Member of 2x clubs?

[Captain_Black.]

A question mainly for those of you that are a member of more than 1x club.
I'm not specifically talking about a club near where you live & a county membership miles away, as I can understand why in certain circumstances that my be desirable.
But more so those of you who are members of 2x or more clubs near to where you live.

Why are you a member of more than one club?
Have you a full membership at both clubs?
Is one club better than the other? If so, why?

I'm asking mainly because I live in an area with lots of nearby clubs which although different in layout all pretty much offer much the same & are all within £100 of one another.
I've often thought about doing either a 5 day or more likely a flexi membership at another club for variety & the opportunity for extra comps & roll ups.

 

[Hobbit]

Not at present but I have been a full member of 2 clubs a good few times. On nearly each occasion I’ve ended up playing the vast majority of my golf at the first club because that’s where my established friends were.

The only time there was a significant difference was when I was a member of a links course and a parkland course at the same time. I kept those two memberships running concurrently for a few years but, again, I did the vast majority of the socialising at one of the clubs but tended to play between both in this instance.

There was a ‘grass is greener’ belief that invariably didn’t really amount to much once I’d joined the second club and played there a few times.

 

[CliveW]

I am a member of two clubs, one is heathland, the other is links. I joined the links course last year as I could not guarantee a game at the heathland course during the winter months. I am a full member at Blairgowrie and a senior member at Leven Links.

 

[Albo]

I actually just on Jan 1 gave up one of my memberships, but I’m on the wait list for another.
Both the clubs I was a member at last year as within 10 mins drive so both close by, both are parkland courses so no notable difference in how they play.
The main thing for me is I play a lot of golf, 4 times a week either full or partial rounds, and in all honesty doing that on the same course week in week out often times on my own, becomes a struggle with the repetitiveness. So having 2 courses breaks that up and heightens my enjoyment overall.
I have been a full and 5 day member at one club and the other, which worked but I found the course I was a 5 day member at I often got asked to play Sat/Sun afternoons so it wasn’t working out for me; so ended up going 7 day on both.
Is one better than the other… yes and no, one course is more to my liking than the other, one is a more difficult course but 3 shots to par less (67 v 70) yet doesn’t the 67 is rated easier by course rating despite the yardage difference between the 2 being 5/600. Also infuriatingly the par 67 is only available for general play off the yellows, rather than being a 69 off the whites which are reserved for comps only, I have a personal problem with that but the club won’t budge on it.
The reason I’ve given one of them up fully and added myself to the wait list at another, is because they were both parkland courses both so close to each other that if one was closed/wet/snowy, inevitably the other was too, so while I had 2 courses to choose from if the weather was inclement for a while I found I couldn’t play either course. The one I’m on the wait list for is a links course, so should offer a degree of playability during wetter months.

 

[patricks148]

I'm currently a member of 3 clubs, none are closer than 18 miles, two are over 40 but a full member at all 3. two are top 50 UK courses. But i.m giving up one this year. one i'm giving up is the closes to me but due to the higher cost of this and the fact the number of comps on Saturday has dropped considerably the last few years and since i'm now restricted to just Saturday games want to play a comp on those days.

at one time i was a member at 5 clubs, probably at least 10 years ago and all of those didn't come to what i pay for Nairn now and that was one of the clubs.
great idea in theory, but two of them i only played once the whole year.

a few of the guys who live in Nairn are members of both clubs in the town and play Nairn Monday, Wednesday and Friday and Tuesday Thursday Saturday at Nairn Dunbar.

 

[KenL]

I used to be a member of 2, one parkland and one links.
I stuck with both for about 5 years. Once I got to know more people at the links club I decided I didn't need both so left the parkland one.

 

[Captain_Black.]

I'm currently a member of 3 clubs, none are closer than 18 miles, two are over 40 but a full member at all 3. two are top 50 UK courses. But i.m giving up one this year. one i'm giving up is the closes to me but due to the higher cost of this and the fact the number of comps on Saturday has dropped considerably the last few years and since i'm now restricted to just Saturday games want to play a comp on those days.

at one time i was a member at 5 clubs, probably at least 10 years ago and all of those didn't come to what i pay for Nairn now and that was one of the clubs.
great idea in theory, but two of them i only played once the whole year.

a few of the guys who live in Nairn are members of both clubs in the town and play Nairn Monday, Wednesday and Friday and Tuesday Thursday Saturday at Nairn Dunbar.

5x clubs !!!
Wow.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

I used to play at a 9 hole links course which was a second course for a lot of people. They wouldn't use it in the summer, but come winter it was reliably open and was well kept and so justified the fees.

The club increased its fees and lost a lot of those people, couldn't justify the extra for a second course, but I suspect after this winter it may become a thing again.

 

[Captain_Black.]

Interesting replies so far, thank you.
I have to add to my original post.
My current club is parkland.
All the others within 15 miles are parkland
My nearest links course would be about 30 miles away.
Not sure if the links course do a flexi membership, but at least 2x of the nearest parkland course do.
A flexi membership is quite appealing
It would offer full member benefits at ehat I think is a reasonable cost & add a bit of variety to my golf.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I'm currently a member of 3 clubs, none are closer than 18 miles, two are over 40 but a full member at all 3. two are top 50 UK courses. But i.m giving up one this year. one i'm giving up is the closes to me but due to the higher cost of this and the fact the number of comps on Saturday has dropped considerably the last few years and since i'm now restricted to just Saturday games want to play a comp on those days.

at one time i was a member at 5 clubs, probably at least 10 years ago and all of those didn't come to what i pay for Nairn now and that was one of the clubs.
great idea in theory, but two of them i only played once the whole year.

a few of the guys who live in Nairn are members of both clubs in the town and play Nairn Monday, Wednesday and Friday and Tuesday Thursday Saturday at Nairn Dunbar.

Have you managed to jump into somewhere like Brora or Dornoch as a 2nd course or is it Skibo

 

[RangeRat]

Member of 2 clubs, both parkland. The better course is 8 miles away, the other is a mile down the road.

It gives me the choice if one is full, or has a society etc. then I can play the other. The one closest to me is good for a quick 9 holes, or just to use the practice facilities.

I did join the 2nd one as a 5 day member to start with, but wasn’t much difference in cost so went 7 day on both this year.

Retired now so probably get the value out of both.

 

[WGCRider]

I'm a member at 3 and am mostly a weekend golfer;

1) Has 2 courses, is about an hour away and has a credit membership so other than a few hundred £ upfront you pay for when you play. I have a friend that plays here every weekend come rain or shine so I'm always guaranteed a playing partner. One of the 2 courses never closes. I play around 20 times a year.
2) Also has 2 courses and is about 10 min from home. It has great practice facilities and is "top 100" type course. I have a limited membership but can broadly play when I like (can't play interclub comps). I play about 15 times a year but visit most weekends. I tend to play in the monthly medal as often as I can and then maybe 3 or 4 times a year invite friends for a game. It's the kind of course people like to visit. I joined for the practice area - not that I'm a big practicer but I like to go whack a bucket of balls in the summer evenings or my sons will come mess around with me for a few hours.
3) I have another home in South Africa on a golf estate. The membership is "free" to all residents as it's part of the annual estate levy. I rarely play - maybe 5 rounds a year.

 

[Mandofred]

Member at 2 courses.

Club 1- closest, about 7-8 min drive.
-Parkland setup.
-Nice old building with good food.
-If I re-join for the next year I'll be on the £800 plus £5 a round plan since I wasn't playing enough to justify the full whack this last year being at two courses.
-Muckiest conditions in the area when wet (it's N Yorkshire so...)
-Most greens have plenty of break....I like that. The first club I joined in 2015 had too many flat boring greens.

Club 2- 25 min drive....bummer.
-More laid back friendly atmosphere.
-Has several blocked out times for Rollups. Wed for everybody, Thursday for Seniors, Sunday morning early for everyone (small group). This meets MY needs.
-Back nine a Parkland style, front nine is shorter but quirky....lots of shots you need to hit in the correct place. Because of this, it's like playing two different type of courses.
- Greens are very challenging on the front nine.

The 2nd club offers a discount if it's a second club...again....fits MY needs. I might just end up at the 2nd club full time for the next year....even though several people on this site don't like the course. I can afford to be at both courses again next year....we'll see. I like playing on two different types of courses.

 

[Captain_Black.]

Member at 2 courses.

Club 1- closest, about 7-8 min drive.
-Parkland setup.
-Nice old building with good food.
-If I re-join for the next year I'll be on the £800 plus £5 a round plan since I wasn't playing enough to justify the full whack this last year being at two courses.
-Muckiest conditions in the area when wet (it's N Yorkshire so...)
-Most greens have plenty of break....I like that. The first club I joined in 2015 had too many flat boring greens.

Club 2- 25 min drive....bummer.
-More laid back friendly atmosphere.
-Has several blocked out times for Rollups. Wed for everybody, Thursday for Seniors, Sunday morning early for everyone (small group). This meets MY needs.
-Back nine a Parkland style, front nine is shorter but quirky....lots of shots you need to hit in the correct place. Because of this, it's like playing two different type of courses.
- Greens are very challenging on the front nine.

The 2nd club offers a discount if it's a second club...again....fits MY needs. I might just end up at the 2nd club full time for the next year....even though several people on this site don't like the course. I can afford to be at both courses again next year....we'll see. I like playing on two different types of courses.

Sound similar to my thinking.
Join another club as well as my own.
Where Seniors day is on a different day to my own course & if my own course has a society booked or is holding an open, I'll have another option.
+ hopefully another Senior team to get involved in.
All the courses near me offer a different challenge & are lovely places to play.

 

[Mel Smooth]

The youth is a member at two, but we're talking junior golf fees here - It costs me £25 for him to have access to a total of 66 holes of golf.
For myself, I couldn’t justify the cost and would much rather spend that additional membership expense, on a few social away days, opens, and charity golf days.

 

[Red devil]

I'm currently a member of 3 clubs, none are closer than 18 miles, two are over 40 but a full member at all 3. two are top 50 UK courses. But i.m giving up one this year. one i'm giving up is the closes to me but due to the higher cost of this and the fact the number of comps on Saturday has dropped considerably the last few years and since i'm now restricted to just Saturday games want to play a comp on those days.

at one time i was a member at 5 clubs, probably at least 10 years ago and all of those didn't come to what i pay for Nairn now and that was one of the clubs.
great idea in theory, but two of them i only played once the whole year.

a few of the guys who live in Nairn are members of both clubs in the town and play Nairn Monday, Wednesday and Friday and Tuesday Thursday Saturday at Nairn Dunbar.

5 clubs?! I can't even get into one where I am!

 

[BrianM]

I'm a member of 3 clubs, one on my front door, one about 12 miles away and one 100 miles away.
I work away for 2 weeks of every month, hence the one at 100 miles.
I've not really got the value this last year, been so busy at work, working away half the year and with 2 youngish kids.
I'll be going down to one in March as I'm looking to find a job closer to home, then re-evaluate from their.

 

[HankMarvin]

I am currently a member at 2 clubs, one is 5 minutes for my door so suits me down to a Tee, the other club is 25 minutes away and has 3 courses plus a 9 hole course and superb practice facilities and one of the courses held The Ryder Cup. Being a member at both gives me access to 4 courses so I am never stuck for a game.

 

[Jigger]

I used to play at a 9 hole links course which was a second course for a lot of people. They wouldn't use it in the summer, but come winter it was reliably open and was well kept and so justified the fees.

The club increased its fees and lost a lot of those people, couldn't justify the extra for a second course, but I suspect after this winter it may become a thing again.

Alnmouth?

 

[Jigger]

I used to hold 3. My main club, one I got free as I was organising the junior section where my daughter was coached and another far away links course over the winter.

In all honesty though I much prefer having a main club and pay&playing other courses.