Dunbar slash fees to attract new members

DUNBAR Golf Club, which will host one of the last Open qualifiers in their current format when the world’s oldest major returns to Muirfield in 2013, has reduced its joining fee in a bid to attract new members.

The renowned East Lothian club has around 700 full members at present but is hoping a move, which was approved at its AGM, will attract up to around 100 newcomers.

Instead of an almost £1,000 joining fee, it has been reduced by half for 2012 to £479, the same as the annual subscription, though a levy of £125 has been retained.

The levy is towards a proposed enabling development awaiting planning consent. Included within this proposal are plans for a new clubhouse, a new driving range, a short game academy and a nine-hole course.

“The club has moved on from the storm that caused damage to the course nearly two years ago and we are gearing up for local final qualifying for The Open in 2013,” said club professional Jacky Montgomery.

In a change announced earlier this year, local courses will no longer host qualifying for The Open after the Muirfield major.

Instead, it will be staged at venues around Britain, with Glasgow Gailes having been chosen as the Scottish course for 2014.

Dunbar are currently working with East Lothian Council to try to realise their exciting plans for golf in the county.

“Once these are in place we anticipate the demand for membership at Dunbar will increase,” added Montgomery. “This will most likely lead to the joining fee level increasing in order to manage our membership numbers.

“Therefore, this is a real opportunity to join a fantastic 150-year-old Championship links course at a greatly reduced cost with all the exciting plans we have for the future.”