The top trends of 2013

Alistair Dunsmuir
By Alistair Dunsmuir November 13, 2013 00:14

10. Many clubs are investing again

It’s been a tough few years for golf clubs, and it’s been even worse for suppliers to golf clubs, as the venues have been reluctant to spend.

However, this did begin to change in 2013, as several clubs started spending money on their facilities – although often on the clubhouse, and especially on non-golfing revenue generators, rather than the course.

For example, De Vere Mottram Hall spent £6 million on an upgrade, including a new bar and restaurant and halfway house, Pype Hayes Golf Club spent £2 million building a new restaurant, function room and gym, Chase Golf Club embarked on a £1 million refurbishment, including the building of a new 80-seater restaurant, Galgorm Castle Golf Club spent £500,000 on upgrading its facilities, including a contemporary balcony area for the bar and restaurant, Banbury Golf Club spent £240,000 on its clubhouse, including the installation of a golf simulator, Edgbaston Golf Club spent £150,000 on similar improvements and Caversham Heath spent £150,000 – work included building an indoor studio.

 

9. Some major golf courses are due to be built

Despite economic difficulties over the last few years that’s seen several courses close, calls from the likes of the Scottish Golf Union that no more 18-hole courses should be built as supply far outweighs demand, and even a high court judge ruling that Surrey now has enough golf courses, many major new developments are in the pipeline.

Developers hope to build The Ayrshire, a £60 million, 18-hole links pay-and-play course featuring a hotel and holiday homes spread over 171 acres, while in East Fife, planning permission has been sought for a £10 million golf development on farmland at Dumbarnie Links. Not far from there, St Andrews International Golf Club, a £25 million project with joining fees ranging from £75,000 to £200,000 ‘Britain’s most exclusive golf club’, is due to open in 2016, while also in Scotland, a tennis and golf complex at Park of Keir is set to be built in 2014.

There are several new developments set for England as well – including in London where Tony Menai Davis, owner of the Seve Ballesteros-designed The Shire London near Barnet and the West London Golf Centre (which opened in 2013), says he intends to build two 18-hole courses in north and west London before 2020.

 

8. Several golf clubs have been saved from going under

Despite so much talk of doom and gloom in the industry, one of the stories of 2013 was just how many golf clubs were saved from being closed down.

Kingsway Golf Course, which needs £150,000 of investment, and Tynedale Golf Club, were saved by their local councils, Redhill and Reigate Golf Club’s future was secured when it converted to proprietary ownership, Keele Golf Course was rescued when its parent company entered liquidation, Middleton Park and Gotts Park golf clubs secured at least a 12-month stay of execution each, when they had been earmarked for closure due to losses, and Milford Haven Golf Club turned around its losses after losing hundreds of members over several years, and is now set to stay open.

In fact some clubs, such as Portishead Golf Course and Tamworth Golf Course, even re-opened after being shut down, while others such as Oadby Golf Course hope to re-open following positive news regarding investors.

 

7. Everyone went back onto the course in 2013

Participation at golf clubs plummeted in 2012 (collectively, UK venues had 400,000 fewer golfers visit them compared with 2011), mainly because of the wet weather, and this proved to be the final nail in the coffin for some golf clubs that had struggled through years of falling memberships and the economic downturn.

Thankfully, 2013 saw the hottest and driest summer for several years, and participation bounced back.

Handicapping website HowDidiDo reported an 18 percent increase in the number of rounds played in July 2013, compared with the previous year, bringing golf participation back in line with 2011 figures.

It is thought that this recovery has been one of the main drivers for the seeming increase in expenditure golf clubs carried out in 2013.

 

6. Deals with other golf clubs are becoming more popular

Offering a member of a club the opportunity to play cheaply, or even for free, at another golf club, as part of their membership, is a superb way to boost member retention.

Trethorne, Boringdon Park and Lostwithiel golf clubs announced in 2013 that if you join any of those three clubs you will receive full membership rights at the other two clubs.

Meanwhile, Castle Stuart Golf Links, The Nairn Golf Club and Royal Dornoch Golf Club announced that they had brought in nearly £500,000 in the last two years by offering joint packages under the ‘Highland Golf Links’ brand – even though visitors can only purchase green fees and hotel accommodation via this method in the months of April, October and November. Scotscraig, Lundin, Ladybank and Crail golf clubs also formed a similar partnerhip, ‘Links with History’, and South Pembrokeshire, Tenby, Milford Haven and Haverfordwest, joined forces to create ‘Golf 4 Pembrokeshire (G4P)’, which provides discounted green fees for members of any one of the clubs at the other three and acts as a buying group.

The bigger operators have also got involved with this. At the De Vere Club, you, for example, receive 100 credits for about £300, which can be converted into green fees for 19 golf courses at 12 different venues. Between 2010 (when the De Vere Club was launched) and 2013, it attracted a staggering 13,000 members. Not to be outdone, Crown Golf launched its reciprocal ‘Just Play’ membership this year, including discounted green fees at 25 golf clubs, which quickly attracted several hundred members.

 

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Alistair Dunsmuir
By Alistair Dunsmuir November 13, 2013 00:14
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10 Comments

  1. @PGAMemberEd February 13, 09:25

    Want a refresher on golf’s top trends of 2013? Read them here: http://t.co/JbbztasVM7

    Reply to this comment
  2. Jonathan Gaunt (@jonathangaunt) November 17, 17:10

    The top trends of 2013 » Golf Club Management http://t.co/NvRNV2PKWi

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  3. iSpyGolf (@ispygolfpro) November 14, 15:35

    The top golf trends of 2013… http://t.co/KxKIs6wU04

    Reply to this comment
  4. iain macpherson November 14, 11:58

    Energy has gone up 23% (CBI) in the last four years, and clubs still haven’t cottoned on that this is taking off their bottom line? – expect this to make the list next year! The managers therefore are still missing where savings long term can be made… something that big business looks at seriously in recession.

    Reply to this comment
  5. CMM Golf Recruiter (@GolfRecruiter) November 14, 10:02

    @GCM_mag have identified the top trends of 2013 #golf http://t.co/DvsT7LqYHL

    Reply to this comment
  6. GAF, Sverige (@gafsverige) November 13, 09:54

    “@GCM_mag: #GolfClubManagement The top trends of 2013 http://t.co/UnoHzNnXHc” Topp 40 trenderna i England. Klicka er ner mot nr1. #golftrend

    Reply to this comment
  7. @ffpBrendan November 13, 09:23

    The top trends in the golf industry » Golf Club Management http://t.co/FjtH94KIUr

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  8. 19th Hole Social (@19th_holesocial) November 13, 02:02

    #Golf #Panthersocial The top trends of 2013 – The year 2013 has been incredibly important to the golf sector –… http://t.co/VgtKC2w1xz

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  9. Golf Club Management (@GCM_mag) November 13, 01:34

    #GolfClubManagement The top trends of 2013 http://t.co/jqEB2EpIGx

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