When drawing up the budget for 2011, the committee at Bungay and Waveney Valley Golf Club decided that the time had come for some drastic changes to their subscription structure.

Seventy-five per cent of the membership is aged over 55 and only five per cent are aged between 18 and 40.

With the long-term future of the club clearly susceptible, and after extensive discussions and calculations, the committee put a proposal to the annual meeting that introduced an age-related graded subscription.

In a traditional golf club environment this was both brave and ground-breaking, but then what would you expect from the Suffolk GolfMark Club of the Year!

The adult subscription in 2011 will be �585. For those members aged 18 to 40 a graded subscription in eight bands will mean someone aged 18 will pay �136, at 26 it will be �227 and at 35, �386.

Bungay are not alone in struggling with the issue of a diminishing younger membership — it affects virtually all golf clubs.

An excellent coaching programme is run by the junior section in conjunction with Andrew Collison, the club professional.

The new subscription regime should help the club benefit from this early coaching programme and retain younger members into adulthood.

Established in 1889, Bungay and Waveney Valley Golf Club were one of the first member clubs to appoint a ladies’ captain, so radical advances are part of their heritage.

n For further information please contact John Lunniss, secretary, Bungay and Waveney Valley Golf Club, 01986 892337.