Should Your Golf Club Prioritise Membership or Green Fee Revenue?

A golf course in England
By - 06/08/24

Determining Revenue: Membership or Green Fees?

Should your golf club focus on attracting more members or increasing casual green fee visitors? Does your club prefer contracted memberships or rely on ‘pay & play’ customers, whose participation is often influenced by unpredictable weather conditions?

Many golf clubs across the UK prefer the steady income from contracted memberships, providing an upfront fee of £300-£2,000+ compared to £15-£50+ per round from pay & play customers.

However, the traditional membership model is becoming less suitable for golfers who do not play regularly. As these golfers leave their memberships, clubs increasingly rely on the unpredictable revenue from green fees, posing a dilemma.

Our goal is to transform the infrequent golfer into a more engaged participant through our flexible membership category. Why is contracted membership revenue crucial compared to pay & play revenue? What impact can it have on your golf club?

Benefits of Contracted Revenue Golf Memberships

Contracted revenue golf memberships allow clubs to grow and secure their future. By receiving upfront fees and forecasting revenue from new and retained members, clubs can cater to year-round visitors with confidence, unlike the uncertain income from pay & play golfers.

This model also eliminates the reliance on dry weather for revenue. With contracted memberships, clubs are not dependent on good weather for green fee income.

Merchandise and club amenities also benefit, with an average spend increase of £2.50 per round in the golf shop and £4.50 per round on food and drink.

Adding a Flexible Membership Category

PlayMoreGolf offers flexible memberships, supporting golf clubs in driving new membership enquiries—often between 25-40 per month. We assist with follow-up processes to ensure golfers join our proven flexible membership category.

Over 180 UK clubs have chosen PlayMoreGolf to operate their flexible membership category. We’ve developed products allowing clubs to set their membership prices, attracting more ‘premium’ clubs to experience the revenue benefits.

Benefits of PlayMoreGolf Membership:

  • Proven yield managed point system
  • Retain control of your tee-sheet
  • Automated referral and retention communications
  • Drive additional spend revenue
  • Higher yield per round compared to full members/visitors

Why Your Golf Club Should Offer Flexible Memberships

Membership is the lifeblood of golf clubs. As times change, clubs must adapt to declining memberships and find new players to fill empty tee slots. Flexible memberships provide an opportunity to plan for the future, aligning with visitor interests and ensuring the club’s survival and growth.

If your club relies increasingly on pay & play customers, consider this: would you prefer dependable revenue from guaranteed memberships or unpredictable income dependent on the weather? With guaranteed membership revenue, there is never a rainy day.

For more information on becoming a PlayMoreGolf Partner Club, please contact us.