What membership options are there for clubs?

Squash is an affordable and accessible sport in New Zealand. Clubs provide a range of options from casual play to full memberships.

Flexible memberships (commonly known as pay to play) typically involves paying an affordable fee for a certain number of matches or access to the courts at reduced rates. This is ideal for the occasional player or those who want to ‘Try it’ without committing to a full membership.

Below are a selection of other flexible membership models your club could consider:

• Points system – a system in which the player buys points and pays for court use with these points. The club can decide how many points court hire costs depending on the day of the week, time of the day and time of the year.
• Multi-club membership – provides access to several facilities without having to commit to a full membership. This requires a collaborative approach between squash clubs to put together an attractive package.
• Off-peak membership – playing rights before 3pm to encourage utilisation of the courts outside of peak times.
• Concession cards – a lump sum payment upfront which provides a certain number of court hire hours.
• Pay as you play – a standard fee to use the courts at allocated times of the day. Find out more about using the iSquash Pay2Play system here.

Squash clubs are starting to recognise that the traditional membership model no longer fits all and that the member who plays casually or cannot commit is still a member worth having. Accommodating these people achieves some income that would otherwise be lost. It also serves to retain interested squashies in the game and an association with the club that will benefit the club in the future when they have more time and finances at their disposal.

The challenge with offering flexible memberships is to engage these members so they fall in love with squash. Find out more.