How to choose a club

C

CP1

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Im just about to embark on joining a club for the first time. I live in tyne and wear and there are a few courses around. Obviously with different expenses.

I was wondering, how did you choose yours? is it far from where you live?

What would you change anything?

Thanks

Chris
 
I joined my first club yesterday and its not really close to me at all. Its a good 25 - 30 mins drive each time I want to play but the quality of the course and the very resonable fees did it for me.

To put it into context, I live 512yds (measured on my gps) from the 1st green at Temple Newsam G.C but due to it being a muni and not massively well looked after, I couldnt join. The rest of the courses in Leeds charge silly money for yearly subs.

I'm quite happy now, it means an hours round trip for a knock but its a small price to pay!
 
Keith - with respect, I'd find a 30min drive each way too much hassle to keep my interest, not to mention the expense.
factor the Fuel/running costs into the equation and I bet those 'too expensive' courses arent so bad ?

I live 5mins from my own course, and altho I am lucky that it is perhaps the most prestigious in my area, and fairly expensive @ £850/yr, I think its a fair price to pay to be able to pop down for 30mins whenever I want, which you cant do.
 
I live ten minutes away, and I can get there in 30 minutes from work, which opens up the possibility of evening play.

The course needs to be one you like, that you won't quickly get bored of, with a welcoming atmosphere.

There need to be a number of well publicised roll ups, such that you can meet a lot of new people quite quickly.

The course needs to be accessible when you want to play. It is no good if the only day you can play is monday morning, and that is when the course is always closed for societies.

Booked tee times at weekends and for comps are available. It is no good if one person can block book 20 tee times on saturday morning in case his mates want to play.

Good cheap food is always nice, as is a good bar, and a patio or veranda.

In a perfect world, a snooker table too.
 
Keith - with respect, I'd find a 30min drive each way too much hassle to keep my interest, not to mention the expense.
factor the Fuel/running costs into the equation and I bet those 'too expensive' courses arent so bad ?
Click to expand...

I get car allowance with my job, however I also have a fuel card so dont pay for any fuel, I get it serviced free and I also get free tyres :D
 
These were the criteria I used to find my club last September :-

1. At least 6500 yds , longer the better

2. Within max 20 mins drive (10 courses available to me)

3. Visually easy on the eye (want to look forward to playing there)

4. Large practice area capable of taking a driver

5. Not corporate minded

6. Greens with an excellent reputation (backed up with a playing test)
 
I picked the closest as I want to play golf and have a drink in the clubhouse, so I walk there and back, about a mile each way.

Only other clubs in range were both minimum 20 minutes drive, when you factor in this extra time and petrol, it makes financial sense. Plus, I would never drive after a pint of lager, so I couldn't even enjoy a cold one at the other clubs.
 
I had 2 to choose from and made a long list of pros and cons. Gave 2 points to and important pro or con and 1 point to the others. Totalled them up and joined the winner!
 
I joined my local muni for £440 a year and I love it, its only 5252 yards but I find that ok as I am not knackered at the end and I have to go home and rest after walking 6700-7000 yards so I can have a golf club social life rather than been a car park member which defeats the object of being a club member.
 
Joined my club partly because i knew a lot of people there and it is a nice course. Plus not too pricey.
 
bedlingon is a nice course and not that far from whitley bay.
whitley bays also a nice course but has a 2 or 3 year waiting list.
another one which aint that far is parklands
golf club, which is in the grounds of newcastle race course. its cheap as well i think, about £ 425 i think.
 
bedlingon is a nice course and not that far from whitley bay.
whitley bays also a nice course but has a 2 or 3 year waiting list.
another one which aint that far is parklands
golf club, which is in the grounds of newcastle race course. its cheap as well i think, about £ 425 i think.
Click to expand...

Hi boosh.

Yeah i have played a few of those. Bedlington is ok but I do like Blyth over parklands. Seems to be better experience as waited ages even though had a tee off time and the course feels better. but I suppose that is a personal thing, do you play locally? doesnt seem to be many forumers up here
 
yeah im local mate, im a member at ramside hall. i was a member at parklands, but found the travelling a pain. especially having to drive through newcastle on a saturday.
joined ramside hall, only a 10min drive.
 
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