Many golf clubs were traditionally founded as private men’s clubs, which was perfectly normal and common place at the time, but society and its values have changed. Have golf clubs?
Golf has been going out of fashion for years – perceived as having too many rules, too much formality, an old clientele and quite expensive – but the sport has slowly tried to change its image. We have seen female members, more pay and play, relaxed dress codes, the shorter game, adventure golf and foot golf – all steps to modernise the sport. To a certain degree these changes have maintained an interest in the game but it wasn’t until the pandemic that we really saw a resurgence in the sport. The desire for a fun fitness activity in the open created an upsurge in visitor rounds. Finally, people have been enticed back into the club.
The next question is how do we keep them there? Yes, we have seen golf clubs diversify with gyms, hotels, holiday accommodation and wedding venues in an attempt to make businesses more viable, but now we need to change the vibe to make people want to join and stay at the club.
Members clubs in other sectors have retained their popularity as places to socialise, network and be seen. A club offers a feeling of belonging, people join places where they are surrounded by like-minded individuals, so surely the golf clubhouse should seem even more alluring in light of the pandemic. Perhaps some of the changes seen on the course need to change on the inside, losing the formal ageing image with a more relaxed younger vibe. Food and beverage plays an important role, gone are the days of carveries and three course sit down meals – current trends include consumers wanting seasonal local foods, light bites or grab and go coffee. Events can attract customers to come at a particular time in the month, whether that be a masterclass, workshop or film night.
We are also seeing increased healthcare and retirement living offerings alongside golf courses, but this does not mean that it is ‘OK’ to keep the traditional style for the elderly as it should be seen as more of an opportunity to revitalise the clubhouse to attract relatives and even carers. As we see the next generation choosing places for their parents to retire, they know how important it is to spend time with them and to do that in a club environment must surely be appealing.
Once again the golf club could become a place to spend the day, but this time play a round of golf, visit a relative, use the wellbeing facilities, dine in style, watch a film, use the workspace, so much more than just the traditional game. A chance to become part of a community again and be part of the club.
This article by Kay Griffiths (pictured) first appeared in the Spring/Summer edition of ‘Aspects of Leisure’, published by Savills.
