Why Would You Even Join a Golf Club Anyway?

I was chatting to a friend last week who's been playing golf for about five years now. Loves the game, plays twice a week, has a decent handicap... but he's never joined a club.

"Why would I?" he asked. "I can play anywhere I want."

And he's not wrong, is he?

The nomadic golfer's paradise

Think about it for a moment. If you're a golfer in 2025, you've got options that previous generations could only dream of.

You can hold a WHS handicap through England Golf and the iGolf app without setting foot in a clubhouse. Opens and scratch opens are everywhere. There are businesses offering pairs events at some of the UK's finest courses. WhatsApp groups share reciprocal rates at top tracks. Pro-ams, society days, international golf trips...

The world is your oyster, and frankly, it's bloody good value.

After the Covid boom, with the cost of living squeezing everyone's budgets, that joining fee and annual subscription can feel pretty difficult to justify. Especially when you can't guarantee you'll play every single week.

So why would you join a golf club?

It's not about the golf

The thing is, I've realised working with clubs across the country: the ones thriving right now aren't the ones with the best greens or the most prestigious course. They're the ones where members genuinely want to hang around after their round.

Where you bump into familiar faces for a quick coffee before you tee off. Where you know the group behind you will fancy a pint afterwards. Where the staff know your name and your usual order.

It's about genuine human connection. That feeling of belonging. The knowledge that this is your place.

The power of breaking bread

I know this might sound a bit philosophical for a Wednesday morning, but bear with me... breaking bread together is about as old a human tradition as we have. There's something primal about sharing food and drink that creates bonds in a way that nothing else quite manages.

When I see clubs with vibrant F&B operations, I see members who linger. Who plan to arrive early and stay late. Who bring guests not just to play golf, but to experience the atmosphere.

That's what justifies the membership fees. Not the golf alone, but the entire experience.

The premium hotel principle

I was staying at a rather lovely hotel recently (work trip, honest!), and I couldn't help thinking about their pricing strategy. £800 a night for a room that, let's be honest, you're mostly going to sleep in.

But you're not just paying for the room, are you? You're paying for the outstanding restaurant where dinner becomes an event. The bar where you can settle in with a proper drink. The service that makes you feel looked after rather than processed.

By restaurant standards, it's terribly inefficient. Tables turning slowly, staff who aren't rushing you, genuine attention to detail. But that "inefficiency" is exactly what creates the experience that justifies the premium.

Golf clubs work the same way.

Your competitive advantage

Here's the thing that gets me excited: whilst nomadic golfers are focused on finding the best course for the best price, golf clubs have the opportunity to offer something completely different.

Not just a round of golf, but a home. Not just a meal, but genuine hospitality. Not just a pint, but a place where you know you'll always be welcomed.

The clubs getting this right aren't worried about nomadic golfers. Their members wouldn't dream of giving up their membership because they've found something you can't get anywhere else: belonging.

The F&B opportunity

This is why I'm so passionate about what great F&B can do for a golf club. It's not just about serving food and drink; it's about creating the moments that turn a round of golf into a day out. That transform acquaintances into friendships. That make members feel this isn't just where they play golf, it's where they belong.

When your F&B operation enhances the member experience rather than just feeding people, it becomes one of your strongest retention tools. Members don't just come for the golf; they come for the entire experience.

And that, my friend, is worth every penny of that annual subscription.

Quick one — if you’ve not done this yet, my scorecard helps you spot gaps across guest experience, costs, and day-to-day ops. Takes a few minutes and you’ll get a proper report at the end.