The cost of joining a club
- Thread starter The19thHole
- Start date
TheJezster
Tour Rookie
Not all clubs down this way are a fortune. Wimbledon Common for example is only £800 a year, and I think you might have to pay a joining fee, which is around £50.
stevie_r
Tour Winner
And fairly litter free if childhood tv programmes were to be believed
TheJezster
Tour Rookie
LOL yea, must say it IS pretty clean... Havent seen any wombles about yet though, but I am looking!
GeneralStore
Challenge Tour Pro
I live in Surrey and can totally agree that the costs are high...however, its not the membership that kills, its the joining fee. There are 2 clubs within a 10 minute drive of me, the 1 charged a joining fee of £2000 and the other a joining fee of £4000...both of them have a membership fee of £1300 per year.
Not sure what they are smoking
Not sure what they are smoking
GB72
Money List Winner
Seems like most clubs in the Lincolnshire area charge about £600 a year plus 1 the equivalent of 1 year's membership as a joining fee spread over a number of years. No need for anyone to change, the joining fee has you tied in and it is not going to be any cheaper anywhere else. I have spoken to a number of people at various clubs who would change if for no other reason than a change of course if it were not for the joining fee. All it would take is for one or two to break the cartel and I could see costs dropping but whilst all the clubs hold firm, nothing will change.
DaveM
Tour Winner
OOP EAR INTA NORF. 2 clubs spring to mind Manchester G.C. £1500 green fee, plus £1000 joining fee. Mere G.C. if you need to ask the price you cant afford it. Dont give any prices on their web site. But use to be £3000 plus £3000 joining fee if I remember right. and that was 10yrs ago.
SteveF
Medal Winner
De Vere run a similar system. £295 gets you 100 points, a round of golf costs from 3 to 8 points depending when you play. They have an incentive at the moment which is free golf through March so it's very affordable at the moment. Local clubs like Fleetwood, a cracking links course, are £750 for the year.
stevie_r
Tour Winner
The two nearest courses to us are pretty extortionate, especially as we are talking two lots of subs. Both still have joining fees. The secretary at Erskine said their joining fee will remain as the demand for membership is still there. The club lists a T Weiskopf amongst it's honorary members.
Earl of Mar is literally the other side of my back garden fence but at £500 joining and £1500 subs just not viable, it looks in wonderful condition though and particularly under utilised
Earl of Mar is literally the other side of my back garden fence but at £500 joining and £1500 subs just not viable, it looks in wonderful condition though and particularly under utilised
We are a private members club and to be honest our £1300 fee (joining fee currently suspended) is pretty competitive when you look at our neighbours such as the Berkshire, Swinley, Mill Ride, East Berks and Sand Martins. Yes we do have other courses such as Blue Mountain, Downshire and Bird Hills that have a club attached but they have specific tee times to accommodate green fee paying members of the public as well and so getting a game especially in summer at a time to suit can be an issue.
Do I get value for money? Arguably not for the state of the course in 2011. Will it get better? Hopefully. It was only this year that the greens have been truly awful and suffered moss infestation but there are specific plans in place and I'm prepared to give the greenstaff and committee another season to get it back
Do I get value for money? Arguably not for the state of the course in 2011. Will it get better? Hopefully. It was only this year that the greens have been truly awful and suffered moss infestation but there are specific plans in place and I'm prepared to give the greenstaff and committee another season to get it back
Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
We have a decent mix around here.
There's the "posh" clubs like Mentmore, Ellesborough etc
Then there's a second tier containing Chiltern Forest, Magnolia Park
Then there's the affordable end like APGC, AVGC, Weston et al.
Prices go from "have to ask and you can't afford it" through to my old place at £550 for a year.
You pays yer money and takes yer choice.
£548 for 5 day at mine (£768 full)
I don't think there are any joining fees around here at the moment
There's the "posh" clubs like Mentmore, Ellesborough etc
Then there's a second tier containing Chiltern Forest, Magnolia Park
Then there's the affordable end like APGC, AVGC, Weston et al.
Prices go from "have to ask and you can't afford it" through to my old place at £550 for a year.
You pays yer money and takes yer choice.
£548 for 5 day at mine (£768 full)
I don't think there are any joining fees around here at the moment
chris661
Money List Winner
I have the course within 20 - 25 mins that I would gladly play for the rest of my days, however, I choose mine for the friendly atmosphere and the course is a real gem, plus it is only €480 for the year with no joining fee and with it being a links course it is open 12 months of the year on a full course.
Jaymosafehands
Challenge Tour Pro
mixed bag round here in Eastern Gods own county. my current place is £600, but you can pay between £450 - £1000. The posh boys used to charge 1 years cost as a fee, but I've been approached directly by 2 offering no joining fee, and another has cut it to £385. they all will allow monthly payment too.
If i wasn't getting a years free membership this year I'd definitely be moving.
If i wasn't getting a years free membership this year I'd definitely be moving.
Liverbirdie
Ryder Cup Winner
Ours is £900 a year, and I'm still paying an extra £70 a year as they split our £700 joining fee over 10 years at the time.
Now there is no joining fee, asked why I shouldn't leave and come back, I was told I will get a "significant" discount on my 11th years green fees, but no figures/percentages quoted. Basically it is supply and demand. There are courses in North wales with £300 annual fees, which are full of Wirral/Liverpool based people and weekend holidaymakers, because there isnt large populations in North Wales.
In south Liverpool fees are all around £800-1,000 (yes, in Liverpool) due to there only being 3 private clubs. North of Liverpool will be £1-2,000 and more but these will be the likes of Royal Birkdale(open course), Hillside (open qualifier), Formby (open qualifier), S&A (ex ryder cup venue) etc.
Our munis are about £10-15.00, but aren't they £30 plus in London??? I think this is also relative.
Now there is no joining fee, asked why I shouldn't leave and come back, I was told I will get a "significant" discount on my 11th years green fees, but no figures/percentages quoted. Basically it is supply and demand. There are courses in North wales with £300 annual fees, which are full of Wirral/Liverpool based people and weekend holidaymakers, because there isnt large populations in North Wales.
In south Liverpool fees are all around £800-1,000 (yes, in Liverpool) due to there only being 3 private clubs. North of Liverpool will be £1-2,000 and more but these will be the likes of Royal Birkdale(open course), Hillside (open qualifier), Formby (open qualifier), S&A (ex ryder cup venue) etc.
Our munis are about £10-15.00, but aren't they £30 plus in London??? I think this is also relative.
Pants
Challenge Tour Pro
I feel your pain Oddsocks.
Looking to the future, I've been checking prices locally on t'net in the Croydon/Purley/Bromley area. The majority of member's clubs are looking for annual subs in the region of £1,450 give or take £150 per annum. Most have a joining fee ranging from unspecified to about 1 year's subs. A couple of exceptions are Sundridge Park with a joining fee in the region of £2,500 and Royal Blackheath with a fee of £4,000.
To be fair though, Blackheath will waive the first year's subs of about £1,750 if you join (so that's a bargain and all right then
)
connor
Tour Rookie
I pay 550 no joinging fee and course is one of the better ones in the county. Old course was 370 and to be fair was ok but not a patch on the bay. Seems around average prie for Cornwall around 500 mark
richart
Major Champion
Hankley Common must be the £4000 ! Our fees are £1260, but the joining fee seems to vary week on week. Think it is £500 at the moment.
GTO NEMESIS
Club Champion
My local course (Richings Park) charges £750 per year (1st April - 31st March) with no joining fee.
If you join mid year you pay a pro rata rate. In Oct they had a special deal at £250 for the remained of the membership year. You get various discounts on the food and drink too.
At present I'm just a "Range Member" there but that also gives me food & drink discounts, plus a reduced bucket of balls rate. Well worth the £10 fee!
The closest course to me in Iver (my house over looks it) but I'm not keen on the owner so don't go there.
5 mins drive away is Thornley Park but they have a membership joining fee, £1000 a year fee plus they are exceptional rude! (or at least that was my experience of them).
6 mins drive in the other direction is Stoke Park where they have a "special reduced joint fee of £2000 at the moment - it is normally £8000" plus a membership fee of £8000-9000 depending if you want all of the spa facilities.
I'm pretty well located where I live as I can get to 10 course within a 15 min drive.
If you join mid year you pay a pro rata rate. In Oct they had a special deal at £250 for the remained of the membership year. You get various discounts on the food and drink too.
At present I'm just a "Range Member" there but that also gives me food & drink discounts, plus a reduced bucket of balls rate. Well worth the £10 fee!
The closest course to me in Iver (my house over looks it) but I'm not keen on the owner so don't go there.
5 mins drive away is Thornley Park but they have a membership joining fee, £1000 a year fee plus they are exceptional rude! (or at least that was my experience of them).
6 mins drive in the other direction is Stoke Park where they have a "special reduced joint fee of £2000 at the moment - it is normally £8000" plus a membership fee of £8000-9000 depending if you want all of the spa facilities.
I'm pretty well located where I live as I can get to 10 course within a 15 min drive.
Evesdad
Tour Winner
My course still has a joining fee which is £600 which can be spread over 4 years or £500 if paid upfront. Fees this year are £784 plus £20 bar tab plus union fees, total of £817. Gone up £34 this year again!! Not too bad my nearest course is 5 mins away £1200 fee plus £800 joining fee. My course is prob slightly higher than some in the area.
Jonny
Assistant Pro
680 quid all in, no joining fee, and 8 minutes drive from my front door.
And just outside London as well.
And just outside London as well.
