# Membership of top clubs



## Jaco (Nov 30, 2017)

When I look at websites of top clubs such as Royal Lytham or Birkdale, I'm amazed that 18 holes of golf cost Â£200 plus, and I wondered how people get to join these clubs and what it costs them. A lot I'm guessing? Be interesting to hear from anyone who has experience of these places and their rules and traditions.


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## MendieGK (Nov 30, 2017)

I donâ€™t think itâ€™s ever as much as youâ€™d think. Itâ€™s just the lack of memberships available. 

To give context - burnham and Berrow memberships is Â£1100 a year. They are about to start charging Â£115 a round for visitors.


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## HomerJSimpson (Nov 30, 2017)

Many top courses are actually relatively cheap in terms of annual fees but their selection process and the number of spaces available makes it very difficult form most to get into


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## andycap (Nov 30, 2017)

green fees for non members are not based on what it is worth to play that course , it is based on how many people they want . A  lot of coures would rather have 50 people paying Â£100  than 100 people paying Â£50 . the members get annoyed if the course is always busy when they turn up , so the courses are getting the same income without the  course congestion


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## KenL (Nov 30, 2017)

Yes, membership of "top" member owned courses is not much.

I believe Muirfield is about Â£1200. No doubt next to impossible to get in without being a squadron leader, advocate or Tory MP with a hyphenated surname!

Renaissance, next door is about Â£75k for a debenture and Â£6k per year.


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## Hobbit (Nov 30, 2017)

Cruden Bay is about Â£600, with a joining about the same. 27 holes at a top 100 UK course.


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## SaintHacker (Nov 30, 2017)

Don't know how true this is but I was told that Royal St Georges doesn't have a membership fee as such, but the costs of running the club are totalled up at the end of the year then split between members equally. In a year where they host a big event and make a decent profit the members recieve a cheque back. No idea how you become a member though and I guess there is a fairly substantial joining fee.


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## Liverbirdie (Nov 30, 2017)

Its probably also a geographical, and population density thing.

NW clubs such as Wallasey, S and A, Hillside's green fees are only round Â£1,100 to Â£ 1,300. Joining fees will be 2k plus.

Silloth will be different and probably a lot cheaper. Surrey clubs will be massive, I would have thought, and you will have to be the right "chap".


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## TreeSeeker (Dec 1, 2017)

SaintHacker said:



			Don't know how true this is but I was told that Royal St Georges doesn't have a membership fee as such, but the costs of running the club are totalled up at the end of the year then split between members equally. In a year where they host a big event and make a decent profit the members recieve a cheque back. No idea how you become a member though and I guess there is a fairly substantial joining fee.
		
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I'd rather have a membership fee! might have to have some pretty deep pockets if its a slow year.


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## shortgame (Dec 1, 2017)

SaintHacker said:



			Don't know how true this is but I was told that Royal St Georges doesn't have a membership fee as such, but the costs of running the club are totalled up at the end of the year then split between members equally. In a year where they host a big event and make a decent profit the members recieve a cheque back. No idea how you become a member though and I guess there is a fairly substantial joining fee.
		
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Not sure about RSG but I believe Little Aston and Blackwell do this (probably the most exclusive clubs in the W.Mids)

Guess if prospective have to ask 'how much' then they can't afford it


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## backwoodsman (Dec 1, 2017)

Played at Prestwick earlier this year & fell in love with the place. Talking with the starter made me realise that membership was ludicrously cheap for a course of that stature ( although now can't remember the actual price) but that even if god himself signed my application, there was little chance of me getting in this side of armaggedon.


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## KenL (Dec 1, 2017)

SaintHacker said:



			Don't know how true this is but I was told that Royal St Georges doesn't have a membership fee as such, but the costs of running the club are totalled up at the end of the year then split between members equally. In a year where they host a big event and make a decent profit the members recieve a cheque back. No idea how you become a member though and I guess there is a fairly substantial joining fee.
		
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That's the story that goes around here about Muirfield but it is not true.  I spoke to a senior member in August.  Â£1200 for full fees and Â£800 for seniors.


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## User2021 (Dec 1, 2017)

I was told recently Walton Heath was a Â£10k joining fee plus the yearly subs, never asked what they were.
And as mentioned above you would need to be the right sort of chap.


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## Yant (Dec 1, 2017)

You would need to be invited to be a member of most of the top clubs.  You can't just submit an application.  Doesn't work like that.


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## Yant (Dec 1, 2017)

KenL said:



			That's the story that goes around here about Muirfield but it is not true.  I spoke to a senior member in August.  Â£1200 for full fees and Â£800 for seniors.
		
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I think that story was in reference to Swinley Forest, which never used to be open to the public.  At all.


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## richart (Dec 1, 2017)

jobr1850 said:



			And as mentioned above you would need to be the right sort of chap.
		
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 Not sure you are right there, as a forumer has been offered membership.


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## Canary_Yellow (Dec 1, 2017)

SaintHacker said:



			Don't know how true this is but I was told that Royal St Georges doesn't have a membership fee as such, but the costs of running the club are totalled up at the end of the year then split between members equally. In a year where they host a big event and make a decent profit the members recieve a cheque back. No idea how you become a member though and I guess there is a fairly substantial joining fee.
		
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I donâ€™t think that is true. One of my neighbours is a member and he isnâ€™t a wealthy chap. He joined as a child and kept his membership up, I think his dad was a member too. 

Iâ€™ve never asked him what the subs are, but Iâ€™m confident he pays subs rather than picking up a share of costs.

This is a rumour Iâ€™ve heard about other clubs too (New Zealand being one). Itâ€™s probably not true of any as it would make managing cash flow cumbersome. I could believe paying a low sub on the proviso that any deficit would be split between members maybe.


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## User2021 (Dec 1, 2017)

richart said:



			Not sure you are right there, as a forumer has been offered membership.

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clearly a very nice forum member

And one with deep pockets &#128514;


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## TheDiablo (Dec 1, 2017)

Canary_Yellow said:



			I donâ€™t think that is true. One of my neighbours is a member and he isnâ€™t a wealthy chap. He joined as a child and kept his membership up, I think his dad was a member too. 

Iâ€™ve never asked him what the subs are, but Iâ€™m confident he pays subs rather than picking up a share of costs.

This is a rumour Iâ€™ve heard about other clubs too (New Zealand being one). Itâ€™s probably not true of any as it would make managing cash flow cumbersome. I could believe paying a low sub on the proviso that any deficit would be split between members maybe.
		
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I heard the rumour about New Zealand too, but it's not true. Â£1800 a year there, not sure what joining fee is. Before it held a lot of society golfers, members would chip in for any investment needed in the course but thats a while back now from what I heard. Guy who fixed my boiler turned out to be captain of the artisan section and filled me in about it all, pretty interesting actually.  The one rumour that is true is that you do have to live further than 20 miles away from the course. Most of their members have it as a second course, and you certainly have to be the right sort to get in.


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## Deleted member 18588 (Dec 1, 2017)

Nor is it true at Little Aston as I was invited to apply for membership. 

Decided that I didn't want to change Club at my age and after 30+ years .

Very tempted 'though.


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## Swingalot (Dec 1, 2017)

richart said:



			Not sure you are right there, as a forumer has been offered membership.

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Thats the venue for H4H 2019 sorted then Rich, cheers


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## Swingalot (Dec 1, 2017)

Yant said:



			You would need to be invited to be a member of most of the top clubs.  You can't just submit an application.  Doesn't work like that.
		
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Yep I tried to join RCP when I moved down into Kent. Fair to say a few hurdles put up in my way. I know now I should have dug out my salmon cords and my paisley cravat before trying.


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## Hobbit (Dec 1, 2017)

richart said:



			Not sure you are right there, as a forumer has been offered membership.

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They've obviously not seen his swing, maybe just his cha-cha-char


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## richart (Dec 1, 2017)

Hobbit said:



			They've obviously not seen his swing, maybe just his cha-cha-char
		
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 He is a lovely mover.:thup:


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## Deleted Member 1156 (Dec 1, 2017)

If you go about it the right way, membership is an option at a surprisingly high number of top clubs. OK, it may not be cheap or quick but you can get in.

I read not so long ago that around 75% of the top 100 currently have either vacancies or short waiting lists.


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## Deleted member 16999 (Dec 1, 2017)

Some of the most exclusive are not even top courses :thup:


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## CliveW (Dec 1, 2017)

KenL said:



			That's the story that goes around here about Muirfield but it is not true.  I spoke to a senior member in August.  Â£1200 for full fees and Â£800 for seniors.
		
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How much for ladies?   :lol:


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## patricks148 (Dec 1, 2017)

Nairn isn't what you would call exclusive,but we are in the top 50 course s in the UK.  you need to be introduced my two members who have been there some time. We do have a 2 year waiting list as well. its Â£830 for full membership that includes locker and bar tab, but there is also that as a joining fee

Royal, Dornoch is two years on the Struy course be for acceptance to full membership plus joining fee which is about double the membership fee of Â£450 i think.

Ive  mate that's just got in Western Gailes and that took some doing i think.

Skibo is quite exclusive Â£10k a year but they are mostly overseas and if you expect to use it often i think its more.


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## Deleted member 3432 (Dec 1, 2017)

Liverbirdie said:



			Its probably also a geographical, and population density thing.

NW clubs such as Wallasey, S and A, Hillside's green fees are only round Â£1,100 to Â£ 1,300. Joining fees will be 2k plus.

Silloth will be different and probably a lot cheaper. Surrey clubs will be massive, I would have thought, and you will have to be the right "chap".
		
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Silloth membership has gone up to the lofty heights of Â£500.


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## Jaco (Dec 1, 2017)

saving_par said:



			Silloth membership has gone up to the lofty heights of Â£500.
		
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Yeah, to be more accurate, when I said top clubs what I really meant was 'most well known'. Open rota courses really.


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## Pathetic Shark (Dec 2, 2017)

What's the joining fee for Lydd these days?


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## xreyuk (Dec 2, 2017)

Hillside next to Royal Birkdale is Â£155 a day, and membership is around Â£2500 joining fee, Â£2200 a year.


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## Liverbirdie (Dec 2, 2017)

xreyuk said:



			Hillside next to Royal Birkdale is Â£155 a day, and membership is around Â£2500 joining fee, Â£2200 a year.
		
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I thought it was only around Â£1,250 a year?


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## Crazyface (Dec 2, 2017)

xreyuk said:



			Hillside next to Royal Birkdale is Â£155 a day, and membership is around Â£2500 joining fee, Â£2200 a year.
		
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Who would pay that for Hillside?


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## AMcC (Dec 2, 2017)

patricks148 said:



			Ive  mate that's just got in Western Gailes and that took some doing i think.
		
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I heard they were looking for members over the last couple of years.  It's is essentially a Glasgow club and there is a %of Glasgow members to others.  I had looked in to it , was it 10 letters of support as well as a proposer and seconder ?


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## patricks148 (Dec 2, 2017)

AMcC said:



			I heard they were looking for members over the last couple of years.  It's is essentially a Glasgow club and there is a %of Glasgow members to others.  I had looked in to it , was it 10 letters of support as well as a proposer and seconder ?
		
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yes and i think they proposers are limited to how many people they are allowed to put forward. last time i played there one of the guys was trying to get one of the other to propose someone for him and said he couldn't as he was saving is propose for his son in law.

as for looking for new members, unless you can provide those you can;t get in. one of the guys i play with's brother in law has emailed 3 times trying to apply. he doesn't have enough people to have the 2 and 10 and the club hasn't replied to any of his emails


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## AMcC (Dec 2, 2017)

patricks148 said:



			as for looking for new members, unless you can provide those you can;t get in. one of the guys i play with's brother in law has emailed 3 times trying to apply. he doesn't have enough people to have the 2 and 10 and the club hasn't replied to any of his emails
		
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Yes, they are not that desperate.  Sounds like they are trying to tell him something


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