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Raising the sub often isn't an option because members can simply join a cheaper course nearby. So, what can committees do to raise money and maintain their membership?
Apply water-hazard theory (lateral thinking). Every course has many acres of land which could easily be used for other activities when not used for golf.
For example, if you have lots of bunkers, you could run a sand-sculpting contest. (If it's an inland course, this could really catch on. It'll save people the expense of going to the ocean and, if you have water hazards, who needs the sea?)
Speaking of water hazards, what about all the resident ducks that make a beeline for the greens when they wish to relieve themselves? Hire out the greenkeeper's shed as a hide during duck shooting season.
Is there a deer farm on your boundary? Make an arrangement with the farmer to release the odd cull stag through the fence. Many hunters will pay heaps of money to shoot anything and aren't too fussy on how 'wild' the target is.
Personally, I'd prefer the animals to be shot with a camera and this also makes sound financial sense. You don't have to spend money on replacements, which could be a huge economical drain. And this pastime can be done while golfers are active, thereby achieving maximum utilisation of facilities.
It's a pleasant environment for exercise, and watching golfers often raises a few laughs. Manic depressives would find it an uplifting place, as long as they only walked the course and didn't play.
The obvious big money spinners of BMX and truck racing must be resisted. Golfers could do themselves serious injury when retrieving their ball to take a drop under the 'abnormal ground conditions' rule.
Cash-strapped committees can learn a lesson from courses which farm sheep, providing both income and fairway mowing. If the terrain isn't suitable for sheep, consider other lucrative options.
And they'd guarantee that nobody would try to retrieve balls from water hazards, thereby speeding up play and ensuring that all lost balls become the property of the club—to sell as they see fit. (This would also take care of those pesky ducks.)
Emus and ostriches would provide a bigger income, but also a bigger mess than the ducks. However, once established in conjunction with the crocodiles, you could offer African safari tours—without the expense and discomfort of a long flight.
Where better to take your employees and managers for team-building exercises than a golf course? No other environment will put them through the gamut of emotions and frustrations they need to experience to operate effectively.
Once you have all these people at the course, the trick is to subtly introduce them to the joys of The Game so that they leave all the clubs they belong to and join yours.
Offer them a cheap first year sub. Give them enough line to entangle themselves and play them gently when they're hooked by giving them lots of praise and the occasional free lesson. Then reel them in for the next season.
(There's another profitable sideline—if you can't afford crocodiles, stock your ponds with trout.)
Naturally, I've only supplied you with a few sketchy ideas. For a suitable consultant's fee, I'll visit your course and write a detailed report.
And when all those extra people have joined your club, making it the busiest course in the country, then you can cut out all the extraneous activities and return to just playing golf.
By this stage you'll have a completely new membership because all your original members have discovered how much fun these other pursuits are and have given up golf in favour of them.
It's a fine line between great ideas coming off and backfiring.
© Kay Wall 2007