Membership question

[ndb8fxe]

I am blessed to live in an area that has a plethora of courses.  I also travel for a living and bring clubs with me and get to play all over the country/world.  I am a budget minded golfer, always looking for the best value in equipment and courses.

I've been reading a lot on this site and there are many references to "home" courses and membership to particular clubs.  I would love to support one of my local clubs by joining and receiving discounts, however, I am worried about getting bored playing the same course all the time.  I really enjoy the challenge of playing a course that I don't "know by the back of my hand" and love the various scenery and challenges offered by different courses.  I'm thinking a membership isn't for me, but I'll ask those with memberships:

1) Does your home course ever get "old" or boring?

2) How often do you play a different local course?

3) Do my concerns seem unreasonable?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

[ajst22]

1. No not really. I like to master my home course.

2. Pretty much never

3. Not at all. I had the same concerns.

I am a first time member (just got one this year), but before I just played various courses, but mainly the one I am a member of. What I may do is get a membership to a different course each year. Rotating might be a thing you could do so that you wouldn't get "bored"

[ndb8fxe]

Originally Posted by ajst22

1. No not really. I like to master my home course.

2. Pretty much never

3. Not at all. I had the same concerns.

I am a first time member (just got one this year), but before I just played various courses, but mainly the one I am a member of. What I may do is get a membership to a different course each year. Rotating might be a thing you could do so that you wouldn't get "bored"

Excellent response.  Thank you.

Keep them coming!

[Mobey]

I get a membership at my local course.  The biggest advantages I have found is that I can run over and play 5 holes if time is short and  I feel comfortable just going up at anytime of day and hitting the chipping green etc.  I play additional courses often but it is still a nice thing to know that I can always play my "home" course when ever I want to.  I'm not ever going to be good enough to think that my home course is boring...I will say however  that you get comfortable with it.  I always know to grab my 5 iron and lay up on the 6th because I can reach it in two...or I KNOW I have to hit the right side of the green on the 3rd because that is the favorable side to putt from.  Boring no..but sometimes lacking the challenge some others give.  I too had concerns but in the end I believe it is worth it.

[Goodfella]

Originally Posted by ndb8fxe

1) Does your home course ever get "old" or boring?

- Not really. I actually like the challenge of trying to improve my score on the same course. I also switch up which tee's I play from every few rounds for a different look.

Originally Posted by ndb8fxe

2) How often do you play a different local course?

- With what I said above, I still do play others courses. But only about 1-2 times per month. I do like changing it up and I don't want to post lower scores only at my home course. I want to make sure my game will translate the same at other courses.

Originally Posted by ndb8fxe

3) Do my concerns seem unreasonable?

- Not at all. I had the same hesitation before I joined. But now I am happy that I did. I will save money and play a ton more than last year. I like being able to go and play 8-12 holes and just leave if I am short on time. Before I would pay to play the full 18 and hate having to leave knowing I paid for a full round.

[Mr22putt]

NDB

IMO.....I think playing the same course does get boring.

What kind of membership are you taking about:

- private with a large initiation or

- annual membership with no further obligations after the year is done.

If it's the latter....try it for a year...if you don't like it.....the worst outcome is you played a lot of golf at one track for a year.

[Parker0065]

I've been a member at my home course for 7 years now if that makes any difference.

1) I do get a little bored from time to time but I play quite a bit for someone who isn't retired. I play 3-5 times a week from the back tees so maybe once a month I'll move up and play the regular tees for two reasons, one just to mix things up and have different shots into the greens, and two because pretty much all the club events are played from there. The other thing I'll do to combat the boredom is just change the playing format. This year my son and I have been playing a lot of match-play against one another and it changes your strategy on certain holes.

2) I pretty much stick to my home course from April - August with the exception of vacation's, corperate work outings, or a few tournaments. But in September - October that changes because most courses in my area have some really good "Fall Specials" and I'll get out and play a different course every week during that time frame.

3) As a note, I picked my home course for a few different reasons. It's not the most economic course in our area but it's among the most economic, It's not the hardest course in my area, but it's among the hardest ones. It has holes that are very long that require length, and it has short tight holes that require precision. There's a lot of slope and turns in the greens and the course is pretty hilly with a lot of character. In other words, it's not just a flat, boring, back and forth parkland type course. If it were I would probably have gotten bored with it and moved on to somewhere else after one season.

[clubchamp]

1. No I don't get bored because I like the lay out of my home course and it has very tough greens. They move the pins daily and they move the tees pretty often so the course sets up differently almost every time I play. Granted you will have already seen that set up but it makes a little more like you're not playing the same course. The other reason I don't get bored is you begin to meet a lot of people and start finding new playing partners which keeps it interesting.

2. Rarely unless it's a tournament, it's just not worth spending an extra 60 per round to play another course plus I've played almost all the local courses. Also keep in mind depending on where you join you may get guest privileges at other country clubs where all you have to do is pay a 20 to 30 dollar guest fee.

3. It's not unreasonable but the key is to find a country club or muni that makes sense financially and a course you can enjoy playing.

[BuckeyeNut]

Originally Posted by ndb8fxe

I am blessed to live in an area that has a plethora of courses.  I also travel for a living and bring clubs with me and get to play all over the country/world.  I am a budget minded golfer, always looking for the best value in equipment and courses.

I've been reading a lot on this site and there are many references to "home" courses and membership to particular clubs.  I would love to support one of my local clubs by joining and receiving discounts, however, I am worried about getting bored playing the same course all the time.  I really enjoy the challenge of playing a course that I don't "know by the back of my hand" and love the various scenery and challenges offered by different courses.  I'm thinking a membership isn't for me, but I'll ask those with memberships:

1) Does your home course ever get "old" or boring?

2) How often do you play a different local course?

3) Do my concerns seem unreasonable?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

If you travel a lot and are rarely home............a membership makes no sense to me.   I'm not even sure why you'd ask.....................

[rustyredcab]

1) Does your home course ever get "old" or boring?

No. My home course is a public course that offers memberships that allow unlimited play and advance tee time reservations. Not like a private club commitment wise. I've changed home courses twice in 13 years because the deals changed. Current course offers enough interest to keep me there for a very long time. Five sets of tees, three playable and two very short, offer ways to change things up. The downside is that my ten best scores from my last 20 are almost always all from my home course. My handicap does not travel well.

2) How often do you play a different local course?

last year 10 of 60 rounds were at other courses. That is about normal.

3) Do my concerns seem unreasonable?

No. Make sure you really like your home course if it is a big commitment. There are private courses in my area that I would love to play everyday and others that would get old fast. As a side note: long before courses were hurting around the country, my father joined a country club and convinced them that because he traveled almost every weekend and many weekdays, that he should be able to join as an out of state resident using his lake home as his residence. It was a good deal for both the club and him. Bad deal for me because he waited to join a club until I was in my 30's.

[Lefty-Golfer]

Originally Posted by ndb8fxe

I am blessed to live in an area that has a plethora of courses.  I also travel for a living and bring clubs with me and get to play all over the country/world.  I am a budget minded golfer, always looking for the best value in equipment and courses.

I've been reading a lot on this site and there are many references to "home" courses and membership to particular clubs.  I would love to support one of my local clubs by joining and receiving discounts, however, I am worried about getting bored playing the same course all the time.  I really enjoy the challenge of playing a course that I don't "know by the back of my hand" and love the various scenery and challenges offered by different courses.  I'm thinking a membership isn't for me, but I'll ask those with memberships:

1) Does your home course ever get "old" or boring?

2) How often do you play a different local course?

3) Do my concerns seem unreasonable?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

1. no - i know it well i know, what it needs and how i need to play it...and if i fail it kicks you in the balls. a membership is like a relationship...

2. maybe 25 rounds a year at other clubs or on golf trips. i bring guests / they in turn bring me it works well.

3. no not at all, i had similar thoughts but i joined my club 5 years ago, i play roughly 50 rounds a year there and i am not the least bit tired of it.

[WUTiger]

What kind of relationships does the prospective course have with other courses? Let's say you join course A. If course A has scrambles for three days in a row, will it send you to course B or C to play (in a trade-out?)

You would have to talk to the course A management or members to find this out.

Also, look for formal relationships related to management groups. Walters Golf Management runs the course where I play. If I had a full annual membership, I could play at other WGM courses - space available - for a $17 cart fee.

[Jefferey13]

1. Yes I get bored, but not bored in the sense of tired of playing it.

2. I try to play somewhere besides my course 1-2 a month, wether it be local or drive a few hours.

3. Super legit concerns

Extra- I recoup my investment for my pass to my local course 100x over. As someone else said it is nice to be able to play however many holes you want. With my course set up playing 12 is is a great way to still end up by the clubhouse and that is a good amount for me. It's also very nice having a good relationship with the pros and management. They give me great deals. I also go out when the weather is less than ideal where if I was paying for the round I would never consider dropping the $30 in rain/wind.

[Wansteadimp]

Originally Posted by ndb8fxe

I am blessed to live in an area that has a plethora of courses.  I also travel for a living and bring clubs with me and get to play all over the country/world.  I am a budget minded golfer, always looking for the best value in equipment and courses.

I've been reading a lot on this site and there are many references to "home" courses and membership to particular clubs.  I would love to support one of my local clubs by joining and receiving discounts, however, I am worried about getting bored playing the same course all the time.  I really enjoy the challenge of playing a course that I don't "know by the back of my hand" and love the various scenery and challenges offered by different courses.  I'm thinking a membership isn't for me, but I'll ask those with memberships:

1) Does your home course ever get "old" or boring?

2) How often do you play a different local course?

3) Do my concerns seem unreasonable?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

1) No, its constantly evolving as the seasons change, presenting different challenges.

2) Monthly, especially April to October.

3) No all legitimate concerns.

Other observations, joining a club and paying the fee makes me play. Too often in the past I opted out rather than going and playing. The thought I've already paid gets me out of bed to play.

Picking a club doesn't necessarily have to be solely about the course. The social nature of it can be just as important. I was new to the area, didn't know any local golfers joined a club, got involved with a roll up that played Saturday & Sunday, I can turn up at 9am any weekend and get a game. Same faces, usually between 16 and 24 people, but we have a draw so you're not playing with the same people each week. Have to play in the club comps, have a bet on the golf and a drink afterwards.

Plenty of people have left the club for a "better" course and come back because there isn't the same level of social activity.

[newtogolf]

1) Does your home course ever get "old" or boring?

No, but part of that is because effort is made to move the tee boxes and holes frequently.  Also the amount of rain will change the way I play the course and how it plays.

2) How often do you play a different local course?

10% - 20% - have friends and business acquaintances that belong to other clubs.  I also play in a few charity golf tournaments  at other clubs.

3) Do my concerns seem unreasonable?

If it's a private country club I'd be more concerned that you like the other people that belong to the club than I would be you getting tired of the course.  Private clubs can get pretty expensive and you're paying a good amount of money for social time (meals, drinks, etc) each month.  You don't want to dread going to the dining room or bar because you don't like the people.

If it's a public or muni course membership that offers preferential tee times and discounts for playing then it's more about the course.  I'd make sure it's a well maintained course and one that offers at least 3 tee boxes to play from so you can switch things up.  I'd go there as a visitor a few times on weekends and weekdays when you'd expect to play just to get an idea of how the course is managed and how long the average round takes.  Talk to the club pro as well so you get an idea of the type of course and people they have working there.

[ndb8fxe]

Thanks a bunch for everyone's great responses.  I guess I'll have to look more closely at the what the benefits of the membership are i.e. unlimited golf, etc. Thanks again.

[Aquaguru]

1) Does your home course ever get "old" or boring?

Not really.  There are days where I might play only irons or 3 woods off the tee.  Other days I will play from a different set of tees.  But generally I do not get bored because you won't play the same hole the exact same way everytime.  The pin might change or your drive may be in a different spot.

2) How often do you play a different local course?

Maybe once every 2 months.  I have a very limited budget (I'm in grad school) so I try to only play other courses if I get on free or have a discount.

3) Do my concerns seem unreasonable?

Not at all I know alot of guys who like to play a different course every week, others like to have the availibility to play whenever they want to.

IMO.  My membership is something that you can turn down.  For $475 I get green fees for 7 days a week anytime, for TWO years.  Here is the scorecard for my home course

[CDNinATL]

Originally Posted by Aquaguru

For $475 I get green fees for 7 days a week anytime, for TWO years.  Here is the scorecard for my home course

Whoa...that's cheap!! The best I've been able to find anywhere within an hour drive of me is $1800 but that is for my family (wife and 1 kid). The one in my sub-division is even more and even then it's discounted play for a private course (was public when I moved here). Then again, living here in Georgia, we do get play almost the whole year. But DAMN...that's still seriously cheap!!!!!