South Moor enjoy strong 2009

Dec 31 2009 by Tim Taylor, The Journal

ANY financially troubled golf club seeking a blueprint for the second decade of the 2lst century could do a lot worse than take a look at the reasons behind the South Moor success story.

Figures released by Durham County ahead of their annual meeting at the Ramside Hall Hotel on January 20 have shown a 13% increase in members for South Moor. This comes at a time when the most recent English Golf Union statistics reveal the country’s 1,959 clubs have lost 22,000 members in two years.

Moor, however, have reaped the benefit of a price reduction scheme for golfers aged 21-27. Their membership has jumped to 532 in terms of playing male members, compared to the 2008 figure of 472. This comes at the end of a year in which the club has been awarded the national GolfMark award for their junior and beginner-friendly facilities and have been given the honours of hosting the Durham County Championship on May 22-23 next season and the English Boys Under-16 Championship, the McGregor Trophy, on July 12-14 in 2011.

Like Morpeth, who are also now using a staggered increase subscription, Moor have turned around what used to be a dramatic loss of members in their twenties.

Before 2009, Moor’s annual subscription for a 21-year-old rose to £529, an increase of £317 on the sub of £212 for a 20-year-old. But for 2009, the sub was reduced to £250 a year for a 21-year-old and now rises by around £50 each year until members pay the full sub at the age of 28. “This has been the main factor behind the increase,” said Bill Harrison, assistant to the secretary, “but a fair bit of money has been spent on the course and it has been in good condition.”