Value For Money

HomerJSimpson

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My club fees will be due again at the beginning of March. Despite it being just over £1000 I feel I am getting value for money because

a) A new (ish) course which is 4 years old but already has matured and looks like it has been there for years. A good test for all standards it will only get better as the plantation of trees grow further and add definition and the refining work on extra drainage etc is completed. It is a parkland course abundant with wildlife (deer, pheasant, buzzards)

b) I can play at any time without having to pre-book (can just roll up and go out)

c) Organised monthly medal and stablefords to keep my handicap current. Always strong fields and very competitive

d) Members only practice facility. Ideal for toning up my swing or work on correcting faults. A putting green, chipping green (with bunker) and a large area for hitting balls

e) Wonderful easy going atmosphere in the clubhouse. It holds onto traditions re suitable dress (smart casual) but offers good food and drink at reasonable prices. Members will make guests and new members welcome.

I know we have already spoken about the cost of membership fees on here but do other forum members feel they are actually getting what they pay for or do they continue to pay out through loyalty or sense of "having a home to play at".

If you aren't getting value what areas are causing you concern, will they be addressed before your subscription is due.

What makes you glad to be a member at your course? What makes the cost (significant in some cases) bearable
 

HTL

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That sounds like money well spent to me Homer. I would love to be a member of a club, however, I am in the process of moving house and on a lecturers pay its not feasible.

All that you talked about has made me want to join a club even more. Next summer I shall be calling into a few courses and trying them out.

Anybody know of a good course around Leatherhead?
 
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birdieman

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Definitely yes, I play a good course, very scenic, well kept, nice clubhouse atmosphere, nice members, practice area ok and all for £200/yr.
Homer, afraid if you live near London you're going to pay high prices.
Glad you feel it's value for money, all relative to what you earn I suppose.
If I could change anything I'd have longer rough, some holes lengthened, one or two new hazards to force lay-ups etc - just toughened up a little generally.
 

Atticus_Finch

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I play a course ranked in the top 20 in the world for £300, so it would be a bit churlish for me to say that I don't get value for money.
However, playing at Carnoustie does bring it's disadvantages in the amount of visitors we get and I can't say I haven't cursed them when I've tried to get a time on occasions.
The reason I pay so little though is because they pay so much. So, on the whole I can't really complain.
 

USER1999

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Just signed the cheque for £960 for the year.

My club is practically my second home, so worth the money. I sometimes pass through just for a bacon sarnie and a read of the papers.

I would like the greens faster though, and sometimes I think the course can be a bit scrappy, although most members don't see it this way.
 

Leftie

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On the London/Surrey/Kent border area the going rate for private members clubs is usually £1,100 upwards. Not sure yet what our renewal will be this year but it is likely to be in the region of £1,400.

For this we get 2 excellent courses so you can always virtually walk on at any time even if one course is closed for a corporate day or whatever, a Course Manager who I believe has been working at the club for possibly over 20 years and plays off 8, very friendly greenkeeping staff who, work load permitting, are more than happy to chat with you about what work is being carried out and, of course, all the usual amenities in clubhouse and practice facilities.

Yes. It is expensive and I can't really afford it but it enables me to play probably in the region of 100 rounds a year plus 9 holes some summer evenings so on that basis it is cheap golf. If I didn't belong at Sundridge, I definitely couldn't afford to play nearly as much.

And No. Playing that much doesn't necessarily help the handicap :eek:
 

HomerJSimpson

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Birdieman

I'm not sure its a case of paying because of location. Royal Ascot Golf Club had been situated in the middle of the race course and was a bland par 68 played on a poorly maintained course with a smallish clubhouse.

We were forced to move when Ascot Authority decided to move the straight mile on the race course straight through our club house. The deal was they would pay for the course if the club paid for the new club house (approx £1m).

It was inevitable fees would increase from approximately £500-600 to todays cost as the financing strategy in place was a long term one to take into account other costs (green staff equipment, course update).

We have Mill Ride just down the road and their fees are steep in comparison with what we get. We get better access (Mill Ride geared up for corporate golf - difficulty getting on etc) and in my opinion our course will soon rival theirs in terms of playability.
 

Leftie

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Anybody know of a good course around Leatherhead?

Lots of good courses in that area. Off the top of my head I can remember 2 that I have played - Leatherhead which is a nice easy walking course but quite busy and used a lot for society and corporate days, and Tyrrels Wood which is neither of the above but a good test of golf.

I'll have a think about any others in the area.
 

madandra

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£450 a year and from that £30 goes on the drinks card. Not bad, but I am not sure I could fork out £1000+ to play. I would keep my money and play the Ol Course at St Andrews 10 times.
 

geronimo

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£480 for me and my course is updating the practice area's and adding new holes.

Decent facilities and i can book online for the whole year in advance(i would not do that though).

I suppose the answer is can you afford/justify paying what is asked for.
 

toonarmy

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however, I am in the process of moving house and on a lecturers pay its not feasible.

On a Lecturer's pay? Are you kidding me? Or do you work at the University of Skint? My missus is a lecturer at my Uni and it is a constant source of bickering that she gets more than me!

Seriously, though I feel for you - but you have to ask, are you justifying not joining or can you afford it if you sacrifice something else e.g. a night out a week? I only ask because I used 'can't afford it' as an excuse really to not bother joining. Glad I've seen the error of my ways now because the value I get out of it (even if my club doesn't have the luxury of members' practice facilities :eek:) is well worth the 10 night's out it costs.

And it took a week-long stag do in the Algarve to clarify things...

One of the rare occasions where an alcohol-induced idea turned out to be the right one!
 

HTL

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OK the pay is comfortable.

The £1000 a year green fee dont bother me because I will probably spend more in green fees, its the joining fee that I cant get my head around, especially as im planning on moving within 3 years, and when we have kids, and when we have a pay rise etc. Im not a pikey traveller honest!
 

viscount17

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htl, do all your local clubs insist on joining fees? mine doesn't own the course so the club fee is less than £40, which pays for the administration of handicaps and comps. We pay a separate green fee season ticket (£400 5-day/£525 - 7-day), which entitles you to play more-or-less when you want, subject to competitions and to be honest the Friday and Saturday morning societies.
 

HTL

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All the decent ones in the area im willing to commute to.

aaswift, yourself and a few other forum members have convinced me into a fact that I already knew, (I need a golf club) Im in the process of phoning a few of the clubs and asking what kinda deals can they do for me.

After calling two, Im conidering doing my Ph.D part time to make myself a student again! and get the reduced fees? But I think this is a bit far just to get reduced fees.
 

RGuk

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How long is a piece of string?
I feel I pay about the right amount (£450) for my course, considering I'll play 70-80 times (full rounds) a year.
£1000 is a fair bit, but 50 rounds at £20 could be an absolute steal for a good track!

Dave
 

HomerJSimpson

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Realgolfer

You have summed it up beautifully. I play every weekend both days (unless the wife is in a really bad mood!!!) so lets say 48 weekends x 2 rounds = 96.

In the summer with flexi time thats another guaranteed round so lets say 6 of those (May-Sept). Add to that the fact that we can just roll up and go out I can go out in the height of summer most evenings so add say 2 rounds per week over 2 months thats another 16.

That makes a minimum of 118 rounds divided by 1000 and that works out at £8.48 per round. Not bad value in anyones book.

Add to that unlimited use of the practice facilities, the use of clubhouse, not to mention the services of my pro (hadn't even thought of him in my original value post) and I maintain that I get value.

To tack a bit of the other threads, we are a private members club on private land so no danger of idiots pitching up and making ithe round miserable for all. We are not elitist in the slightest and have cabbies, admin staff, builders up to company directors and self made millionaires and everyone is treated the same (especially when the banter starts)
 

GB72

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Cubs around my way all seem to charge around the £600.00 mark. Not a bad price but they do not seem to treat the members as well as described above. Sadly the local courses are often full of societies and members are required to book tee times (limited to 1 per day on one course)
 

Toad

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I have 2 memberships this year,

1st Crieff £380 have a 18 hole par 71 and 9 hole par 64 course to choose from, we have great facilities and monthly medals always have a strong field.
Also very quiet during the week when I play most of my golf.

2nd North Inch £170 18 hole par 66 joined this one as I play regular medals with the railway club during the week.
Get good value I think mainly because I play both course's at least twice a week in the summer months, but don't go near the inch in the winter due to winter greens.
 
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