A choice of memberships available to me - what do you reckon?

[splashtryagain]

I am looking to join a new club over the next two months ready for the new season. I, as I see it have 3 choices:
1) 9 hole club 1 mile from my house, always empty cheap subs <300 but not very good quality wise.
2) Hexham golf club - lovely course in good condition year round (20 mins from house - £700 a year).
3) slayley hall - top 100 course with the benefit of 36 holes and practice facilities - 1000 a year (30 mins from house)

What would you do in this situation, all are easily travelled and can be reached equally easily after work. I have played Hexham and my local club and am awaiting confirmation from the membership secretary at slayley for a round next week. Would any of you entertain the cheap option?

 

[Beezerk]

Tough one, I hate playing on my own so the one with most comps would be my choice. Hexham is lovely, ain't played Slaley but isn't it a bit of a resort course so filled with visitors?
Obviously an invite is one the cards either way &#128521;

 

[Qwerty]

I think I'd get bored of 1 & 3 pretty sharpish, I'd want to know what the comp schedule was like at Slaley Hall, Are hotel guests going to be Clogging the courses up at weekends.

Hexham Looks a nice members club, if its a long term decision then I'd be playing safe and going there.

 

[Wayman]

What 9 hole course is near you. Personally could try Tyneside prudhoe or ryton

 

[splashtryagain]

It's Allendale that's near to me.
Prudhoe and beyond are a complete unknown to me!

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Knowing all 3, we spoke at Cleveland, I'd go with Hexham. You are too long and good for the 9 hole option. I think you'd be bored with it.

I really like Slaley, the Hunting, but my worry would be the number of corporates and visitors. Do they flood the course and turn it into a 5 hour nightmare each time you go out? Bar is also pricey. Have you spoken to a member at slaley? It would be good to hear their thoughts on how full and slow the course gets. If that is not a problem then you have a real decision to make.

Hexham is a good all round club, old school. A very nice place to be. If you do join then please tell them to widen the fairways and cut the rough just a smidge shorter&#128513;. It would be an even better course then.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

What 9 hole course is near you. Personally could try Tyneside prudhoe or ryton

If looking at those then throw Stocksfield in as well. The Tyne Valley is well blessed with golf clubs.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

No idea of the courses in question, but a nine holer would bore me rigid. I like the idea of option 3 especially with the practice facilities but if you can't get on at a time to suit it's not worth the effort. Play at 2 and see what occurs

 

[moogie]

I'd probably opt for Hexham
Purely because it's more of a traditional golf club
Very nice course too

But being that close to slaley hall, could be tempting
Really enjoy the priestman
The current deal is very good too, free coffee/tea, free soft drinks, with the slaley country club membership
Aswell as various other offers and vouchers including a free overnight stay
Represents great value
I just received an email the other week after making an enquiry myself

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I was a member at Slaley for 2 years when I first moved up here, as a member it wasn't too bad because of the choice of 2 courses (if you can be flexible when you can play)
My issue was how wet it was in winter, it's built on clay and was drenched, I gave it the second year in case we'd had a bad winter and that was the reason, unfortunately it was still bad in the mild winter.
Beautiful in the summer and quiet in the evenings, would happily play their again but only in the summer as a visitor.

Close House is £160.00 a month and very much a members club, if you can play enough to get your monies worth😃

 

[Parsaregood]

I am looking to join a new club over the next two months ready for the new season. I, as I see it have 3 choices:
1) 9 hole club 1 mile from my house, always empty cheap subs <300 but not very good quality wise.
2) Hexham golf club - lovely course in good condition year round (20 mins from house - £700 a year).
3) slayley hall - top 100 course with the benefit of 36 holes and practice facilities - 1000 a year (30 mins from house)

What would you do in this situation, all are easily travelled and can be reached equally easily after work. I have played Hexham and my local club and am awaiting confirmation from the membership secretary at slayley for a round next week. Would any of you entertain the cheap option?

Personally I would join the 9 hole and Slaley Hall, that way you can play an hour at night if you feel like it or when you have a little more time go down to the club and get a bit of practice in, play in medals or whatever. I'd just use the 9 holes as a practice facility basically

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Paul, I'm surprised you see close house as a member's course. Is it not a corporate club or is that just midweek? Is it more members based at the weekend?

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Paul, I'm surprised you see close house as a member's course. Is it not a corporate club or is that just midweek? Is it more members based at the weekend?

The owner has done his utmost to try and make it a members club, they've entered teams in all the local comps and have members comps 3-4 weekends a month, with 2 courses he's probably in a good position to offer both and they guarantee to members 1 of the courses will always be available to them.

 

[moogie]

I was a member at Slaley for 2 years when I first moved up here, as a member it wasn't too bad because of the choice of 2 courses (if you can be flexible when you can play)
My issue was how wet it was in winter, it's built on clay and was drenched, I gave it the second year in case we'd had a bad winter and that was the reason, unfortunately it was still bad in the mild winter.
Beautiful in the summer and quiet in the evenings, would happily play their again but only in the summer as a visitor.

Close House is £160.00 a month and very much a members club, if you can play enough to get your monies worth😃

I'd agree with most of the above
Slaley isn't the best draining course around, but having said that, they've done a lot of work last few years to try and address this, not played it in winter since, so can't say if it's made a difference or not

I will say this though
I believe the front 9 on the hunting course is as good a group of holes as any in our area
Also, I could happily play the priestman every week, the 2nd course as they say

As for close house
IMHO , the slaley hall courses are far better than close house
The close house courses are always better condition
But I think you're a bit off on the membership prices
Last I heard was it's nearer £2,500

http://www.thejournal.co.uk/sport/other-sport/golf/membership-close-house-highly-prized-4422756

This is an old article, so don't see it only being £160 per month now, £1920 year
It's defo over £2k
They stopped advertising their membership fees on the website over a year ago now, so more difficult to get figure

 

[moogie]

The owner has done his utmost to try and make it a members club, they've entered teams in all the local comps and have members comps 3-4 weekends a month, with 2 courses he's probably in a good position to offer both and they guarantee to members 1 of the courses will always be available to them.

It's still a corporate venue
Especially throughout the summer
It's most defenitely not a normal type members golf club
Yes they've a team and have comps
But hardly any working class fellas play there
Footballers and businessmen that use the place to network and exchange business cards

The 2's sweep is a fiver....

Some club comps I've known to be £20-40 entry
Hardly a normal golf club

 

[Beezerk]

As already said, Tyneside is lovely as another option. I'd join myself if I didn't enjoy beating Snell every weekend &#128516;

 

[moogie]

As already said, Tyneside is lovely as another option. I'd join myself if I didn't enjoy beating Snell every weekend &#128516;

Yes
But if he's only 1 mile from allendale
It makes it a hell of a hike to Ryton village....!!

If you lived up that way, I doubt you'd drive past Hexham or Slaley hall to join anywhere else further afield

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I believe the fees at close house are plus vat which would explain the difference. May be wrong.

I'd agree with Moogie that the Hunting, I'd go the whole course, is better than anything at close house. The conditioning of close house is first class though and the overall experience there is top notch. My limited experience of CH is that it is a rich man's club and the costs of everything there reflects that. If you are going to play with the big boys there then you need to be able to live with that.

 

[Wayman]

As already said, Tyneside is lovely as another option. I'd join myself if I didn't enjoy beating Snell every weekend &#128516;

I've not played all 18 at Tyneside before. But heard it's a Good course
Playing there few weeks time with moogie

 

[Beezerk]

Yes
But if he's only 1 mile from allendale
It makes it a hell of a hike to Ryton village....!!

If you lived up that way, I doubt you'd drive past Hexham or Slaley hall to join anywhere else further afield

Yeah I'd be all over Hexham if I was him, but he used to be a member there so there's obviously something holding the big lad back.