January 2022

5 Myths about private Clubs

While there are many private clubs around, their purpose is largely misunderstood. It is meant to be inclusive and provide a better lifestyle instead of keeping people out or discriminating among them as it is essentially and incorrectly perceived.

The purpose of a club is to create a platform to connect with new people and their culture. It helps people engage with others, thereby finding shared interests and exploring and discovering new avenues. It aids broaden their horizons and enrich their lives.

There are several myths associated with a lifestyle club

1) Club membership is expensive and a wasteful expense

-Let’s consider the expenses for enrolling in gyms and other sports, eating out and entertainment. A lifestyle club membership is far less. Also, it offers all facilities under the same roof. Dining options and various coaching facilities like tennis, badminton, taekwondo, karate, etc., are also quite subsidized for members, making it cost-effective. Rentable areas of the club, including banquets, are also offered at a discounted price for members.

-Sports coaching like badminton classes, tennis classes etc., help one understand the sport and explore their interest and comfort in the same as well while providing health benefits. And all this at relatively low costs. Having all sports coaching (indoor and outdoor) under one roof is convenient for all, especially parents. Their children need to travel to only one destination for all their requirements. This destination is safe, tried, tested, and trusted.

2) Clubs are for older people

Lifestyle clubs cater to all age groups: sports and gyms for younger people, swimming pool for all, restaurants and indoor sports for all age groups and open spaces which everyone appreciates, especially in today’s age when open spaces are dwindling. Clubs with lawns are more sought owing to the same reason. It provides the much-required green patch and open space everyone yearns for.

3) Only Club members benefit from the same

Members of lifestyle clubs use their membership to entertain family and friends who can use the facilities by paying a small fee. Via this option, lifestyle clubs can offer their services to non-members, which is enterprising and brings joy and stature to the members. They can flaunt their club facilities to their family and friends, thereby reinforcing their stature and lifestyle, among others. Members also use the facilities to promote their business propositions. The club is used as a meeting place, creating a high profile/premium imagery of themselves in front of their business associates, which can help seal the deal.

4) Clubs are only for boring people who don’t experiment

In addition to its facilities, a lifestyle club also has a host of events lined up regularly – shows, workshops, classes, etc., which members can avail of. It provides a variety of activities and events that members can choose from or experiment with. It’s all under one roof, and they don’t need to hunt for the same anywhere outside. Clubs also celebrate key festivals and annual events, making it a much-preferred destination for all members who don’t need to look outwards to plan with family and friends.

5) Private clubs are only for family people

Lifestyle clubs offer memberships for families, couples, singleton, and corporate memberships serving different purposes. Thus it’s not only limited to families. For example, for couples and singletons, it could be a hub to meet people and socialize and maintain their physical well being; for corporate executives, it might be a stress buster, whereas, for families with kids, it’s like a home away from home with all facilities for all members under one roof.

Lifestyle clubs are helping members balance fun and family by offering more social activities for families, children and guests. The entire family can enjoy a wide range of offerings, including pool-based activities, game nights, themed parties and other family events. Many clubs offer junior sports camps for children to play badminton, tennis, padel, squash or swim. Coffee-shop cafes, youth rooms and spa amenities also make clubs a destination to serve all family members. The services provided by contemporary clubs are much more flexible and are improving. It will continue to mould its offerings as per the needs of its patrons and evolve accordingly.

How people are redefining leisure weekends and an enhanced lifestyle with club memberships within the city

In today’s scenario, people are challenged concerning the available “leisure time” due to their dependence on smartphones. While smartphones make life easier, sorted and structured, it is a distraction for them, redefining what “leisure/free time” really means.

Smartphones double up as both a work-related tool and serve as a break from monotony during the day. So while this is good for marketers, how can a club attract this clientele where the offerings are primarily non-technology/mobile related.

If we specifically look at their needs from leisure weekends, they seek a place not very far from the city (rather within the city itself) to avoid the need to travel (which they are doing anyway daily)

In an attempt to woo people, Clubs are trying to take steps to attract them.

Firstly, the strategic location of the Club.
- Location within the city reduces their travel time on weekends as they travel for work throughout the week.
- Additionally, many clubs offer a workspace, which doubles up as a work-from-home solution for many – working in the open areas of the Club rather than being confined to home.
Secondly, diverse food options.
- Food is an essential experience. People are well travelled, thereby seeking to explore newer culinary experiences, and clubs offer a variety of international cuisine to satisfy this need.
- Food is the common denominator for all social interactions and helps forge relationships.
- Food festivals, theme nights etc., are perceived to be attractive as it allows them to test and savour foods of different cuisines and offers experiences that they can cherish.
- Multiple and varied food options also serve as a break from the monotony of regular food during the week.
Thirdly, activities and facilities for physical and mental fitness.
- Physical and mental fitness is essential to all, and they seek a variety of options to maintain their health and physique rather than just sticking to a traditional gym. Thus options like Zumba, Pilates, Yoga etc., are gaining popularity, and clubs are quick to respond to these market demands, making them available in the comfort of their property.
- Sports like badminton and tennis find more takers as it’s not difficult to play, is not as time-consuming as golf, and can engage all family members.
- Board games also contribute to active engagement, especially for the older clientele.
Fourthly, reconnecting with family and friends.
- Connecting and relaxing with friends and family is also essential, which often gets missed out on weekdays owing to hectic schedules.
- The Club becomes their partner, which aids in creating bonds with family and friends, which enriches their lives.
- These include young parents who barely get time other than a weekend to bond with their children.
- The open spaces and play areas of the Club provides a haven for the kids to explore their surroundings.
Fifth, a casual ambience
- A casual ambience is what attracts people rather than a formal setting. They are in a formal environment for the rest of the week anyway, so weekends are the time to unwind.
- That is one of the reasons people seek a lifestyle club with casual dressing and no strict dress codes and etiquette as they usually frown upon the same and are anyways adhering to dress codes for the rest of the week.
Sixth, a multitude of events provides a variety of experiences.
- People are moving from materialistic interests to creating memories via experiences; thus, the more options they get will keep them hooked.
Lastly, opportunities to enrich their knowledge across different topics.
- Being armed with knowledge is a big boost for them as it’s a tool for socializing and one-upmanship at their workplace.
- Socializing with various people at the Club helps gain knowledge and information across categories which sparks people’s curiosity and intrigue.

Thus, to attract people, a Club has to be a one-stop-shop for all their entertainment and experience needs near their vicinity, involving their family and friends. It needs to become a space where they can be themselves without any bindings/structure that they experience during the weekdays.

It has to offer an ambience and activities which aids socializing and help them relax and unwind after a hectic week.

Clubs are a great destination for sports and sports coaching due to the lack of playgrounds in Mumbai.

With the pressure of mounting population and the need for more residences and offices, steel, concrete and glass structures are mushrooming every day, encroaching upon the green spaces which were earlier available for kids to play in, thus making playgrounds rare. Additionally, land grabbing and illegal constructions are taking away the parks and playgrounds. Further, due to the reduction of green cover, there is a drastic reduction in open spaces for kids to play around.

Even in schools, playgrounds are becoming rare due to lack of space and being replaced with concrete paved areas. Though it offers a space for kids’ activities, it doesn’t provide any physical or health benefits or the therapeutic value and rejuvenation provided by a playground.

Owing to lack of green spaces to play, kids take to video games, movies, tabs, mobiles, increasing their screen time which increases their addiction to the same which is detrimental at various levels: makes them physically weak, can lead to obesity if doubled up with an unhealthy diet, does not stimulate their minds, can lead to a host of other physical and mental health disorders among many other side effects. The absence of adequate exposure to the sun is linked to depression, weak bones and muscle development among kids.

The clubs come to the rescue in such situations. They are safe spaces with a lot of greenery, outdoor sports options, and coaching options.

With excellent quality outdoor sports facilities, it’s limited to usage by kids and other sports enthusiasts in the family.
The qualitative sports facilities ensure safe playing and bring out the best of potential enthusiasts.
The availability of coaching across various sports allows children and adults to explore multiple sports and narrow down to one of their choices to be pursued.

The advantages of playing in open, green spaces are multifold.

Positive impact on children’s physical health
- Firstly, it helps in making kids physically healthier.
  - It involves a lot of use of motor skills which get enhanced with use.
  - Improvement in eye-hand coordination
  - It burns more calories, keeping obesity and other lifestyle disorders at bay and strengthening bones and muscles.
  - Playing in the sun also aids in the production of Vitamin D, which further strengthens their bones, making for a healthy foundation. It activates the pineal gland, which is associated with robust immune systems and makes them feel happy.
  - Free play in the fresh air reduces stress levels and keeps kids happy.
Social and Emotional Development
- Secondly, it aids cognitive and social/emotional development.
  - Unstructured outdoor play helps kids understand concepts of social living – cooperation, sharing, bonding, empathy.
  - While inventing and playing games with siblings, adults or other kids, their communication, cooperation and organizational skills improve.
  - The kind who have played in the open in their childhood tend to appreciate nature and become environment-friendly adults.
Sensory skill enhancement
- Thirdly, it helps improve sensory skills.
  - Kids, when playing outside, develop better distance vision as their eyes practise to do the same regularly.
  - Most kids’ learning is sensorial – when playing outside, all their senses are used to learn about new things, which adds to their delight. Therefore, this helps them use all their senses to the fullest, which sharpens the same; compared to those kids glued to devices, they only end up using two senses (visual and auditory), which can adversely impact their perceptual abilities.
New skills via coaching
- Fourthly, coaching helps them learn various new skills.
  - During coaching, people interaction and management skills are required to navigate their way with peers, juniors, and adults. This social interaction provides life lessons that cannot be taught or learnt in any classroom.
  - Learning a new skill – learning new rules, techniques of the sport etc., which enhances their mental capacity.
  - Their solo time away from friends and family members is the first step towards the taste of independence they learn to navigate.

Therefore, for metro cities like Mumbai, clubs provide an excellent opportunity for kids, working millennials, youngsters and others the joy of playing in open spaces and pursuing a sport in a great and safe environment which can lead to them having better quality of life, overall physical and mental well being. Clubs double up as spaces to rejuvenate oneself and enjoy life to the fullest.

Private clubs are safe havens for families to spend quality time with each other.

In this article, we shall explore today’s hectic lifestyle and thus its impact on our overall relations, how quality time becomes essential for all family members and how in this context, private clubs can become a safe haven to rebuild and re-energize these connections.

Quality of time spent with loved and close ones is essential in today’s scenario rather than the quantity of time spent. This is more relevant in today’s times with an increasingly hectic lifestyle with the digital world also invading our lives dramatically. Thus the presence of a relaxed space to unplug and reconnect with family and friends has become even more critical now.

Privates clubs are offering opportunities to the urban families to spend some quality time with each of their family members:

Quality time with children: We have a lifetime to get work done, but children and their childhood come only once and cannot be relieved. In the given situation, children are devoid of time spent with their parents, all the more when both the parents are working adults, with work schedules spilling over the weekends as well. So, a child’s time spent with their parents, whether from simple board games or physically stimulating sports or even a lip-smacking brunch or meal, helps create memories for a lifetime, which impacts their self-worth and, as a result, helps mould them into the adults they finally become.
Time with grandparents: For working parents, grandparents come to the rescue whether for a short period of time or a constant in their lives which is highly beneficial to kids as they experience unconditional love and pampering from them, which is extremely important in their formative years. Moreover, grandparents are vital carriers of tradition and culture, which they pass on to the next generation, ensuring the same is passed on in the form of stories, forgotten activities etc., in the safe and relaxed environment of the club interspersed with shared activities and food.
‘Me-Time’ for Women: Women have generally been programmed to be nurturers and caregivers, and, despite the 21st-century culture of equal responsibility and partnerships, women often end up taking more on their plate. This leaves them with little or no ‘me’ time, leading to burnout. A woman needs to take some time out for herself to enjoy a healthy, balanced and enriched lifestyle, both physically and emotionally. Apart from fine dining and activity centres, the private clubs offer opportunities to relax with a spa, Jacuzzi, steam and sauna, and open-air cafes to have a relaxing day in the club.
Mid-week destination for Couples: In today’s world, most families consist of working couples with both husband and wife pursuing a 12-hour workday, followed by the day-to-day struggle of family responsibilities. This limits any scope for quality togetherness vital to strengthening a marital bond. A brief mid-week ‘date’ at the private club offers a relaxed and peaceful ambience for couples to actually ‘hang out’ and catch up on some quality time together before they head out again to face the world. A lunch date or a game of tennis, a swim or just a relaxed spa session at the club can help rejuvenate their bond. The combination of sport, fun, and recreation becomes a great stress buster for them, which improves their quality of life and improves overall productivity, thus providing an outstanding balance between family, social life, and work.
A place of refuge for working moms and their kids: Mothers play a vital role in a child’s overall development. One of the most critical roles a mother plays is a nurturer’s role. Most mothers nowadays are working women, and it becomes challenging for them to take up the roles of being full-time mothers. Private clubs are the perfect refuge for the working moms to get out of the cacophony of the city life and spend some time with her kid in a peaceful atmosphere. From power-Yoga sessions and modernistic gyms to table tennis, basketball and swimming, and Zumba, dance and aerobics sessions for women and children, the offering cater to the varied tastes and preferences of the members.

In conclusion, as an integrated, well designed and strategically-located venue, lifestyle clubs provide a much sought-after place for urban families, businessmen, and millennials to seek quality time in a luxurious and comfortable ambience within the city’s heart.