It’s no secret, everything that was once an accepted “way of life” is being questioned. I’m reading national retailer articles…. retailers want to rewrite the rules of senior discounts or possibly abolish them all together. Uh -Oh!
Tee Time Caller: Do you have senior rates?
Golf Shop Staff: Yes we do, can you prove that you qualify for senior rates?
Tee Time Caller: I certianly can, I’m 62, I will bring my drivers license
Golf Shop Staff: That won’t be neccessary, but we will need a personal financial statement documenting all your assets and liabilities.
Whoever invented senior rates had good intentions. Give a break to people who gave up their earning power by retiring. An assumption that retirees are poor the day they stop working. It would be funny if I kept track of how many people told me they would “do better” if they retired. The golf shop is apparently the place to brag about that.
Businesses began marketing senior rates. Senior discounts began at age 65, then a retailer won with 62. Not to be outdone, a restaurant tried 60. There are a few 58’s. Of course golf operators, the dumbest of the bunch… went to 55, and although not totally related, you can qualify for the senior tour at 50.
It’s a perfect question…if the intention was to provide a little help to those who have less, why do we give discounts based on age? Shouldn’t everyone carry around a personal financial statement? Is there something unsavory about having a Cadillac, owning a home in Minocqua, and a home in Naples… while going around scooping up senior discounts? I know we have very little sympathy for the 28 year old that lives in his parents basement, but technically he needs the discount more.
As a lover of all things logical, I have no interest in being the pioneer of senior rate change, but I can’t wait to see how it plays out. Retirees who have very little, love this idea. If you find yourself getting mad reading this, it’s because you have plenty, and the little jig where you pretend you need it… is probably up.
I know this one will generate some comments, have at it! Remember, don’t kill the messenger. I’m merely stating the obvious.
Rationality like this has no place at Bushwood. But thank you Waffle House and McDonalds for the cheap(er) breakfast.
Rational was all I was going for…
Hello Captain Obvious!
You have obviously missed the original intent of senior discounts. Senior discounts came about to help out seniors who live on a fixed income. Once you retire you don’t have those large checks being deposited every week (two weeks or month). You need to live within a specific budget that concentrates on living expenses and not necessarily on your hobbies and pastimes like golfing. So any chance to save a little money allows a retiree to stay within their budget and maybe have enough left over to have some fun.
I agree that people who retire and have millions of dollars in their retirement savings and can spend whatever they want each month don’t need a senior discount. Just remember, the majority of people who retire don’t fall into that category. Many people spent their whole life working hard to support our economy only to retire and have to stretch ever penny to just meet their monthly expenses.
I see senior discounts as a reward for working hard all your life and as a business owner you should be thinking of it as a “Thank you” mister senior for spending your fixed income on my business. Unless you want to ignore one of the largest consumer segments out there. I’ll let you decide…
Mike, you couldn’t resist… Even when I said I was merely reporting, that I would not be the pioneer, and you should not kill the messenger, you had to make this all about me, by saying “you have obviosuly missed the original intent of senior discounts…”. I laid out the original intent of discounts. If you are a person in need, then you should love my article. It would reward people in need. Mike, you clearly missed the entire point.
No Nick. You missed my point. I was not making it about you. I was only pointing out the original intent of senior discounts. You are now talking about discounts in general. General discounts should be based on need. Senior discounts are about people of age and rewarding them for a long life. I would really like to know you opinion on discounts for Veterans. Based on your logic they should provide a financial statement too.
This is interesting…grocery stores, airlines, Pfizer, and Billy Joel concerts don’t reward people for a long life, yet I imagine certain kinds of business would be boycotted if they moved on from senior discounts. Again, this isn’t my fight, I was merely reporting, but I know historically golf has been one of those businesses that used senior discounts as a marketing ploy (injected with truth serum, I’d like to see how many would say they simply wanted to reward older people, I’m not buying that). I know you are baiting me with the veteran idea… I think it’s nice when people are authentic about appreciating people who have served. If they want to use discounts to show that appreciation, that is cool too. Serving is a choice, getting old is not an option. I just don’t think that is apples to apples. Enjoying the banter.
Nick, I oh so love reading your words. This one has me shaking my head and chuckling as I fully expected the feedback you received almost immediately from Mike. Dan, on the other hand, wrote a very short yet insightful response, I feel, but some probably won’t get it. Having said that, your article is completely on point. Integrity is the word of the day here. While I can imagine senior discounts were indeed created for those on fixed incomes to help them get by with life’s necessities but was a golf course ever considered a necessity? A marketing strategy to fill early and midday tee times? Surely, Why not? What’s a retiree doing during the day except taking orders from the other half? Makes perfect sense…give them an option.
Now, long time golfers who become retirees, I’m certain, enjoy the added tee times that become available but do they really expect a discount merely because they can golf anytime during the day? I do not believe that. You have a senior membership that should be very appealing to the retiree. Period.
So, as an Army veteran of 28 years, I applaud you. I have played your course multiple times as a member of the VGA (look it up Mike) and as a regular patron and I care less if you offer a veteran discount. I play golf because I love most everything about the game not because I can get a discounted rate just because I decided to serve. Oh and I’m 57 now and don’t feel I’ll ever ask for a senior discount. Why? Because I don’t need it. Oh and that’s the point of your article now isn’t it. A blanket discount for a group just because of (insert category here) where does that end?
Just curious…. is there a senior discount at;
1. grocery store?
2. gas station?
3. doctors / dentist office?
4. electric/water/gas utility?
5. property tax?
These are things everyone requires in their lives yet nobody makes the news demanding a senior discount just because, well, they have aged. (Like a fine cheddar, aging is good). Now wait, I do understand that not everybody worked a job that led to a pension but where does that conversation go? Wow, the places that can go; everybody has a story. But back to the point here, when does integrity take the lead? If you NEED a discount, find the place that offers it. If you WANT a discount, well perhaps validate your needs. Just my two cents discounted by my age and veteran status so you owe me…HA!
Hmmm, seems people expect a discount from small business owners who are just trying to make a living and providing a service…. you Nick, are providing a high quality product for those of us who appreciate the game of golf and I thank you. Be well and my family wishes you well.
Some will say I like what you wrote because you praised the shit out of me. I simply like that you are open. The article was merely to get people thinking about the world we blindly accept. I think pretty much everything I have ever written has done that. A lot of people will read what you wrote and will totally empathize. Empathy is everything. All all those nice comments were good too!