considering membership - do you get bored???

[drew83]

Hi all,

I am just wondering who gets bored playing the same course week in week out? Maybe bored is the wrong word, but I think you get my meaning?

I have thought about getting membership a few times but the idea of playing one course all the time puts me off.

As discussed elsewhere yesterday, there is a course near me that has 3 9-holes (East/West/South). You can stitch these together in different ways to effectively give you 6 courses to play:

1)E/W
2)E/S
3)W/E
4)W/S
5)S/E
6)S/W.

The only downside is that when I have been there for a pay & play before, there doesn't seem to be much of an atmosphere to the place.

Other courses I have been to do seem to have more of an atmosphere but as I say, no course variety.

So, getting back to the point, who gets bored?

 

[FairwayDodger]

There's nothing to stop you playing other courses just because you're a member at one.

Membership gives lots of benefits, notably being able to turn up and play when it suits and the ability to just play a few holes without feeling you're wasting a green fee.

Playing one course a lot adds an extra dimension as well. You learn the nuances of the course and are challenged to lower your scores.

This is my fifth year as a club member and I wish I'd joined one much earlier.

 

[garyinderry]

Course can play very different from one week to the next. Wind and how soft or baked changes your shot selection .

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Every time I go out it's a bit of a Magical Mystery Tour.

 

[MendieGK]

There's nothing to stop you playing other courses just because you're a member at one.

Membership gives lots of benefits, notably being able to turn up and play when it suits and the ability to just play a few holes without feeling you're wasting a green fee.

Playing one course a lot adds an extra dimension as well. You learn the nuances of the course and are challenged to lower your scores.

This is my fifth year as a club member and I wish I'd joined one much earlier.

Absolutely agree, the majority of golfers do not take advantage of opens that allow them to play other clubs at much discounted rates. madness in my eyes

 

[Smiffy]

I was a member at Crowborough Beacon for the best part of 13 years, playing it 3 times a week sometimes.
I never got bored with it.
I feel the same way about Cooden now.
Still doesn't stop me playing other courses though

 

[Hacker Khan]

I get what the OP is saying and it is one of the reasons I am not a member anywhere as basically I like a bit of variety. I do get a bit of a thrill playing a course for the 1st time and get bored quickly of courses. So I think if I did join one then it would have to either be a really top notch single course venue, which unfortunately is probably out of my price bracket, or somewhere with 2 decent courses.

I do also get the bit about being able to play other courses, but if your spare time is limited and you have paid a decent amount to be a member somewhere then there is pressure to play it enough to ensure it would not be a lot cheaper to just pay and play. Especially with the internet deals available nowadays. Courses that have reciprocals with others where you can play 3 or 4 courses fairly easily is a good idea, and if more clubs did that it may well tempt me. I know the chain courses like Marriot and Q Hotels do this, but can't help think individual courses teaming up more would be a good idea.

 

[jamielaing]

I am changing courses for next season because the course I am at isn't great for me however I would encourage anyone to join a course. As stated earlier you can always play other courses too. I play 3 times a week through the summer and on average once a week in the winter. That's approx 100 rounds. My membership is £740. £7.40 per round. Bargain!

 

[FairwayDodger]

I do also get the bit about being able to play other courses, but if your spare time is limited and you have paid a decent amount to be a member somewhere then there is pressure to play it enough to ensure it would not be a lot cheaper not to pay and play. Courses that have reciprocals with others is a good idea and if more clubs did that it may well tempt me.

Not just reciprocals, it was a great point by MendieGK about opens. As a nomad I didn't even know these existed but all you need is a handicap and club membership gets you that.

Just as an example, I've recently played two of my favourite Edinburgh courses - Mortonhall and Duddingston - for £12 each and the championship course at Carnoustie for £22 in opens, saving a fortune on normal green fees.

 

[RollinThunder]

Personally, I don't get bored of any course. I think of it like cricket. Every 2 weeks we play a home game, and I never get bored of that; every game is different. If you find a course you really like, you have the intrinsic motivation to play it regularly, and enjoy it. If you think the atmosphere isn't very good, then personally I would advise to tread carefully when considering membership. If you make the wrong decision, it's a lot of money wasted. If the other courses have a better atmosphere, then surely it would put a spring in your step to play them. I know it did me

At my first club, I followed my wallet and joined because of an offer, rather than following my brain and heart, and I didn't really enjoy it. It was slightly too far away, competitions were too full to get a place, and I never took to any of the members. After a break, I've recently joined my local club, which by coincidence is my favourite course, and the course I should have joined from the very start.

90% of my nomad friends will probably say that they would get bored of playing the same course, but they like to see as many courses as possible, it's how they enjoy their golf. Whereas I enjoy being more competitive, to see genuine improvement, and get dug in with some serious practice for competitions - something what I think is much better done at a club.

 

[Smiffy]

I get what the OP is saying and it is one of the reasons I am not a member anywhere as basically I like a bit of variety. I do get a bit of a thrill playing a course for the 1st time and get bored quickly of courses. So I think if I did join one then it would have to either be a really top notch single course venue, which unfortunately is probably out of my price bracket, or somewhere with 2 decent courses.

I do also get the bit about being able to play other courses, but if your spare time is limited and you have paid a decent amount to be a member somewhere then there is pressure to play it enough to ensure it would not be a lot cheaper to just pay and play. Especially with the internet deals available nowadays. Courses that have reciprocals with others where you can play 3 or 4 courses fairly easily is a good idea, and if more clubs did that it may well tempt me. I know the chain courses like Marriot and Q Hotels do this, but can't help think individual courses teaming up more would be a good idea.

If you join a club you can get a County card cheaply. This allows you to play many, many courses in your region for effectively the members guest rate.
Only costs about a tenner (maybe a bit more) and you get that back on one visit to another course.
And as somebody else mentioned, once you have joined a club and have an official handicap, you can enter as many Open competitions as you like.
You can get to play some fantastic courses at a bargain basement rate, and these usually include food as well.
There's a lot to be said for being a club member

 

[duncan mackie]

If you join a club you can get a County card cheaply. This allows you to play many, many courses in your region for effectively the members guest rate.
Only costs about a tenner (maybe a bit more) and you get that back on one visit to another course.
And as somebody else mentioned, once you have joined a club and have an official handicap, you can enter as many Open competitions as you like.
You can get to play some fantastic courses at a bargain basement rate, and these usually include food as well.
There's a lot to be said for being a club member

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned matches. ..Most clubs will have men's, seniors and mixed friendly matches with other clubs in the area through the season in addition to any league events.

Best way to meet members from other local clubs as well as just playing courses.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Not just reciprocals, it was a great point by MendieGK about opens. As a nomad I didn't even know these existed but all you need is a handicap and club membership gets you that.

Just as an example, I've recently played two of my favourite Edinburgh courses - Mortonhall and Duddingston - for £12 each and the championship course at Carnoustie for £22 in opens, saving a fortune on normal green fees.

Fair point about the Opens. I hadn't really considered that, possibly because I'm not sure how much I'd enjoy a competitive environment like that as I play totally for fun and not to that high a standard, and winning stuff or even competing much is not really why I play. Plus reading some of the moaning and groaning on here about high handicappers winning these kind of puts me off (how dare you be over a 18 handicap and win a comp!!!), being a high handicapper and all that . But as you say, it's horses for courses.

But I still think a lot closer cooperation between clubs is a good idea to attract a certain type of golfer. For example there's 4 courses near me that are roughly at the same standard, none of them are fantastic but they are all half decent tracks. And if there was some kind of membership scheme where you could play all 4 (relatively easily) with one annual fee, then I would be seriously tempted.

 

[Smiffy]

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned matches. ..Most clubs will have men's, seniors and mixed friendly matches with other clubs in the area through the season in addition to any league events.

Best way to meet members from other local clubs as well as just playing courses.

That's what I'm hoping to start doing now that I'm a full member at Cooden Duncan. My previous "flexible" membership excluded me from club matches.
I used to play in a lot when I was at Crowborough, and you're right. Meet new people, play some cracking courses, and usually for peanuts.
Now I'm of a certain age I qualify for both seniors and the main club matches, so I'm going to whack my name down for a few.

 

[Smiffy]

For example there's 4 courses near me that are roughly at the same standard, none of them are fantastic but they are all half decent tracks. And if there was some kind of membership scheme where you could play all 4 (relatively easily) with one annual fee, then I would be seriously tempted.

Problem with that is that you'd get everybody wanting to play the "better" one of the 4

 

[FairwayDodger]

Fair point about the Opens. I hadn't really considered that, possibly because I'm not sure how much I'd enjoy a competitive environment like that as I play totally for fun and not to that high a standard, and winning stuff or even competing much is not really why I play. Plus reading some of the moaning and groaning on here about high handicappers winning these kind of puts me off, being a high handicapper and all that. But as you say, it's horses for courses.

Club opens are just fun, though, and open to all handicaps. It only starts to get a bit more serious if you enter some of the county or national championships.

 

[FairwayDodger]

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned matches. ..Most clubs will have men's, seniors and mixed friendly matches with other clubs in the area through the season in addition to any league events.

Best way to meet members from other local clubs as well as just playing courses.

Great point!

Team matches plus various inter-club competitions, stuff like the mail on sunday comp and so on offer great opportunities to play other courses, and for free!

 

[Smiffy]

Club opens are just fun, though, and open to all handicaps.

Yep. I had 10 blobs around Orsett GC playing in their Seniors Open about 2 months ago.
I was laughing all the way round.
Especially on the holes I blobbed.

 

[jamielaing]

Fair point about the Opens. I hadn't really considered that, possibly because I'm not sure how much I'd enjoy a competitive environment like that as I play totally for fun and not to that high a standard, and winning stuff or even competing much is not really why I play. Plus reading some of the moaning and groaning on here about high handicappers winning these kind of puts me off (how dare you be over a 18 handicap and win a comp!!!), being a high handicapper and all that . But as you say, it's horses for courses.

But I still think a lot closer cooperation between clubs is a good idea to attract a certain type of golfer. For example there's 4 courses near me that are roughly at the same standard, none of them are fantastic but they are all half decent tracks. And if there was some kind of membership scheme where you could play all 4 (relatively easily) with one annual fee, then I would be seriously tempted.

Many courses have agreements to reduced rates of around £10-£20 pounds. We are a member of the Edinburgh, 1908 and Braid groups and I can play a rediculous amount of courses for cheap rates. Not free but certainly huge discounts.

 

[Hacker Khan]

Problem with that is that you'd get everybody wanting to play the "better" one of the 4

True if there is a noticeable difference, but to me they are all there or there abouts in terms of quality of the course and challenge, and I'd happily play any one really. But think I'd get bored if one of them was my main track.

Also coming together may well help if one course gets a bit more waterlogged in the winter, as the clubs could close down individually for say a week at a time but in different weeks over the winter, to ensure they don't get too much damage.