mismanagement fund”basically means my m/ship fees will double.

If the club is mismanaged then i am against it. It you can see where the money is going eg for a new warter system then that is OK but why not put the fees up so everyone pays the same. I prefer what some clubs do and have bar levey to increase revenue

I’m pretty sure I’m a member at the same place as Cally.

With a new baby at home and working full time shift work my time on the links has reduced quite a bit over the last 12 months. If the club raised memberships by $500 to help increase revenue I would have to give my membership away. At least by keeping it at the current levels and charging those who use the course in a pay as you play arrangement it means I can remain a member, simple as that. Considering the age of the current membership they need to retain younger members at all cost.

After reading the letter from the board I’m not sure if there is much more they could have done. Less revenue from pokies and more expensive water leaves a big hole in the budget!

Turfers, there is a rumour circulating about a one-off levy at Piney.

Totally ignorant about almost everything except golf.

Is there??? How much and what is it for?

Bring your daughter to the slaughterrrrrrrrrrr

$150 per member to keep the club afloat. I meant to ask Terry when we were chatting at Bribie on Monday but somebody joined in before I had a chance.

Totally ignorant about almost everything except golf.

I am totally ignorant to almost everything except golf, hope that clears things up : )

Bring your daughter to the slaughterrrrrrrrrrr

its always beent he case at my club and they just call it a green fee. Its a User pays theory that is supposed to keep the yearly fee down and have those that use the course most, pay for its upkeep

they charge a green fee on comp days as well. Comp fee is $14 of which part goes to ball comp, part to trophies and part is green fee