Country Membership

[davidg2010uk]

Is anyone a member of a club as a country member or have experience of this? Most clubs seems to offer this at a substantial discount but none seem to freely advertise the mileage criteria.

Wondering if there is a standard for this i.e 25 miles?

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I am at the club in my sig. It varies a lot from club to club, mine is 50 miles away but many are 100 miles. As a general rule, the annual fees are usually about half the full fee.

 

[Deleted member 17920]

Is anyone a member of a club as a country member or have experience of this? Most clubs seems to offer this at a substantial discount but none seem to freely advertise the mileage criteria.

Wondering if there is a standard for this i.e 25 miles?

Most clubs offering country membership start at 50 miles +. Each club varies massively. Some are even offering mid distance 30-50 miles as well. Ours is 50 miles but you must be a member of another club so you are an away player and at £450 for the year its a bargain as you get full playing rights.

 

[BoadieBroadus]

yes. i'm a country member of a club in glasgow while i live in london. mileage distance depends on the club. i don't think they will hold your handicap for you and you can't play in comps (the latter takes care of the former i suppose).

 

[Fyldewhite]

I joined a club as a country member this year while working away. They would take my handicap, I could play in comps (but not win medals) and fees were about 1/4 subscription. Played a couple of times in the week from April to Aug for just over 200 quid. Bargain as it was a good course too. Also joined another about 8 years ago for £105 when on holiday (spent 3 weeks there over the year) and easily got money's worth compared with £20 green fee as played most days. I think most have a 50 mile stipulation and are aimed at people located in the area temporarily.

 

[patricks148]

I live in Inverness and am a country Member at Moray which is 45 miles away. I was a member at Tain a few years ago and at 40 miles away i could not get country membership. Dornoch is about 50 miles away and the milage for there is higher again.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I spoke with Hawkeye about this last week as I'm keen to join another club to give me some playing variety. As he rightly points out though, how often will you use it/be allowed to use it and so how viable when you add on travelling time on top does it become

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I spoke with Hawkeye about this last week as I'm keen to join another club to give me some playing variety. As he rightly points out though, how often will you use it/be allowed to use it and so how viable when you add on travelling time on top does it become

Hayling would be a good option for you homer. Assume you live 50+ miles away? You get unlimited golf and can also play in medals and stablefords but NOT major board competitions. And being a proper links, it is playable all year round.

 

[richart]

Hayling would be a good option for you homer. Assume you live 50+ miles away? You get unlimited golf and can also play in medals and stablefords but NOT major board competitions. And being a proper links, it is playable all year round.

Clubs just outside the radius of 50 miles of Ascot must be on red alert.

 

[User20205]

I spoke with Hawkeye about this last week as I'm keen to join another club to give me some playing variety. As he rightly points out though, how often will you use it/be allowed to use it and so how viable when you add on travelling time on top does it become

Clubs just outside the radius of 50 miles of Ascot must be on red alert.

I'm sure Rich would put in a word for you at blackmoor, homer!!:thup:

 

[Grumps]

I live in Inverness and am a country Member at Moray which is 45 miles away. I was a member at Tain a few years ago and at 40 miles away i could not get country membership. Dornoch is about 50 miles away and the milage for there is higher again.

How of oftain did you go and play these courses rather than your home course or was it because you worked near them ?

 

[davidg2010uk]

Thanks guys, at 25miles it would be plausible but 50 is pushing it for me. Will be staying local.

 

[Smiffy]

I re-joined Crowborough Beacon last year as a "Country" member. There criteria was 25 miles, I think they were "desperate" for new members. The discount I got was quite substantial.
In the end, the travelling got to me. An hour each way on top of the four hours required (or more) together with a bit of time spent in the bar.
Add that to the odd weather you can get there (leave Bexhill in glorious sunshine and find Crowborough shrouded in mist) and the fact that the course wasn't in the best of condition it was enough to convince me that it wasn't worth being a member anymore, even with the reduction in subscription.

 

[patricks148]

How of oftain did you go and play these courses rather than your home course or was it because you worked near them ?

NO DON'T LIVE NEAR EITHER,I was a full member at Tain for 6 years and though the first year i didn't play more than once a month, after that i got to know a few guys and had a reg 4 ball every sat or Sunday some times both and did that for at least 3 years, Last 2years i just played less and less so this year i gave up Tain but was going to re join next as i missed the odd game up there, plus they let me take the dogs on, which Nairn don't so no crafty rounds when the wife thinks i'm out on a trek with the dogs.

The final of the Moray and Nairn League was at Moray this Aug and while looking at getting a practice round came across their Country membership offer, too good a course to turn that down, esp as i cam play in 4 medals and get 12 fourball thought the year sign on. already played 5 times since mid Aug and had 3 trios with mates as well.

it takes an hour to get to Moray, but not an umpleasant drive at all.

 

[Grumps]

NO DON'T LIVE NEAR EITHER,I was a full member at Tain for 6 years and though the first year i didn't play more than once a month, after that i got to know a few guys and had a reg 4 ball every sat or Sunday some times both and did that for at least 3 years, Last 2years i just played less and less so this year i gave up Tain but was going to re join next as i missed the odd game up there, plus they let me take the dogs on, which Nairn don't so no crafty rounds when the wife thinks i'm out on a trek with the dogs.

The final of the Moray and Nairn League was at Moray this Aug and while looking at getting a practice round came across their Country membership offer, too good a course to turn that down, esp as i cam play in 4 medals and get 12 fourball thought the year sign on. already played 5 times since mid Aug and had 3 trios with mates as well.

it takes an hour to get to Moray, but not an umpleasant drive at all.

Last year We talked about joining leven for winter but the weather set in so missed out but was looking into just going for the country membership as a change of course once a month as think it's less than an hour away

 

[mab]

I've been considering country membership recently.

I've not been a member of a club for a couple of years or so as I wasn't playing frequently enough; however, I miss being a member, playing the odd comp, not having a bonafide handicap which would allow me to play in invitations with friends who are members of courses, etc.

So I gave a few excellent courses a call and, to my surprise, they do allow country members to maintain a handicap there and play in certain comps, etc. The courses I spoke to (which are just outside the 50 mile radius) were Birkdale, Hillside and S&A. Unfortunately, they were more than I could justify so I'm back to the drawing board.

Planning to to give Formby and Wallassey a call next. Ideally, I'll find an excellent course that allows country membership for those living outside a 25 mile radius but they seem few and far between.

 

[Deleted member 17920]

25 miles really shouldn't be considered country membership. It's a 30 min drive. Way too close. Why would you pay to be a full member anywhere. That would be a downfall for clubs if they offered a 25 mile distance.

 

[Birchy]

Most of the ones i have seen have too many restrictions and are a waste of time. Its ideal if you work away a lot in a similar place.

 

[Deleted member 17920]

Most of the ones i have seen have too many restrictions and are a waste of time. Its ideal if you work away a lot in a similar place.

Agree with that. Can't win a board comp. can't play more than 3 medals! Pointless and you feel second class. Ours is full playing rights for both courses and unlimited golf. £450 is incredible value.

 

[mab]

It's not easy to maintain a 50mph average speed from your front door to destination when you don't live near a motorway.

There are a couple of courses around 27-34 miles from my house which would take me around 50-60 minutes, but I do agree that 25 miles is too short a distance for country membership. I have, however, heard of one or two doing it but I'm hoping rather than expecting.

Re: the Southport courses, Wallassey, Formby, etc. - they would likely take me around 70-85 mins, traffic dependent.