Country Club Communities

Started by AnneH2 • 3 replies • 1138 views

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AnneH2 (Florida)
Posts: 82

Posted:

Country Club HOA communities are being hit hard by the economy, as well as by the changing demographic of their membership. As older golfers are replaced by active families, the country club becomes less a hub of the community and more a lush backdrop that increases the value of the homes within the community. What are some ideas to increase membership and participation by HOA membership in a country club?

RobertR1 (South Carolina)
Posts: 5,164

Posted:

Anne,
Is there a different Florida requirement for Country Club HOA's vs HOA or POA's?

Who owns the golf course, do you have to be a member? You will have to tell us some specifics.

If you have read any of the previous posts here, you are experiencing pretty much what is going on through-out all kinds of HOA and condos. But think for a momen, because we are no different really from any other families, it is rough and will get rougher. But time marches on and each passing day is another day closer to when this thing turns around. Starting with the individual family and working up to the association, same steps will be necessary, pay attention to what is going on and act accordingly. Same for HOA's get flexible enough to make the necessary changes in all facets of your management, go to board meetings, get involved. The present economic crises is not the result of your demographics changing. Your Board should have known this and reacted the same way they are being made to react now.
It will be easier to meet this challenge if your association developes a true community. Like all real true communities we think that all members get involved and you sit around the campfire holding hands. But, bad picture. Communities start with three or four people and spread and NEVER reach everyone. If you get 50% you are among the elite, and if you get 50% that are dedicated and work hard you are really the best.
So............organization building is necessary. Transparancy by the BOD..................self help programs........small group meetings..........town hall forums I like (conducted by someone other than the Board)clear the air................do not allow the Board to be more controlling get more people involved. Set up: a website......newsletter......pot lucks........yard sales.......bake sales..........comunity outing to Zoo's, etc. Open your facilities to small church groups of your members, community watch......we have a little BYOD onece a week at 4 for 1 hours.....no agenda......Set up e-mail groups of all owners and send out e-mail blasts......

Pretty much, push communication and contact between members and don't exclude members other friends in social events, be friendly. Get you local Fire department to inspect your facilities, contact your local police department and set up community watch.

Do anything to get people together and let them talk.

GeorgerwilliamsW (Indiana)
Posts: 975

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By AnneH2 on 02/03/2009 9:05 PM
Country Club HOA communities are being hit hard by the economy, as well as by the changing demographic of their membership. As older golfers are replaced by active families, the country club becomes less a hub of the community and more a lush backdrop that increases the value of the homes within the community. What are some ideas to increase membership and participation by HOA membership in a country club?

This is not an issue of governance. This is a marketing issue. And all sorts of uninformed opinions here are not worth very much. (I read the report in the paper as well about this.)

If you have correctly assessed the problem (and that is an as yet unsupported assumption), then what the association needs is to engage a marketing firm (not just an advertising firm). Basically, customer demographics are changing, and the service/product is not adjusting to changing trends in the market. Home owners are valuing the desirability the open space and views of a country club much higher than they are valuing the services offered by a country club.

Just like you spend money on an attorney and a management company and a reserve study, the solution is to spend some money on a good marketing firm to analyze the situation, look at possible solutions and make some recommendations. Don't presume that a problem as serious as this can be solved by a bunch of well-meaning volunteers sitting around a table throwing out ideas. It can't and it won't.

It is going to need a new business model and a new marketing strategy to adjust to changing market conditions. Perhaps the ultimate solution (not a particularly desirable one) may be to open the country club to the public, or even sell it off to a developer for new housing, if there is not enough support to keep it going as a viable entity.

DonnaS (Tennessee)
Posts: 5,671

Posted:

AnneH,

How is your club set up? Members of the association only, required membership or not, equity requirement, semi private or open? Depending on how it is operated, you might have to change requirements to allow non members to use the course. One thing in Florida, there are hundreds of courses competing for golfers as well as changes within the demegraphics of your membership. Example, Palm Beach County area has over 176 courses, many which are for the HOA only which makes competition great Tell us about yours.

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