BDSM clubs - submitting to (or dominating) 'strangers'

[thir]

Agreed. But would I be right, then, in assuming that clubs are more for those whose kink is purely on the physical side - getting tied, getting spanked, whatever - than when combined with the more mental/emotional side of actual submission or domination?

I think it depends on what place you are talking about. I myself have mostly been in places where you could create really intense sessions. Either between two (or more) people, or as in organising a whole evening with a special theme, like Femdom/male sub evenings or the other way around, religious bdsm evenings, slave training evenings, or whatever.

And if that is the case, where do us other folk go who aren't attracted by this scene/type of activity or wouldn't feel entirely comfortable there for reasons aforementioned?

I think you cannot answer such general questions - it all depends all what style the various places prefer - or so I have found it. I think you can only try to get info on that from the organisers to get and idea of their profile.

If you cannot find any that suits you, the only way I can see is to organise some yourself.