Should I Join A Club / What's Reasonable Price

[Dave2512]

There are deals out there. I had an opportunity to join a club this year for just the cost of the membership transfer, which was exactly 1K. From there it was just monthly dues. There are lots of people trying to sell memberships now due to the economy. Obviously it varies club to club but there are definitely deals to be made. I would have been all over it if I could have found a way to make it work logistically but I live 30-40 minutes from the club. Because they shut the practice facility down at 6PM and getting on late after work was near impossible with the travel time I couldn't justify playing only weekends for the dues. Which were affordable at $636 p/mo, $200 of which was required to be spent in the restaurant. Bascially use it or lose it money. Another kicker was the uncertainty of the economy going forward. I didn't want to be the next guy begging someone to buy me out of my contract.

[Dave2512]

PM from Elite Tee?

[WUTiger]

Some things to consider:

• Is there an initiation fee? In our area, several of the mid-range clubs have cut their "join" or equity fee from $8,000 or so down to $2,000.
• Is there a dining room minimum? Some clubs tag your family for $200 a quarter whether you eat meals there or not. If you use it a lot, no big deal. Post-round his and hers lunches will cover that quickly.
• Is there a per-round charge for riding golf carts?

One of the big things is whether you get an equity (own stock) or a non-equity membership. Many of the nicer courses in our area were built as part of a housing development back in the 1990s. But, they had gone the semiprivate route as sales lagged around 2002 or so, even before current recession. Too many people chasing the same overbuilt business model. They've really struggled the past three years.

These were, as Amazing W noted, golf clubs. Since the developers assumed that 90% of the players would live in the neighborhood and could go home after the round, there's a small changing area with about a dozen cramped lockers but no showers. So, it's not like you can play nine in the morning and then get cleaned up before heading into a noon business meeting. These clubs also have snack bars, but not dining restaurants.

These clubs offer a yearly family membership for $2,500 to $3,500 - includes rounds of golf with cart, and range balls. You have to plan ahead or have a flexible personal schedule, because these places host lots of organizational tournaments during the warm months, and the course can be tied up 3 days a week with outsiders.

A local equity-based club - after initiation fee - would run about $8,000 a year, but it might be worth it for the amenities. It's very family friendly, and the course is much more playable for women than the other two I mentioned above.

[ApocG10]

For me, joining was a no brainer. Im a member at 2 clubs (3 courses in all), and I pay 2900yr for both unlimited tee times and carts, for both my wife and I.  Though the course with the single 18 does not include carts, because my dad, bro, and I have our own 4 man cart there that we bought him for fathers day last year.

[golfturf]

Nice being a student.  I pay 350 for unlimited golf and cart for the semester at a course that is much better than the average municipal.