First year membership question

[bigyin55]

Hi all. I've been playing for over two years now and the plan has always been to join a club this year, especially now my game is totally stagnant due to lack of any competitive aspect at all. I usually play first tee time on Sundays alone bar the middle of the summer.

I'm joining somewhere this year so, but unsure what type of course to join, or try and join. There's a very good links course near me which costs just over £1000 for full membership, and I know a couple of proposers who are members there. There's also a bunch of mid courses around £500-£600 which are good courses in their own right. But the one swaying me for a few reasons is my closest course which is a basic 9 hole municipal.

The 9 hole course is only £220 for the year with Saturday medals, twice weekly Wednesday comps and non-affiliate Tuesday and Thursdays comps. It's a 10 minute drive and has a driving range and putting green.

My thinking is joining here to get used to playing in competitions then after a year, if I feel so, moving to a different course.

Would you experienced members go this way? Or get in straight away at a more established, better quality course with other better quality aspects to them?

Cheers.

 

[Imurg]

My question would be how well do all the courses stand up to rain..?
The Links course should be fine..are the others parkland?
I would be wanting all year play so I would veer towards that.
Having said that, your idea of the 9 holer has merit... club life may not be all you expect.
No harm in moving around until you find the right club.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I would say to join somewhere that gives you a nice feel and where you will be able to.mix and get games, making new friends.

 

[Backache]

Realistically you're the only one who can answer the question.

I love links golf and would go for that from a personal point of view. However if the 9 holer is much closer you play a lot of golf by yourself and it's easy to get on to it might work very well for you in the learning phase.

 

[bigyin55]

My question would be how well do all the courses stand up to rain..?
The Links course should be fine..are the others parkland?
I would be wanting all year play so I would veer towards that.
Having said that, your idea of the 9 holer has merit... club life may not be all you expect.
No harm in moving around until you find the right club.

Yeh the links course is pretty much always in play and good condition bar frosty spells (like right now). Most the other courses near me which are affordable are parkland and expected to be pretty boggy for several months a year.

I suppose that should be my main question to weigh up; whether the extra money paid is worth a potential 4-5 months more golf and a better quality and better maintained course.

 

[Neilds]

Also look at how close the clubs are to you. The bonus of being a member means it doesn’t matter if you don’t need to d9 a full round and always good to get a few holes in on an evening- especially after a bad day at work.

 

[KenL]

Hi all. I've been playing for over two years now and the plan has always been to join a club this year, especially now my game is totally stagnant due to lack of any competitive aspect at all. I usually play first tee time on Sundays alone bar the middle of the summer.

I'm joining somewhere this year so, but unsure what type of course to join, or try and join. There's a very good links course near me which costs just over £1000 for full membership, and I know a couple of proposers who are members there. There's also a bunch of mid courses around £500-£600 which are good courses in their own right. But the one swaying me for a few reasons is my closest course which is a basic 9 hole municipal.

The 9 hole course is only £220 for the year with Saturday medals, twice weekly Wednesday comps and non-affiliate Tuesday and Thursdays comps. It's a 10 minute drive and has a driving range and putting green.

My thinking is joining here to get used to playing in competitions then after a year, if I feel so, moving to a different course.

Would you experienced members go this way? Or get in straight away at a more established, better quality course with other better quality aspects to them?

Cheers.

I’d join the local one this year and think about moving once you are sure being a member suits you.

 

[bigyin55]

Also look at how close the clubs are to you. The bonus of being a member means it doesn’t matter if you don’t need to d9 a full round and always good to get a few holes in on an evening- especially after a bad day at work.

Yeh that's the other thing swaying to the municipal. It's very close by and actually just a couple of streets away from my work.

 

[badgergm]

I,d join where you think you would most like to end up. If you join the local muni then you may very well make friends and you might end up staying for that reason she n you’d really prefer playing elsewhere.

 

[clubchamp98]

I’d go for the links.
Year round golf .
Local 9 holes by me in summer everyone and their kids are on it.
That’s fine but if you want to work on your game it’s impossible.
Practice facilities are important as your improving as well, and a good pro to help.

Try both a couple of times sit in the clubhouse and just get a feeling of them.
Only you can decide in the end .
Good luck.

 

[Orikoru]

All the prices you said are dirt cheap compared to any club near me. So I'd just pick the place with the best atmosphere where I'm most likely to get on with the people.

 

[evemccc]

Links golf all day long

100% the links course OR spend £220 on the 9 holer, play in the comps, and spend the rest of your £780 golf budget left over from the links membership money, playing ‘treat’ links courses and Open venues

Definitely not £600 on a parkland which you can’t really play on, without quagmire, for 4 months of the year

 

[Voyager EMH]

Join the municipal.
It is the best experience you can have at the stage you are at now.
I have found that the ethos is 99% about playing golf at a municipal.

Move to another club later to enjoy the course, if you like. You will then experience the "clubby" issues and the ethos surrounding that as well as the golf.
You will then be able to weigh up the benefits/downsides of a private club vs a municipal as they apply to you - not as they apply to me or anyone else on this forum.

(Ethos: the characteristic spirit of a culture, era, or community as manifested in its attitudes and aspirations)

 

[Hacky]

I was in the same position 2 years ago (a cheap local muni and several courses all charging around the same to choose from, though admittedly quite a bit more expensive than the op’s options), I visited all of them and ended up with the one I got the most welcome feel from the pro shop and clubhouse. It was the furthest from home but my gut instinct was the right one as I’ve made many friends and enjoyed some really good golfing days. I do play one of the other courses I was considering, with a society during the summer and it enforces my decision was the correct one. Go with the one you feel most comfortable with.

 

[bigyin55]

I’d go for the links.
Year round golf .
Local 9 holes by me in summer everyone and their kids are on it.
That’s fine but if you want to work on your game it’s impossible.
Practice facilities are important as your improving as well, and a good pro to help.

Try both a couple of times sit in the clubhouse and just get a feeling of them.
Only you can decide in the end .
Good luck.

Yeh that's the other issue the municipal can become a free-for-all in the summer with people jumping on, playing multiple balls, no alloted tee times etc.

 

[bigyin55]

All the prices you said are dirt cheap compared to any club near me. So I'd just pick the place with the best atmosphere where I'm most likely to get on with the people.

There are some really pricey ones near me aswell TBF but yeh quite alot of reasonably priced options. Said links course hosts R&A senior tournaments and next year holds the boys open championship.

 

[sunshine]

Easy. Join the links, it’s only a grand for full 12 months golf, which is great value. The others will be in varying conditions throughout the year, a muddy quagmire in winter, and possibly suffer in a dry spell in summer.

Sounds like it’s a top quality course as well, which means you will never get bored of it, you’ll constantly be challenged as you improve. Also it probably has good practice facilities, which the others might not have. My club has a good practice ground and I probably save £500 a year by not going to the local driving range.

If it’s a private club you will also find it easy to join up with other members and find people to play with regularly.

 

[Oddsocks]

Links golf world be great for all year golf but links weather can be brutal and I’m not sure if I’d personally want it full time.

Does the 9 hole have two sets of tees effectively making it 18? It seems great value for a first membership. If you’re not a wet weather golfer it’s even better value compared with the others. Are there additional costs each time you play (ie reduced green fees)

I’d be opting for that for a year especially given such low costs, this would give you breathing space to try the others without a rash decision.

£220 around here would only get me 5 green fees even on two local full length 9 holer’s.

 

[Backache]

Links golf world be great for all year golf but links weather can be brutal and I’m not sure if I’d personally want it full time.

Not sure that Links weather is particularly brutal, it certainly isn't most of the time.

 

[Oddsocks]

Not sure that Links weather is particularly brutal, it certainly isn't most of the time.

It’s a lot nicer playing in wind and rain on a parkland or inland course with a bit of protection rather than coastal will full on see spray & gusts in addition to the rain…. But this is purely a personal view.