Private courses are for.........

[chasm]

When people talk about "private" courses over here, they're generally referring to exclusive clubs/courses that do not allow outside play. Where only members and their guests are allowed. Most even limit the number of times an individual guest may be invited each year.

Because of the exclusivity, the cost of such a club is generally much more than playing ala carte golf elsewhere. A completely different animal than a daily fee course that offers a discounted "membership" to attract those that play enough to make it mutually beneficial to both the course and the avid golfer.

Thanks for the explanation. I understand the distinction, but I'm not talking about "daily fee courses". Most clubs in the UK are private and owned by the membership, and in a position, if they wanted to, to restrict playing to only members and their guests. But very few don't accept visitors, largely because they want the income, but partly because it is mutually beneficial. Lots of people want to play a variety of courses occasionally, and clubs allowing visitors makes that easy to achieve. The very few that don't allow this tend to be extremely expensive and exclusive.

Of course, there are restrictions. My own club will only allow visitors to play on weekdays or late in the day at the weekends (in the unlikely event they can get a tee-time on those days), and a lot of tee times are reserved for members-only.

Just a different tradition, I guess.

[Golfingdad]

Thanks for the explanation. I understand the distinction, but I'm not talking about "daily fee courses". Most clubs in the UK are private and owned by the membership, and in a position, if they wanted to, to restrict playing to only members and their guests. But very few don't accept visitors, largely because they want the income, but partly because it is mutually beneficial. Lots of people want to play a variety of courses occasionally, and clubs allowing visitors makes that easy to achieve. The very few that don't allow this tend to be extremely expensive and exclusive.

Of course, there are restrictions. My own club will only allow visitors to play on weekdays or late in the day at the weekends (in the unlikely event they can get a tee-time on those days), and a lot of tee times are reserved for members-only.

Just a different tradition, I guess.

Yeah, although there is a small similarity.  Several of the private courses here in the US have reciprocity agreements with other private courses.  So, while technically, they only allow their members and their members' guests to play usually, they also allow for members of other clubs to play for a fee.  However, most all of them (at least the courses referred to as "private" over here) do not allow public playing.

And to add to what @David in FL said ... my brother's club only allows individual guests to play up to 6 times per year.

[ay33660]

Thanks for the explanation. I understand the distinction, but I'm not talking about "daily fee courses". Most clubs in the UK are private and owned by the membership, and in a position, if they wanted to, to restrict playing to only members and their guests. But very few don't accept visitors, largely because they want the income, but partly because it is mutually beneficial. Lots of people want to play a variety of courses occasionally, and clubs allowing visitors makes that easy to achieve. The very few that don't allow this tend to be extremely expensive and exclusive.

Of course, there are restrictions. My own club will only allow visitors to play on weekdays or late in the day at the weekends (in the unlikely event they can get a tee-time on those days), and a lot of tee times are reserved for members-only.

Just a different tradition, I guess.

May I ask what the typical initiation fee would be for one of the private courses that you describe above?

Here in Canada the typical initiation fee would be $45,000 to $80,000 (my course is in the middle at $65,000) and would have monthly dues around $300 to $400 per month. On top there would various fees like locker fees, club storage, driving range, mandatory tips, pro shop services fees etc. I would say that including everything the monthly dues averages to $500.

We have guest restrictions based on days of the week (for example weekends are restricted to one guest per member) there are also hourly restrictions (there can only be a max of 10 guest spots per hour). Each guest is restricted to 1 round per month regardless of how many different members are inviting them.

There is no public play period. Our course has a number of reciprocal agreements with other private courses and reciprocal guest are treated just like a member (for example they can sign for food or pro shop items on account).

A lot of times the pro shop can arrange for playing privileges at another out of town private course even if there is no reciprocal agreement.

[Golfingdad]

May I ask what the typical initiation fee would be for one of the private courses that you describe above?

Here in Canada the typical initiation fee would be $45,000 to $80,000 (my course is in the middle at $65,000) and would have monthly dues around $300 to $400 per month. On top there would various fees like locker fees, club storage, driving range, mandatory tips, pro shop services fees etc. I would say that including everything the monthly dues averages to $500.

We have guest restrictions based on days of the week (for example weekends are restricted to one guest per member) there are also hourly restrictions (there can only be a max of 10 guest spots per hour). Each guest is restricted to 1 round per month regardless of how many different members are inviting them.

There is no public play period. Our course has a number of reciprocal agreements with other private courses and reciprocal guest are treated just like a member (for example they can sign for food or pro shop items on account).

A lot of times the pro shop can arrange for playing privileges at another out of town private course even if there is no reciprocal agreement.

Wow, that's pricey.  The handful around here that I inquired at (not the most exclusive, but nothing to shake a stick at) were all around the same price as each other, and the one I was most interested in joining was $13,000 initiation, $745 monthly, and $300 quarterly food and beverage minimum.  And that is also good for spouse and any kids living at home age 24 or under.

[chasm]

May I ask what the typical initiation fee would be for one of the private courses that you describe above?  Here in Canada the typical initiation fee would be $45,000 to $80,000 (my course is in the middle at $65,000) and would have monthly dues around $300 to $400 per month. On top there would various fees like locker fees, club storage, driving range, mandatory tips, pro shop services fees etc. I would say that including everything the monthly dues averages to $500.

Ouch. That's a hell of a lot of money. The entry fees over here vary considerably, from zero to many thousands of pounds at the more famous and exclusive clubs in densely-populated areas. In my part of the country there are a lot of clubs, few of whom are operating at full capacity. As a result almost all of them have waived their entry fees entirely in order to encourage new members to join, and that is the case in large parts of England outside the South East. So you can join my club for no money up front and £720 per year, with no additional monthly costs apart from locker hire, competition entries so on. And there are cheaper clubs in the region. As you can see, golf is relatively cheap over here. And the policy of allowing visitors to play is one reason for that. If we didn't collect the income from visitors who wanted to play the course, the fees would rise considerably - though not to anything like the levels you describe. Having said that, one must also bear in mind that most British clubs function at a more modest level, in terms of facilities, than the American private clubs. Fewer staff, smaller clubhouses, relatively low levels of expenditure apart from that required to keep the course in decent shape.

[tmac20]

May I ask what the typical initiation fee would be for one of the private courses that you describe above?  Here in Canada the typical initiation fee would be $45,000 to $80,000 (my course is in the middle at $65,000) and would have monthly dues around $300 to $400 per month. On top there would various fees like locker fees, club storage, driving range, mandatory tips, pro shop services fees etc. I would say that including everything the monthly dues averages to $500. We have guest restrictions based on days of the week (for example weekends are restricted to one guest per member) there are also hourly restrictions (there can only be a max of 10 guest spots per hour). Each guest is restricted to 1 round per month regardless of how many different members are inviting them. There is no public play period. Our course has a number of reciprocal agreements with other private courses and reciprocal guest are treated just like a member (for example they can sign for food or pro shop items on account). A lot of times the pro shop can arrange for playing privileges at another out of town private course even if there is no reciprocal agreement.

I don't know where you're playing but the typical initiation fees for private courses in the GTA are nowhere near $45000 to $80000. There are maybe only a select few (most of them being Clublink courses) near that range.

[Dave2512]

My parent's club is losing senior members. Last two times I was there they stopped along the course to chat with neighbors and both had quit the club. The politics of a private club can be nuts. At this club they are offering new members a full membership for $1000. The stipulation is if you stay for a year they waive the remainder of the $6000 due. However they just voted to raise the dues of the senior members because they use the course more. So now the senior members have a pending suit against the club. Meanwhile the new members that paid just 1K to join just voted to approve a 5 year 5K per year assessment to remodel the bar and grill. Which is nuts because the food at this place is hit and miss and usually marginal at best. The service is worse because the place is so dead they can't keep pros there so you get so it's staffed with fast food level workers. They haven't had a real chef there in at least 5 years. So you are on the hook to spend $400 a quarter there and the food sucks.

[Jim Ludden]

I've been a member of a club in Houston for four years since we moved here. My choice for joking a private club is to SAVE $. I couldn't afford to play a public course. Let me explain, I play daily and at least 36 twice a week ( over 300 rounds per year). Add in my wife who plays on the weekend and at least twice per week after work ( yes she still works). Add in cart fees daily and it would add up to way more than what I pay in dues per month around $820 including cart plan. So for me it's cheaper, 31/2 hour rounds, great practice facility, free range balls, not having to make tee times except Sat and Sun mornings and it all adds up to the perfect setup for us. The only thing missing is that I can't have my own private cart.

[Aguirre]

One good thing about private courses is that you avoid redneck jackasses like the ones I ran into on Sunday.

[ay33660]

I don't know where you're playing but the typical initiation fees for private courses in the GTA are nowhere near $45000 to $80000. There are maybe only a select few (most of them being Clublink courses) near that range.

My course is the Vancouver Golf Club and initiation is $65,000.

Capilano Golf and Country Club is $90,000 (wait list over 5 years)

Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club is $80,000 (or maybe more)

Marine Drive and Point Grey are around $75,000

Those are the top 5 clubs in Vancouver.

There has to be at least 5 or more clubs in the GTA with similar initiation fees.

[joekelly]

Wait list here 20 years.  Buy a membership on the open market US$ 3 million. Welcome to Hong Kong . And no guarantee you will avoid the 'jackasses'.

[tmac20]

My course is the Vancouver Golf Club and initiation is $65,000. Capilano Golf and Country Club is $90,000 (wait list over 5 years) Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club is $80,000 (or maybe more) Marine Drive and Point Grey are around $75,000 Those are the top 5 clubs in Vancouver. There has to be at least 5 or more clubs in the GTA with similar initiation fees.

The only one I can think of is St. George's Golf and CC, which is considered one of the best private courses in Canada. Initiation is $75,000. Also, I can't find the cost, but the National Golf Club and Glen Abbey is probably up there as well. But we have hundreds of private clubs around here and the average probably comes out to less than $20,000.

[ruascott]

Prices obviously vary greatly depending upon regions, and even within a region. There are clubs here with $40 to $50k initiations, but my club was waiving up until this year, and it's only $275/mo as an under forty member. The kicker is our course is a better track than the others, but not in the area of town that can command that kind of coin.

[EZPZ]

In my experience, the guys that join clubs want a kind of high class "Cheers" atmosphere. They're the good ol' boys with money where they can have a nice relaxing round of golf, have a few drinks, not worry about their pace of play too much, and be with like-minded individuals. Nothing wrong with that at all, but its a different take on the game. I would like to play country club courses and maybe have a round or two with that atmosphere, but not on a regular basis.

[dzclarkcpa]

In my experience, the guys that join clubs want a kind of high class "Cheers" atmosphere. They're the good ol' boys with money where they can have a nice relaxing round of golf, have a few drinks, not worry about their pace of play too much, and be with like-minded individuals. Nothing wrong with that at all, but its a different take on the game. I would like to play country club courses and maybe have a round or two with that atmosphere, but not on a regular basis.

Come play with me. I promise there is nothing "high class" about our club, nor any club I have ever been a member of.

This is a common misconception, but I don't dispute there are some clubs that operate and have that membership. The best part, every club I have ever been a member of consisted of people exactly like me.

[newtogolf]

In my experience, the guys that join clubs want a kind of high class "Cheers" atmosphere. They're the good ol' boys with money where they can have a nice relaxing round of golf, have a few drinks, not worry about their pace of play too much, and be with like-minded individuals. Nothing wrong with that at all, but its a different take on the game. I would like to play country club courses and maybe have a round or two with that atmosphere, but not on a regular basis.

You're wrong about pace of play.  Private club golfers don't like waiting any more than muni golfers, only difference is our club can enforce POP.  During busy times on the course, the starter records everyone's start and end time.  All members of the first group that finishes in over four hours is given a warning.  At the discretion of the club, subsequent warnings can result in temporary suspensions in week increments.

[EZPZ]

I guess i'm pretty ignorant as to club golf. Just seems like the guys i meet who are members fit the mold i laid out pretty well. I'm sure i'd be proven wrong by several.

[tmac20]

I'm cancelling my current membership. They took in way too many members this year - we now have over 700, which is ridiculous for a private club. They might as well make it public. :censored: Joining another course that has a limited number of members; only 400 are allowed to join and they are currently looking for members. The only way to get in is through sponsorship by another member that has been there for 10+ years. Luckily, I'm acquainted with the GM of the club, and he's letting me join without sponsorship! In two days I will officially be a member of one of the top 100 courses in Canada! :dance: