Perks of a membership?

[patricks148]

To answer the OP:

1. People to play golf with
2. Access to the course whenever you want, e.g. just to play a few holes in the evening
3. Playing in competitions and maintaining a handicap
4. Discounted guest fees to invite your mates
5. Access to premium tee times i.e. weekend mornings
6. Practice facilities (depends on the course)
7. Team golf
8. Convenience of storing gear at the club (e.g. locker and trolley store)
9. Discounted food and drink
10. For a private club: Some influence in how the club is run / satisfaction that it is being run in your interests
11. Access to quality: the better courses usually restrict visitor access or are prohibitively expensive unless you are a member

This

 

[jim8flog]

I presume from the mention of club reciprocals that you can play weekdays as these are normally limited to that.

One thing not mentioned is the ability to play as many holes as you want to rather then thinking I have paid for this I am gong to complete the round. I often just play 6 holes on our nine hole course and sometimes just play 7/14/15 on the 18 hole course.

The social side is very big thing for me.

One thing very much for membership in this area is the ability to play on a Saturday morning on a 18 hole course, there are a lot of clubs in this area do not allow visitors on a Saturday morning.

 

[Slab]

A couple of replies have mentioned the 'social side' of membership. What does that actually mean?

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Think I am more a car park member that many that post on here. I like the :-

Play whenever you like option
Playing on guest invitational days

Along with some of the other stuff already posted.

 

[Orikoru]

A couple of replies have mentioned the 'social side' of membership. What does that actually mean?

I don't think it applies as much when you've just joined. I imagine it means that after a year or two when you've got to know quite a few of the other members, you can turn up and generally bump into someone you know, so there's someone to play a round or have a drink with.

 

[Slab]

I don't think it applies as much when you've just joined. I imagine it means that after a year or two when you've got to know quite a few of the other members, you can turn up and generally bump into someone you know, so there's someone to play a round or have a drink with.

yeah maybe. I had a couple of one year memberships when i was much younger & I don't think I made much effort to integrate myself and maybe for that reason I saw precious little social side specifically attributable to membership

 

[Orikoru]

yeah maybe. I had a couple of one year memberships when i was much younger & I don't think I made much effort to integrate myself and maybe for that reason I saw precious little social side specifically attributable to membership

Fair enough. At my club over four years I've got to know lots of people due to the drawn groups in major comps where I've played with loads of them, and back when we had a bar, from hanging around on Captain's Day, Club Champs etc having a drink with people after rounds.

 

[MarkT]

I joined a club 15 months ago and it's turned out to be one of the best decisions I've ever made. I'm not sure if you'll ever get actual 'value for money' but to keep playing and being outside has been amazing. Best advice I could give is think course first (if money allows), I've played maybe 40 rounds this year at the same place and not been bored for one second. Have got three little kids so 9 or 12 holes is such a nice bit of a break, have even found myself on the practice ground and putting green and stayed in touch with more mates through having a home club and somewhere to play.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

A current H/C
A course that is playable all year (granted last year was exceptionally wet and we were shut/reduced but taking that as an exception)
A course that presents a challenge every time and is maintained
Organised comps
Team golf
The social scene.
A ready available pro and well stocked shop
Practice facilities
Meet people

For me some of the these, especially the practice facilities and a challenging and well maintained course are very important. Our greens have been top notch for the last few seasons and I am always up the club in the summer (even with Covid and booked times) playing or working on the game. I understand some people aren't for memberships and want the freedom to play as and when but that isn't in my golfing DNA and I would always want somewhere to call home

 

[upsidedown]

Of our 700 members, 200 pay per month and for that facility they have to pay £40 more per annum, this was waived this year but will re introduced for the 21 season.

 

[Crazyface]

My current place isn't great (insert four letter word) for meeting people. Everything is a booking system. No roll ups at all. You can try and get your name down for the comps if you can find an empty slot, to try an meet other people but that's rubbish compared to roll ups. In two years I've met two other people. I kid you not. The Pros a door knob. BUT it has loads of membership options, and one that suits me so for now I'll stick it out.

 

[sunshine]

A current H/C
A course that is playable all year (granted last year was exceptionally wet and we were shut/reduced but taking that as an exception)
A course that presents a challenge every time and is maintained
Organised comps
Team golf
The social scene.
A ready available pro and well stocked shop
Practice facilities
Meet people

For me some of the these, especially the practice facilities and a challenging and well maintained course are very important. Our greens have been top notch for the last few seasons and I am always up the club in the summer (even with Covid and booked times) playing or working on the game. I understand some people aren't for memberships and want the freedom to play as and when but that isn't in my golfing DNA and I would always want somewhere to call home

Most people have come up with similar answers but you have a different perspective homie. To be honest I don't really understand how a few of your points relate to membership, but fair play.

 

[Slab]

Most people have come up with similar answers but you have a different perspective homie. To be honest I don't really understand how a few of your points relate to membership, but fair play.

I kinda thought that too but wondered whether to mention it

In addition to your highlights that don’t appear to require membership I have access to 4 PGA pro’s at the local club & a vibrant social scene that’s promoted on social media and open to all. Access to full practice facilities 7 days a week including 25 person range, short game area with 2 bunkers, two large putting greens, academy training aids and I meet no end of people I know

It leaves very little on the original list that's dependent on being a member... unless his club exclude these things from its visitors/guests maybe?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Most people have come up with similar answers but you have a different perspective homie. To be honest I don't really understand how a few of your points relate to membership, but fair play.

Pretty simple really. No point paying your annual fees if your course is shut December and January because it's waterlogged. Similarly I don't want a course that is bland, perhaps wanders up and down where you can miss your own fairway and still have a shot from the next/previous. I'd rather something that looks nice (decent wildlife too) and plays as a challenge

 

[clubchamp98]

Does nobody pay fees yearly anymore ? All I hear is per month, you pay more paying monthly, sometimes a good chunk. Pay it yearly and it won’t be as expensive, don’t line finance companies pockets. This is one of my major gripes with people today, they have everything on tick but don’t see the bigger picture and they have little cash in the bank

I put £100 a month in a savings account starting 1 st January.
This pays my fees and I get some interest not much but some.

 

[sunshine]

Pretty simple really. No point paying your annual fees if your course is shut December and January because it's waterlogged. Similarly I don't want a course that is bland, perhaps wanders up and down where you can miss your own fairway and still have a shot from the next/previous. I'd rather something that looks nice (decent wildlife too) and plays as a challenge

Sorry you've lost me. These are things that you would look for in a golf course. Don't understand how any of these points are benefits of being a member.

 

[Oddsocks]

For the last 9 years I’ve been at the same club, and it’s a great club but due to restraints as part of the lease there’s always been a clause where it has to remain partial pay and play and not a members course. It’s become harder to get just a roll up tee time and during the winter we see floods of p&p while others members courses are close.
In 2019 I fell out of love with the game and noticed that between October and March I played 3 games. with a standing direct debit of £130.00 a month, £780 for 3 games just isn’t value for money

Having handicaps and feeling part of the club is one thing, but make a list of the things that are most important and then prioritise them. Only then will you know if a club ticks enough boxes to warrant joining and financially committing to.

 

[Sats]

There were two reasons for me to join.

1. Unlimited golf.
2. Get a handicap.

Got to admit that the average age of a member is 60+ and I'm not bothered about socialising with them outside the course. That's not to say they're not nice people, just not whom I'd spend time with outside golf. During a comp or a cheeky pint after a round one thing, but I can't see myself hanging out with 98% of them.

 

[bradleywedge]

1. If you want to play in decent weather you get about 7 months maximum, for 5 months the weather is wet, cold and awful, so make sure you get your games in the decent months to get your value.
2. Have to play with other members if any of your mates can't play, from previous experience, you can get some right knobs.
3. Have to put up with fuddy duddy bossy types who like telling you what you can and can't do, can be like being at school.
4. Feel obliged to play the same course every time you play to get your moneys worth

Not for me ta, pay and play all day long.

 

[Pants]

1. If you want to play in decent weather you get about 7 months maximum, for 5 months the weather is wet, cold and awful, so make sure you get your games in the decent months to get your value.
2. Have to play with other members if any of your mates can't play, from previous experience, you can get some right knobs.
3. Have to put up with fuddy duddy bossy types who like telling you what you can and can't do, can be like being at school.
4. Feel obliged to play the same course every time you play to get your moneys worth

Not for me ta, pay and play all day long.[/QUOTE]

Probably a wise choice - for you

Still, there are nearly 2,000 golf courses in England alone each with many hundreds of knobs, fuddy duddies, and the like, for whom it works.