Joining new club?

[TN94z]

Well, our memberships ran out at our old course and the new management has changed the memberships and it just isn't that good of a deal with the amount of golf we play.

There is one club that is about 15 miles from my house and is about 140.00/month. It is on my way home from work also. All of my golfing buddies have joined a different club that is about 42 miles from the house and is about 114/month. I am on the fence about what to do. Should I join the closer more convenient club by myself, or should I join the farther club where my friends are playing? What are your opinions?

Both clubs are much easier than the previous course. Both clubs are fairly comparable as far as which course I like better.

Or should I just not join a club at all? The reason I bring this up is because next year I am joining an amateur tour and there is pretty much a tournament every month. All of these tournaments will cost around 100 bucks on average a month. Should I just practice at the range during the week, play with my buddies on the weekend (paying full price) and then hit the tournaments when they are on the schedule?

I really feel like I got hung out to dry on this whole deal...they joined the one club that was last on my list.

[clubchamp]

I joined a club where I didn't know anybody. I actually just joined because they have a lot of older members and were trying to get some younger players to join. They waved the initation fee for anyone under the age of 35 (I'm pretty if you pushed you could have got it waved anyway). Basically in the end you will meet people at the course. I did that and then my buddy finally joined a year later.

[Leftygolfer]

That is a tough one. My first instinct is to join the one that is next to your house. I really think it would be a waste to join a place that is 45 miles away unless it is a great course and a great deal.

[TN94z]

That is a tough one. My first instinct is to join the one that is next to your house. I really think it would be a waste to join a place that is 45 miles away unless it is a great course and a great deal.

I know. That is my first instinct too. Neither course is just top notch or anything. I just hate to lose all of my playing partners over this decision. But I may just have to go with the one that is more convenient or not join one at all. I don't know. It kind of ticks me off that they joined this one. The guy I play with all of the time only joined because we have a rich buddy that plays there and he is stuck up his butt, so he followed him. If the rich guy had been at the course beside my house then this wouldn't be an issue.

[Leftygolfer]

Maybe you could just wait and see how next year pans out. If you play at that course with your buddies alot and then you realize you should belong, then you know it is the right decision.

[TN94z]

Maybe you could just wait and see how next year pans out. If you play at that course with your buddies alot and then you realize you should belong, then you know it is the right decision.

I may do that since I am playing on that tour next year. Playing the tour and being a member somewhere will be costing me over 200 a month. I really want to play in that tour next year, so I may just not join anywhere. The course they joined is not very difficult I don't think. I mean, if I'm on my game out there, then I will be scaring the 60's quite often.

[clearwaterms]

I wish I could find a place that was that cheap to join. All of the golf courses around me are HUGE dollars to join.

[TN94z]

I wish I could find a place that was that cheap to join. All of the golf courses around me are HUGE dollars to join.

This one is cheap. 1310/yr. Not bad. But it doesn't have a driving range and the course rating is lower than what I like. It plays about 5-6 strokes easier than the course where we were members last year.

That being said, I played our old course yesterday and 9 holes is all I could take. They are about to lose their greens completely and I think that will be the downfall of the course. It was so bad, that I wouldn't even putt on the greens. They have let the greens grow up (because they are about to lose them) and you really have to hammer a 20 foot putt to get it there. It's sad really that they let such a nice course go. The main problem is they took a guy that used to mow fairways and promoted him to greenskeeper. I know more about greens than he does and it has really shown.

[Clambake]

I wish I could find a place that was that cheap to join. All of the golf courses around me are HUGE dollars to join.

Boy, I echo that! Around here (southern Cal) the initiation fees run $40-50k for a "cheap" club and $125k+ for the nicer ones, and the monthly fees are $1000-1500. Even some of the slightly nicer public courses around here sell "memberships" for higher cost than what many here are paying for a club, and all that gets you is a discount off their regular green fees. I'm jealous! But on the flip side, I do get to enjoy the brutal San Diego weather and play Torrey Pines for a pretty cheap price.

[TN94z]

Boy, I echo that! Around here (southern Cal) the initiation fees run $40-50k for a "cheap" club and $125k+ for the nicer ones, and the monthly fees are $1000-1500. Even some of the slightly nicer public courses around here sell "memberships" for higher cost than what many here are paying for a club, and all that gets you is a discount off their regular green fees. I'm jealous! But on the flip side, I do get to enjoy the brutal San Diego weather and play Torrey Pines for a pretty cheap price.

Holy crap!!!!! That is way out of my league! I am glad we are cheap around my area. The highest club I can think of is like 10-15k initiation and about 700/month.

[Leftygolfer]

You are not kidding about how important a good greens keeper is. It is a real important job on a golf course. I used to work on the grounds crew at a pretty nice club here. Actually a really nice course with a big rating and slope, nothing but golf. Anyway, it was amazing the kind of budget they had just in chemicals then the time to airrate them twice a year, verticut them, and of course cut them daily. You could really tell the super knew how to keep them in good shape and they felt nice just to walk on them. I miss playing there.

[clearwaterms]

Boy, I echo that! Around here (southern Cal) the initiation fees run $40-50k for a "cheap" club and $125k+ for the nicer ones, and the monthly fees are $1000-1500. Even some of the slightly nicer public courses around here sell "memberships" for higher cost than what many here are paying for a club, and all that gets you is a discount off their regular green fees. I'm jealous! But on the flip side, I do get to enjoy the brutal San Diego weather and play Torrey Pines for a pretty cheap price.

Decent country clubs around me are $50~$60k. I have not found anything cheaper (not that I could afford it) and run about $500~$700 a month.

A municipal course by me charges $1925 a season for membership. That isn't even a country club, thats just the unlimited golf (you still have to pay a few bucks after paying that)

[Knockglock]

Join the more convenient one. You'll be thanking me when your heading straight to the course after work, instead of driving for an hour. And of course remember it is another hour to get back home after your round.

[TN94z]

Join the more convenient one. You'll be thanking me when your heading straight to the course after work, instead of driving for an hour. And of course remember it is another hour to get back home after your round.

Yeah, you are right. It's not quite an hour, more like a half hour, but still not as convenient as the other. If I join anywhere, it will be the closer course. I am sure I will find playing partners out there quickly.