bulldogoscar
Newbie
As a relative new commer to the game i have been enquiring at local courses about memberships.Can anyone explain why clubs have joining fees that are as much as the memberships,what do these cover.?
Joining fees
- Thread starter bulldogoscar
- Start date
Boabski
Challenge Tour Pro
most of the joining fees up here in Scotland are being wavered.Don't know why, never had to pay one,but i think it may be to attract kmore members from other clubs.
bulldogoscar
Welcome to the forum. Where are you looking to join as I'm sure there will be someone on here from the same area who can give you the lowdown on your local courses and their joining fees
Welcome to the forum. Where are you looking to join as I'm sure there will be someone on here from the same area who can give you the lowdown on your local courses and their joining fees
haplesshacker
Money List Winner
I would guess that if you don't want to queue at the weekend or have to book in advance then the more exclusive clubs would have a joining fee. The club I've just joined had no joining fee, but, it does also do pay and play, so I have to pre-book and queue at the weekend.
You pays your money you takes your choice. But, I would not pay a joining fee to a sub standard course no matter how exclusive.
You pays your money you takes your choice. But, I would not pay a joining fee to a sub standard course no matter how exclusive.
stevo
Assistant Pro
I think the joining fee is ok if you are looking for a more exclusive club.It keeps the numbers down and you can generally
get a game without a long wait.
get a game without a long wait.
nackanut
Medal Winner
my club has a £450 green fee but to spread the cost it is payable over three years. if you choose to leave you are still expected to pay the £450 in full but how they would enforce this im not sure. i think it is just some kind of gentlemans agreement. to be honest a lot of clubs with lower membership levels are now waiving these fees but as the haplesshacker says you pays your money you takes your choice. my club also lets you pay via fairway credit which i did last year for my first years subs. worked out at $63 per month for ten months.had to pay 8% interest to fairway credit but after the first couple of months i didnt miss the cash and if i played twice a week i got double my moneys worth.
bulldogoscar
Newbie
Hi
Thanks for the replies.I live in lytham st annes lancs.My nearest course is royal lytham but forget that one.Then there is st annes old links which has no joining fee £800 pa membership and £1800 bond..which you get back if you leave.The course i am interested in is blackpool north shore but i cant seem to get any info on price.
There are 2 pay and play courses within 20 miles but to be honest they arent much good.
Thanks for the replies.I live in lytham st annes lancs.My nearest course is royal lytham but forget that one.Then there is st annes old links which has no joining fee £800 pa membership and £1800 bond..which you get back if you leave.The course i am interested in is blackpool north shore but i cant seem to get any info on price.
There are 2 pay and play courses within 20 miles but to be honest they arent much good.
I gues it comes down to how good your finances are and how far you want to travel. If you can afford £2600 in the first year then St Annes must start favourite. If money is tight it may be that you might have to cast your net further afield and see what else is out there.
If Blackpool North Shore doesn't have a website I'd suggest giving them a call or even better popping down there. You can normally get much more information and a feel for the place by speaking with the secretary (or the pro).
If Blackpool North Shore doesn't have a website I'd suggest giving them a call or even better popping down there. You can normally get much more information and a feel for the place by speaking with the secretary (or the pro).
hellbunker
Assistant Pro
£2600!!!!!!!!!! wholly S**T. Homer, do you get a Faberge Egg with membership
Not me hellbunker. Its what bulldogoscar would have to pay (£880 fees plus £1800 bond). My fees are about £1200 but I get unlimited golf we no pre-booking (just roll up and go out) includes a £50 bar levy and £65 for my locker rental.
Given our neighbours (Swinley Forest, Wentworth, Sunningdale, Mill Ride etc) it is actually quite a competitive rate for a private club. There are pay and plays locally (one of which is really good) but you have to pre-book, pay green fees every time andit gets particularly congested in Summer
Given our neighbours (Swinley Forest, Wentworth, Sunningdale, Mill Ride etc) it is actually quite a competitive rate for a private club. There are pay and plays locally (one of which is really good) but you have to pre-book, pay green fees every time andit gets particularly congested in Summer
Glenfish
Club Champion
I too am looking to join a club it seems these joining fees are becoming a thing of the past down this way? Certainly I have been offered 2 very nice clubs locally with virtually no joining fee.
hellbunker
Assistant Pro
Homer...how much golf do you play at your course...? 30-40 rounds per year...?
DCB
Well-known member
I'm so glad I stay north of the border where golf is still affordable. I've bought cars for less than some of the figures banded about on here in recent posts regarding subs and joining fees.
haplesshacker
Money List Winner
Glen.
I'm in same (ish) area. Which clubs would they be, if you don't mind me asking?
Ta
I'm in same (ish) area. Which clubs would they be, if you don't mind me asking?
Ta
Hellbunker
I am lucky in that my wife lets me play both Saturday and Sunday. Lets say I play on average 40 weekends a year. I also work flexi time and get a day off a month. Lets say I use those to play golf thats another 6 rounds (April-Sept).
I ccan also be at my club after work by 6.00pm every day so during the height of Summer (June-August) I'll probably get another 3 rounds per week (thats 12 rounds per month over 3 months would be another 36 rounds)
In total that comes to 122 rounds per year. If you take divide that by my annual membership fee of 1200 that works out at £9.84 per round. There isn't anywhere in the country where you will find a green fee that cheap.
Add into that the fact that on the weekdays in Summer when I don't play I'll normally be at the club on the practice ground, the fact that my club has regular competitions and inter-club matches, and that it holds regular social events then I think pund for pound I'm actually getting value for money.
I am lucky in that my wife lets me play both Saturday and Sunday. Lets say I play on average 40 weekends a year. I also work flexi time and get a day off a month. Lets say I use those to play golf thats another 6 rounds (April-Sept).
I ccan also be at my club after work by 6.00pm every day so during the height of Summer (June-August) I'll probably get another 3 rounds per week (thats 12 rounds per month over 3 months would be another 36 rounds)
In total that comes to 122 rounds per year. If you take divide that by my annual membership fee of 1200 that works out at £9.84 per round. There isn't anywhere in the country where you will find a green fee that cheap.
Add into that the fact that on the weekdays in Summer when I don't play I'll normally be at the club on the practice ground, the fact that my club has regular competitions and inter-club matches, and that it holds regular social events then I think pund for pound I'm actually getting value for money.
Parmo
Tour Winner
bulldogoscar, they are a thing of the past, clubs now realise that golfers will not pay excessive joining fees and people (except the mo' brass tha brains) can not justify throwing cash away then being asked to pay the same amount in subs.
There will always be clubs who have to charge huge amounts of subs to keep the numbers down, but over time they will have to change with the times. Moor Allerton GC has dropped its joining fee of a grand this year, the subs are £1350 and £804 if you are under 31 (I turned 32 in Nov grrr), so for a top class course its just over £100 a month which is justifiable and enough to keep the numbers down, and to me that’s the why forward.
There will always be clubs who have to charge huge amounts of subs to keep the numbers down, but over time they will have to change with the times. Moor Allerton GC has dropped its joining fee of a grand this year, the subs are £1350 and £804 if you are under 31 (I turned 32 in Nov grrr), so for a top class course its just over £100 a month which is justifiable and enough to keep the numbers down, and to me that’s the why forward.
SammmeBee
Journeyman Pro
Talking about The Oxfordshire on another thread - they do a trial type membership where you pay a grand and get some points then everytime you play you get deducted some points. If you want to join after 6 months you then get your grand back against the joining fee.
It's like a try before you buy type thing - you get a handicap and can play in all the comps too!!
It's like a try before you buy type thing - you get a handicap and can play in all the comps too!!
TonyN
Money List Winner
The club i am looking to join has scrapped there fee because they are 40 members shorter than they would like. There is a nice club i want to join but cannot justify paying a 500 fee then 800 a year. If they cut the fee then i would pay extra. But untill then i am steering clear! I think its a thing of the past now! Like gym memberships!
SammmeBee
Journeyman Pro
That's great Homer but for the chap that can only play once a week say - which in reality with weather etc is probably only 40 times a year - it works out £30 a quid a week, which when you add your fiver for the competition it does make it expensive - I think I would rather pay a green fee somewhere and have a bit of variety.
As I have lived near Ascot all my life - I have to say you are just very slightly biased towards Royal Ascot as it ain't that good (the old course in the middle of the racecourse wasn't either but at least it made for interesting views going round!!)
SammieBee
That was then and this is now. We moved four years ago to a purpose built course that is much longer and a greater test of golf. The old course inside the racecourse was very short and in the summer wasn't much more than a glorified pitch and putt. We also lost a days play every time there was a race meeting.
The new course is maturing nicely. We had Golf Monthly playing yesterday and they rated it very highly. What makes you think the new course "ain't that great".
I'd be interested to know where you play. Apart from municipals like Downshire, Blue Mountain etc there isn't many other private members courses apart from the big names in the local proximity. The nearest comparable one for me would be Sand Martins in Finchampstead which I don't rate either as a course or as a club (I know several members and they often talkabout the atmosphere and politics).
That was then and this is now. We moved four years ago to a purpose built course that is much longer and a greater test of golf. The old course inside the racecourse was very short and in the summer wasn't much more than a glorified pitch and putt. We also lost a days play every time there was a race meeting.
The new course is maturing nicely. We had Golf Monthly playing yesterday and they rated it very highly. What makes you think the new course "ain't that great".
I'd be interested to know where you play. Apart from municipals like Downshire, Blue Mountain etc there isn't many other private members courses apart from the big names in the local proximity. The nearest comparable one for me would be Sand Martins in Finchampstead which I don't rate either as a course or as a club (I know several members and they often talkabout the atmosphere and politics).
