Benefits of being a member?

Coreservers

Coreservers

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May 12, 2021
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Im struggling a bit to see the benefits of being a fully paid up member at the moment.
1:- you just cant get a round booked, the online system if either fully booked with 3s and 4's, or a non member society has booked 15-20 tee times, or its a midweek stableford. So when i know i can get time off work, I look to book, but its booked right up to the maximum advance time.

2:- online allows you to book the par 3. and it usually looks fairly empty, but then you get there, and 3-4 holes are being used by the academy. im all for people learning, but surely the system should book tee times to cover the academy, so you dont waste a 20 minute drive and then can only play half the holes.

I guess it was better when membership allowed you to turn up and play, but in these days of having to book online. i just dont see the benefit.
 
I suppose it depends on your club and your avaliability

My club operates booking for members 2 weeks in advance. Non members can book 7 days in advance. So members essentially get a 7 day priority window for tees over the general public. It is not often I see guests/ visitors playing at "peak times" as members get in early.

As to actually getting your ideal times - well thats a race im afraid! Our bookings open at 8am every day, so commonly on a Sunday morning by 9am the tee for in two weeks is booked up 7-10am - you just have to be quick.

If you golf a lot like me, midweek evenings are often easy to find gaps in, even at short notice - but peak tee times are tougher to come by.

The benefits of a membership for me far outweigh non-membership but I pay very low fees in comparison to many on here. Simple maths but 2 rounds in a month and my membership is paid for - I do that in a week most weeks! Throw in the additional benefits of comps (peak tee times on a Saturday and Wednesday - plus Tuesday if youre a senior), a handicap and club discounts - membership is a steal and by far the better way of doing things at my course!
 
Benefits of club membership?
i can play as many times as I like any day of the week(if I wasn’t working;) ), no booking required just turn up and go when free which during most of the week is most of the day.
 
Club membership is always about finding the right club for you and that works for your playing patterns/style.

whether thats playing in comp, groups, full access to tee times, when the course is quiet, you like committees, no segregation in comps or tee times(whether based on sex or age) and so on.

Generally there is a club out there for everyone, just need to find the ones that fit your requirements. Takes a bit of searching sometimes....

Best of luck.
 
Reason i dont add myself to a 3, is confidence. and i dont know anyone else that plays. Im not a confident player, tho had a couple of driving range lessons and have improved. but not to the extent i could play with strangers, as id feel i might ruin their day. At this club, as a member you cant just turn up and play, its strictly online booking in advance or not at all. and they do like to take a society block booking. But they are a business and they need to make money.

But surely the academy should follow that and block book tee times so people didnt book the par 3 and find out they cant play it only when they arrive.
Im a key worker, who works 12 hour shifts, and has a wierd US type shift pattern. having just finished a run of 4 12 hour nights, Was looking forward to a little wander round the par 3. but wasnt to be.

at £800 a year its a bit too expensive to renew to get a round a month if lucky.
 
Speak to the Pro/club, did you join Brampton Heath? I've always thought Brampton seemed a friendly and easy going club when I've visited.

If you explain that you're finding it hard to integrate into a suitable playing group I'm sure that they'd try to help.
 
Coreservers said:
Reason i dont add myself to a 3, is confidence. and i dont know anyone else that plays. Im not a confident player, tho had a couple of driving range lessons and have improved. but not to the extent i could play with strangers, as id feel i might ruin their day. At this club, as a member you cant just turn up and play, its strictly online booking in advance or not at all. and they do like to take a society block booking. But they are a business and they need to make money.

But surely the academy should follow that and block book tee times so people didnt book the par 3 and find out they cant play it only when they arrive.
Im a key worker, who works 12 hour shifts, and has a wierd US type shift pattern. having just finished a run of 4 12 hour nights, Was looking forward to a little wander round the par 3. but wasnt to be.

at £800 a year its a bit too expensive to renew to get a round a month if lucky.
Click to expand...
On our app you can see people's handicaps in a big member's list. So you'd be able to have a look at who the three-balls are, and then try and find a group with all higher handicaps so you're not worried about them being much better than you. I don't know if your club's app is the same though.
 
So in essence, you’re annoyed with the fact that there are other members out playing Golf in groups when you believe it should be empty for you to go out on your own.

Yeah, I’d struggle to see any benefit of a membership then too at most clubs.
 
Coreservers said:
Reason i dont add myself to a 3, is confidence. and i dont know anyone else that plays.
Click to expand...

It isn't easy, but everyone was in this position at least once in their lives and once they got past it, they wondered why they didn't do it sooner.

Talk to the pro, if they are worth their salt, they'll point out friendly folk to join.

Make the jump. What's the worse that can happen?
 
Unless you are really unfortunate, anyone you put down with will make you welcome. Try it you might make some new friends. You can play golf solo but I think you will enjoy it more as part of a group.

As far as being a beginner - that doesn't matter - just keep up with the pace of play and follow basic etiquette. Those 2 things alone will make you a good partner!!

If you are still concerned - check the handicaps of the other players and if you can play with mid and higher handicappers to start with. No matter how bad you hit a shot, be assured everyone without exception will have hit one just as bad or worse in their time.
 
For me, wanting to play on your own means you’re missing out on the biggest benefit of membership…the other members. Yes it’s daunting being a newbie, I’ve been there a couple of times myself at different clubs, you’re worried about topping it on the first, slicing out of bounds on the 2nd, missing a 2 foot putt etc etc, but honestly, everyone’s been there and actually don’t care what you do. Nobody woke up one day good at golf.

As long as you keep up with play they’ll encourage you, and if you do make an error they’ll probably be nice and let you know ‘just to let you know mate, quicker if you leave your bag that side of the green as it’s near the next tee’ or whatever it might be.

It also sounds like you struggle to get a tee time as you leave it too late. That’s another benefit of playing with other members, soon enough you’ll know who you get on with, see they’ve got a 2 ball in the morning and just add yourself on.

Each to their own obviously but it seems like you’re missing out by keeping yourself to yourself.

Until 2-3 years ago I’d never been a member anywhere, but now I couldn’t imagine not being a member somewhere, so many benefits.
 
There's nothing wrong with wanting to play on your own mind. Love being out there on my todd a times very relaxing

do enjoy playing with mates and playing in comps also
 
Just joined a new club. I'm kind of in your situation....find it hard to just jump in with "strangers". I talked to the staff in the office before I joined to make sure there were some "roll up" type groups I could jump in with without offending anybody. I ended up joining 2 different groups. Monday and Fridays for one of them, and the other is Wed and Saturday (yeah....obviously retired) The office helped me getting in touch with a few people so they knew I was coming.....that helps. I think part of their job in the office is to make sure you can start in with some people who they know will be welcoming.
 
One benefit for me is that I play for the club’s seniors team in interclub matches … which means that I play away matches at several clubs each year free of charge. There is also, as others have said, the social aspects of being a member … and also club competitions. I still play, and enjoy, social rounds with friends, but I find that I prefer matches with the excitement of something riding on them.
 
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