More Golf or Less But More Fun Golf

[GB72]

It is getting near membership renewal time and I am in a bit of a quandary. As the title says, I pretty much have the choice of more golf or fun golf.
This year I have enjoyed my golf at my new club mainly due to the people being more like me and because there is a well-attended Saturday roll up. The problem is that, whilst I have enjoyed what golf I have played immensely, I have probably played the least golf that I ever have over a year.
The course is a little bit further away and the loops of 9 a bit longer and so after work golf is more inconvenient. There is also more limited slots to book for Sunday comps and it is not always possible to get a slot let alone one at an ideal time. There is little opportunity just to pitch up and play as the tees are booked fairly solid during the summer. That said, the golf I have played has been some of the most enjoyable I have played in ages.
The alternative is going back to my old club. The attitude there is very stuffy but I have moved to a new village and met a couple of people there who are members now and so a new playing group may help. There is no roll up so on friendly knock abouts and competitions only. That said, it is nearer and ideal for after work golf and I can pretty much pitch up at any time and play. I cannot do this at my current club so, for example, when I found myself free last Friday afternoon, I could not go out on my own for 9 holes as the tee times were booked. I suspect that I played at least twice as much golf at my old club than I have at the new one.
So, what would you do, opt for more golf or more enjoyable golf.

 

[Capella]

Maybe you can do both? Stay at your current club and get a five day membership or a another affordable deal at your old club? That way you can enjoy the "better" club at weekends and when you find the time and use your old club for the quick round after work. I know it might sound excessiv at first, but many clubs offer quite nice deals for a second membership (when they don't have to manage your handicap etc.) or a membership during the week or jsut a 9-hole membership or something like that.

It's something I consider doing myself. My club is about a half hour drive away (more in commuter traffic), but there is a very posh private club close by. I could never afford becoming a full member there, but they do offer a secondary membership deal (still a bit on the dear side, but I would get a lot out of it, because I literally could go there every night ... it is just 5 minutes from my workplace and less than 10 minutes from my home).

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Ask the club nearest you, if they offer a PM 9 hole membership deal(assuming that you could afford it). Our local club does for IIRC around £250.

Failing that, don't know what I would choose if I was in your shoes. Probably more golf, but then good company out weighs bad company, really tough choice.

 

[GB72]

Club near me do not offer anything other than full 7 day membership and not going to shell out a second £800 to join both unfortunately

 

[duncan mackie]

If you are even thinking about it you know the answer.

Someone once said that there's nothing wrong in doing something and finding it was a mistake; all the issues are not doing something in case it's wrong/fails/etc

If the option to switch is an easy one either way then leave the existing one very politely, rejoin the old one in the expectation that you get the use you want, and the hope that a few of the other reasons for leaving have moved on; even slightly!

Worse case you reverse the process the following year!

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

For me being able to turn up and play as and when I want is paramount, I couldn't consider joining somewhere that I needed to book a tee time in advance. I did put my name on the Sunday am start sheet but all others times I rock up and play.

No matter how stuffy a club is you should be able to make golfing friends easily enough.

 

[Imurg]

No matter how stuffy a club is you should be able to make golfing friends easily enough.

This is Greg we're talking about here Steve....!!!!
Seriously though, as long as the quality of the courses is similar I'd go for more golf every day....

 

[TreeSeeker]

I went for more enjoyable golf, and in all honesty i think i play more than i would have if I'd gone with the more accessible course. It's easier to get motivated to play somewhere fun, and for a 4 hour session what's 10 minutes more travel each way.

 

[GB72]

I went for more enjoyable golf, and in all honesty i think i play more than i would have if I'd gone with the more accessible course. It's easier to get motivated to play somewhere fun, and for a 4 hour session what's 10 minutes more travel each way.

It is not so much the Saturday golf, that is fine. The extra distance and slightly longer and busier course means that the quick 9 holes of golf after work is pretty much out and it is far more difficult to get a slot in the comps on Sunday. As such, I am pretty much only playing once a week.

 

[Franco]

I feel fortunate that my first golf club welcomed me as a senior absolute beginner and there are always free tee times in the afternoons and evenings to enable me to practice. With Senior roll ups and comps twice a week and comps most weekends I have all the golf I need.

 

[richart]

Quality over quantity for me. I would stick with the new club at least for the next year, but am probably in the minority.

 

[fundy]

based on what youve posted i wouldnt go back to the old club, would probably give the current club another year and then reassess

 

[jusme]

Took me a good few years of moving to learn quality is more important to me. I left a club where there were a lot of good friends for the same very reason as you are discussing. I moved around 3 different clubs in 4 years trying to get the combination of good playing partners and lots of golf. I never found it - perhaps was not patient enough, but last year I went back to the friends. Have never looked back and will not try that experiment again.

My golf and Saturdays are great fun with great company. To me the most important aspect of golf now

 

[HomerJSimpson]

For me the option to roll up and play whenever I wanted rather than struggling to book a time is a clincher. I could take or leave the stuff atmosphere and would simply not use the clubhouse as much as I do at my own place. As long as I could play in comps and social golf with decent people I'd be happy with that