wentworth

It’s always a tough time of year for golf club members, when the annual fees are due and you’re forced to assess whether you’re getting value for money from your membership and can justify paying for another year.

So spare a thought for members of Wentworth, who will have to stump up £100,000 if they want to retain their membership after the club’s new owners, Chinese enterprise Reignwood, introduced a controversial membership structure from April 2017. In addition to the one-off £100,000 lump sum, existing membership fees are being doubled from £8,000 to £16,000. New membership fees, meanwhile, have risen from £15,000 to £125,000.

We asked a handful of members for their view on the decision… 

“4,000 of us are being evicted”

Michael Fleming, Club Captain

“This is pretty devastating news for the membership, with 4,000 people basically being evicted (1,000 golf members and about 3,000 tennis, leisure and social club members). The members all have different jobs and are from all walks of life, with their passion for golf being a common factor. Many have gone the extra mile to be a member of the club, but it’s now out of their reach and many will leave the club next year. It’s very sad.” 

“The heart of the club has been ripped out”

Bruce Tenniswood, former captain

 “I was proud as punch when I was made captain, but now I am being chucked out of the club I love. It’s a disgrace. The latest moves have priced a lot of the old members out and as a result the heart of the club has been ripped out.” 

“It’s plain bad manners”

Ian Innes, member of 40 years

 “I am seething at the contempt displayed to the membership and the plain bad manners of the whole thing. It goes against everything that I was taught to value.”  

“Things change… accept it”

 James Wyatt, local estate agent

 “It’s been a big shock that everything is about to change, and people don’t like change. But what members forget is that it is not their club – it belongs to a private business who have clearly got a plan. These things change and you’ve got to accept it.” 

Wentworth Club says…

“Wentworth Club is continually looking at ways of improving its facilities and the experience of its members, to retain its position as one of the world’s most prestigious golf and country clubs. Any confirmed changes to the Club will be communicated officially from the Club to our members.”

What would you do if your club doubled your membership fee?