Semi-Private Golf courses

SenorC...

Does a Semi-Private Golf course have membership refusal rights?

Quote:

Originally Posted by WUTiger

None

SenorC...

Oakmont Country Club just north of Dallas was in this situation about 1995 or so. Originally designed as a private club, the members got all uppidy about allowing outsiders to play - until the adult managers told them they could go bust and lose their investment if the club went bankrupt. From the looks of the website, they may have rebounded and shifted to private. Do you know Oakmont's situation now? http://www.clubcorp.com/club/scripts...MTCC&SUBGRP;=15

This is a great example.  The club mentioned here is owned and managed by ClubCorp, which does so over something like 200 golf courses through out the world, mostly in the US though.  They own a lot of little known but very nice courses, and also some better known courses (Bear's Best in Atlanta and Vegas for example), including some that have PGA/LPGA tour stops (Firestone and the one in Palm Springs that has the LPGA major, I forget).  Anyhow, some of their places are semi-private, which you can tell by the fact that they offer tee times on their web site as well as membership information (not pricing though, I think maybe because pricing throughout their clubs varies wildly and they don't want members from the upper-tier clubs complaining about the dues at the lower tier clubs).

I am a member at one of these clubs, and it's completely private, but surprisingly not that expensive, especially if you're under 35 and get in at the "junior executive" rate.  Nice thing about ClubCorp is every member can pay a premium in their dues each month (for me it's $50) which gets them a number of benefits (1/2 off dining for example) including free greens fees and loaner clubs at pretty much every one of their other facilities.  Makes for some cheap but really good golf when travelling to urban areas, and their mostly private so it's typically not jam packed or poorly run.

Sometimes a "muni" can also be a semi-private. Eastchester, NY is an example. The town took over a defunct private club back in the 70's and turned it into a town-owned semi-private country club. The idea is that you have to join as a member to use all the facilities, but at substantially reduced rates compared to a private club. For example town residents get to join the entire country club with golf, tennis and pool for around $2800/yr for a family. Any resident is eligible..no initiation fee. Just have to prove residency. The club also allows a limited number of non-resident members at higher rates (which is still alot less than private). A private club around here would cost around $12k+ per year plus an initiation fee and caddy fees, assessments, etc.

To fill in unused tee times the club also allows non-members to play at certain times as well. But only members can use the pool or tennis.

Conditions at the semi-private are much better than county owned courses or daily fee courses but not as pristine as private clubs. The best part is being able to play 2-3 holes after work without a separate fee as a member or consistent 4-hour rounds walking. Never really crowded, but not empty like private clubs with only 300 members. Also no caddies, cart girls or cold towels. You do get a few water fountains scattered around and the compny of some really nice people who tend to be much friendlier caus they are members and know they will see each other all the time.

It's a great way to save money and enjoy alot of the benefits of a private club without the expense. Maybe use it as a stepping stone to a private club down the road.

I would assume so.  You can probably still play there though.

In my experience in Sacramento and the surrounding areas, "Semi-private" courses are all courses that used to be completely private until falling upon hard times due to the economic downturn of the past several years, and actually even before that.  A lot of the members during the private days were none too happy bout it, either.

You are partially right.  In concept, you are dead on.  But, semi-private does not have to be owned/operated by a private company.  It can be owned by a municipality.  I have not generally seen semi-private owned by a larger city.  More so, in smaller cities and lots of times it may have been a once private country club that was going under and the city/town bought it.  Then to appease the older membership they offer a membership or annual pass or something where they pay each month or annual and they get something for their committment to the course.  That something could be discounts off merchandise, preferred tee times, free range balls, something.  But, these courses still allow outside, pay as you go, players.

To me, it is still a public golf course...not a private one.  Just harder to get an early morning Saturday tee time.  A semi-private golf course in crappy condition is just a public course probably overcharging for their product.  :)

Oh 2010 jamo. It was a simpler time.

semi-private= public golf course

the name is an oxymoron.   BTW.....why do people park on driveways, but drive on parkways? .........LOL

In some cases yes, but most semi-privates probably won't let non-members just walk in on their own and play. Usually you either have to be with a member or sign-up online through their web site or Golf Now for the available slots they have.

Typically, the ones I've seen are run more like private clubs with alot more members and less frills. There are also public courses that sell memberships for unlimited play but I don't consider these semi-private as they also are open to anyone who walks in.