Poll: Do you play on a public or private course?

If you play private , can you share the cost structure of your club?  (Initiation fee, annual dues, and any extra cost (Greens fees included in dues?)

If you play public , can you share the cost of a weekend/weekday round of 18?

FYI, joining a small private club was the single best thing I ever did for my game.    It's night and day.   You never make tee-times.  The course was almost always empty.  Sometimes, I was the only person on the course!   Also, since it's empty, you can actually practice dozens of bunker shots, putts, play 5 balls at once, redo missed shots, etc.  My club was entry level 9 holes.  Today it's $2600/yr. with no extra fees (carts extra)

http://www.keystoneresort.com/golf/tee-times-and-rates.aspx

I'm at a semi-private club.  Members have perks and priority, but anyone can come out and pay and play.  The largest advantage (besides no greens fees if you play a lot) is that at our club, only members and guests of members can walk the course.  People who just come in and play must ride.

http://roddyranch.com/golf/ecom_v2/ecom.php?cat=4429&item;_id=15809

At $149.00 a month this by far is one of the best deals in N Cal. I wish I had joined when they opened 12 years ago.

Right now I play public, but with the way things are starting to look financially I may be joining a totally private club at the beginning of next year. I have been a member of a club that was semi-private, they had members but let the public play there as well.

With the exception of a couple of summer memberships years ago, I've been a public-course player. No real reason other than economics. And I just like to play different courses. With a membership there tends to be an 'obligation' to get your play in there.

I play all public courses.

At one course 10 minutes from my house I can play for $12 after 5PM on the weekends so I do that a lot.  I also book tee times on golfnow.com sometimes and can usually get an 11:45 tee time at a pretty nice course around here for $30 instead of the usual $50 it costs.

I rotate between a lot of courses this year since I did not get a membership and I don't feel like I am spending that much more money.  Last year I got a membership to a local public course and while it was a great deal I didn't get to play as many different courses as I am right now. It was really nice for when I wanted to get a quick 9 in after school/work though.

I play public (or occasionally semi-private) courses, for the same reasons others have stated: economics. Even though I could probably afford a membership at one of the low-end clubs around here, many of them are the semi-private, so I can still play there regardless. The only advantage to joining those is that you can play unlimited whenever you want. I like to play different courses, and know that I would feel obligated to play at my "home course" if I was a member anywhere. All the private courses here in East Texas are a little rich for my blood.

At the course closest to my house, an early morning weekend tee time costs me $29, and they also run a 2-4 p.m. special of $18 (both with cart). It's a great deal for a pretty decent course. But it's a little outside the greater Tyler area.

Mainly public now but a few years ago I was a member of a semi-private and as others have said you feel compelled to play exclusively there to get your monies worth plus I felt I was getting in a rut playing the same course 2-3 times a week .Now I try to play a different course every week...there are six within a 20 mile radius of me.

yea you forgot the semi private option. I'm a member at a 9 hole semi-private. Its actually a great deal. For 99 per month I get to play unlimited golf for free if I walk (10.00 if I ride). Access to indoor/outdoor pool, and a great workout facility, oh, and a great bar. They also provide babysitting for 2 hours if I can't get away from the kiddos. They do provide public access to the course but that is almost never a concern as it is rarely crowded. Like the OP, on most days I am able to practice my game til my heart's content!

Presently I don't mind feeling compelled to get my money's worth. I'm new and need to practice so it might as well be on a course instead of a driving range... although I don't play there exclusively either. Whenever my friends get together and play I'll join them and its usually at a nicer course which is to my advantage. Occasionally it does feel like I'm getting stuck in a rut, but I have to remind myself that the time spent practicing on an actual course is invaluable at this stage.

Public.  Last year at my home course I believe it was $33 to walk and $47 to ride 18 on  a weekday.  The reason I'm not certain is because I worked there and it cost me $6 to walk 18, plus $7 for a riding cart.  I did play a lot of other places though too, for up to $125 for 18 with cart.

I was not aware of golfnow.com

This is a site to get discounts on T-times, eh?

I will check it out.

Public

Anywhere from 25-70 a round

I bought an annual membership at a public course.  I pay $169/mo for unlimited play, with a cart (though I walk 80% of the time).

I used to play at municipal courses, typically in the afternoon for $25 or so.  I probably spent $150/mo.  Now I play more often and early in the morning, which I prefer but previously avoided because it cost twice as much.