What is the most you would spend on membership per year?

[howbow88]

We've had the question of single green fees, but that is harder to gauge really - I reckon 95% of golfers would pay £180 once to play The Old Course, if given the opportunity. Would they do it again though once they've ticked it off the bucket list? Maybe not.

Membership is obviously a higher outlay than a single green fee, and a much longer term commitment. I personally don't think I could really justify to myself over £1k a year, currently.

Plenty of our guys are leaving (our current course is an absolute mess), and joining a place up the road which is £1,200 a year. If it was playable through Winter, I could possibly just about push myself to that, but it isn't - everywhere within 15 miles of here is clay based and if you have a wet winter, it is pointless even trying to play golf.

When I hear about brilliant links courses in Scotland that are playable all year round, and charge £500 a year to the locals, I feel very jealous

 

[KenL]

Not just Scotland. I know the likes of Goswick are excellent value.

I would not want to pay more than £1000 per year.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Difficult. Geographically the likes of Berkshire and Surrey are some of the most expensive memberships, even for a standard members club mine. As long as the quality of the course is in good condition, especially the greens, I have reasonable practice facilities, good members to play with and a decent 19th with good food and drink then I'm happy to go to £2k. I would go higher as I am always up there in a normal summer playing or practicing so feel I get good value for money and play both days most weekends but once that cost per round creeps up to what I consider too high a mark it may be time to reconsider. However in the current climate where there aren't many opportunities for nomadic golf it seems sensible to be a member somewhere and make sure you can book a regular tee time

 

[Slab]

Difficult. Geographically the likes of Berkshire and Surrey are some of the most expensive memberships, even for a standard members club mine. As long as the quality of the course is in good condition, especially the greens, I have reasonable practice facilities, good members to play with and a decent 19th with good food and drink then I'm happy to go to £2k. I would go higher as I am always up there in a normal summer playing or practicing so feel I get good value for money and play both days most weekends but once that cost per round creeps up to what I consider too high a mark it may be time to reconsider. However in the current climate where there aren't many opportunities for nomadic golf it seems sensible to be a member somewhere and make sure you can book a regular tee time

Genuine Q
Do you think the course and facilities are worth 2k or is it simply due to supply & demand (location)

If I could get the local course to me at 2k a year all in I'd bite their hand off for it, but I don't actually think its worth that much
Even if I were to sub-lease someone else's (debenture) membership if they don't currently use it, it would cost more than that as it still requires a discounted green fee to be paid per round
Beautiful course, interesting design, great staff, top facilities, good F&B... but ouch its pricey

 

[Diamond]

For me to pay more than £1k I would also want leisure membership included and other benefits like a free golf range and bag storage and cleaning. Recently looked into country club membership for my Wide and myself but the Decent courses close by are very expensive.

 

[Ethan]

Very regional. As Homer says, round the Berkshire area, memberships are pretty expensive, and 1k won't get you much. Free range is a distinct possibility, bag storage too, but leisure membership really only at some of the modern clubs and in my opinion, you are trading off course quality to get it.

 

[Papas1982]

Whilst I've still got young kids, i doubt i'd pay much more than i currently do. That's more to do with me generally sticking with 5 day memberships.

That being said, I'm currently looking at a few clubs in Hants/Dorset for a country membership.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Flexible memberships means there is one within budget for everyone, I’m probably going to spend less than a new driver costs for my 2021 membership at Cambridge Meridian.

 

[howbow88]

Very regional. As Homer says, round the Berkshire area, memberships are pretty expensive, and 1k won't get you much. Free range is a distinct possibility, bag storage too, but leisure membership really only at some of the modern clubs and in my opinion, you are trading off course quality to get it.

Same here - Sussex/Surrey border. But I just don't feel comfortable in paying the best part of £100 a month, for courses that are only really worth playing for two thirds of the year.

 

[robinthehood]

I'm a member of a muni course for 650 a year in Hertfordshire, plenty of places that are £1500 plus if you want with all the usual joining fees, levys etc. Used to pay 1200 at my last place, i'm also governed by what my friends are willing to pay too.
All the members courses round here are pretty much the same and that means cost, attitudes and the like..

 

[Robster59]

Don't believe all Scottish courses are cheap. If you live in Glasgow expect to pay £1000+ a year at the better courses. I pay £1100 which is probably at my top end of what I would pay. If you move out a bit, there are deals a fair bit less than that.

 

[Tommy10]

The biggest fee I've heard in Glasgow is Pollok at £1480 and think there's a joining fee on top of that, there's probably more expensive than that but my knowledge on these things is limited.

 

[golfbluecustard]

I'm a member of a muni course for 650 a year in Hertfordshire, plenty of places that are £1500 plus if you want with all the usual joining fees, levys etc. Used to pay 1200 at my last place, i'm also governed by what my friends are willing to pay too.
All the members courses round here are pretty much the same.

Which local course in Hertfordshire ?

 

[Newnsy]

My course is about £1800 per year (Surrey Kent boarder) joining fee was about £2k. Extra £350 for unlimited range balls and 6 lessons. Trolley store is about £60 a year, not sure on club locker as I am on the waiting list. for the amount I play the friends I’ve made and the community we have I think it’s fantastic value

 

[Deleted member 21258]

My course is about £1800 per year (Surrey Kent boarder) joining fee was about £2k. Extra £350 for unlimited range balls and 6 lessons. Trolley store is about £60 a year, not sure on club locker as I am on the waiting list. for the amount I play the friends I’ve made and the community we have I think it’s fantastic value

Someone will be along shortly and ask what club (sorry just joking, but seems to be a common question)

Really depends on area and club.

Most I pay currently is £1250, suppose most I would pay currently given my location, would probably be £1500ish. Provided I was using the membership, which both the more local ones I do.

One club I haven't played in this sub year, two others only once each. Now that is pants VFM.

 

[Newnsy]

Someone will be along shortly and ask what club (sorry just joking, but seems to be a common question)

Really depends on area and club.

Most I pay currently is £1250, suppose most I would pay currently given my location, would probably be £1500ish. Provided I was using the membership, which both the more local ones I do.

One club I haven't played in this sub year, two others only once each. Now that is pants VFM.

It’s Tandridge ??

 

[Deleted member 21258]

It’s Tandridge ??

(nice course)

 

[Springveldt]

Mine was £795 this year and for the amount of golf I play that is approaching the top end for me. I'm in Northumberland and I have around 8 courses that are all within 10 miles that are cheaper than my current course.

Think I played 17 qualifiers last year and I've managed 12 this year (with maybe 5 practice rounds on top). Only really have time for 1 game a week on a Saturday morning.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

The courses near to me, 15min drive, are all around the £600 mark. There is one an extra 5 minutes away that I really like that is an extra £175 but I can't justify that whilst the ones nearer are so much cheaper. If it came to it I would go to £800 but I would find it painful to go above that.

This is going to be a hugely regional question and answer. It really is dependent on what you are used to paying.

 

[Orikoru]

All the private courses round my way are about £1200 minimum. And that's the reduced rate for my age group as well, often it's higher if you're over 35 or over 40. Many offer a 'lifestyle' type of deal where you pay 500 or 600 for credits to play the course, but then you have to top up, and you can't play in major comps etc, it doesn't really look like great value. My membership that I've had for four years is played at a public course, so I only paid £90 for my membership this year, but I pay a green fee for each round. That has always been much more affordable for me. The council used to offer a £600 a year season ticket to play as often as you like, but they blocked that this year because of Covid, as they want everyone to book in via GolfNow.

This topic is very pertinent to me, because our club is in a pretty poor place at the minute - members struggling to get tee times, there's been no bar/catering for two years even aside from Covid, recently had less than 5 people entering the comps every week. It's getting pretty pointless to stay. So I've been looking at local memberships, I just wish there was one at a slightly more reasonable 800 sort of price, but there isn't. It's £1200 or nothing. We have a lot of thinking to do before next year basically.