Joining a Golf Club - What to Look for?

[Lerx]

Hi all. My first post although I have been lurking for a few weeks. I took up this wonderful game in the summer and been badly bitten by the golf bug.

Anyway, my question: After playing a few local courses I feel that it is time to look at joining a club - probably at the start of the season in March next year. Apart from the obvious i,e enjoying playing the actual course, the costs involved is there anything else to consider in the decision making process, particularly over the longer term or is it as simple as personal preferences?

My worst fear is to make a bad decision and pay a joining fee to the wrong club. Also, do you think that clubs are justified in charging joining fees these days?

Any advice or comments would be gratefully received by this newbie.

 

[thecraw]

I would argue that unless its a top club then joining fees are a no-no! I would also contact a few clubs enquiring about membership but also tell them that your not prepared to pay a joining fee.

The financial climate will mean that courses will generally have a declining membership so at the moment you have the advantage. Customer is king? Maybe!


I would look for

Competitions.
Condition of course.
Potential future course improvements that will put a levy onto your fee.
Members, do you know any?

 

[bigslice]

what country do you live in. if scotland check out SGU scottish golf union website. or the equivilent for yours. you will get a list of all the courses for your shire and their websites. you may find a better course slightly further away from you. worth a look

 

[John_Findlay]

The things I look for, in that order;-

1. Do I enjoy the course?
2. Is it a challenge? Will I improve by playing here?
3. Can I play all year round without winter greens/tees?
4. Joining fee? What if I leave?
5. Annual Subs. How much is is to sign on friends?
6. Practice facilities
7. Good food? Friendly staff?

 

[viscount17]

to which add:

8. Comps. how are they organised, drawn or mates? how frequent are they? are they at a time that you can play?
9. Do you need to book tees? Does the course become busy at the times you can play? Do a lot of societies get booked in? Are there members only days?
10. Can you accept the club rules - eg do you need jacket and tie in the evening, long socks with shorts, etc

 

[jeardley]

One of the major factors for me was my club is where all my mates play.
Nothing like turning up on a friday after work with the boys and having a nock.

Used to be a member of arguably the best course in my area but didnt enjoy it as non of my mates where there. Only played in a couple of comps with people i didnt know. left after 1 year.

 

[Lerx]

Cheers Guys lots to think about there and I appreciate the advice. On some of the points raised:

Thecraw, I'll see what they say about the joining fee. My negotiating skills are terrible though so not sure how successful I will be. I also don't know how existing members would feel if I walked in really feeling smug about not paying a fee hehe.

Bigslice - I am from Elderslie. Had not seen to the SGU website before. A lot of good info there - thanks.

John - Some really good points to consider there especially the challenge. One of the courses local to me is lovely and I really love playing it but it is not the longest course and with big wide fairways and big greens I can see that it might not grow with me as I improve (assuming I do improve!)

Viscount - I hadn't thought about tee booking. I had always assumed you could just turn up and play. Will defo look in to that as I don't fancy always looking ahead and book. Would love to be able to go golfing on a whim if weather nice, missus out shopping etc.

Jeardley - Only have two mates I go golfing with, neither in a club. We are likely to join a club together. Well, one might not cos he is tight as a ducks proverbial which leads to John's point no 5! I agree that golfing with your mates is high priority.

Thanks again guys.

 

[Oddsocks]

lerx, alot of clubs around here in teh south are offering a 3 month membership with unlimited golf for a redusced rate, one that springs to mind is a full 7 day membership for £150.00 for 3 months.

It would be ideal to ask about things like this when enquiring about memberships. ideally you would join somewhere that you have friends as members, but if you dont, then this would give you achance to see what the members are like.

I joined a club in 98 local to me but i didnt know anyone that was a member. I would wait on the tee area on a sunday morning looking to join in with a group but was never offered. To me this isnt what a club is about. As a junior i was a member of another course and the members would always invite you to join in. If i went down after school for a few hours practice i never got to, because the members would always drag you into playing a few holes and to me that is what a club should be. The last thing you want to do is join a club that isnt welcoming.

Good luck

 

[HRC99]

Drawn competitions would be something I'd look for if it is a busy club. It can be very hard to get to know people if you're new and there are a lot of cliques.

 

[19th]

Lerx, I would not be rushing into joining a club at this time.

It would appear that if you join you will lose a playing partner and that is sad, for you and him!

A course should be acceptable or better when learning .... taking large chunks of a well manicured course is not always appreciated by fellow members.

As your golf improves so too should your caliber of course and if you do get good you will be 'courted' by clubs to come and represent them, with no joining fee.

On the subject of joining fees ..I would agree that this is a nono at this time - in fact I would suggest that following this years AGMs when clubs look at the lack of uptake of current members and realise their outgoings have still to be met, the only way is to attract new blood and this will be done by giving 'deals' - not quite BOGOF - but down that lines. In short don't act too quickly... it is a buyers market, in my opinion!

 

[MashieNiblick]

One of the courses local to me is lovely and I really love playing it but it is not the longest course and with big wide fairways and big greens..

I could definitely see myself growing to like a course like that.

Subject to cost and how far away it is my priorities would be, do I like the course and do I like the people? Ultimately these are subjective decisions.

If it's a nice place run by decent, friendly folk you won't have a problem. It'll become your club and you'll grow to like it and all its foibles (or put up with them with a shrug). No club is perfect.

Don't be embarrassed about not paying a joining fee. Lots of clubs are waiving these, the existing members know this and often have aggreed it as a necessary way to get new members, without whom the club has no future.

So far as your tight mate is concerned you can always get him on at a guest's green fee, it might even persuade him to join too.

All the best anyway.

 

[Lerx]

Thanks for the advice guys

 

[Lerx]

Just thought of a follow up question on this subject:

How many members does a golf club usually have on average?

I'm trying to guage how busy (or not!) a club might be. I'm assuming that the more members there are then the more waiting about to get on the tee at weekends etc.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

One of our biggest plus points is that you can just roll up and go out unless the tee is reserved for a comp. Much easier to get a sneaky nine holes even at this time of year and especially in the summer rather than having to book in advance

 

[Smiffy]

As much as I enjoyed Highwoods as a course, I left this year becasue of...

A) The stupid teeing off arrangements on a Sunday.
B) The chance to play in inter-club matches was non existent. Dead mens shoes.
C) Too many "clubs within a club"

If you weren't in one of the little "cliques" then forget about a casual game.

There are too many old retired gits in Bexhill with too much time on their hands

 

[GB72]

As much as I enjoyed Highwoods as a course, I left this year becasue of...

A) The stupid teeing off arrangements on a Sunday.
B) The chance to play in inter-club matches was non existent. Dead mens shoes.
C) Too many "clubs within a club"

If you weren't in one of the little "cliques" then forget about a casual game.

There are too many old retired gits in Bexhill with too much time on their hands

I am in a similar position and would certainly ask about regular roll ups and drawn comps. I enjoy the course I am at now and the people are pleasant but the simple fact is that most people have been members for years and have their own little groups that play at the same time. The chances of picking up a round when nothing is planned is minimal. Also there is an odd gap in age groups, loads of juniors and people over fifty but not many in my age group somewhere in the middle.
To me a proper club needs to be just that, a place where everyone gets to know everyone and it is easy to get a friendly round and have a drink after. I may be dreaming trying to find that but I am rapidly becoming a car park golfer and that is not what I am looking for.

 

[Golfmmad]

My advice to you Lerx is to use the time wisely between now and next March by playing the clubs local to you. By local I mean that if you don't mind driving up to 45 mins or so. Play as many as you can, then whittle them down to the courses you enjoyed the most. Play them a few times each and you'll soon get the feel of the course, the members, the management, the friendliest welcome, the clubhouse etc,etc.
And hopefully the competitions will be drawn, meaning you should play with different members each time - the best way to integrate. I also think it helps a lot if new members are not too shy in coming forward sometimes - it's a two way thing

Good luck in your search.

Golfmmad.

 

[Lerx]

My advice to you Lerx is to use the time wisely between now and next March by playing the clubs local to you. By local I mean that if you don't mind driving up to 45 mins or so. Play as many as you can, then whittle them down to the courses you enjoyed the most. Play them a few times each and you'll soon get the feel of the course, the members, the management, the friendliest welcome, the clubhouse etc,etc.
And hopefully the competitions will be drawn, meaning you should play with different members each time - the best way to integrate. I also think it helps a lot if new members are not too shy in coming forward sometimes - it's a two way thing

Good luck in your search.

Golfmmad.

Good advice and I will do just that.

Thanks again to everyone who has offered their views.