I wouldn't say this is true. Our club is very small and normally we only get about 5 or 6 riders out on the Sunday club run. The key to a good club run is that everyone is satisfied with the amount of riding they get and the speed it was run at. This means that from time to time the quick ones can go flying off for a couple of miles to get the heart racing and then slow up for the rest of the guys to catch up. Sometimes pushing the pace and getting into formation for a few miles like a Team TT, sprinting up hills, racing for signs, hammering it down hill etc. Our club run isn't what I'd call easy, but as long as you explain to the new guy what to expect, they normally come back for more the next week.
Agreed, it's a bit rude to put the hammer down and leave a newbie gasping for breath and trailing miles behind, but when you're out with a few guys there's always going to be that inbuilt element of competition and well sometimes when you finally remember to look over your shoulder there's no-one there........ah well if they can't hack the pace.
Our club is very similar. We only have 80 members or so,during the winter we get a similar no.of riders out on a sunday and we ride in the same way. If we split into groups depending on ability there would be no club ride.
Some of us meet before the run and ride to the start,giving us a chance to put the hammer down. On the run it is not unusual for it to be spread out across a couple of miles of tarmac. Having said that everybody knows the route and everybody knows the score but, the important part is everybody knows everybody else and any shortfalls within the group that there may be.
This is one of the advantages of a small "club"as opposed to a larger "association of cyclists". I feel as a club we punch above our weight. We organise the Presili Angel Sportive, and Cardigan Street Races. Not bad for a club with only 80 members virtualy every club member is involved.
Lighthorse, you may like to take a look at our Website at Velo Teifi or the cardigan street races video in the racing thread, then maybe revise your definition,of what is a right club and a wrong club.