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Member or Nomad?

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jack1

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Sep 22, 2009
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Probably been done to death but my two penneth.... i was a nomad golfer for 15 years and enjoyed different courses. One day me and my regulars decided we were fed up with weekend pay and play courses overbooking early t,s so we joined a club. Then one died and one moved away so fourball becomes two ball. Don,t get me wrong we have a group of around 10+ other members who we can join in with, who we have "acquired" in the last 5 years. However, for the most part the rest of the membership stick in their regular groups/cliques and don,t want to change anything. Fair enough. Playing the same course twice + a week also gets a bit tiresome especially when certain shots on certain holes are nearly always unsatisfying.

I then think to myself £1500 is a lot of dosh and could take me a fair way as a visitor and nomad for a year and see how i feel at the end of it. Just thinking out loud really and interested if others have had similar thoughts.
 
Me and regualr playing partner did the local munis or a few years, its ok but i prefer being a member, especially as it works out much better value for me.
 
jack1 said:
Probably been done to death but my two penneth.... i was a nomad golfer for 15 years and enjoyed different courses. One day me and my regulars decided we were fed up with weekend pay and play courses overbooking early t,s so we joined a club. Then one died and one moved away so fourball becomes two ball. Don,t get me wrong we have a group of around 10+ other members who we can join in with, who we have "acquired" in the last 5 years. However, for the most part the rest of the membership stick in their regular groups/cliques and don,t want to change anything. Fair enough. Playing the same course twice + a week also gets a bit tiresome especially when certain shots on certain holes are nearly always unsatisfying.

I then think to myself £1500 is a lot of dosh and could take me a fair way as a visitor and nomad for a year and see how i feel at the end of it. Just thinking out loud really and interested if others have had similar thoughts.
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10+ others to play with is nice though. It would/could be just you and the other fellow without the membership...
 
Always been a nomad. Play and play whenever and wherever I want. Its the only life I know, but recently mates have become members of clubs, started families, etc. so golf time is reduced even as a nomad.
 
For me it depends on the golf you like to play, i enjoy competitive golf more than a fun knock, so being a member of a club is essential.

However, if the EGU/CONGU offered the chance to have a handicap and not be a member at a club, i am sure some people would do that and just play opens around the country.

£1500 per year for membership seems steep though wherever you are a member... must be nice ;)
 
MendieGK said:
For me it depends on the golf you like to play, i enjoy competitive golf more than a fun knock, so being a member of a club is essential.

However, if the EGU/CONGU offered the chance to have a handicap and not be a member at a club, i am sure some people would do that and just play opens around the country.

£1500 per year for membership seems steep though wherever you are a member... must be nice ;)
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Not particularly. Did i forget to mention that? Everywhere inside the m25 seems to be 25% more than outside, (minimum).
 
Having joined a club last year for the first time in ten years, I'm not sure I would go back to being a nomad in a hurry. I like being able to book a regular tee-time, play one of two quality courses, competitions every weekend and being able to play as much as I like for a set fee.

In the last 12 months since joining I've played approximately 90 rounds, subs are 1150, so about 13 quid a round. Not sure I'd get anywhere near the amount or quality of golf as a nomad.
 
Piece said:
Always been a nomad. Play and play whenever and wherever I want. Its the only life I know, but recently mates have become members of clubs, started families, etc. so golf time is reduced even as a nomad.
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Likewise. I dont play enough for a membership to be viable. However, i like being able to play a number of different courses throughout the year.
 
Interesting one for me this. Been a member for years but am thinking of going nomad. I have not found a club that fits. Lack of people of my age, lack of drawn comps, roll ups only in the week, restrictive dress codes are all getting me down yet there are those that say that these do not impact on membership. With a clubhouse that I find a bit stuffy and no drawn comps, I do not actually feel that I am a member if a club, it is somewhere I go to play golf. I know enough people at local courses who could sign me in when I want and I could join the cheap local 9 hole course for the odd comp and a handicap. The nomadic life is getting tempting
 
I can see both sides of this one. As a member I like the fact I have regular competitions, can get a game without hassle and can maintain a handicap. However I can see how playing different courses regularly keeps it fresh and interesting although as someone else said doing that and paying weekend rates at some places will perhaps cost as much if not more than a membership fee. However at the end of the day, I guess it what's makes you happier and if thats nomadic golf then go ahead and enjoy
 
I gave up my membership in 2013 and had a nomad year 2014. Really enjoyed it but do miss having an active handicap. I'm thinking joining a 9 hole course this year might give me the balance between affordable membership, active handicap but have some funds to left over to fork out on green fees elsewhere.
 
MendieGK said:
For me it depends on the golf you like to play, i enjoy competitive golf more than a fun knock, so being a member of a club is essential.

However, if the EGU/CONGU offered the chance to have a handicap and not be a member at a club, i am sure some people would do that and just play opens around the country.

£1500 per year for membership seems steep though wherever you are a member... must be nice ;)
Click to expand...

Depends where you live I suppose; it's the going rate down south. And yes, it is nice, thank you ;)

As to the OP, the nearest vaguely comparative public to mine would be Silvermere. £30 a round at weekends x 50 rounds is your £1,500, add 25 midweek 9 holers @ £15 takes the total to £1,875. No comps, no handicap, no free practice facilities, no club socials and more money; no brainer. I can have club membership & most of my works & forum green fees for what the same amount of nomad golf will cost me. I'm staying put. :D
 
For the OP, I'd strongly stick by the statement that's it's not the membership that doesn't suit you, it's the club you have chosen

For example, we run a roll up on Saturday and Sunday unless there is a comp on, this is every weekend and is drawn at random not fiddled like some. Our roll up can be anything from 12 - 40 people and everyone is welcome ... And new members are encouraged. All of our comps again are drawn and there's no such thing as comp full, if the sheet is getting full they put another sheet up and allocate more tee slots.

My point is if you find the right club you don't consider moving, I've only been there two full years and when we were recently looking to move the misses didn't want to move to far out as even she likes the social side there.

Find a membership you like that ticks all the boxes, but for me drawn comps and roll ups are a must!
 
My local club (Sidmouth) offers a social membership for around £80. For this you get a recognized handicap, can play in some competitions and pay £15 a round in the summer and £10 in the winter. Woodbury park also offers a players card making 9 holes £10. Have alook see if you can cobble some deals together like this around you.
 
Membership every time for me.

I can play pretty much any time i want

I jkeep a valid handicap

I can play as many comps as i like

I can play in lots of opens at reduced green fees all over the country.
 
I have another option for you all.

I have a full congu handicap through Deanwood Park Nomadic golfer scheme. Its only £50 per year.

I play open singles comps through the year at a cost of between £5 and £20 a time (normally about 8-10 comps per year).

These are all courses presented in their best conditions, by clubs wanting to show off their layouts.

Fair-enough, they will all be setup tough, so its unlikely that you'll make a big reduction in your handicap, but it is nice to get the best of both worlds in my opinion.

Play well fellas!

P.S.

Details of the deanwood membership:

http://www.deanwoodpark.co.uk/handicap_membership
 
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