M-sand, unfortunately the day-&-age of physical clubs has long been on the decline. Their days got numbered when the internet took off in popularity, in the mid to late '90s and early 2000s.
In the old days, going to form or join a club was the only way to have contact with the outside world. The only way to hear the latest technology news. To see what others are finding. To get questions answered, or to answer others. To boast of your own finds. To get target identifications. To vicariously enjoy other people's exploits, stories, experiences, etc.... To meet others in your area to buddy up and hunt with.
HOWEVER, notice that every single one of those club functions has now been replaced with the internet forums. You can sit in the comfort of your living room, and do every last one of those things, without getting your l*zy b*tt out of your chair and having to drive somewhere, at a certain night/time of the month.
Hence interest in clubs began to wain in the mid 1990s -to-the-present. Only the bigger cities now have any clubs left. And it would be very hard to start a new club nowadays. Oh sure, people might give lip service and tell you what a great idea it is. But when the rubber hits the road, and they have a question, or a show & tell item, or need to communicate, guess what they'll do? Hop on the internet. heck, we even have regionally specific forums now, where it's JUST people from your state or area.
I disagree strongly with this statement. Since our club started a better designed web site and forums of our own, we've seen membership GROW, significantly, not decline. The internet can be a great tool for increasing the scope and reach of your club, not something that decimates it.
Granted, we have had other exposures which have helped as well (club was covered in a spread in a supplement to the Kansas City Star nespaper, interviewed on local NPR radio, assist local law enforcement, and assisted the city of Olathe and archeologists to recover / map historical finds at a camp site at the crossing of two major wagon trails before construction of a park on the site, just to name a few).
Maybe if all your club does is get together and show monthly finds, maybe that's true, as that's easily replaced by forums. Ours actually has monthly outings together all as a group once a month during warmer months. It's great to be able to see other detectors in use, learn new techniques, and particularly useful for those new to metal detecting or trying to decide on which to purchase, and I consider that a significant advantage over some other clubs of which I know. There's a real difference between members being left to only get together with others making their own plans (which of course ours do as well), and having an actual hunting trip where all are invited each month. This is where you get many of the complaints of "cliques", and I think our monthly hunts together serve to make our members more welcoming to inviting new people detecting on their own trips out together as well. For our club monthly meetings outdoors, we also hold a great pot luck lunch where the club supplies hot dogs fresh off the grill and everyone attending brings a dish to share.
I've never got a good meal from somebody sitting at a computer screen.
I also know of another club 3-1/2 hours away that was formed just last year. We're the 34th State down the list in terms of most populous, and yet we have 4 clubs located across three major areas within our borders of which I'm aware, and another right ON the border of MO in the area of MWAS.
It just takes some commitment to make it happen, and good rules. Ours have been refined over time. If anyone is thinking of starting a club or is an Officer in one having some challenges, I'd be happy to share some of the things we've done to help make it the success it's been historically for more than 30 years.
At a time when detector shows are hitting the airwaves with inflated values of finds, and setting unrealistic expectations, and yahoos whom refuse to use hand diggers in parks but are carrying in Lesche Sampson and other shovels that are causing bans across the nation, I think clubs are even MORE important. We've successfully reversed a city public parks ban in our area and got them to implement a yearly free permit system, and are in the process of trying to do the same in another city as well.