Private Club Memberships

[DBake]

I will be finishing up my college education (that god) here in the next year or two and was wondering...What things do I need to take a look at when considering joining a club? Any tips, advice, suggestions? I will be making my home in the northwest (Washington area).

[iacas]

Jeff (muskegman) is up in your area. I joined my club here in PA last fall because they had a super initiation special. If you plan to play a lot of golf, some times joining a club is cheaper than playing at the munis!

Some country clubs require a member recommendation, so make friends with people. Look at how much you can afford and how much you think you can afford and find those clubs. Just coming out of college, I will say, the bills add up a lot faster than you think. So be prepared and include everything in your future budget: electricity, water, sewer, trash, phone, Internet access, food, entertainment, house/apartment supplies (Windex, paint, whatever), cookware, etc.

[kklick]

Ok guys I was at the golf show yesterday and picked up some info from a private course in my area. Highland golf club They are less than a mile from where I work and about 25 minutes from home.

They have a spring membership drive in which the $2500 initation fee is waived. They also have a new membership class this year as young adult. (19-30) It runs $155 a month for the full year. There is also a food and beverage minimum of $50 a month from april through october.

Does not include locker rental or bag storage. $50/yr locker $75/yr bag
Unlimited driving range use is also included with the membership.

Now this sounds like a pretty good deal to me. There are public courses around here that are asking $1200-$1500 a year and no preferred tee times.

Just wondering if this is a good deal? How are private memberships in your area?

[Sando]

There's an old country club less than a mile form my house. $40K to get in the door plus $800 a month for food, drink, lockers, etc whether you use it or not. Eat/drink more and you pay more. The course is magnificent looking and plays great by all reports. The men's clubhouse is something else. Everything you could want. But for that kind of money I'd have to be there 24/7. They charge that kind of dough to keep me and the rest of the riff-raff out.

I'd say that these rates are about middle of the road for So. Cal. There are more clubs for much more bucks and some for less. The deal you are looking at sounds much better than anything I've heard of around here.

[huphtur]

Willshire Country Club is one block away from my apartment. It's my goal to one day play on that course.

I don't know anything about private clubs, so forgive my dumb question, but do they allow non members to play (if they get invited by a member)? Would standing outside the gate with a "Need a 4th?" sign work?

[Newbie Collection Agency]

Thats funny bro. I have been invited as a guest before to a private club.
weather sucks today

[kklick]

Well there are only a few private clubs in my area here. Most are not so exclusive that non members can not get on and play. There is one here in town that is open to the public on mondays. I think most private courses allow members to bring guests out to play but they may have to pay the greens fees. I think the membership I listed above allows you to take 5 guests over the year free of charge. Hey the only way they can get new members is to get them on the course.

[iacas]

  kklick said:

Ok guys I was at the golf show yesterday and picked up some info from a private course in my area.

I pay $250 a month and (I think) $200/quarter food/beverage minimum. I consider it a deal, because that's only 10 rounds (not including buckets of balls, etc.) at another decent course, and the one I play at (see link in sig) is better than anything within an hour's drive or more.

[Maverick]

A buddy of mine lives in Redmond, OR. and he just joined the private clubnthere for $2400/yr ($200/mo.), no initial payment. In Idaho Falls, ID. you can buy a golf card $500/single and play the 3 public courses out there all you want..and one of them was ranked in the top 50 by Golf Digest. Now why aren't there places like that here in L.A.

[Ben]

I played Wilshire Country Club during my High School matches. It's nothing to write home about. huphter, if you really want to play there here's the trick. Walk up on a weekday afternoon and just pretend like you belong there, grab a cart and hit the course.

Anyway kklick, that's sounds like a great deal they are offering to me!

[NCGolfer]

Semi-private courses in this area run around $2500 for initiation and are $200 per month with $25 minimums on food/beverage. I've considered joining a couple different ones but always back off because I don't want to feel locked in to playing one course...there is just too many good ones in this area.

[iacas]

  NCGolfer said:

Semi-private courses in this area run around $2500 for initiation and are $200 per month with $25 minimums on food/beverage. I've considered joining a couple different ones but always back off because I don't want to feel locked in to playing one course...there is just too many good ones in this area.

That being said, how much do you play Tanglewood and how much do you spend on golf per month? Have you played

that numbers game?

[dave39]

Hey guys and girls!
Thought I would make this thread so that people can get an idea of what memberships cost in different parts of the world.
Please list:
1. Your course name and where it is located
2. Adult Male / Adult Female / Junior / Senior
3. How much $$$ you pay for your membership per season / lifetime / etc...

[dave39]

I will go first. I just moved to Alberta (here in Canada) not so long ago and have been looking for a course. There is a decent course close to me but it's $9000.00 for a lifetime membership and I don't have that kind of cash to drop, especially since I won't be living here all my life. So looks like I will be joining a nice little 9hole course for $475/season.

1. Acme Golf Club (9 hole course). The course itself is located in Acme, approx. 20 minute drive North of Calgary.
2. Adult Male
3. $475.00 per season

[hawkeye]

1. Beech Park Golf Club ( www.beechpark.ie )

2. 5 day special category (<10 handicap can play on Sundays provided there's space on the timesheet on Friday, <5 handicap can play Saturdays provided there's space on the timesheet on Thursday, can't win "majors", can't vote at AGM) - it's a good enough deal but not great for someone who's been there 10 years, represented the Club at every level.

3. I just paid €922 annual subs last week which includes €100 of a bar tab and €20 of a rerstaurant tab. €922 = $1,369 USD.

If/when I am offered full membership (lifetime) it will be €9,000 ($13,350 USD), even if it's >€10,000 when i get offered.


I am keep an eye open for share membership offers at other courses (lifetime membership is dead money...). There isn't much incentive for junior-to-adult in my club. Other clubs around have good deals - like pay 1/3rd of the full subs or pay it over 10 years.

[meenman]

1. Bloomingdale Golfers Club - Valrico, FL
2. Family Membership (me and the wife)
3. we pay $165/month greens fees plus $50/month for unlimited range balls

[Mats++]

1. Gustavsviks Golfklubb ( www.gvgk.se ), Örebro, Sweden
2. Adult male
3. The fee contains of a loan and a anually fee, where the loan is $2300 and the yearly fee is $560

[joseywales]

I live in Stillwater, Oklahoma. (Home of Oklahoma State University). The course I play costs $900/year to walk but the only problem is that it is flooded with college kids. Trying to save my nickels to someday be a member at Karsten Creek on the outskirts of town which is about $4500/year.