MEMBERSHIP, INSURANCES & FINANCE

26th October 2024

Membership Strategy

The Board and Membership Sub Committee are investigating current member trends along with industry data. We are seeing a shift away from traditional peak weekend golf to more midweek golf access and working on strategies for the future..

Fees and Charges

A 1.2% credit or debit card charge will apply to membership payments paid to the office, no charge for direct bank transfer.

An $80 admin fee will apply for payment arrangements.

If any member is intending to change category or resign, due to high membership numbers, please contact Sue in the office ASAP via email or in person.

Any queries please contact Sue.

The clubs policies regarding membership playing rights and the constitution are all located on our Policies page.

https://www.medwaygolf.com.au/cms/club-information/policies-regulations/

Online Credit Card Payments and House Top Ups– go to my info/ my account to pay in full or to top up house account. Subscription fees can be paid by this method. Please choose subscriptions to pay fees.

Pay by Bank Transfer

Medway Bank Account – BSB 063-132 Account 11033328- Note member name or member number for reconciliation

https://www.medwaygolf.com.au/cms/membership/general-membership/

Current Member Numbers

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Member TypesNov 30 20242024 (Jan )2019 (Dec)
7 day (inc Corporate)318 (41 Corp)334 (inc 41 corp)314 (34)
6 day14113471
5 day173176165
Gold101112
Life Honorary1098
Permanent (2011)232323
Flexi6660N/A
7 day lite- (ends April 2022)n/a93
Country225
Young Adult 21-24 (inc tertiary student)1246
Intermediate 18-201113n/a
Junior Under 174651 (inc 14 MSC)45
Junior Under 17 Progressive 3
Social Playing (Holding)756866
Social Non Playing111021
Women’s Trial126011
Cadet (8-11 junior)202113
Honorary16810
PGA Pro674
Temp3
Total958992867

Insurance

As of April 1 2024 all clubs and equipment that members store onsite are at owners risk. Our insurance is of a level that if a major fire or theft occurs there is too much risk on the club. We encourage members to insure their equipment under their home and contents.

Member Equipment Insurance

All members of Medway are covered for lost/ stolen or damaged personal golf equipment to the value up to $5,000 taken out by the club and paid by the club on behalf of members.

This cover relates to member Golf Clubs and Golf Buggies but not private Golf carts or ride-ons.

The excess on member insurance claims is $1000.

Members should take a current photo of their golf equipment to assist with successful and speedy claims and receipts if possible.

For claims of this type please contact the club manager for forms and assistance, and we strongly encourage the quote and business to go through the Medway Golf Shop.

The Club encourages members to take out their own equipment insurance with their home and contents provider if they wish to insure for damage/ theft especially for lower replacement items like drivers, putters or electric buggies.

We also encourage members with clubs and buggies in the old golfshop (buggy club storage) to also consider taking out personal insurance for their golf equipment in case of a major theft or fire. There is a total limit on claims of $50,000 under this insurance which may not cover all equipment in storage.

The Club expects all members who store private carts onsite or use private carts to take out their own insurance for ride on and golf cart equipment. A copy of insurance must be provided to the office each membership year.

Member Liability (Golf Australia) Coverage (Updated Dec 2024 taking effect March 1 2025)

We are writing to inform you of important changes to the Player’s Personal Liability Insurance Policy offered by Golf Australia, which is a key benefit of affiliation membership for all club members. 

 

These changes have been implemented to ensure this policy, which has been in place virtually unchanged for 15 years, can continue to protect players going forward.  

 

In recent years, it has become increasingly difficult and expensive to source this insurance.  As the popularity of golf has grown, we have seen an increase in the number of incidents reported. Golf Australia remains committed to finding solutions that will provide Players Personal Liability Policy to Australian affiliated golfers.  

 

In recent months, Golf Australia has reviewed several options in respect of this policy.  In doing so Golf Australia’s primary objective has been to maintain protection for members in the event of serious personal injury, with changes to take effect from March 1, 2025, to ensure the policy remains affordable and sustainable.

1. Policy Background

 

Golf Australia has maintained this insurance policy for affiliated club members since 2009 as a key feature of membership.  Negotiating as a collective, we can secure coverage at a far lower cost than would otherwise be available to individual clubs and/or players, whilst delivering quality coverage for the benefit of members.  Over the past five years, the policy has paid $3.4 million in claims to protect our members.   

 

As an added incentive for golfers to take out a membership, insurance has always been limited to club members and does not apply to non-members or green fee players.     

 

The original purpose of the policy was to protect members from significant liability if they caused personal injury to another golfer/person.  The policy was established following the legal action taken by an injured golfer because of an incident at the Magnetic Island Golf Club in 1994 and subsequent court ruling in 2003.   

 

Golf Australia’s Player Personal Liability Policy offers up to $20 million personal liability cover with nil excess for protection against litigation from a third party for damage to property or personal injury that occurs while an eligible member is playing or practising golf.  Golf Australia sources this policy each year and forms part of the National affiliation fees which each Club pays on behalf of all affiliated golf members.      

2. Policy Review 

 

There has been a significant increase in claims frequency over the past five years on the policy, with claims rising by 129% since 2020 to a total of 581 submitted in the 2024 financial year.  

 

Our review has identified that most claims against the policy over recent years fall outside of the original intent of the program.  Specifically, while the policy was intended to provide coverage for personal injury claims, the policy is now being primarily used for property damage claims, many with small financial value.    

 

A high proportion of these claims are concentrated to a small number of clubs that experience property damage claims at a significantly higher rate than the balance of the industry.   

 

The direct consequence of this increase in claims is that the cost of the policy has increased significantly, and Golf Australia is now challenged in sourcing insurers that are willing to provide coverage.    

 

It is for this reason that Golf Australia has considered several changes in respect of this policy.    

3. What is changing?   

 

The following changes to the policy terms, will take effect from March 1, 2025.   

 

Exclusions: Specific exclusions have been added for any claim, loss, damage, liability or costs and expenses incurred directly or indirectly in connection with third party property damage to:    

  • golf carts; and   
  • personal electronic devices include phone, iPad, watch, rangefinder or anything similar.   

 

Excess: There are now three categories of insurance claim:  

a. Personal injury claims – NO excess will be payable  

b. Property damage where golfer is found to have followed all expected duty of care, local rules and the Rules of Golf – NO excess payable  

c. Property damage where golfer is found to have acted in a negligent manner and caused damage to a third-party property – $1,000 excess is payable  

Claims Process: Before the excess is payable on all property damage claims, the insurer will conduct a thorough investigation to determine if the individual member is likely to incur any legal liability through negligence.     

 

The policy was established to provide legal protection for affiliated members, not to provide cover for any golfing incidence regardless of the cause, and in some instances, the cause of the incident may be found to be another party (ie.  Club with a known boundary issue).  

 

In these instances, the insurer will indemnify the member as is the intent of the policy and if the insurer determines that that member was not negligent in their actions and therefore not liable, then the insurer may choose to defend the claim rather than settle the claim.  

 

With this increased focus of investigation during the claims process, Clubs that are involved in a high level of property damage claims must ensure they have adequate risk management practices in place to reduce the likelihood of recurring incidents occurring.  

 

Golf Australia will also be sending a communication to members via our newsletter database on Thursday 19 December 2024. The contents of this communication to members can be found here.

 

Detailed information is on the Golf Australia Website

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