Battling out of the rough

COST CUTTERS . . Brookdale Golf Club officials have had to trim their budget during the tough financial climate.

GOLF, more than most other sports, has been hit hard by the economic downturn of the last two years.

Clubs are struggling to keep hold of existing members, while attracting new faces through the door is proving a tough task.

But officials at Brookdale and Crompton and Royton remain upbeat about their future prospects and believe that the tide is already beginning to turn.

Brookdale have maintained their current level of membership, but admit they have had to take some tough decisions.

Secretary Phil Brownlow said: “We’ve haven’t made any redundancies, but we’ve reduced salaries across the board and are looking at other areas to cut back on costs.

“We are not a North Manchester or a Hopwood Hall — we see ourselves as a working man’s golf club and we’ve got to approach things in that way.

“Like most other clubs, we’ve kept our fees the same for some time now as we feel it is important to retain our membership. That is our priority.

“If we do need to invest money to build a new green or improve facilities, we ask our members for a one-off payment. Some moan about it, but that’s what we’ve got to do.

“The winter is a challenging period, but we to try to keep the course open as much as possible. We also have several different payment plans, so there is money coming into the club throughout the year.

“The function room is vital as it brings in turnover through bar takings and it entices potential new members. It was booked up throughout the summer.

“We have also relaxed our dress code. People still see playing golf as being part of a gentleman’s club, but we have tried to get move from that snooty perception.

“Members can wear jeans and trainers in the bar, as long as they are smart.

“All clubs are fighting for the same thing, so we can’t afford to stand still. We’ve got to run the club like a business.”

The junior set-up at Brookdale is in good shape, with 60-odd members.

Brownlow said: “We had 10 or 12 not so many years ago, but we now have up to six times that amount.

“We have special offers in that they can pay for one year and get the second free, and we also invite local schools to the club.”

Business acumen and membership flexibility have helped to place Crompton and Royton on an even financial keel, says club secretary Norman Travis.

Gone are the days when every member had a large disposable income and were able to pay green fees up front.

And the era when the club was used solely by its members and guests has vanished, too.

“We are no different to others in the current situation in that clubs have to be run as commercial businesses these days rather than in the traditional way,” said Travis.

“We did have a spate of members leaving last year, but that has recovered now and we have about 700, although not all are playing members.

“We have various schemes in place to help. Members can pay by cheque up front or by standing order, we have five-day, six-day and seven-day membership and there are rewards for members who introduce new members.

“We have also spent £85,000 on refurbishment and this has attracted letting of the club for functions such as weddings and christenings.”

Such regular income is vital to golf clubs like Crompton and Royton and underlines the fact that the local golfing landscape has changed forever.