Membership cost increase

[chellie]

I think when it comes to ridiculous it is all relevant to the person. Some people are happy to pay 5k a year for membership as they can afford it, others see 1K as ridiculous. I have given up my membership at my club as I started to find it ridiculous. $240 a month, which for around me is a good price for such an amazing course. But on top of that it is cart only at the weekends and that costs you another $20 a round. So play just once a week and you are in the hole for $320 a month. Could not really get any games during the week because of my shifts. So basically was paying $80 a round. I worked out that in a year I had only played about 40 rounds so actually ended up paying about $95 a round, I can do pay and play there for $65 a round or $50 if with a member.

How I wish I still lived in old blighty where you can be a member of somewhere good for 1K a year and not have to pay cart fees on top of that.

You can't in our neck of the woods. Pushing towards double that now

 

[Viewer]

£1400 plus 50% JF for short courses just over 5500 yards, Woolton, Lee Park, great courses in summer but are closed most of the winter every year.
Compared to courses in North Wales just over an hour away that are open all year e.g. Prestatyn is £750 with no JF, the prices are criminal.
It's supply and demand I suppose because they are not short of members, the Joining Fees have just been reintroduced to 'scare off' potential new members.

Join both? 1 summer/1 winter?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

You can't in our neck of the woods. Pushing towards double that now

Same here. I don't think there is a club around here for a minimum of £1900 for 7 day membership (not including a joining fee)

 

[Oddsocks]

£1400 plus 50% JF for short courses just over 5500 yards, Woolton, Lee Park, great courses in summer but are closed most of the winter every year.
Compared to courses in North Wales just over an hour away that are open all year e.g. Prestatyn is £750 with no JF, the prices are criminal.
It's supply and demand I suppose because they are not short of members, the Joining Fees have just been reintroduced to 'scare off' potential new members.

Try moving south…. Everything in my area starts at £2k plus JF

 

[D-S]

Try moving south…. Everything in my area starts at £2k plus JF

That’s due South. If you move South and West things are much cheaper. From Bristol westwards about £1600 is the most you can pay. Most Bristol Clubs are around the 1100-1400 mark, (a couple have breached the £1500 barrier) there similar or cheaper levels as you move further west.

 

[JonnyGutteridge]

Considering the cost of those other clubs in the area you have got the best deal by a considerable margin

It’s a better course and club than Hindhead and Fanham , better atmosphere than Liphook even though I like the course and whilst Hankley is the best course in the area Blackmoor is far better value for money.

I’m sorry as I love Blackmoor and have played it 50+ times over the last few years, there isn’t a single aspect which is better than Hindhead in my opinion.

 

[The Lion]

I was hoping to join somewhere local this year but I won't be.
There are 5 courses within a 5 mile radius of me and the prices they are asking ridiculous, considering they've hardly been fully open all winter.
Near double the price of superior courses in North Wales that are open year round.
I'll remain a golfing nomad for the foreseeable.

Liverpool here too. Totally agree with you how dire the courses are around here. The Golf Coast is massively overpriced now, but after that there are very few options sadly.

 

[IanM]

Atmosphere? In the clubhouse you mean?

That's like judging a restaurant by the availability of parking!

 

[PNWokingham]

I’m sorry as I love Blackmoor and have played it 50+ times over the last few years, there isn’t a single aspect which is better than Hindhead in my opinion.

debatable. I love both. Hindhead is a "bigger" course on a more asthetically pleasing plot. But Blackmoor is a brilliant course for the site, also has some stunning holes, the quality of the bunkering (probably a chunk better now and i will be playing again in next few weeks) is superb. Both exellent quality greens but i would say Blackmoor has better green sites overall. Both have 2 or 3 weeker holes. I have not played Hindhead much in the winter but was told be members that the valley holes on the front 9 can get wet, i know they have had more drainage over recent years, but Blackmoor has stunning drainage and is clearly the better winter course. And Blackmoor also an easier walk. As said, i love both course and clubs and in terms orf ranking, i would put both in a simialr quadrant, at a guess in the 80-120 area in GB&I. Or on another scale both solid 7s. But, if i had to be a member, i would choose Blackmoor. Another dead heat are the space constrained car parks!!

 

[Orikoru]

£1200 is the most that I would consider reasonable (£100 a month) but mine is £1400 and will be pushing £1500 on renewal no doubt - I just feel like my hands are tied to paying because there's nothing cheaper anywhere in the vicinity, except for the public course I used to play at which is several leagues below in quality.

 

[jim8flog]

That’s due South. If you move South and West things are much cheaper. From Bristol westwards about £1600 is the most you can pay. Most Bristol Clubs are around the 1100-1400 mark, (a couple have breached the £1500 barrier) there similar or cheaper levels as you move further west.

Much like Somerset and North Dorset , once you get down the Bournemouth area of Dorset fees are akin to the SE.

 

[evemccc]

You need a lot…and friends…

I sometimes ponder on whether or not I’d want to be a member as it’s only 15mins from my front door. It doesn’t feel like my sort of club…but I have a feeling I’d probably find myself joining for the course…despite my other reservations.

Of all the ‘nicer’ courses I’ve played, I really enjoyed the serenity of the walk, perhaps the most of any course - felt like it was just me, my PP, the course and its wonderful views. No road noise nor houses to impede. The conditioning was first-rate too

It’s always tough comparing and being critical of courses I’d almost willingly give my left leg to be a member of, but for me Hankley’s serenity and condition > its golf holes

Walton Heath is the opposite I felt

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Of all the ‘nicer’ courses I’ve played, I really enjoyed the serenity of the walk, perhaps the most of any course - felt like it was just me, my PP, the course and its wonderful views. No road noise nor houses to impede. The conditioning was first-rate too

It’s always tough comparing and being critical of courses I’d almost willingly give my left leg to be a member of, but for me Hankley’s serenity and condition > its golf holes

Walton Heath is the opposite I felt

Feel same about Camberley Heath. As much as I might like it as a golf course, the traffic noise is way too intrusive for my liking. Much of my golf is by myself, clearing the mind in lovely surroundings of peace and quiet, and I get that at my track.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Feel same about Camberley Heath. As much as I might like it as a golf course, the traffic noise is way too intrusive for my liking. Much of my golf is by myself, clearing the mind in lovely surroundings of peace and quiet, and I get that at my track.

Seriously overpriced in my view for what it is. Too many weak holes and £98 for a summer round is way off

 

[Shooter McPowick]

Considering the cost of those other clubs in the area you have got the best deal by a considerable margin

It’s a better course and club than Hindhead and Fanham , better atmosphere than Liphook even though I like the course and whilst Hankley is the best course in the area Blackmoor is far better value for money.

Better than Farnham, yes. Hindhead, absolutely not!

 

[Shooter McPowick]

Seriously overpriced in my view for what it is. Too many weak holes and £98 for a summer round is way off

£98 for a summer round at Camberley Heath? If so, that's a bargain when you consider the average price in the area is knocking on £200 for a visitor. Granted, the 3 W's are far superior.

 

[Oddsocks]

Isn’t there often negative feedback around hindhead having a great 9 and an average 9? One thing you can say with Blackmoor is the layout is pretty consistent in character.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

£98 for a summer round at Camberley Heath? If so, that's a bargain when you consider the average price in the area is knocking on £200 for a visitor. Granted, the 3 W's are far superior.

Blackmoor is only £12 dearer and there would be no contest in my book. Blackmoor wins every time as I think Camberley has too many weak holes especially under the tunnel and squeezed between the houses, the 16th with a pond not visible off the tee and the 18th

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

£1200 is the most that I would consider reasonable (£100 a month) but mine is £1400 and will be pushing £1500 on renewal no doubt - I just feel like my hands are tied to paying because there's nothing cheaper anywhere in the vicinity, except for the public course I used to play at which is several leagues below in quality.

Thing is…you might well look at a membership cost as something you might consider affordable or not, and I think that’s what you are saying. But applying ‘reasonable’ to it is another matter as that is something not really of personal opinion - being determined by location, local factors…and frankly by what the club thinks it‘s market can sustain. We can also personally decide whether or not a clubs subs are ’worth’ it, but that tends to be driven by the quality and variety of the course, as well as it’s setting.

 

[Therod2]

Blackmoor is only £12 dearer and there would be no contest in my book. Blackmoor wins every time as I think Camberley has too many weak holes especially under the tunnel and squeezed between the houses, the 16th with a pond not visible off the tee and the 18th

What’s your opinion on the 17th? Proper challenge that par 4.