We've heard from a lot of private club members about Jerry Tarde's opinion in the October issue that clubs need to consider changing rules and regulations that turn off potential members, no matter how well-meaning their intent. Most of those letters took issue with Tarde's position. Not this one from a North Carolina reader.
Mr. Tarde, I read with interest, your Editor's Letter "The Case For Change At Private
Clubs." I guess you could call the following letter a verification of your
analysis to a large degree. Several years ago we asked our members what they
wanted from their club. As a result of the survey we have made substantial
changes. Our first expenditure was up fitting our dining and bar facilities
while at thowe same time making them much less formal. No ties required.
Jackets suggested on weekends in the main dining room and dress jeans
allowed in the club house (not on the golf courses). Our dining and bar
business rebounded nicely. The men's and women's locker rooms also received
a major face lift.
Our next big investment was to double the size of our health club to rival
any health club facility in town. Again, the members responded in large
numbers. At six o'clock on weekday mornings the parking lot is full. It
has become a major asset in selling our club to new young members.
Applicants between the ages of 21 and 40 can join under a special
initiation fee financing program which is interest-- free. All of our
memberships have full privileges.
Our next big investment was on our golf courses. We are independent of
city water on our Farm Course, which was newly designed by Donald Steel. We
are very proud of this new course and [Golf Digest Architecture Editor] Ron Whitten has already seen it. We
are about halfway home on a similar water project at our Irving Park
Course. There is no restriction on tee times for women and juniors can play
any time a tee time is open. We haven't gotten to caps-on-backward or push
carts yet but we do have substantial rounds played while walking and
carrying one's bag.
We have focused the club on being the center of recreation and social
activities for the whole family. Our membership is diverse. Golf, tennis &
swimming programs for kids are emphasized. The kids' swim team has over 100 youngsters and has won the city swim championship three out of the
last four years.
All of this has resulted in our being able to attract a steady stream of new
members while other clubs in our market have had to abandon all initiation
fees.
I hope this is of some interest.
Jerry Highsmith, President, Greensboro Country Club
Greensboro, N. C.
Your comments are well taken. Our Connecticut club has made similar changes over the past decade. Our dress code hasn't changed much--members are opposed to those backward hats, and we don't allow cargo shorts--but as with your club, deeper changes have kept us attractive to new members. Had we not made these changes, almost all involving some level of conflict, we couldn't be saying that.
Bob Carney
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