Membership Fees

[jim8flog]

You only need a football ticket to go to a match, if you play golf you need a membership, clubs, bag, balls ,gloves ,tees ,clothes, shoes. If you get lessons they can be expensive. It all adds up to a fairly substantial amount so I'd certainly say it was on the more expensive side of hobbies

Yes but it does not need to be so, buy all the equipment except shoes second hand, lake balls and cheap gloves off ebay. Possible total cost around £100 by shopping wisely Once you have got most of the kit it can last for years if looked after, my first set of kit lasted me for 8 years. My brother has only ever bought one golf bag in 30+ years of playing and just two sets of irons in that time.

 

[patricks148]

Amazing price, saw that a few weeks ago when I was looking at green fees and booking a tee time and couldn't quite believe it. Also saw that Tain members get a very cheap rate at RD, that surprised me as well.

Do they actually have any available memberships or surely they are full on both courses?, would have thought they would have loads of overseas members/visitors ?(did read that you have to go via the sturie to get champ course membership on their website)

When we first moved up Tain was the first place i joined it was £225 and you got 2 free games at, Dornoch, Brora, Golspiei, portmahomack and Bonar bridge.but now its about £450, but you can play all those for £10 as often as you like, but only Twice at Dornoch still, but you also get, Fortrose, Muir of Ord, Inverness,Kings, Strathpeffer, Invergordon, Alness as well but only full membership not country,

think Dornoch did away with Country and i think there is even a waiting list on overseas.

You can join, but the waiting list or struie membership is about 5 years at least now

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Ascot costs more than Blackmoor? Seriously? Amazing how much more you get a little further out!!!

And still cheaper than Mill Ride, Sand Martins and Windlesham. I totally agree with your insinuation about Blackmoor being a better course at a better price but I could never justify the travel costs to play there and so left to pick the best deal for me and at the moment Royal Ascot ticks all the boxes. The drainage is significantly better as the likes of Mill Ride and Windlesham have been closed or partially closed recently and we were fully open. The greens are in good nick and the course gives me a challenge so I still think I am getting value for money

 

[fundy]

And still cheaper than Mill Ride, Sand Martins and Windlesham. I totally agree with your insinuation about Blackmoor being a better course at a better price but I could never justify the travel costs to play there and so left to pick the best deal for me and at the moment Royal Ascot ticks all the boxes. The drainage is significantly better as the likes of Mill Ride and Windlesham have been closed or partially closed recently and we were fully open. The greens are in good nick and the course gives me a challenge so I still think I am getting value for money

Wasnt an insuation, its a fact, its a better course at a better price, I wasnt aware their was that much discrepancy between Surrey and Hants! As long as youre happy with what you get for your money thats all that matters

 

[sunshine]

no, but Royal Dornoch is under £500 for a could thats in the top 10 in the world

When you have visitors lining up to pay £180 to play a round it's no surprise the members subs are a bargain.

 

[patricks148]

When you have visitors lining up to pay £180 to play a round it's no surprise the members subs are a bargain.

the one downside its a hell of a job getting round in under 5 hours unless you tee off before 9... place is cluttered with yanks and Caddies

 

[sunshine]

its also a case of supply and demand, i'd imagine course down south are likley to charge more if its special, running cost would also differ i would say, a course in the SE comuter belt pron has higher overheads than say somwhere up here

Supply and demand will massively influence pricing of courses that are run for a profit, e.g. resort courses.

I'm not sure it is a factor with a private members club. Would love to know how much membership costs at somewhere like Swinley Forest. Bet it's not exorbitant.

 

[KenL]

Yes this is a good point. Links probably need less maintenance due to the drainage. But I'm sure a good quality parkland is still a lot cheaper up north

Not necessarily. Many links courses get a lot of high paying visitors that keeps the fees low.

 

[DeanoMK]

I've been getting prices from courses local to me (never been a full member anywhere before) and they're all upwards of £850 which is not unreasonable. I don't think I'd have a problem going up to the £1200 mark but the wife would - and that's been the main crux

 

[Colonel Bogey]

Personally I think £500 is about right. This is still £10 a week, if you can play every week, which currently I haven't. In fact I've not played for 2 months. Luckilly I'm only paying £150 (points system) and I'm on my third lot of points which, I have hardly used and I can carry over to next season, thank god!

 

[need_my_wedge]

When we first moved up Tain was the first place i joined it was £225 and you got 2 free games at, Dornoch, Brora, Golspiei, portmahomack and Bonar bridge.but now its about £450, but you can play all those for £10 as often as you like, but only Twice at Dornoch still, but you also get, Fortrose, Muir of Ord, Inverness,Kings, Strathpeffer, Invergordon, Alness as well but only full membership not country,

think Dornoch did away with Country and i think there is even a waiting list on overseas.

You can join, but the waiting list or struie membership is about 5 years at least now

My lad got straight in at Dornoch, applying and joining in September. It's included free as part of his degree course, but you could argue he's paid £9 for the privilege . They also get free at Brora and £10 at Golspie, maybe some others he hasn't mentioned yet.

 

[patricks148]

My lad got straight in at Dornoch, applying and joining in September. It's included free as part of his degree course, but you could argue he's paid £9 for the privilege . They also get free at Brora and £10 at Golspie, maybe some others he hasn't mentioned yet.

I think the UHI deal for Students on the courses related to golf is a long running one, they could hardly make the golf students at UHI wait 5 years to join could they? you can get in the Struie straight away, you could walk in there now and joing that, not so if you want to join the championship course though

 

[Bxm Foxy]

I'm looking to join a course next year. Either £375 for a nine hole course. Very easy to get tee times. Takes 25 minutes to get there with a short ferry journey. Alternative is where I used to me a member, 18 hole course, £475, 40 minute drive.

 

[Italian outcast]

Over here in Italy I pay 1,150 Euros including locker and club storage for a full 7-day membership
Also pay 10-20 Euros for competitions which means it does add up

Golf however, is relatively expensive in Italy so in general its a good deal - even though it's just 9-holes
Its a 5 minute drive/20 minute walk away which helps, and is generally open 10 months of the year
Its well maintained, an active and friendly membership for competitions, really nice staff, good practice facilities and good pros, with an excellent bar and restaurant and and lots of summer events

..oh and (usually) lots of sun

All in all great value for me (all my other main activities i.e., dog walking 5 km a day are free)

 

[3offTheTee]

My lad got straight in at Dornoch, applying and joining in September. It's included free as part of his degree course, but you could argue he's paid £9 for the privilege . They also get free at Brora and £10 at Golspie, maybe some others he hasn't mentioned yet.

Seem to recall Royal Dornoch took around £800k in green fees around 6 years’ ago when I played there so probably £1 mill. now. Should help a tad!

 

[patricks148]

Seem to recall Royal Dornoch took around £800k in green fees around 6 years’ ago when I played there so probably £1 mill. now. Should help a tad!

well over that now i think... have a fair amount in the bank.... but finally have to splash out on a new clubhouse thats going to cost 4 or5 million i think

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

When we first moved up Tain was the first place i joined it was £225 and you got 2 free games at, Dornoch, Brora, Golspiei, portmahomack and Bonar bridge.but now its about £450, but you can play all those for £10 as often as you like, but only Twice at Dornoch still, but you also get, Fortrose, Muir of Ord, Inverness,Kings, Strathpeffer, Invergordon, Alness as well but only full membership not country,

think Dornoch did away with Country and i think there is even a waiting list on overseas.

You can join, but the waiting list or struie membership is about 5 years at least now

Think I'm going to have to move to Fortrose to be close to family who live in Fortrose and Rosemarkie

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Wasnt an insuation, its a fact, its a better course at a better price, I wasnt aware their was that much discrepancy between Surrey and Hants! As long as youre happy with what you get for your money thats all that matters

Not that much difference in Surrey/Hants borders area - Royal Ascot is in Berks - they think they are a bit posh in that county

 

[patricks148]

Think I'm going to have to move to Fortrose to be close to family who live in Fortrose and Rosemarkie

Hope you like a cross wind then
i think its just Tain that has those recipricals, Dornoch, Brora, Golspie and Portmahomack and Bonar are the old Dornoch Bridge deal which was just between those clubs, all the others were neg by Tain, though i think F&R have a couple of there own

 

[Jacko_G]

@ £640 a year - it'd be churlish not to feel lucky... The place is very busy with visitors, so many retired members have a second club in the local area at around the same price.

Incredible value, I'm double that!!! ?