Choice of club - heart over head - any thoughts

The Gentleman

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Countdown conundrum. Your thoughts greatly appreciated. BTW - I am not mentioning club names as I don't think it is fair.


I want to join a club to play golf (at this stage, not too interested in the whole clubman thing). So, I can join a local club for c. £700 pa (full 7 day membership). The course is interesting and pretty challenging, but short (albeit 18 holes). It gets indifferent reviews 3.4/5 on Golf Shake (for what that is worth), but some pretty good reviews too.


The alternative is a lifestyle membership (due to cost) at another local club for same cost as the full membership at other club (3.9 Golf Shake review). Full membership is £1600. Get certain amount of credits for that cost. If I were to play at weekend mornings, those credit would get me 17 rounds of golf. Obviously less credits for twilight golf and weekends after 4pm. It would generally be considered a better club and perhaps course (although I don't think it is as interesting and testing as the other club). Aesthetically, more pleasing than the other.


My heart says "go for lifestyle membership" (perhaps some snobbishness on my part). It is x3 more expensive so it must be 3 times better ...right!,,, (even I can admit that isn't the case).

My head says "are you for real; 7 day membership on a testing course - good to hone my skills (especially short game) and then perhaps after a year move to a better club/course (or perhaps not - stay and throw myself into the club).


I would welcome your thoughts.
 

fundy

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Think id go for the £700 option based on the way you have put them across, you dont paint that great a picture of the £1600 a year course!

This would be assuming the £700 course is usually in decent condition, I can get to play when I want, comps are drawn, there are roll up options etc etc that would all play a part in the decision for me.

It actually sounds a similar scenario to my current club and the one down the road that had 2 courses, a better image, more than double the fees despite poorer conditions on the course and has subsequently gone bust
 

Blue in Munich

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My first thought is tell us the courses involved; I appreciate that you see that as unfair, but with the amount of people on here, there's a genuine chance you might get some useful feedback. As someone living on the SW London
/NE Surrey border there's a chance I might be one of them looking at your location. We may tell you something that makes or breaks either. if you want it kept out of the thread then there's the PM facility………. ;)

The second point relates to your location; I would contend that ideally you don't want to be more than 15 minutes from your home club if you are to get best use from it.

My third point would be listen to your head; if you aren't interested in the clubman thing, what's the point of spending three times more for the better club that you aren't interested in?
 

brendy

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1600 and you only get enough credits for 17 rounds of golf...do they have big windows to see the mugs coming round the corner? Pay the 700 or find the next neares decent course and club to join.
 

RW1986

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Join the £700 one, I think you know that would be the correct choice. I don't like the sound of 17 rounds for £1600. Seems silly! Enjoy your golf at the £700 one and if you want to move after year one, then move on to a better club
 

Ethan

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1600 and you only get enough credits for 17 rounds of golf...do they have big windows to see the mugs coming round the corner? Pay the 700 or find the next neares decent course and club to join.

I think he was saying that full membership at the fancy club was 1600, but they had a restricted membership at around 700, similar to full at the normal club.

My answer is that it depends what you value. If you value playing lots of golf, go for the 700 modest club. If you value the prestige and social cachet of the other place, go for it and live with the restrictions.
 

chellie

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I couldn't imagine having restrictions on when I played golf apart from work getting in the way of course lol Since Wednesday I've played 9, 18, 9, 9 and 18:eek:
 
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17 rounds for £1600 ?!?!?

Wouldnt go near the place

Where is that if you dont mind saying - i hope its a top 20 club at that price
 

The Gentleman

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So much for me being discreet, the two clubs are Wimbledon Common GC and Coombe Wood GC (SW London).

WCGC's price is reflected in the fact that the course is shared with the public (not green fee public, but actual public - walkers, runners). From playing a few rounds there, it has never been much of a problem. Both golfers and public are accommodating of each other. Oh, and the course is closed to golfers at 2pm each Sunday and all bank holidays. What I like about the course is how natural it is. The hazards are all natural (put there by Mother Nature herself) - from large trees lining every fairway and surrounding each green to ravines and from heather to hills and sloping/undulating greens. The greens are in amazing nick.

CWGC is a nice course which I have played a number if times (a few criss crossing fairways which can hold up play), but I am not sure it is a £1600 a year course (but it is London I suppose). It is quite flat with pretty wide forgiving fairways (which I still manage to miss).

Sorry, perhaps this new info should have proffered earlier. Bizarly, I think I was a tad embarrassed mentioning the facts about WCGC.

I just can't help thinking that for a high handicapper like me, I can only benefit and improve my game from playing a course that require straight drivers and a strong short game.

Any different by thoughts now?
 

The Gentleman

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+1

That's about 95 GBP for a round of golf - how much are the green fees for non-members?

Its 17 rounds for £700 (but that is peak time playing - summer, weekends before 1pm). So works out about £41 a round.

It works out about 82p for a credit and one gets 850 credits for £700.
 

The Gentleman

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1600 and you only get enough credits for 17 rounds of golf...do they have big windows to see the mugs coming round the corner? Pay the 700 or find the next neares decent course and club to join.

bendy - as someone who hails from your neck of the woods, I enjoyed your post and agree whole heatedly, but there is something holding me back. I keep recalling something a friend told me, "you buy cheap, you buy twice".
 
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Whats all this credit business ?!

Why not just be a member and play whenever you want ?
 

brendy

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bendy - as someone who hails from your neck of the woods, I enjoyed your post and agree whole heatedly, but there is something holding me back. I keep recalling something a friend told me, "you buy cheap, you buy twice".

True if you buy a car or a luxury item. This is a years golf, Id rather pay 700 for the "cheaper course" and find out I need to pay more the following year than pay 1600 and find out that I'd paid too much for too little. I wouldnt even consider limited round credits.
 
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UlyssesSky

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Its 17 rounds for £700 (but that is peak time playing - summer, weekends before 1pm). So works out about £41 a round.

It works out about 82p for a credit and one gets 850 credits for £700.


So for 1600GBP you would get unlimited golf?

Anyways, the choice between the 700 GBP unlimited golf and the 700 GBP 'credit' offer would be clear to me. Even if you can get 25 rounds out of it by playing at less popular times, it's still much too restricted.

I'd either go for the 700 GBP full membership at the first course, or, if you're after the more prestigious image of the second on, take the full membership there. If 41 GBP for a round as a member seems acceptable to you, you'll just have to play 40 rounds to get the average price down to that mark... ;)
 

Hobbit

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If you're just really getting into golf, restricted access will wind you up no end. Crikey! When I was mad on the game I could/would be at the club 4 times a week. You go out and play badly, so you're back the following day/night trying to put it right. You play well, and you're back the following night for more of the buzz... you're addicted!

Full access, or forget it!
 

HomerJSimpson

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So much for me being discreet, the two clubs are Wimbledon Common GC and Coombe Wood GC (SW London).

WCGC's price is reflected in the fact that the course is shared with the public (not green fee public, but actual public - walkers, runners). From playing a few rounds there, it has never been much of a problem. Both golfers and public are accommodating of each other. Oh, and the course is closed to golfers at 2pm each Sunday and all bank holidays. What I like about the course is how natural it is. The hazards are all natural (put there by Mother Nature herself) - from large trees lining every fairway and surrounding each green to ravines and from heather to hills and sloping/undulating greens. The greens are in amazing nick.

CWGC is a nice course which I have played a number if times (a few criss crossing fairways which can hold up play), but I am not sure it is a £1600 a year course (but it is London I suppose). It is quite flat with pretty wide forgiving fairways (which I still manage to miss).

Sorry, perhaps this new info should have proffered earlier. Bizarly, I think I was a tad embarrassed mentioning the facts about WCGC.

I just can't help thinking that for a high handicapper like me, I can only benefit and improve my game from playing a course that require straight drivers and a strong short game.

Any different by thoughts now?

Think I'm pretty well positioned to offer some thought. I was a member at WCGC form any years and it is an honest no thrills course with a lovely homely atmosphere in the bar. It does lack a few bells and whistles like a decent short game/practice area and the restrictions on Sunday's and weekends are a bind. The public can also be a nuisance but it's a case of give and take and 95% of them are pretty good.

I have also played and caddied Coombe Wood many times and knew people who were members. As a course it is better than WCGC in my opinion and I think it is a better test, despite the criss crossing fairways. However there is something about the members that sometimes come across as cliquey. Not all of them and I accept that is something you get at every club.

For value for money WCGC would win every time for me. It is an ok course with great (and small) greens. My only concern from personal experience is that being relatively short, your handicap doesn't necessarily travel well to longer courses and I always felt I was 2-3 shots higher when I played away. I'd go for WCGC, enjoy learning to play on a tight course and then reconsider in a couple of years if you want a change. However given the location, you'll not find many other places offering that kind of membership fee and it is value for money
 

The Gentleman

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Thanks Homer for such a candid and no BS comment. I was hoping that someone would say that WCGC is the dogs and you that I was missing something, but that wouldn't be true. It has its faults (reflected in its price), but it is an 'honest' test as you point out. I don't think my progress as a golfer rill suffer. In fact, I think having to be more disciplined on a tight course will help me improve. Also, I get such huge stage fright playing a shot in front of someone not in my group (or when on the wrong fairway and players playing that hole waiting for me), so playing with public waiting for me to play a shot can only help on that front.

HOBBIT - you hit the nail on the head for me. I am new to the game and I just can't get enough of it (from reading articles/forums, checking out golf equipment and clothing and playing the game - I bet you have all been there). Therefore I need to play as often as I can and limited credits would t allow me to do that.

WCGC is 5 mins drive, 15 minute walk from me. It is well priced; course is a challenge; and I want to play as much as I can). am I procrastinating.

I will call the club tomorrow to view facilities (have already played course) to discuss joining.
 

HomerJSimpson

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Thanks Homer for such a candid and no BS comment. I was hoping that someone would say that WCGC is the dogs and you that I was missing something, but that wouldn't be true. It has its faults (reflected in its price), but it is an 'honest' test as you point out. I don't think my progress as a golfer rill suffer. In fact, I think having to be more disciplined on a tight course will help me improve. Also, I get such huge stage fright playing a shot in front of someone not in my group (or when on the wrong fairway and players playing that hole waiting for me), so playing with public waiting for me to play a shot can only help on that front.

HOBBIT - you hit the nail on the head for me. I am new to the game and I just can't get enough of it (from reading articles/forums, checking out golf equipment and clothing and playing the game - I bet you have all been there). Therefore I need to play as often as I can and limited credits would t allow me to do that.

WCGC is 5 mins drive, 15 minute walk from me. It is well priced; course is a challenge; and I want to play as much as I can). am I procrastinating.

I will call the club tomorrow to view facilities (have already played course) to discuss joining.

I don't think you'll go wrong. Jeff Jukes and Gary Clements are decent pros. I know Dave Stone (handicap secretary) and it's a straight forward what you see what you get place both on and off the course. The first off the whites won't do much for your "stage fright" especially when yo get into playing comps but there are some holes (2nd, 6th, 10th, 15th in particular) where you can open the shoulders and others where you have to be more conservative. The small greens will test your accuracy. I really think if you get in and immerse yourself in the club you'll be there for years. Where do you live being so close?
 
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