West Chiltington Golf Club have introduced an innovative new type of golfing membership after many months researching membership types, golfing habits, and the future of golf as a sport.
West Chiltington Golf Club have introduced an innovative new type of golfing membership after many months researching membership types, golfing habits, and the future of golf as a sport.
In their own words...
At West Chiltington Golf Club we take the future of our membership body extremely seriously. We have spent many months researching membership types, golfing habits, and the future of golf as a sport and how we as a club should react to the increasing departure from a 'one club, one course' type of golfer to a more multi-course social player. Another question the industry is continually asking is “How can we get non golfers into golf?”
Thanks to the campaign 'National Golf Month' driven by Bauer Media Group and the British Golf Industry Association (BGIA) and supported by England Golf through the Get into golf, West Chiltington Golf Club has trialed an innovative new membership for new and lapsed golfers in the hope that its success will pave the way for other clubs to bring in similar member schemes to help secure and develop the future of golf.
The 9 Hole Club: How it works
The 9 Hole Club was launched during National Golf Month in May 2014, offering a loyalty scheme for our 9 hole course for just £30. This membership gives access to 1/2 price green fees on an all-day pass on the 9 hole course as well as over £100 worth of vouchers to use at the club. These vouchers include money off golf lessons, food in the bar and green fees on the main 18 hole course. The idea behind this is to encourage 9 Hole Clubbers to improve on their golf and also to help knit them into the fabric of the club.
“Creating a community of 9 holers is really important to us” says Martin Ormrod, owner of West Chiltington Golf Club. “Every Sunday we hold a 9 hole club roll up, which has grown in popularity and welcomes any golfer new, improving or even expert of any age. We have a real mix of abilities who come every weekend to play and then enjoy a drink in the bar, discussing the game they’ve just had”.
West Chiltington Golf Club has had over 175 new 9 hole club members join the club in the last 3 months and the numbers are still on the up. We are signing an average of two new 9 hole club members every day; it has been extremely successful. We have seen a dramatic increase in the use of our short course by families and mixed groups which is great for the game and certainly follows the direction we want our club to go in.
It takes just over an hour to play the short course which gives players a shorter burst of golf and ensures any little legs don't get too tired. It's a perfect place to have fun, encourage starters and improve experienced players. The aim is to create a thriving 9 hole club environment which will allow us to improve the course further and make our members very proud of the facility.
This coming September, 2014, due to the great success of The 9 Hole Club, we are launching a brand new membership for our 18 hole course 'The 18 Hole Club'.
The 18 hole Club: How it works
We will be changing the structure of our general visitor green fees, offering single off peak rates after 12pm. The 18 Hole Club membership offers the chance to join the club for £100 and then benefit from green fees on the main course from as little as £10 per round, 50% off the 9 hole course green fees and a series of vouchers to use at the club worth over £100. Also included is a loyalty card preloaded with £5 that gives 5% off all bar food and drink, encouraging these new members to use the facilities and involve themselves in the community of West Chiltington Golf Club.
What the 18 Hole Club doesn’t offer, however, is the ability to hold a handicap or play competitive golf at the club. For this we have designed an upgrade for only £60. The 18 Hole Club Plus. This provides the new member with all the benefits of the 18 Hole Club and more, giving them an extra £50 worth of vouchers to use, a bigger discount in the bar and restaurant as well as the ability to enter regular competitions, hold a handicap at the club and be invited to play in special organised golfing events.
