Leaving My Club, Massive Decision

[AlchemyGolf]

As I previously mentioned in another post I am lucky enough to be a member of Southport and Ainsdale Golf Club.
It is an Final Open qualifying course for Royal Birkdale and Royal Lytham and has hosted the Ryder Cup in the past.The course is a links and is in fantastic condition all year round and the practice facilitys are tremendous.

The problem is that 15 months ago we had to move house 1hr away nearer to my wifes family and friends when we started to have a family of our own.

I currently pay a hefty membership fee and only get over there once a week if that because of the travel time.

I am thinking of joining the local club Shaw Hill which is 5 mins away and a nice course in summer but no where near the quality of S&A no practice facilitys and winter golf is not great,very boggy but its cheaper and I would get to have the odd few holes in the week.

If I leave S&A i will not be able to afford the entrance fee to get back in for a VERY LONG TIME so its a big decision.

Although I have played to a very high standard in the past these days I just enjoy having 5-6 hours of time to myself with friends and a good score is a bonus.

Thoughts of the forum please!!!!

 

[Parmo]

cant you become a country member and with the cash saved join the local cheaper one? Just a thought as I am not 100% on these things.

 

[TonyN]

It would make sense to be fair. As you said, you can't really justify the spend, so why not go for a cheaper club where you can play more golf.

You can always go back and play as a visitor if you really want to, wont the pro do you a members guest rate if you return for a day?

With the money you save you could always go have some good away days too. And get ya ass to some forum events.

 

[AlchemyGolf]

Dont live far enough away to qualify for country membership.

Playing there in the future is not a problem my father and brother are still members and I have endless amounts of friends there from being a member for 30years.

I think in my head I know to leave and join the local club is the right thing to do but my heart is at S&A.I have been there since the age of 8,represented the club at all levels of Amatuer golf.

On the flip side joining a new club,playing parkland golf instead of Links and a fresh challenge as well as being able to play more are all in the + section

 

[evita4]

There a few courses around Chorley for you to choose from. Chorley is an excellent course and probably more playable through the winter than Shaw Hill. I have just joined Penwortham which is also pretty good with a thriving social scene. There are plenty of others in the area, so really the choice is down to where you feel most comfortable.

 

[TonyN]

I think you answered your own question with that last post mate. No reason why you can't visit every now and then.

New club, new challenge, new friends. All pluses too me.

I know what you mean about leaving though. I almost had a mid life crisis at 21 leaving my football club to work full time. I had played there since I was a juniour, won everyhing with them and had been club captain since I turned 18. I almost quit work instead.

 

[TonyN]

O i forgot to aks, what is the deal with suspending your membership?

If you spoke to the club and explained things are 'a little tight' or whatever, could you suspend for 12 months and rejoin with out paying the joining fee again.

That way, you can go play another club for 12 months, if you hate it, join back at S&A without a fee or if you like the new club, just leave all togther.

 

[AlchemyGolf]

Yeah thats the real bummer.

Up untill 2 years ago hey used to have 200 quid absent membership,a 1 off fee and you could return at any time without paying the entrance fee.

Inially the board said they would do this for me because of my record of representing the club at a high level for many years.

But then there were a few rumblings and i did understand when they said they couldnt give preferential treatment to 1 person.

 

[Twire]

Yeah thats the real bummer.

Up untill 2 years ago hey used to have 200 quid absent membership,a 1 off fee and you could return at any time without paying the entrance fee.

Inially the board said they would do this for me because of my record of representing the club at a high level for many years.

But then there were a few rumblings and i did understand when they said they couldnt give preferential treatment to 1 person.

I think your club must be bonkers....A 200 quid retainer is a win win situation for them. Lets face it if you leave to join another club, your going to be pretty reluctant to pay the full joining fee to regain your old membership. So 200 quid in their pockets is money for nothing.

 

[Tommo21]

Dont live far enough away to qualify for country membership.

Playing there in the future is not a problem my father and brother are still members and I have endless amounts of friends there from being a member for 30years.

I think in my head I know to leave and join the local club is the right thing to do but my heart is at S&A.I have been there since the age of 8,represented the club at all levels of Amatuer golf.

On the flip side joining a new club,playing parkland golf instead of Links and a fresh challenge as well as being able to play more are all in the + section

Okay, I’ve just joined a new club this year, it’s only 5 minutes up the road and I love it. Cost a few bob for the first year but all is fine. However, I decided to keep my membership at my old club, about 45 minutes down the road. One is links the other parkland, tree lined, and although I was contemplating leaving my old club I’m glad I didn’t. I have way too many good friends at my old club, I just couldn’t leave.

It might be a luxury being at two clubs but I love the change from one to the other. As an added bonus I played one on Saturday, temp greens, the other on Sunday was clear and on full greens. I was going to say you just cant buy that, but I have.

I would think long and hard before leaving a club where you obviously have so many good friends, even if you can get a game there any time.

 

[AlchemyGolf]

Oh yeah big thing I forgot to mention because of my past of playing county golf and english and british amatuers my local club are offering to waive the entrance fee for me to join as long as I will play for the club team.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think you need to sit down and look at all the courses in your new area and see what they offer. If you are happy with say a 20 minute drive there may be others that offer practice facilities and aren't as wet in winter and may represent a better golfing challenge to you.

I think in your heart you have already made the decision to leave so I'd just make sure the club you join is one you will get the most out of and not just because it is the most convenient

 

[Dave3498]

Stay where you are. One day of quality golf on one of Britain's top courses, is infinitely better than two or three games on a second-rate course, especially at your level of the game.

You don't mention the relative lengths of the two courses or whether you are on temporary tees and greens on either of them during the winter. If your present links course plays its full length all the year round, that is a big consideration in my book.

 

[AlchemyGolf]

All the local clubs are wet in winter where I am now,clay based and low lying.
There is another club that has great practice facilitys and have offered me mebership with no entrance fee but the course itself is not great.

The one 5 mins away is the best bet of the local ones that are willing to waive the entrance fee for me.

 

[Dodger]

TOMO21 where do you play your golf about?

 

[Tommo21]

TOMO21 where do you play your golf about?

Royal Musselburgh at Prestonpans and Winterfield at Dunbar.

 

[Smiffy]

I had to leave Crowborough Beacon about 8 years ago because of moving away from the area after divorce.
I was more upset over that than not seeing my Missus again!
The secretary there was very good and said that if ever I wanted to join again in the future she would waive the joining fee for me.
Unfortunately I still live too far away to make re-joining a viable proposition.
Rob

 

[teetime72]

All the local clubs are wet in winter where I am now,clay based and low lying.
There is another club that has great practice facilitys and have offered me mebership with no entrance fee but the course itself is not great.

Would this be Preston G C Alchemy.

If not, have you tried them,it`s only 20 mins. from Shaw hill,and as you say it`s very wet around here at the moment,but I played preston last week and they are still playing summer greens.

 

[big_russ]

Along with Evita4 i have joined Penwortham GC for next year and although not the longest course they have spent huge amounts of money on the course recently which benifits year round playability.
They were still on summer greens and tees last week and only closed Thursday and Friday after the ground had thawed. This made it only a handful of days closed for the whole year which is not bad as it is on the bank of the river Ribble.
Chorley and Preston are real quality courses but if you compare anything against the likes of S&A you are only going to be disappointed.

 

[AlchemyGolf]

I fully realise that compared to S&A im going to struggle which is why the decision is so tough.
I have played Penwortham a zillion times in the Rose Bowl and scratch team games.
They are all much of a muchness really, I do have a few close friends at Shaw Hill which makes it attractive as well as being 5mins away and they are waiving the entrance fee,OH [****] i was supposed to keep that a secret,never mind.

Spread the word at Penwortham about Alchemy Golf,I am in Clayton Le Woods only 20 mins away as you say.
Have a look at our site and feel free to come round to view any clubs anyone might be interested in.

www.usedpingclubs.co.uk