Wineguy

I've played at Elmwood. It is a very nice course. Some funkiness due to the powerlines that run through the course (and actually come into play a couple times) but well conditoned. The clubhouse and patio are nice also. I also had the chance to play Westchester Hills and Fenway this year. both very nice, but Fenway may be the finest course I've ever played. Of course whereas joining Westchester Hills or Elmwood will set you back $16k, Fenway is more like $100k initiation likely and $20k/yr. Extremely private with few outings for groups as opposed to other clubs. I would love to join a private club at some point but as the only golfer in the family (and nobody plays tennis nor wants too) the cost is hard to justify. Perhaps in a few years.

I just heard that the town of Eastchester voted on funding to redo the bunkers at Lake Isle. So hopefully by this time next year we will see some fluffy sand in those traps. The town also has redone catering/food service and is looking a eventually adding an indoor pool for year round swimming. Looks like this town has realized that if you invest money into good facilities you can attract more people an and make money.

Sometimes I feel like the golf gods are working against me. twice I have been in a position to hit my main goal of shooting in the mid-90's only to have something interupt my game. Last September the storm siren went off on the 14th hole. I was then stricken with a herniated disc and pinched nerve which killed the rest of the season for me. This year I am back and once again the other day I was playing great and the wife calls -- I have to leave right away to pick-up the kids. Ugh. When I play terrible I have all the time in the world, but on those occasions I actually play well..BAM! I've been trying to play 1-2 times every week, but between the drenching rain, cold and wind it's been tough to get out there consistently.

Update on lake Isle. The people who own Mulino's took over all food service, catering, etc. They have an expanded concession stand by the pool/10th hole. they are adding a call ahead food ordering system by the 9th hole and a concession cart to drive around (cart girls!). Honestly, this is something that was lacking. Something else they are planning on is beer and wine, which along with the nice patio area around the golf clubhouse/pro shop, would allow for at least a sit-down after round drink. Not quite a real full service bar, but a huge jump forward. I am a bit concerned on their pricing though. I got a small (i repeat, small!) milky way candy bar at the turn and they charged me $2. What are they going to charge for lunch?!!!! They have a full catering/restaurant facility here on the other side of the parking lot. Curious to see if they try to expand the food and bar service for the membership. Right now it is mainly a catering hall for weddings, proms, corporate events, etc. The course is greening up nicely. In a month once we have more warm weather the conditions should be superb. I thought I would get bored of this course, but they do a great job of moving around the tee box and flag locations to keep things interesting. I'm in my 3rd year playing there (2 as a member) and I still enjoy every round. Sure you start to know where all the trouble spots are and how to hit on certain holes, but it makes working out your kinks much easier. Plus the membership is nice and not all great shot makers. You can play with almost anybody and have a good time without feeling like you are holding them up (or visa versa). I would love to see them fix some of the sand issues in the bunkers. They look a bit better this year, but some still need new sand and others could use a good sifting out of stones at the minimum. But I guss there is an incentive to stay out of the bunkers..

I've been working hard on getting my drives straight since last year. I had a bad slice with my driver, but using a 3 or 5 wood I hit much better. For most of last season I stopped using my driver altogether. This year so far my drives are much straighter and longer (I have been working out and stretching much more which helps overall). I even started pulling out the driver again and found that is going much better as well. Now I am starting to work on my iron shots. I am 50/50 with good, solid shots and bad mishits (top it, hit ground too early-- my main issue , bad accuracy, etc.). My biggest issue of course is consistency. Putting is last on my list to work on seriously. Where I play they aerated the greens early and are working to make them very fast. Due to the uneven surface from the aeration/sand it's been tough judging distance, speed and direction. Now as the greens are filling in they are moving so fast I need to adjust for that after being used to much slower greens previously. I guess it's one step at a time. Putting is the least of my worries right now as getting to the green and accuracy is on the top of my priority list. Putting doesn't mean much if it takes 4+ shots to get on the green in the first place. I am shooting in the low 100's now and want to be consistently in the mid-high 90's this year. Then PGA tour the year after -- hey it's good to have a goal.

Never played there but heard it's pretty nice. Price is right for a private club. The issue for me is that I am around White Plains and traveling up to Cortlandt Manor is a hike for me when I want to run out and play few holes or a quick round during the day and get back to work. If I were up north more it's a good option though. Enjoy!

I have a weekday-only membership for Lake Isle since I don't get much chance to play weekends.. My friend plays on weekends also. I almost never make a tee time. Depending on the weather and time you can usually get right on or wait 10 minutes and get on with a threesome. Weekends gets busier but terrible. We walk the course and normally play right around 4 hours on a weekday. Rarely are we stuck behind someone, but it does happen on beautiful Friday afternoons. Members are members no matter whether you are a resident or not. Non resident memberships cost more but are still the least expensive memberships around. With all that said, it is a semi-private municipal-owned course. It is better than the county courses but isn't a private country club either. There are some quirks. The sand traps need re-doing. the sand is full of stones and hard as a rock. The course has some very picturesque areas but does wrap around the back of a shopping center on a few holes. Very little water comes into play. Just a few streams and some water on 17. I wasn't a huge fan of the course a few years ago, but after playing a few seasons there have really grown to appreciate it. It's a short course but that makes it quick to walk. It used to be a private club until the town took it over in the 70's. It was designed by Devereux Emmet, so a real classic course. plays around 6000 yards. Private clubs have fresh fruit, bottled water and snacks scattered on the course..Lake Isle has some water fountains..bu they are cold..:). They do have temporary holes set-up for the winter so on clear days you can go out and play a few holes. That's nice for a municipal. You can also play there on Golf Now without a membership, so that can be a way to try it out. Actually is pretty cheap to play that way (cheaper than a membership if you play less than 30 times I think), but of course you give up the ability to hop on after work and hit a few holes if you want. In fact the golfnow people with the carts hold you up more than the regular members do...lol If you have a family or are looking for other amenities, Lake Isle also has a huge pool facility and tennis. For everything for the whole family it costs around $4800/yr...no caddies, no tips, no food minimums. There is a nice locker room and bag storage if you want for a slight fee. there isn't really a restaurant or bar (other than the pool concession that doubles as "The Turn" at hole 10) so no 19th hole...:( You can go onto their web site for more info and download the non-resident application which has all prices on it. http://www.lakeislecountryclub.com. Official opening day is supposed to be April 1st, but that depends on the conditions. With all the snow there are still some shaded areas snow covered.

As I mentioned I am a member at Lake Isle, so not looking at switching right now. However, I am always curious as to the deals out there since the economy turned a few years ago. What used to be tens of thousands in initiation fees has dropped dramatically. So one day I might look to upgrade. Also, there are other threads where people have discussed the costs of private clubs. Given the extreme differences in costs throughout the U.S. it is good to see local costs here that tend to be much higher than say Ohio, North Dakota, etc. My biggest issue with paying for a private club is they charge you for everything including food minimums all year. Even though the pool is open for only 3 months and golf is shut down for the winter. Some clubs close altogether for January and February. So it is hard to justify the expense when my wife and kids don't play golf or tennis and would use the pool for a few times a year. I would play golf, but it'll work out to $200+ a round with all the caddy fees, tips, food minimums and monthly dues. Not to mention the assessments. Alot of people get stuck in a membership because the club doesn't let you leave until a replacement has been found. Make sure you know the exit policy. Let us know what you end up doing.

St. Andrews is supposed to be great and one of the oldest (if not THE oldest) courses in the U.S.. I have not played that yet. Depending on where you are located also look at Metropolis, Elmwood (although they have some wierd powerline issues with their course) and Knollwood. Paramount across the bridge in Rockland is supposed to be nice and a good deal for a full service country club as well but it is across the bridge so that in itself is a major turnoff to me. The county courses are pretty nice -- as long as you like playing 5 hour rounds or getting up at 5AM to play on Saturdays...LOL good luck

Post any details you get from places you look including approx costs. I think alot of us are curious how different places compare, and getting actual rates can be difficult without jumping though hoops.

The best deal in Westchester is Lake Isle in Eastchester. If you aren't a resident of Eastchester or Tuckahoe you pay the non-resident rate of around $2500 for weekday play or $3400 for 7-day pass for the year, but that gives you unlimited play. The course is walkable (in fact I have never used a cart there). After 3PM there is no fee, but you do pay a small walking fee ($7 or so) before 3PM. The course is in great shape after a new grounds crew was hired a few years ago. It is a short course at only 6000 yards, but very nice and one of the best deals around. If you are looking for a higher end private club then places like Westchester Hills in White Plains offers no initiation and will cost around $15,000/yr including the food/pro-shop minimums. you still have caddy fees, tips, etc. Overall a good deal since alot of clubs are still charging some sort of initiation fee.

I never had sciatic pain before, that is until around 3 weeks ago when I started to feel this pain..like a stitch in my side shooting through my lower back into my butt. It got so bad so quick I had to walk (limp) off the course. It got worse over the next few days. Saw a Chiropractor. He worked on me and even ended up sending me to my regular doctor because the inflammation was so bad I needed steroids. I also got a muscle relaxer and prescription version of Alieve. The steroids did help bu the pain meds didn't seem to help much. The muscle relaxer did help with some muscle twitches in my legs and while it didn't fix the pain did help me sleep. Since then it got better, then i played golf a week ago and it came roaring right back. I have been back to the chiropractor and had acupuncture. Both work temporarily but then the pain is back a few hours later. My biggest issue is sleeping. I can't get comfortable in any position and if I do I wake up in the middle of the night with an aching feeling in my butt, thigh and a throbbing pain in my knee. Slowly it seems to be getting better, but with golf season coming to an end in the next 6 weeks or so I want to get back out there ASAP!!! But now I am scared that even if it gets better it will come right back. Ugh. The inversion chairs always intrigued me. I might give that a shot. I could see how it would alleviate pressure on the spine. Great thread.

In some cases yes, but most semi-privates probably won't let non-members just walk in on their own and play. Usually you either have to be with a member or sign-up online through their web site or Golf Now for the available slots they have. Typically, the ones I've seen are run more like private clubs with alot more members and less frills. There are also public courses that sell memberships for unlimited play but I don't consider these semi-private as they also are open to anyone who walks in.

Sometimes a "muni" can also be a semi-private. Eastchester, NY is an example. The town took over a defunct private club back in the 70's and turned it into a town-owned semi-private country club. The idea is that you have to join as a member to use all the facilities, but at substantially reduced rates compared to a private club. For example town residents get to join the entire country club with golf, tennis and pool for around $2800/yr for a family. Any resident is eligible..no initiation fee. Just have to prove residency. The club also allows a limited number of non-resident members at higher rates (which is still alot less than private). A private club around here would cost around $12k+ per year plus an initiation fee and caddy fees, assessments, etc. To fill in unused tee times the club also allows non-members to play at certain times as well. But only members can use the pool or tennis. Conditions at the semi-private are much better than county owned courses or daily fee courses but not as pristine as private clubs. The best part is being able to play 2-3 holes after work without a separate fee as a member or consistent 4-hour rounds walking. Never really crowded, but not empty like private clubs with only 300 members. Also no caddies, cart girls or cold towels. You do get a few water fountains scattered around and the compny of some really nice people who tend to be much friendlier caus they are members and know they will see each other all the time. It's a great way to save money and enjoy alot of the benefits of a private club without the expense. Maybe use it as a stepping stone to a private club down the road.