MoonPig
Assistant Pro
Just interested to know how you all decided which was the club for you to join. Was it price, course layout, social scene, distance to travel etc..? Also what is it about your club that you love and what would you change?
Club Memberships
- Thread starter MoonPig
- Start date
Parmo
Tour Winner
For me it was the social scene and course, the only thing I would change is it be an 18 holer rather than 9, but with subs for a season ticket which covers 5 over courses in Leeds + club membership = £430
Smiffy
Grand Slam Winner
We are spoilt down here as we have two very good courses in Bexhill. Highwoods (parkland) and Cooden Beach (a bit "linksie").
Highwoods was always my first choice as being a tree lined course it tends to play a little better (read easier) during the bad weather when the wind gets up. Cooden Beach and it's wide open fairways is not the place to be when it's blowing a gale or chucking it down with rain.
It helped that Highwoods recently introduced a membership scheme that fitted in with my work hours perfectly and this particular scheme didn't attract a massive joining fee. Cooden didn't offer anything like this at all, so the decision was made for me really. Both courses are a similar distance from my front door (about 1 mile!).
I love the layout of our course, I don't think I would change anything about it.
The only thing I don't like is that there is no tee booking system as there was at my old club. It's a case of just turning up and taking your chances, and this can sometimes lead to frustration. We also have tee restrictions as to when a twoball for fourball can tee off which is very confusing.
Like yesterday for instance. I turned up for a game with three mates, but we couldn't tee off the first (which was empty by the way) because of these restrictions. We had to tee off the 10th. When we went around to the tenth there must have been about two dozen people milling around waiting to get away, with golfbags and trollies scattered everywhere. We decided to split ourselves up into two twoballs and tee of the first rather than wait for what would have been near on an hour to tee off. This seems so stupid to me when the first tee was sitting there empty! At least give you the choice. That would have released the pressure from the 10th tee and enabled us to play how we intended to play.
The majority of the membership are very friendly, but like most clubs you get the odd miserable old bastard who's been a member at the club for 100 years or more and thinks he owns the place.
So the only change I would make would be to introduce a tee booking system to avoid the confusion like yesterday. I cannot believe that a club that has a first and tenth tee right by the clubhouse can be so difficult to actually get a teeing off time! Crowborough Beacon (where I was a member before) has it's first tee by the clubhouse (obviously) but it's 10th tee is bloody miles away. Yet in over 11 years of being a member there I never once had to wait more than 5 minutes to tee off! Strange......
Highwoods was always my first choice as being a tree lined course it tends to play a little better (read easier) during the bad weather when the wind gets up. Cooden Beach and it's wide open fairways is not the place to be when it's blowing a gale or chucking it down with rain.
It helped that Highwoods recently introduced a membership scheme that fitted in with my work hours perfectly and this particular scheme didn't attract a massive joining fee. Cooden didn't offer anything like this at all, so the decision was made for me really. Both courses are a similar distance from my front door (about 1 mile!).
I love the layout of our course, I don't think I would change anything about it.
The only thing I don't like is that there is no tee booking system as there was at my old club. It's a case of just turning up and taking your chances, and this can sometimes lead to frustration. We also have tee restrictions as to when a twoball for fourball can tee off which is very confusing.
Like yesterday for instance. I turned up for a game with three mates, but we couldn't tee off the first (which was empty by the way) because of these restrictions. We had to tee off the 10th. When we went around to the tenth there must have been about two dozen people milling around waiting to get away, with golfbags and trollies scattered everywhere. We decided to split ourselves up into two twoballs and tee of the first rather than wait for what would have been near on an hour to tee off. This seems so stupid to me when the first tee was sitting there empty! At least give you the choice. That would have released the pressure from the 10th tee and enabled us to play how we intended to play.
The majority of the membership are very friendly, but like most clubs you get the odd miserable old bastard who's been a member at the club for 100 years or more and thinks he owns the place.
So the only change I would make would be to introduce a tee booking system to avoid the confusion like yesterday. I cannot believe that a club that has a first and tenth tee right by the clubhouse can be so difficult to actually get a teeing off time! Crowborough Beacon (where I was a member before) has it's first tee by the clubhouse (obviously) but it's 10th tee is bloody miles away. Yet in over 11 years of being a member there I never once had to wait more than 5 minutes to tee off! Strange......
Hodgie
Club Champion
I joined my current course Longhurst mainly because that was were my brother and a few mates were so i had people to go round with on a regular basis. Since joining there i have started to play in the competions and realised that this is what it i enjoy so as of Nov will be moving to Close House where the course is in better condition and has weekly comps from April onwards and intend to get to know people this was instead.
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
I had 3 local and reasonably priced courses to choose from. I was a member at one and to be honest had got bored playing it. It's a very straight forward course with little to occupy the mind. The other 2 cost about the same. One was further away,longer but 5-day members couldn't play comps at weekends even if they paid extra. The other was nearer, shorter but would allow weekends. The shorter course also has an excellent par 3 course to sharpen the short game and although shorter, in my eyes, its a tougher test. The last 4 holes as an example.
Course 1
Par 3 - 150 yards
par 4 - 270 yards
par 3 - 160 yards
Par 5 - 520 yards but a green surrounded by bunkers making a 2 shotter impossible.
Course 2
par 3 - 170 yards
Par 4 - 420 yards
par 5 - 520 yards but potentially reachable
Par 4 - 410 yards
So a much better finish to the 2nd course - the one I joined.
Course 1
Par 3 - 150 yards
par 4 - 270 yards
par 3 - 160 yards
Par 5 - 520 yards but a green surrounded by bunkers making a 2 shotter impossible.
Course 2
par 3 - 170 yards
Par 4 - 420 yards
par 5 - 520 yards but potentially reachable
Par 4 - 410 yards
So a much better finish to the 2nd course - the one I joined.
moonraker
Assistant Pro
used to play it with mates they then stopped playing so i joined its a stiff test with lots off side hill lies and wind thats blows into on a long par 5(604 yds)and a par 3(224yds. the only down side is when you have finished ayour round the club house is at the top off a slope.
MarkS
Assistant Pro
for me its simply that it is at my place of work.
Its only a short course (only 2 par 4's) but i can play before and after work, and all this for £90 a year - which also allows y family to play for free
Its only a short course (only 2 par 4's) but i can play before and after work, and all this for £90 a year - which also allows y family to play for free
jeffc
Head Pro
after starting playing again last year I was on the look out for a club. A guy at the local driving range reccomended his club, Izaak Walton near Stone in staffs, as they are ultra freindly and it's an excellent improving course.
I booked a friday off with the intention of playing two rounds of golf morning and afternoon, after the first 18 holes went into the club house for lunch, met the secretary and signed up, I'd seen enough.
There are closer clubs to my house but none of them I could say with such a good atmosphere and value for money. Have been chuffed to bits ever since, have met a lot of new freinds and have played with different people virtually every time I play.Pro and his assistant are excellent and we also have a very good junior section. I would reccomend it without hesitation to anybody who lives in mid to north staffs area.
http://www.izaakwaltongolfclub.co.uk/pages.php/index.html
I booked a friday off with the intention of playing two rounds of golf morning and afternoon, after the first 18 holes went into the club house for lunch, met the secretary and signed up, I'd seen enough.
There are closer clubs to my house but none of them I could say with such a good atmosphere and value for money. Have been chuffed to bits ever since, have met a lot of new freinds and have played with different people virtually every time I play.Pro and his assistant are excellent and we also have a very good junior section. I would reccomend it without hesitation to anybody who lives in mid to north staffs area.
http://www.izaakwaltongolfclub.co.uk/pages.php/index.html
DMC
Challenge Tour Pro
I knew several members there already,its not a bad course,good range of holes,and the price was comparable with most others in the area.
welshjim22
Head Pro
Limited local courses made my decision for me if i wanted to play 18 not 9. I think the most important aspects are course and how friendly the place is a million comps a year are only good if your going to play a lot. Me i am more of a can i fit a round in if i leave now kind of player.
big_russ
Challenge Tour Pro
What attracted me to my club was they had just spent a small fortune on course upgrades with all 18 greens being replaced, some new tee areas and a whole load of drainage work. Although the course was not in its best condition, due to this work, when I made my initial enquiries you could see that there was a solid foundation to build on. 12 months on and the course is now in great condition with all the small scabby areas now starting to grass over and blend in to the rest of the course.
The more people I met as i played a few courtesy rounds, the more I felt as though I had been there for a long time as it is such a freindly club. Everyone from the club manager, management comittee, pro and greenkeepers are all very freindly and make you feel welcome.
The only negative about the club is that there is only a very small practice area that is situated in the middle of three holes at the far end of the course. It is only about a 6 iron in length and really isn't sufficient.
As you can probably gather from the above I am really happy at this club and even though I haven't played as much as I should have this year, I will have no hesitation in renewing next year.
The more people I met as i played a few courtesy rounds, the more I felt as though I had been there for a long time as it is such a freindly club. Everyone from the club manager, management comittee, pro and greenkeepers are all very freindly and make you feel welcome.
The only negative about the club is that there is only a very small practice area that is situated in the middle of three holes at the far end of the course. It is only about a 6 iron in length and really isn't sufficient.
As you can probably gather from the above I am really happy at this club and even though I haven't played as much as I should have this year, I will have no hesitation in renewing next year.
ADB
Journeyman Pro
Course 1 = Aylesbury Vale?
Course 2 = Aylesbury Park?
Although I was a member at AV for years I always preferred the layout of AP and in some respects always felt more of a 'proper course' rather than the 'putting holes in a farmer's field' vibe there was when I was at AV. saying that though I did win the club champs at AV in '96 so I can't complain that much!
HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
I was originally a member of Royal Ascot when it was in the middle of the racecourse and it was always a friendly club with no need to book times, a thriving competitive side and a good social scene. The only downside was the course itself which was very short, particularly in Summer and not too challenging. I left for a number of personal reasons as it went down to nine holes to accommodate the start of the racecourse refurbishment and didn't really play any golf for about five years.
I was offered a chance to rejoin and I have to say its a different world now we have a longer, much harder course to play. It is always hard to play to your handicap even more so in Winter. It still has the warm welcome and competitions but has a much nicer clubhouse and locker room and better practice facilities.
I was thinking of joining a local pay and play operated by the council. It has a fantastic course (once voted in the top 10 public courses in the UK) and plenty of competitions. However even as a member you need to book times so no chance of a cheeky nine after work in the summer or a quick round at the weekend. Add in a 5 hour round (minimum) and having to still pay a reduced green fee it wasn't that attractive.
Ascot is very close to my house (10-15 minutes by car and 5 minutes by cab if I commute from work) and despite being expensive in terms of membership fees I'm as happy as I can be with where I am.
I was offered a chance to rejoin and I have to say its a different world now we have a longer, much harder course to play. It is always hard to play to your handicap even more so in Winter. It still has the warm welcome and competitions but has a much nicer clubhouse and locker room and better practice facilities.
I was thinking of joining a local pay and play operated by the council. It has a fantastic course (once voted in the top 10 public courses in the UK) and plenty of competitions. However even as a member you need to book times so no chance of a cheeky nine after work in the summer or a quick round at the weekend. Add in a 5 hour round (minimum) and having to still pay a reduced green fee it wasn't that attractive.
Ascot is very close to my house (10-15 minutes by car and 5 minutes by cab if I commute from work) and despite being expensive in terms of membership fees I'm as happy as I can be with where I am.
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
Give that man a soggy peanut voucher - well worked out.
TBH I found AV just a bit too samey - some nice holes but a lot were indistinguishable from others.
The_Squire
Head Pro
I joined because of a number of reasons, 15 mins from home, two great but difficult courses, tees and greens playable all year round, friends already members, competitions all year round, oh almost forgot the small incentive of Ryder Cup tickets.
HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
The great thing is once you find the RIGHT club it becomes so comfy like an old pair of slippers. You get known in the clubhouse, have the facility to practice and improve, regular competitions, club matches and a decent track to offer a different challenge each time.
I admire the nomadic golfers choice of where to play on a regular basis but would find the hassle of having to book times to fit in with the clubs needs a bit of a hassle. Club member for me
I admire the nomadic golfers choice of where to play on a regular basis but would find the hassle of having to book times to fit in with the clubs needs a bit of a hassle. Club member for me
