By Janet L. Bozeman, Esq.
Hirsch v. Jupiter Golf Club
LLC,
No. 13-80456-CIV (S.D. Fla. Feb. 1. 2017), provides a cautionary tale for clubs
looking to restructure their membership options: tread lightly on existing members' rights. It is possible to restructure a membership
program, but care must be taken not to breach existing membership
agreements. Where the club owner does
not have the right to alter existing membership rights, members may be offered
incentives in exchange for giving up membership rights, but a change in
membership rights cannot be forced on the members.