ArnoldArmChewer
Tour Winner
No you didn't, however everyone I know at our club regardless of whether they are young or old refer to a swindle as a swindle
Is the cost of joining a club worth it?
- Thread starter Grizzly
- Start date
No you didn't, however everyone I know at our club regardless of whether they are young or old refer to a swindle as a swindle
USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
It depends what your club call them, but swindle is common enough, or roll up. What ever, it is a chance to meet a lot of nembers very quickly, and get a regular game. There are nearly always at least one roll up per day, often several.
Orikoru
Tour Winner
Fair enough then.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
VfM on the membership vs nomad green fee payer is one aspect of membership that is fairly easy to quantify and assess.
Harder perhaps to assess are those things associated with being a member. How important to you would be becoming part of a new circle of people all with one thing in common - a love of golf - many of whom will become friends to one degree or another. With some of these friends you may well develop stronger friendships and go off on golfing days out and possibly longer golfing holidays - indeed some friendships are developed beyond simply golf. Might that be important or of value to you?
And then there are simply the obvious benefits of membership - such as being able to play a few holes of an evening or whenever you have an hour or two to spare; roll-ups/swindles that you just turn up for; building a relationship with the club pro(s) - for free advice on equipment and your game and issues you are having with it; and of course your club handicap; the value you would put on having free practice facilities (driving range; chipping and putting areas); and quality of instructional / teaching facilities the club has that is available for pros to given lessons that you might buy. Reduced cost (or free) green fees clubs your own club has reciprocal agreements with and through your County Card; playing other courses (usually free or a minimal cost) through team matches (team golf being a very different side to playing golf);
Beyond golf there is the social side and many clubs have a strong and active social side - most of which you might not be interested in in participating - perhaps not until you are in there with a bunch of like-minded members and you fancy a laugh or just having a go - but some just might tick an existing interest box (e.g. my club has a members choir than gets together winter months - I like a little bit of singing so I have had a go it. It mainly does simple pop/rock stuff - but is fun - and it puts on a concert once a year for members and friends to raise money for the Captain's Charity)
As others have said - golfing VfM is one thing - being a member of a club can be much wider. Many members really value the wider aspects of membership - many frankly don't give a monkeys and only join a club as as it presents good VfM. The choice is very individual.
Harder perhaps to assess are those things associated with being a member. How important to you would be becoming part of a new circle of people all with one thing in common - a love of golf - many of whom will become friends to one degree or another. With some of these friends you may well develop stronger friendships and go off on golfing days out and possibly longer golfing holidays - indeed some friendships are developed beyond simply golf. Might that be important or of value to you?
And then there are simply the obvious benefits of membership - such as being able to play a few holes of an evening or whenever you have an hour or two to spare; roll-ups/swindles that you just turn up for; building a relationship with the club pro(s) - for free advice on equipment and your game and issues you are having with it; and of course your club handicap; the value you would put on having free practice facilities (driving range; chipping and putting areas); and quality of instructional / teaching facilities the club has that is available for pros to given lessons that you might buy. Reduced cost (or free) green fees clubs your own club has reciprocal agreements with and through your County Card; playing other courses (usually free or a minimal cost) through team matches (team golf being a very different side to playing golf);
Beyond golf there is the social side and many clubs have a strong and active social side - most of which you might not be interested in in participating - perhaps not until you are in there with a bunch of like-minded members and you fancy a laugh or just having a go - but some just might tick an existing interest box (e.g. my club has a members choir than gets together winter months - I like a little bit of singing so I have had a go it. It mainly does simple pop/rock stuff - but is fun - and it puts on a concert once a year for members and friends to raise money for the Captain's Charity)
As others have said - golfing VfM is one thing - being a member of a club can be much wider. Many members really value the wider aspects of membership - many frankly don't give a monkeys and only join a club as as it presents good VfM. The choice is very individual.
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Khamelion
Tour Winner
For me it is worth it. I play 3 weeks out of every 4 and use the practice facilities. My home club has a great 9 holes Par 3 course, great practice putting greens, large driving range, competitions if you want to enter them, really friendly and getting a tee time whenever if dead easy, what's not to like.
williamalex1
Money List Winner
Here in Scotland we call them " SWEEPS " they're usually non qualifying events playing for a few quid sweep money, some played over 9 holes or 15 or 18. Some use their own handicap system separate from your official h/c, and use their own rules
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
...and we call them 'roll-ups' as any member can just roll up to any 'roll-up' on the day - stick their entrance quid or two in the pot - and wait for the random draw to see who they go out with and when. Ours have their own h/cap system separate from the official h/c. Your r/u handicap only differs fro your club h/c once and whenever you have won.
Minty
New member
I'm guessing you pay green fees each time, because it's a public course?
Orikoru
Tour Winner
Yeah that's right, Haste Hill Golf Club is a separate entity to Haste Hill Public Course, but they operate there. So I pay £100 to the club, and pay green fees at the course when I play.
There is also an option to pay Hillingdon £600 or something to cover green fees for a whole year, but you have to do that by May I think, and I didn't have the funds at the time. Next year I may do that as it's pretty good value I think.
Minty
New member
Yeah that sounds decent!
williamalex1
Money List Winner
Hugh , as you well know partner, UP HERE our Roll ups are hand rolled cigarettes , usually with something added
YUP. 
HomerJSimpson
Hall of Famer
This although they are known as greedies, swindles, roll ups, pension funds etc. The one I run on a Saturday cuts the winner 2 shots x 3 weeks off their club handicap (if they go up/down subsequently before the next roll up its taken off that) and 1 shot x 3 weeks for coming 2nd.
SwingsitlikeHogan
Major Champion
The winner gets cut 0.1 for every £1 won. R/U h/cap is reset to Club h/cap only when clocks go forward and when clocks go back. So win £20 first roll-up of the year and you are stuck with that 2 shot cut until the clocks go back. Win again during the summer and your r/u h/cap is cut again and again. Idea is that over the summer and winter seasons we aim to spread winnings around the players. So the player who wins (say) £20 three times in a summer or winter season will see himself playing out the season with a r/u h/cap 6 shots under his club handicap
