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Golf in Scotland is sinking fast
Brian_Ewen:
https://www.scotsman.com/sport/golf/golf-in-scotland-is-sinking-fast-delegates-told-1-4629560
Golf in Scotland is sinking fast, delegates told
MARTIN DEMPSTER
Saturday 02 December 2017
It was easily the soundbite that made the biggest impact during a four-and-a-half hour discussion about the future of golf in Scotland. “We are all on the Titanic if we choose not to do anything,” around 500 delegates were told at the first Scottish Golf national conference at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.
When he was subsequently accused by one delegate of being responsible for “a lot of negativity” about the state of the game in its birthplace by delivering that message, Stewart Darling, a Scottish Golf board member, stuck firmly to his guns. “It’s not negativity – it’s reality,” he said in response.
Eleanor Cannon, the Scottish Golf chair, kicked off the day’s proceedings in the capital by asking a wide cross section of the game to “suspend disbelief” following recent negativity towards the governing body on the back of a controversial proposed new strategy being put on hold as some keynote speakers addressed the audience and, with all due respect to the others, it was Darling who definitely made the strongest impression in the hall.
He highlighted that Scottish clubs had been losing roughly 5,000 full members every year in the last 10 years. He warned that the consequence of not doing anything to try and address that situation was an average annual subscription of £478 rising by 34 per cent in five years’ time and to be 84 per cent higher in 10 years’ time. “That is a fairly challenging prognosis in any walk of life,” he said.
One of many illuminating graphics Darling, the CEO of Vianet Group, a strategic insight and cloud based technology business, used to get his message across highlighted golf’s demographic being its biggest problem. Over 55s make up more than 100,000 of golf club members whereas 24 and unders provide just more than 10,000.
He also pointed out that it used to take 20 rounds per year in 2007 for someone to justify their subscription fee and now it is 40. He revealed, too, that only 47 per cent of members submit enough cards (three) to retain a handicap while just 53 per cent play in a formal competition. Having too many courses is one of the game’s problems. “We can’t sustain 600 clubs in 10 years’ time,” he warned.
Darling’s strongest message, though, about what needs to change more than anything was about getting more women into the game. That is based on the fact that women currently make up less than 14 per cent of membership in Scotland. “There is going to have to be a fundamental re-think,” he said. “We need to think very clearly about the future and how we get women in. It is a big opportunity if we accept this to be the case. Some clubs are not welcoming to women and children - that is a fundamental issue.
“Also, we are not connected as a golfing community and need to harness the power of that. Data is the new oil and new water. The power of it is massive for golf. At the moment, we have so little data on our game. We can have power if that changes and that is really important.”
At the moment, only 6 per cent of Scottish Golf’s income is from a commercial source. Roz Cushieri, another board member, agreed when that situation was described as “absolutely disgraceful” by a delegate. “But we need to make sure what we are offering the long list of companies we are engaging with is attractive in terms of inclusivity and other things,” she said before another delegate revealed that one company looking to invest a seven-figure sum in golf had said “no” to Scotland because it felt the game in this country wasn’t “family friendly”.
One of the proposals in that new strategy was to raise the affiliation fee paid by every club member from £11.25 of to £24. Asked if that could still be on the table at the agm in March, board member Malcolm Kpedekpo hinted it might. “This is the start of a process and, if we think £24 is the right price when we look at the strategy, then it would be wrong not to put it forward.”
Cannon, who was delighted with the success of an event that brought the most club administrators, club committee members and professionals under the same roof in Scotland, said she hoped a new chief executive to replace Blane Dodds will be in place early in the New Year. “We had a tremendous response to the advert and will be holding interviews in December but, as part of the consultation process, we thought it was maybe wise to slow things down a bit to get feedback from today,” she said.
Duncan Cheslett:
--- Quote from: Brian_Ewen on December 02, 2017, 09:27:37 PM ---
He highlighted that Scottish clubs had been losing roughly 5,000 full members every year in the last 10 years. He warned that the consequence of not doing anything to try and address that situation was an average annual subscription of £478 rising by 34 per cent in five years’ time and to be 84 per cent higher in 10 years’ time. “That is a fairly challenging prognosis in any walk of life,” he said.
--- End quote ---
If the average annual subscription at a golf club in Scotland is £478 then price alone cannot be the reason for the decline in membership. £478 is very cheap - around half the cost of an annual membership you would expect to pay at an average club in England. Increases in price are clearly always unpopular however low the base price, and will inevitably lead to a loss of customers on the margins. It is clear to the outsider however, that one needs to look deeper than the simple cost to explain the decline in demand for golf club membership.
--- Quote from: Brian_Ewen on December 02, 2017, 09:27:37 PM ---One of many illuminating graphics Darling, the CEO of Vianet Group, a strategic insight and cloud based technology business, used to get his message across highlighted golf’s demographic being its biggest problem. Over 55s make up more than 100,000 of golf club members whereas 24 and unders provide just more than 10,000.
--- End quote ---
When I was growing up in the 1970s, both my grandfathers were avid golfers, and I spent many wonderful days with them at their respective clubs. Both of them took up golf in their 50s and the game continued to be at the centre of their lives well into their 70s and 80s. It was the defining activity of their retirements.
After this early introduction to golf you might have expected me to be a life-long devotee. But no - life gets in the way. A busy business life, two marriages, and four children put paid to that! It was only when I turned 50 that I was in a position to take up golf in earnest - after a break of 35 years.
My experience is an extreme example of a typical pattern. Ask avid golf club members about their golfing history and the most common story you will hear is that they played football/rugby/cricket/lacrosse/tennis/squash into their 30s or early 40s and then took up golf as a "replacement activity" once they were forced into sporting retirement.
Golf is a sport for the middle-aged and older. One of the greatest joys of the game is that it can be enjoyed competitively well beyond the age that can by other sports. While obviously it is also a young person's game, those with family and work commitments in their 20s, 30s, and 40s increasingly find it impossible to justify the cost of club membership, both in terms of money and time.
The demographics of most golf clubs - not just those in Scotland - are inevitable. Yet they are seen as a problem. We are constantly told that the game needs to attract more young people, yet all initiatives fail. The demographics of golf clubs are not a problem so long as sufficient new members in their 40s and 50s are recruited to replace those dying off or giving up the game due to ill health.
Golf needs to sell itself as the perfect activity for a healthy middle and old age.
--- Quote from: Brian_Ewen on December 02, 2017, 09:27:37 PM ---He also pointed out that it used to take 20 rounds per year in 2007 for someone to justify their subscription fee and now it is 40. He revealed, too, that only 47 per cent of members submit enough cards (three) to retain a handicap while just 53 per cent play in a formal competition. Having too many courses is one of the game’s problems. “We can’t sustain 600 clubs in 10 years’ time,” he warned.
--- End quote ---
The first point is surely a function of falling green fee prices at most run-of-the-mill golf courses. It used to be that membership was the cheapest way to play golf regularly. Now the non-affiliated golfer can play a plethora of second and third tier courses at less than £15 per round on almost any day other than a Saturday. Very many will be less than £10. This is completely unsustainable. Golf clubs have conspired with TeeOffTimes to bring this disaster upon themselves.
As for the low rate of competitive play, this is a situation I simply don't recognise. The culture among most golfers I know centres around regular qualifying competitions. If only half of golfers in Scotland play regularly in competitions then a very different culture pertains than that I am familiar with.
--- Quote from: Brian_Ewen on December 02, 2017, 09:27:37 PM ---Darling’s strongest message, though, about what needs to change more than anything was about getting more women into the game. That is based on the fact that women currently make up less than 14 per cent of membership in Scotland. “There is going to have to be a fundamental re-think,” he said. “We need to think very clearly about the future and how we get women in. It is a big opportunity if we accept this to be the case. Some clubs are not welcoming to women and children - that is a fundamental issue.
--- End quote ---
At Reddish Vale in 1912 we had 110 lady members and 142 men
Now we have 12 ladies and 320 men.
Retaining our male members while restoring the balance to that in Edwardian times would revolutionise the finances of our club. I suspect that we are not atypical.
Jim Nugent:
--- Quote from: Brian_Ewen on December 02, 2017, 09:27:37 PM ---
One of many illuminating graphics Darling, the CEO of Vianet Group, a strategic insight and cloud based technology business, used to get his message across highlighted golf’s demographic being its biggest problem. Over 55s make up more than 100,000 of golf club members whereas 24 and unders provide just more than 10,000.
--- End quote ---
Scottish women have an average of about 1.5 babies each over their lifetime. I believe the number needed to maintain population at its current level is around 2.1 children per woman. i.e. demographics are probably going to make things much worse.
Mark Chaplin:
It’s interesting the administrators cite “high” fees as an inhibitor plus their inability to attract corporate funding, the solution - more than double the subscription fee from their dwindling membership!
Jon Wiggett:
What a waste of time. Lots of figures and facts but very few ideas as to solutions and no ideas on implementation. Basically, we the governing bodies are telling you our members what is wrong but have no desire to help in the solution. Where is the leadership from golf governing bodies in Scotland? No plans, no vision, no action.
Mark,
they came across as believing being in possession of lots of data was what was important. They presented no action plan and yes ironically after saying clubs were charging too much then thought doubling their own fees was still okay. Any other company's board who presided over such a mismanagement would be thrown/forced out but instead it was the members who got the blame.
Jon
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