During our last board meeting, we received some valuable feedback regarding the February 1st deadline that guarantees existing members’ 2022 membership at the Club. In the communication that we sent regarding the policy, we could’ve been clearer outlining the rationale behind this decision. To some, this may have come across as a lack of appreciation for our returning members.
The need to cap our membership is new to the Club and an unexpected challenge. We arrived at this decision, in large part, to ensure that existing members can book tee times, there’s capacity for member-only tournaments, and room for guests to play our course—which brings in additional revenue that helps keep membership rates affordable. After reviewing our 2021 numbers, which were still strong, we realized a reduction in greens fees that we attribute to a lack of available tee times.
Currently, we have over 40 people on our waiting list, and the list continues to grow each week. For the last several years, we have been fortunate to grow our membership. We had many new, first-time members in 2021. While we are aware of a few members not returning this year due to varied factors, we felt it would be fairest to prospective members on the waiting list to provide an answer by February 2nd. This timeline allows them the opportunity to investigate other golf memberships if our membership is capped. Additionally, we did not want to take the risk of losing prospective members to an alternate course if there’s membership capacity at CCC.
We want to be clear that we value our members; you are what makes Champlain a wonderful place to be. The board does not arrive at these decisions easily, and we understand that not everyone agrees with some of the choices made by the board. We don’t always get things right, but it is our objective to guide the Club in a way that is responsive to member feedback while ensuring the long-term sustainability of the Club. Thank you to those who provided important feedback—we encourage more of it. Happy holidays, everyone!!