INSIGHT | GOLFONOMICS
“Every penny we make throughout the year is being reinvested and making the property better”
The costs of green fees at some of the UK’s top courses have risen rapidly since the pandemic. We ask Gullane general manager Gordon Simpson to explain how their pricing is determined
IT starts with the first call. Whether it’s an individual wanting a single tee time, or a tour operator that spends hundreds of thousands each year “we treat everybody the same,” said Gordon Simpson.
Gullane’s general manager runs a giant. East Lothian is a magnet for golfers from all over the world – but particularly the United States and Scandinavia.
With three courses, all of which appear in the ranking lists of the very best places to play in Scotland, and its No. 1 layout having hosted the world’s best male and female players in top professional tournaments, the club have invested millions.
A Links Clubhouse, which provides a contemporary space for visitors and members alike, has been followed by new practice facilities and dedicated starter’s buildings.
More irrigation – a project that rarely fails to come in at under seven figures these days – is going in across the property.
Such investment brings with it a price tag. A peak summer weekend round at Gullane No. 1 costs £275. Not Muirfield or Turnberry levels by any stretch, but a significant outlay nonetheless.
Such green fees costs have been put under the microscope in recent months.
Critics have rounded on what they see as clubs cashing in on the participation boom created by Covid, along with the demand brought by a halt in international travel, without regard for what a domestic audience in a cost-of-living crisis can pay.
Simpson concedes a day at Gullane can come with a “healthy price tag”. But, he said, it’s far from a number merely plucked out of thin air.
“We take huge amounts of time and effort looking at our green fee pricing structure,” he explained. “We pride ourselves on the service the customer will get and try to cater for the needs of that individual.
“First and foremost, it’s about that service – the welcome – and how we can make your experience at Gullane much more enjoyable.”
Visitors to No. 1 are made members for the day, with access to the same facilities those who pay annual subscriptions can enjoy, They can use the members’ clubhouse, a pro shop and starter’s box specific to that course.
They receive a welcome gift, personalised pin chart, complimentary tees, pencils and pitch forks. The latter trio are also available to guests playing No. 2 and 3, as are the free driving range balls and the TopTracer facility recently installed.
“It’s an understated quality we want to present and make you feel comfortable,” Simpson added. “But, equally, it’s about when you leave the course, and jump in your car, you think, ‘what a great day that was at Gullane Golf Club’.”
He continued: “All these things go into setting the prices for each day and I think we’ve done a pretty good job of it.
“We haven’t got to some of the silly scales that some have gone to, but we feel as though we offer great value for what we do. That’s all we’re responsible for.
“We’re not responsible for what’s happening in trends in the marketplace. It’s purely about focusing on what we can offer and what we can deliver.
“It’s also about feedback. We have had terrific feedback from the people paying that sum of money to play No. 1 – not only about the golf course, but about the facilities, the service, the people we employ, the staff we train.
“It’s a journey to us, not just a game of golf.”
Simpson said different price points across the club provided choice, with a summer green fee on No.3 priced at £70 during the week, and the money made – “we are spending millions and we’ve got to try and generate millions to invest” – was ploughed back into projects to further improve the member and visitor experience.
“We are a members’ owned club and it’s a not-for-profit organisation, so every penny we make throughout the year is being reinvested and making the property better – whether that’s buying new machinery or irrigation projects, TopTracer, or starter’s boxes.
“It’s not just from the 1st tee to the 18th green. It’s everything that goes along with a day at Gullane. I’ve been in the golf trade all my life and I think it’s hugely important we make it an experience.”
“We take huge amounts of time and effort looking at our green free pricing structure”
– Gordon Simpson, general manager at Gullane Golf Club
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