I Want to join my first club... What should I look for??

[Karl102]

Hi,

I am relatively new to the sport and have done my time on the municiples and the occasional rounds with friends at clubs.
I am now looking to join a club and am spoilt for choice in my area. Is there any advice please on what to look for ?

Thanks
Karl

 

[The_Squire]

Where are you situated ?

 

[Karl102]

In the South Manchester / Cheshire area......

 

[mickytwodesks]

Well thats pretty easy, Northenden Golf Course is the best one in South Manchester (if money is not an issue).

Didsbury Golf Course is quite nice, best value currently is probably Chorlton Cum Hardy Golf Course (check out their website).

Mike

 

[The_Squire]

I looked for a club that had a variety of comps to play in and a nice feeling in the bar, other than that one that doesn't have society's on the course everyday. I am sure there are posters on here that can give you advice on the clubs in your area.

Good luck

 

[billyg]

Hi,

I am relatively new to the sport and have done my time on the municiples and the occasional rounds with friends at clubs.
I am now looking to join a club and am spoilt for choice in my area. Is there any advice please on what to look for ?

Thanks
Karl

What would you like out of a club?

what must it have and what must it not have?

when do you play most of your golf and how ofetn do you play?

what's your budget?

how far are you prepared to travel?

do you have a handicap certificate?

are you a social golfer or do you prefer frequent competition?

If you can pin the answers to these sorts of questions down then clubs will rule themselves out if you e-mail them asking for the bits you can't establish from their website.

Once you have a shortlist the guys who play this area will almost certainly be able to cut that list down to a handful. From there it's legwork and instinct.

One tip I think might help once you get to that stage - don't join unless you can play it first. If they try and fob you off with some **** and bull about not letting you on until youve had some lessons then offer to be accompanied. If that's not good enough for them then move on.

If they want to see a H/C first then it's not the right club for you anyway to start with and you don't qualify so the matter doesn't arise. It's their club and some insist on a certain standard- nothing you can do there.

It's a buyers market at the moment - if they're cagey at the start (and it's not an H/C only club) there's a fair chance sooner or later they're not gonna' like the way you cut your hair or the colour of your shoes ( or some rubbish) but by then they've had a years subs. out of you and it's too late.

good luck mate

 

[Nico]

Billyg

Top comment,you should frame that post and send it to everyone looking for a club!

 

[Parmo]

I Want to join my first club... What should I look for??

A course?

I am giving my Muni two years, I have been playing since August so about a year and a bit then moving on to a bigger course, I want to get to a about 10-15 constantly before thinking of joining a private club and playing long courses (current muni is 5520yrds), its a tough little course so great for beginners and still a good challenge.

 

[Doh]

Karl

Where abouts in Cheshire are you it's a big place i'm a member at Hazel Grove.I must have played most of the courses in Cheshire where have you looked??

 

[Karl102]

Hi... Thanks for all the replies !!!

I am based in Lymm, in between Altrincham and Warrington !

Karl

 

[TonyN]

You ever play walton hall Karl?

 

[Karl102]

hi yeah... thats the muni i have been playing on over the last couple of years. Its a long course, but a great one to get you started. I have not played it for a while, but a friend of mine says its starting to let itself go a bit...

 

[TonyN]

I have only played it once, and it was mostly tempory greens but thats because they have all been rebuilt to conform with the uspga blah blah whatever. But when i was there in jan it looked fantastic. My father in law swears that it is the nicest place in the summer and for a muni its out of this world. I must say the greens looked real good when i was there and cant wait for the summer. And at less than 20 quid a round its a real treat i would imagine.