How far do you travel? And how far would you travel?

[HeftyHacker]

Been weighing this up recently.

Here (in spain) golf is expensive - right now if I wanted to play my nearest course it would probably cost me around 100 euros for 2 green fees for me and the 11 year old - that's a twilight time, no buggy. The course is rated as one of the top 100 in Spain, and the hotel won "Best Golf Hotel in Spain" at the awards in Dubai this week. It's very, very good.

30 minutes away is El Plantio - the same twilight green fees there would cost 55 euros - and it's still a very good course.
I emailed them today about membership costs, 2200 euros for full membership, 1350 for twilight which is after 1pm for 6 months, anytime of the day for the other 6 months - that is what I would opt for.
I asked for the cost for 1 adult and 1 junior - they said they'd be happy to let Jamie join for free given his age. All the courses near to me are charging 30 euros minimum for 18 holes for a junior - and these guys are saying bring him for nothing. Brilliant.

And here's the bonus, the company that owns El Plantio also own Alicante Golf Club, designed by Seve, a fantastic, fun course to play in the heart of the city. Love it there, but it's about 45 minutes drive to get there, but the membership covers both clubs, so for 1350 euros, I get 1 adult and 1 junior membership at 2 really good golf courses - the only issue is it's 30 minutes drive to the nearest one.

So, do I play my local course a dozen or so times a year, or do I go for the membership and play at least 30 times a year for the same outlay?

Given that you'd be playing with your lad (by the sounds of it) I'd say it was a no brainer to go for the membership surely? You'll have some great times together!

 

[Mel Smooth]

Given that you'd be playing with your lad (by the sounds of it) I'd say it was a no brainer to go for the membership surely? You'll have some great times together!

It is really, I'm just a little unsure I can commit to the time needed to play regularly to make sure I get value out of the membership, and the travelling time is a factor in that.

I think the price is a bargain for access to both courses in fairness.

 

[Boomy]

24 miles/30 mins’ish to Silloth GC ️

I think 30/40 mins would be my max travel time for a primary home club. it does add a bit of time on when playing 2-3 times a week in summer.

 

[Golfnut1957]

I currently live approx half a mile to my home course. 6-7 minute walk or a 90 second drive. Moving to a new club in the new year which is actually closer to my house as the crow flies, but is about a 7 minute drive.

I don’t think I’d want to be a member of anywhere much further than 10 minutes away. It takes away the convenience and social factors which for me are important. However, having a fair few decent courses within a 30 minute drive is handy.

Are you joining Egglescliffe?

 

[Fromtherough]

Are you joining Egglescliffe?

Yeah, a small group of us are making the move. Looking forward to it.

I played Billingham about a month or so ago, was in great nick.

 

[Karl102]

I had a tough decision to make a few years ago.
Loved the club I was at ( Lymm ), lots of friends there who I grew up with. Thing is, I was only managing to play once a week ( maybe 1 and then 9 in the summer).
Travel was the main issue during the week, getting across Warrington in the week (up to 40 minutes). I joined a course in between my work and home (15 mins even in bad traffic) and haven't really looked back. Certainly playing a lot more and made some new mates. Soon got put into a few WhatsApp groups and was away.

 

[Deleted member 30522]

What about the people? the atmosphere? the "club" aspect? I'd rather be a member of a friendly, lively club with a less prestigious layout that takes me half an hour to get to, than a "superior" course with a less than engaging membership on my doorstep.

I'd certainly not include that in my list of reasons to not join my local course, for one if you're having to drive further you're going to miss out on the social aspect you reference anyway. Drive to play a poorer layout? Not for me.

I will say the best course I've been a member at (6 until now) was the poorest layout, but also the best "club". However also despite being 4 miles away it was the closest, I actually didn't join it for the first 4 years I was in the area because of the course, and you've really no way of being aware of the intangibles you describe until you've been a member somewhere for a while.

 

[Deleted member 30522]

I had a tough decision to make a few years ago.
Loved the club I was at ( Lymm ), lots of friends there who I grew up with. Thing is, I was only managing to play once a week ( maybe 1 and then 9 in the summer).
Travel was the main issue during the week, getting across Warrington in the week (up to 40 minutes). I joined a course in between my work and home (15 mins even in bad traffic) and haven't really looked back. Certainly playing a lot more and made some new mates. Soon got put into a few WhatsApp groups and was away.

Where did you join if you don't mind revealing?

 

[Deleted member 30522]

Tremendous effort

I was talking to a couple of our members from Motherwell the other day, its great to see golfers recognising that sometimes its worth the extra effort.

Just a shame some people playing at other local clubs its too far away to consider joining and then moan when they are ankle deep in mud if their very average parkland track is even open.

Anyway, just the 20 miles or so for me to play at an outstanding course. Local course is a couple of miles from home but been there done that and not going back.

You whole post smacks of elitism.

 

[2blue]

I live in Leeds also and having access to so many courses in 25 mins means membership seems like narrowing my options. However I'm currently thinking about joining a club. Any views on which are the best for winter golf? I don't see the point of paying out so much money if it's near on unplayable for 5 or 6 months..

DM'd

 

[Deleted member 3432]

You whole post smacks of elitism.

Certainly not intended.

The two local clubs (one of which I was a member of for more than 20 years) are currently closed due to the monsoon like weather we have had this week. When they open it will be summer before they will be enjoyable to play. I didn't even bother between October and March when I was a member. I suspect the majority of courses in Cumbria are closed, even Silloth was shut the other day.

These local golfers have a couple of very good links tracks within 20 miles of them where they would be paying the same membership costs or even a touch lower, absolute no brainer if you are a keen golfer.

 

[Oddsocks]

Current club is 2.1m door to door, previous club was 2m door to door or 1.1m drive to gates (their entrance drive is almost a mile). I’m fortunate enough to have 8 courses within 4 miles, I’ll prob stick our where I am until we relocate Dorset way in a few years.

Id consider driving 30-45 mins to a better course but have to be conscious of an underlying Heath issue that can tear it’s head meaning public transport /taxi’s to the course.

 

[Deleted member 30522]

Certainly not intended.

The two local clubs (one of which I was a member of for more than 20 years) are currently closed due to the monsoon like weather we have had this week. When they open it will be summer before they will be enjoyable to play. I didn't even bother between October and March when I was a member. I suspect the majority of courses in Cumbria are closed, even Silloth was shut the other day.

These local golfers have a couple of very good links tracks within 20 miles of them where they would be paying the same membership costs or even a touch lower, absolute no brainer if you are a keen golfer.

I don't agree. It's Oct-Mar, like you I barely if at all get the clubs out, and I'm a virtually every day golfer through the summer months.

Being a member further away means you'll play less, almost certainly not practice at all, because if you've made that drive you're going to want to play. OK in your case not so bad, 20 miles, meh, but the guys from motherwell or Sunderland, so that's once a week I imagine, they're hardly keen golfers if that's how often they intend or do play, and it must be.

I'm 20 miles from Ballater, 150ys from Banchory, Banchory is good, but Ballater is the best on Deeside, so it may be I join Banchory next year and only last a year, and maybe make Ballater my second club now I am nearer it, because I'd play my main course on non-medal days (at Ballater), whereas with Banchory I would play all my casual golf there as I'm there in 1 minute.

 

[MadAdey]

When I was still in England I lived in Spalding and the golf club was 10 mins away, it was actually on my way home from work so sometimes I would call in for a few holes on my way home. Woodhall Spa was over an hour away, if I joined there then I wouldn't be passing on the way home, so I wouldn't play as often.

So this was my decision. Leave home at 6:30am, get to the course at around 7:30am, grab some breakfast hit some balls and tee off at 9am, Finish at around 1pm have a drink and a chat in the clubhouse get home at around 3pm. Or Leave home at 6:15am, get to the course at around 6:30am, grab some breakfast hit some balls and tee off at 8am, Finish at around midday have a drink and a chat in the clubhouse, pick the girlfriend up, get the shopping, have a bite to eat somewhere. Come home and look at what we are doing tonight. Difference between being single and not when your a golfer.

 

[HarrogateHacker]

A - Currently 5 mins, just a couple of miles
B - upto half an hour from house, or further away and close to work etc

 

[AliMc]

About 12 miles, would do a lot more for my club and many do. Plenty members 40 or more miles away.

Same housing estate and same course for me so 12 miles and about 12 minutes, expressway virtually all the way, couldn't get anything better for what we pay any closer to home

 

[Lump]

did live 45mins from the course. Moved closer 12 month ago, now I’m about 20mins at most.

 

[Springveldt]

8 miles and 15 minutes to my home course. I actually drive past a really nice course (3 miles from my house) to get to my home course but it's for the usual reasons. I'm not native to this area and don't know a single person at the closer course and I've been at my current course for 5 years so know quite a few faces, even if it's just to have a pint with after a round.

I'd guess Close House is the best course in the area, around 35 minutes drive for me. I don't get to play enough golf to justify the price of that though. Being out the house for nearly 6 hours in total on a Saturday is enough, couldn't throw an extra 40 minutes onto that for travelling and depending on traffic could be more.

 

[Val]

I'm 1.6 miles from my club and would travel 30 mins for a top track which would require me moving 30 miles towards Glasgow or 20iles onto Fife however I've no complaints where I am.

Was previously a member at a first class links course on the Wirral and loved it

 

[simplyme]

40 miles and 60 minutes at the moment. I have just moved hence the distance, however I will still be playing there and it will be my home course.

Where I have moved too in Northants, I have quite a few options that I will play over the winter and then join one next year as an away course but all are within 15 miles.