Dark Chameleon
Elite Member
I don't know if others have found this to be why they didn't join clubs or decided afterwards to leave them but I was reminded of the yearly dues and so asked about mine and was told that i joined in april last year and so i have to pay another years membership come January.
I didn't like that, if you pay for 12 months you should get 12 months and this wasn't specified when i joined, but was told in an email that people could have joined in September and still owe a new years dues in January, i really didn't like that one.
This wasn't the only reason i have left it but a few other reasons that others might have spotted themselves when they have joined clubs.
1) People join the club and their dues are used after paying for the location mostly on buying silver for prizes for the finds of the month, this sounds ok, but the same people win every month, the new members don't stand a chance of winning while they are learning their machines, it almost makes it pointless bringing in your stuff for the first two years, you are not going to beat some 1908 half dollars, George the thirds, gold rings, etc, unless you have beginners luck you will be lucky to take a dime over the course of your first year or two.
2) The existing members seem to form clicks and they are almost impregnable, the monthly meetings seem to be their only chances to meet each other, great for them but they should goto a café as a click and meet, this is supposed to be a club, what is there for new members, they have to almost interrupt to get a question in, feel like their finds don't matter, rarely actually get help, tips etc.
3) Some members have suggested and i'd have to agree that some of the finds are too clean, seem to be something bought and not found, i have yet to find a 100 year plus copper or brass item come out of the ground without looking like a rusty coin or pitted to heck item but some 'finds' are gleaming.
4) The meetings seem to be like an AGM talking about the money in the fund, the library, the need for people to talk about stuff, it doesn't promote the normally solo sociable to go to.
5) The members seem to be killing time to get the raffles going when they are newer because they stand so little chance of winning in the finds category, they get no assistance in catagorising their finds for the points but when your competing with people who get 130 points a year plus on their finds you may as well not bother.
6) I was a member for 6 months before they even printed out my name on my name badge..it was hand written for 6 months...like i wasn't even a member for all that time, new members seem to be treated by other members as second class members, either left talking to each other or not talking to anyone, the social side is almost nil for new members, making it their job to mingle and not existing members to make them feel welcome
I didn't see any change in these areas coming at a recent meeting talking about changes, it would still have been the same finds winners this year as last, the same clicks running and not willing to put the effort in to meet new members.
After hearing the deal about last years group hunt and the people upset by it and the same thing, a half dozen people taking what seemed like everyone else's entrance fees with large coils, extra knowledge etc, it seemed pointless to spend over $100 to watch others take it away.
I was hoping a club would be a group of people who love a hobby like detecting and want to share their tips, a willingness to set up group hunts in public places, have a chance for new people to do something else then watch others win the finds and take silver after silver after silver while it seems that the newer ones are just there to feed the Ponzi scheme that is the club where experience wins every time.
This club either always was or has become a professional 3 years and upwards group of people who seem to tolerate newcomers more then want to pass on their passion for hunting and welcoming the next generation of hunters.
That's my rant and one reason ill be looking at other clubs and hopefully find them where they are more open to new members and not just needing more money to then give away to the most experienced hunters month after month after month
I didn't like that, if you pay for 12 months you should get 12 months and this wasn't specified when i joined, but was told in an email that people could have joined in September and still owe a new years dues in January, i really didn't like that one.
This wasn't the only reason i have left it but a few other reasons that others might have spotted themselves when they have joined clubs.
1) People join the club and their dues are used after paying for the location mostly on buying silver for prizes for the finds of the month, this sounds ok, but the same people win every month, the new members don't stand a chance of winning while they are learning their machines, it almost makes it pointless bringing in your stuff for the first two years, you are not going to beat some 1908 half dollars, George the thirds, gold rings, etc, unless you have beginners luck you will be lucky to take a dime over the course of your first year or two.
2) The existing members seem to form clicks and they are almost impregnable, the monthly meetings seem to be their only chances to meet each other, great for them but they should goto a café as a click and meet, this is supposed to be a club, what is there for new members, they have to almost interrupt to get a question in, feel like their finds don't matter, rarely actually get help, tips etc.
3) Some members have suggested and i'd have to agree that some of the finds are too clean, seem to be something bought and not found, i have yet to find a 100 year plus copper or brass item come out of the ground without looking like a rusty coin or pitted to heck item but some 'finds' are gleaming.
4) The meetings seem to be like an AGM talking about the money in the fund, the library, the need for people to talk about stuff, it doesn't promote the normally solo sociable to go to.
5) The members seem to be killing time to get the raffles going when they are newer because they stand so little chance of winning in the finds category, they get no assistance in catagorising their finds for the points but when your competing with people who get 130 points a year plus on their finds you may as well not bother.
6) I was a member for 6 months before they even printed out my name on my name badge..it was hand written for 6 months...like i wasn't even a member for all that time, new members seem to be treated by other members as second class members, either left talking to each other or not talking to anyone, the social side is almost nil for new members, making it their job to mingle and not existing members to make them feel welcome
I didn't see any change in these areas coming at a recent meeting talking about changes, it would still have been the same finds winners this year as last, the same clicks running and not willing to put the effort in to meet new members.
After hearing the deal about last years group hunt and the people upset by it and the same thing, a half dozen people taking what seemed like everyone else's entrance fees with large coils, extra knowledge etc, it seemed pointless to spend over $100 to watch others take it away.
I was hoping a club would be a group of people who love a hobby like detecting and want to share their tips, a willingness to set up group hunts in public places, have a chance for new people to do something else then watch others win the finds and take silver after silver after silver while it seems that the newer ones are just there to feed the Ponzi scheme that is the club where experience wins every time.
This club either always was or has become a professional 3 years and upwards group of people who seem to tolerate newcomers more then want to pass on their passion for hunting and welcoming the next generation of hunters.
That's my rant and one reason ill be looking at other clubs and hopefully find them where they are more open to new members and not just needing more money to then give away to the most experienced hunters month after month after month
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