Thinking about joining a club

[mickh68]

Im thinking about joining a golf club,i live in Bromley. Sundridge park or West Kent are top of the list at the moment but joining fees puting me off a little, any other suggestions or feedback from members from above clubs.

 

[Dave1980]

Hi Mick,

I'm a member a West Kent and can say that it is a great club, with great members and a really good social side! The course has improved so much over the last two years, since our gardener retired and now we have had a head green keeper/course manager for the last 18 months and if you have ever played there before you will notice the difference now.

The down side I would say is the course is not too long, but the new Green keeper is certainly making the course harder and introducing better placed bunkers and for me we could have more single comps, but you will never please all of the membership!!

The joining fee is steep at both courses but I know that in the past West Kent have allowed members to spread this fee over 3 years, so it may be worth asking.

I'm not in the best place to comment about Sundridge Park as have only played there a couple of times in the last couple of years. Due to the amount of people who play the pay and play courses (5hours rounds) I would only look at the "Private" clubs for membership.

If you fancy a round or few holes at West Kent give me a shout and we can sort something out.

Dave

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Why not speak to the secretary and say you are interested in joining and see if they'll let you play it to see. A lot of clubs are offering complimentary 9 or 18 holes to prospective members

 

[Leftie]

Apart from taking up the game in the 1st place, the best golf related thing I ever did was to join Sundridge Park.

BTW. I am in full agreement with Dave that West Kent has improved immeasurably in the last year or so and I'm sure that Neil T would agree.

Most private member's courses in the area have an annual subscription within a couple of hundred £'s of each other (Sundridge, West Kent, Langley Park, Shirley Park, Croham Hurst, etc, etc) but some can command a joining fee. You have to consider what you get for the money, and whether or not you are going to commit long term to the club.

I joined Sundridge Park some 11 years ago and the (at the time) £2,000 joining fee has cost me somewhere in the region of £3/4 per week over that time. God willing, that will reduce to £1/2 per week by the time I have to buy a personal buggy to get round. For that I get the luxury of turning up almost at any time I like and playing either of the 2 superbly maintained great courses that are available to me.

Several Forumers have played there. Some love both courses. Some like the East but hate the West (Smiffy don't do hills ) some love playing there but don't like doglegs - particularly par 3's (James )

But, they all want to come back

PM me if you want more info

 

[Smiffy]

Some like the East but hate the West (Smiffy don't do hills)

Too right. I love the East but find the West a killer.
Both courses extremely well manicured, and some tough, tough holes on both.
Just prefer the East.

 

[Bratty]

I'm a member at Westerham (live in Orpington), and happy to offer you a round there?

No joining fee, but it doesn't compare with Sundridge Park!

PM me if interested.

 

[mickh68]

Thanks for reply, im a london cabbie so can play during week,do they do 5 day membership at west kent, i have a young family so its quite hard for me to play that many weekends.
Thanks

 

[mickh68]

Sundridge has always club i wanted to join& probably be 5 day at first. I currently play between High Elms & Darenth Valley (shoreham), i play with my dad most thursdays.who at the age of 73 still goes round in a dubious 18.

 

[mickh68]

Thanks for offer, played there on a society back in september & is a very nice track, but feel its a bit too far in wromg direction, im a london cab driver & would like somewhere on way or home from work. I would be up for a knock round none the less though.

 

[Dave1980]

Hi,

West Kent do not have a 5 day membership, the options are Full (7day) £1264 or weekend membership £709. (I think they are the current rates) I'm up the club tomorrow so I will ask if there are any offers on to bring down the cost.

 

[chas@a4advertising.com]

Im thinking about joining a golf club,i live in Bromley. Sundridge park or West Kent are top of the list at the moment but joining fees puting me off a little, any other suggestions or feedback from members from above clubs.

Try Shirley Park Golf Club. They have 10 vacancies and they just dropped their joining fee. Join in August or September and you don't pay the full year's fees. If you are 26 - 30 years of age it's less than £1,000 now. Ask to talk to Chas Ardley he runs membership. It's a great club with, probably, the best greens in Surrey

 

[drewster]

Try Shirley Park Golf Club. They have 10 vacancies and they just dropped their joining fee. Join in August or September and you don't pay the full year's fees. If you are 26 - 30 years of age it's less than £1,000 now. Ask to talk to Chas Ardley he runs membership. It's a great club with, probably, the best greens in Surrey

"probably the best greens in Surrey" Wow, now there's a bold statement considering Surrey's abundance of prestige courses .

 

[chas@a4advertising.com]

We had a Pro-Am at Shirley Park two weeks ago with 42 of the top Surrey and Kent Pros participating and the winning Pro (who shot a 68) said, "they are probably the best greens you'll find in Surrey, certainly the best I've experienced in quite some time".

 

[fundy]

winning golfer in over complementary speech about course he wins at - never heard that before lol

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Try Shirley Park Golf Club. They have 10 vacancies and they just dropped their joining fee. Join in August or September and you don't pay the full year's fees. If you are 26 - 30 years of age it's less than £1,000 now. Ask to talk to Chas Ardley he runs membership. It's a great club with, probably, the best greens in Surrey

Now I'm no super sleuth but looking at your username you wouldn't happen to be the above mentioned Chas Ardley by any chance?

 

[chas@a4advertising.com]

That's me.

 

[turkish]

LOLZ

 

[IanM]

...on the theme of the "some of the best greens in xxxx"

Henry Cotton was too polite to slag somewhere off... he was once delivering a winners speech at a course he didn't rate and "thanked them for their hospitality and "used the phrase" ... "this is definitely one of the best courses of its type I've ever played!"

 

[spongebob59]

Broke Hill, if you can get over that one stupid hole !!

 

[Dando]

Broke Hill, if you can get over that one stupid hole !!

or the fact that half the course is normally closed over the winter, or it was when i went to look a membership last year.

i don't recall a stupid hole so it might have been on the 9 that was closed!