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New golf club dilemma and decisions... opinions please

Definitely option 2 - a 10 minute drive is nothing to get a more premium club and course

All courses are not created equal, even those in the top 100
 
It would seem to come down to a simple question of whether you wish to spend time having a drink at the club...

The distances involved simply mean a car is involved in option 2, but not option 1.

The clubhouse catering at WH has always impressed me - mainly because they have the throughput I guess. With 36 you should normally have easy access if short notice holes are your thing. Don't know Cuddington - a gap in my experience!

It does sound as if you have a superb opportunity. Good luck.
 
A post round drink is the norm but being a stones throw away I know I would sneak on the evening for a few holes and could play a little combo of about 5 holes to get me back home which could on its on be priceless on those late summer evenings...

A very lucky opportunity definitely and im lucky to be in this position and as ever the advice from fellow forumers is always appreciated.



It would seem to come down to a simple question of whether you wish to spend time having a drink at the club...

The distances involved simply mean a car is involved in option 2, but not option 1.

The clubhouse catering at WH has always impressed me - mainly because they have the throughput I guess. With 36 you should normally have easy access if short notice holes are your thing. Don't know Cuddington - a gap in my experience!

It does sound as if you have a superb opportunity. Good luck.
 
Personally, if club 2 had a friendly bar/clubhouse, a decent Comp' calendar with busy comps, and members who were there for the good golf on offer and not just the bag tag then I'd go for club 2.

Scrap that, I thought club 2 was Sunningdale, I'd go for the convenience of club 1 :smirk:
 
I think a course having 27 or 36 holes would appeal from a point of view of keeping it interesting, or having more options for when comps are on, or societies are out there.

The Chelsea fan count, would also be a factor.............










....after all, the ones on here are sound, except one notable exeption - ting,ting!!
 
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A view from the other side of the fence. I'm a fully paid up member at one, and visit the other one a couple of times a year.

Whilst one has 36 holes and the other only 18, the access issue isn't quite as clear cut as it seems. Walton Heath will, very sensibly, designated one course for 2 balls and one for 3/4 balls, switching them AM & PM, so you don't necessarily get to play your preferred course.

Once you've got past the joining fee (2k at Cuddington, I'm led to believe 8k at Walton Heath), there is little to choose between the annual subs. The reason for that is the amount of visitor traffic that Walton Heath attracts, which may affect your ease of access more than you might think.

There is no doubt that Walton Heath is the harder test of golf, but I'd contend that it is harsh to claim that Cuddington can't hold a candle to Walton Heath. They are completely different styles of course and I'm only aware of praise for the course from the contestants when it hosted this year's Surrey Amateur Championship and we also hosted the PGA Southern Assistants championship and the Surrey Fives final, so it's hardly a goat track; I've certainly never had a disappointed guest, and one who posts here described it as "the best course you've never heard of".

Once off the course, Cuddington at the very least holds its own. Whilst the carvery lunch at Walton Heath is more attractive than the bar menu at Cuddington, there is absolutely nothing wrong with with the catering at Cuddington as some on this board can testify. I'm not aware of the social events at Walton Heath but there is a thriving social side to Cuddington which Mrs BiM and I thoroughly enjoy.

There is no doubt that Walton Heath has the better golf facilities and a richer history, but I'm not sure it is the better golf club for the average member. I think that it speaks volumes that a member who has access to both plays golf at Walton Heath but then comes back to Cuddington for a drink. For me, as a member in his mid 50's and with little delusion about his golfing ability, I'm not sure I want that stiff a test every time I play, but depending on where you are on your golfing journey you might view it differently; I'd have to admit that if I'd had the opportunity to join Walton Heath 20 or 30 years ago when I thought I could play a bit I'd have jumped at it and bugger the social aspect.

Probably the fairest way to sum it up would be to say that the clubs serve two distinctly different purposes. If you want a stiff test of golf and a choice of courses in the Top 100, possibly with little regard to the social aspect, then it's Walton Heath. If you want a fair test of golf at an excellent golf club with a thriving social side then it's Cuddington. As a club for the member I've not found a better one and have no intention of moving anytime soon.
 
A view from the other side of the fence. I'm a fully paid up member at one, and visit the other one a couple of times a year.

Whilst one has 36 holes and the other only 18, the access issue isn't quite as clear cut as it seems. Walton Heath will, very sensibly, designated one course for 2 balls and one for 3/4 balls, switching them AM & PM, so you don't necessarily get to play your preferred course.

Once you've got past the joining fee (2k at Cuddington, I'm led to believe 8k at Walton Heath), there is little to choose between the annual subs. The reason for that is the amount of visitor traffic that Walton Heath attracts, which may affect your ease of access more than you might think.

There is no doubt that Walton Heath is the harder test of golf, but I'd contend that it is harsh to claim that Cuddington can't hold a candle to Walton Heath. They are completely different styles of course and I'm only aware of praise for the course from the contestants when it hosted this year's Surrey Amateur Championship and we also hosted the PGA Southern Assistants championship and the Surrey Fives final, so it's hardly a goat track; I've certainly never had a disappointed guest, and one who posts here described it as "the best course you've never heard of".

Once off the course, Cuddington at the very least holds its own. Whilst the carvery lunch at Walton Heath is more attractive than the bar menu at Cuddington, there is absolutely nothing wrong with with the catering at Cuddington as some on this board can testify. I'm not aware of the social events at Walton Heath but there is a thriving social side to Cuddington which Mrs BiM and I thoroughly enjoy.

There is no doubt that Walton Heath has the better golf facilities and a richer history, but I'm not sure it is the better golf club for the average member. I think that it speaks volumes that a member who has access to both plays golf at Walton Heath but then comes back to Cuddington for a drink. For me, as a member in his mid 50's and with little delusion about his golfing ability, I'm not sure I want that stiff a test every time I play, but depending on where you are on your golfing journey you might view it differently; I'd have to admit that if I'd had the opportunity to join Walton Heath 20 or 30 years ago when I thought I could play a bit I'd have jumped at it and bugger the social aspect.

Probably the fairest way to sum it up would be to say that the clubs serve two distinctly different purposes. If you want a stiff test of golf and a choice of courses in the Top 100, possibly with little regard to the social aspect, then it's Walton Heath. If you want a fair test of golf at an excellent golf club with a thriving social side then it's Cuddington. As a club for the member I've not found a better one and have no intention of moving anytime soon.

All well and good, but you dont think we were posting with Craig's interests in mind, over our own, do you?:whoo:
 
All well and good, but you dont think we were posting with Craig's interests in mind, over our own, do you?:whoo:

As am I. Having had the benefit of seeing one of the options from the inside, I've put forward the benefits of both as I see them. What I don't know is what Craig is actually looking for, hence the last paragraph, and particularly the last line.

There seem to be a lot of posts advocating joining the more prestigious club with little regard to anything beyond the golf. Craig's obviously undecided and has asked for advice, that's my tuppen'orth, he's free to take it or leave it. I hope he finds it useful.
 
A view from the other side of the fence. I'm a fully paid up member at one, and visit the other one a couple of times a year.

Whilst one has 36 holes and the other only 18, the access issue isn't quite as clear cut as it seems. Walton Heath will, very sensibly, designated one course for 2 balls and one for 3/4 balls, switching them AM & PM, so you don't necessarily get to play your preferred course.

Once you've got past the joining fee (2k at Cuddington, I'm led to believe 8k at Walton Heath), there is little to choose between the annual subs. The reason for that is the amount of visitor traffic that Walton Heath attracts, which may affect your ease of access more than you might think.

There is no doubt that Walton Heath is the harder test of golf, but I'd contend that it is harsh to claim that Cuddington can't hold a candle to Walton Heath. They are completely different styles of course and I'm only aware of praise for the course from the contestants when it hosted this year's Surrey Amateur Championship and we also hosted the PGA Southern Assistants championship and the Surrey Fives final, so it's hardly a goat track; I've certainly never had a disappointed guest, and one who posts here described it as "the best course you've never heard of".

Once off the course, Cuddington at the very least holds its own. Whilst the carvery lunch at Walton Heath is more attractive than the bar menu at Cuddington, there is absolutely nothing wrong with with the catering at Cuddington as some on this board can testify. I'm not aware of the social events at Walton Heath but there is a thriving social side to Cuddington which Mrs BiM and I thoroughly enjoy.

There is no doubt that Walton Heath has the better golf facilities and a richer history, but I'm not sure it is the better golf club for the average member. I think that it speaks volumes that a member who has access to both plays golf at Walton Heath but then comes back to Cuddington for a drink. For me, as a member in his mid 50's and with little delusion about his golfing ability, I'm not sure I want that stiff a test every time I play, but depending on where you are on your golfing journey you might view it differently; I'd have to admit that if I'd had the opportunity to join Walton Heath 20 or 30 years ago when I thought I could play a bit I'd have jumped at it and bugger the social aspect.

Probably the fairest way to sum it up would be to say that the clubs serve two distinctly different purposes. If you want a stiff test of golf and a choice of courses in the Top 100, possibly with little regard to the social aspect, then it's Walton Heath. If you want a fair test of golf at an excellent golf club with a thriving social side then it's Cuddington. As a club for the member I've not found a better one and have no intention of moving anytime soon.
What a load of rubbish. You are never mid 50's.:rofl:
 
As am I. Having had the benefit of seeing one of the options from the inside, I've put forward the benefits of both as I see them. What I don't know is what Craig is actually looking for, hence the last paragraph, and particularly the last line.

There seem to be a lot of posts advocating joining the more prestigious club with little regard to anything beyond the golf. Craig's obviously undecided and has asked for advice, that's my tuppen'orth, he's free to take it or leave it. I hope he finds it useful.

A great case for one of the options, i'd also be in two minds too and not a decision as easy as it looks from the outside.

There is a certain kudos involved, I can imagine, in joining a prestigious club, but it has to be for your own reasons as normally a decision for the next 10 years, at least.
 
A great case for one of the options, i'd also be in two minds too and not a decision as easy as it looks from the outside.

There is a certain kudos involved, I can imagine, in joining a prestigious club, but it has to be for your own reasons as normally a decision for the next 10 years, at least.
Craig did check ou the guest rate at WH, and it is a very reasonable £35.:whistle:
 
I thought Cuddington was a great place to play and whilst not as historic and without 36 holes as WH does I, for one, would be very happy to play there any day of the week. I played WH when my driver was having an off day but really liked the courses (played both on the day) but Cuddington was very friendly and would be good I think.

Not too sure of their admission policy given that great lump BIM got in OK?
 
As am I. Having had the benefit of seeing one of the options from the inside, I've put forward the benefits of both as I see them. What I don't know is what Craig is actually looking for, hence the last paragraph, and particularly the last line.

There seem to be a lot of posts advocating joining the more prestigious club with little regard to anything beyond the golf. Craig's obviously undecided and has asked for advice, that's my tuppen'orth, he's free to take it or leave it. I hope he finds it useful.

It maybe the gypsy blood that leads me to move around as much as I have in my 48 years of playing. I'm at my 13th club, some of which have been very stiff upper lip and some have been a bit rowdy on occasion. Providing both courses are of a decent standard, and they are, I'd go for the one with the better social scene. A good test is to go in mid-Saturday afternoon and see what the banter is like.

The one with the better craic would be my choice.
 
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