New trading hours for Richmond Golf Club from Monday 4th September 2023
Posted on: 1 September
1st September 2023
Dear Club Member,
I am writing to you on behalf of the Richmond Club Board and the Golf Management Committee (GMC) of the Richmond Golf Club. The Board has had to make several critical and difficult decisions to ensure the ongoing financial feasibility of the Golf Club.
Members have been previously kept informed via AGMs and other communications of the financial difficulties facing operating a golf club especially in severe economic times. In the 2022/23 financial year a loss has been reported due to ongoing floods and rain events in the Hawkesbury region. In the 2021/22 financial year, the auditors reported an additional loss, due to covid, golf playing restrictions, loss of cart revenue, loss of golf club bar trading etc. The Richmond Club has ‘carried’ these losses and many other years of losses to keep the commitment to members to ensure that the golf course remains a community asset of a great standard, operating for the enjoyment of patrons.
Further losses of clubhouse trading are not sustainable, and due to the current economic environment and a review of the ‘best performing’ trading days, the following decisions have been made by the Richmond Club Board in liaison with the GMC:
As from Monday 4th September, the RGC Clubhouse trading hours will be as follows:
- Monday 10am to 6pm
- Friday 10am to 9pm
- Saturday 10am to 9pm
- Sunday 10am to 6pm
The Clubhouse will not be trading on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday until further review. Toilet facilities will be open. Tea, coffee and sandwiches will be available through the Pro Shop.
The Clubhouse will be closed on Monday 4th, Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th Sept due to course renovations.
From Thursday 7th September, all green fees for weekday competitions will be $18 including the Vets and Ladies.
Non-Member Visitor Social Play is seen as an essential activity if the golf club is to improve its revenue. A plan is underway to begin a high- level marketing promotion (by an outside agency), to realise this financial opportunity. After careful consideration and analysis, a difficult decision has been made to reschedule the weekly competitions as follows:
- As from Monday 9th October, Non-Member Visitor Social Play will be quarantined from the first tee time until 3pm after which a 9-hole members competition will be offered.
- The Vets Competition will take place on Tuesdays, commencing 10th October.
The Board will review the golf club trading operations as it does on a monthly basis with the CEO and meet with the Golf Management Committee, to plan for a better operating performance.
Yours faithfully
Kimberley Talbot, Group Chief Executive Officer, Richmond Club Ltd.