What club would you like to join?

It's Cypress "Point".

Once upon a time I would have said Augusta National, but if this is some fantasy thing that assumes I have the means to belong and the flexibility to enjoy it, I'd honestly rather join the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, and take up spring, summer and fall residence in a luxury apartment at the Hamilton Grand. Go out play 18, then watch The Masters while overlooking The Old Course and the Firth. (I figure one way or another some green jacket will need a favor across the pond and I'll play the course that way - I just want to play the course a couple of times, don't give a hoot about being a member there).

Cypress Point is the only one you can play year round. That would be my pick. Honestly, ANGC may be the last place on that list I would want to join if I could only be a member at 1 place. (not that I would ever turn it down)

i also have to think... you a member at ANGC.. you can get on to any of the other clubs pretty easy... PV maybe has the same pull.. does any of the others?

I had to vote Augusta National because it's the only one within easy driving distance of where I live.

But if geography is taken out of the equation, the two courses in the world I'd most love being able to play any time I like are Cypress Point in USA and Royal St. Georges in England.

> @"North Butte" said:

> I had to vote Augusta National because it's the only one within easy driving distance of where I live.

>

> But if geography is taken out of the equation, the two courses in the world I'd most love being able to play any time I like are Cypress Point in USA and Royal St. Georges in England.

Royal St Georges ??? I went to the Open there and am puzzled by such a high evaluation.

> @monty09 said:

> i also have to think... you a member at ANGC.. you can get on to any of the other clubs pretty easy... PV maybe has the same pull.. does any of the others?

>

This is true of just about any club inside the top ~25.

I love the course, I love the setting, I love the turf, it's pretty much my ideal golf course. Hard as hell for the best golfers in the world to score well on yet a hack like me can still play to his handicap as long as the wind doesn't blow too hard. The course's use of the roll and pitch of the terrain gives lots of small-scale interest to the game but there are also spectacular large scale features like the Coffin bunker on the 4th hole.

I like the way from certain spots sheltered in the dunes you feel like you're the only person on the property then a few minutes later you have a view of hundreds of acres of dunesland with fairways and greens here and there, maybe a glimpse of St. George's Cross flying in front of the clubhouse.

It's just my Platonic ideal of a golf course I guess. I have a thing for dunesy links ground with firm, dry turf and a sea breeze. (If I'm honest, I also have a "thing" for England although what I know of my own ancestry originates in the Rhineland and not Britain).

The only knock on the course I've time for is when the wind is really whipping and the rough is up, those factors combined with the frequent blind or semi-blind shots make for a lot of lost golf balls. I remember at the Amateur in 2006 in '06 there was a stiff breeze for the medal rounds and R&A had (in my opinion) far too few spotters and marshals. I was spectating and could tell it was a frustrating situation for the competitor, scorecard and pencil in hand but often no idea where their tee shot ended up. Many, many provisional balls required.

> @raynorfan1 said:

> > @monty09 said:

> > i also have to think... you a member at ANGC.. you can get on to any of the other clubs pretty easy... PV maybe has the same pull.. does any of the others?

> >

>

> This is true of just about any club inside the top ~25.

highly disagree

This really isn't a fair fight. Cypress is the only answer. When all the other courses are covered in snow and I am hosting ANG,PV, etc, members in November and December, I would be able to play the others whenever I wanted. My opinion but the physical beauty of the land at Cypress is unmatched. The course is as classic as it comes in Architecture. I cant see how a course that is open a few months a year would even be a consideration.

> @monty09 said:

> > @raynorfan1 said:

> > > @monty09 said:

> > > i also have to think... you a member at ANGC.. you can get on to any of the other clubs pretty easy... PV maybe has the same pull.. does any of the others?

> > >

> >

> > This is true of just about any club inside the top ~25.

>

> highly disagree

Who do you think can't get on where?

> @raynorfan1 said:

> > @monty09 said:

> > > @raynorfan1 said:

> > > > @monty09 said:

> > > > i also have to think... you a member at ANGC.. you can get on to any of the other clubs pretty easy... PV maybe has the same pull.. does any of the others?

> > > >

> > >

> > > This is true of just about any club inside the top ~25.

> >

> > highly disagree

>

> Who do you think can't get on where?

I agree; if you are a member of a well respected private club and a solid golfer (I.e. single digit handicap) you can probably get on almost any course bar a handfull. My club is far from a top 25 golf club (probably top 10 in my state), however is a top 50 country club (there are a number of clubs that fit this mold), old, and very well known and I have been able to get on just about everywhere I have asked if playing on a Tues or Wednesday (including a few top 20 courses). Ironically, the only courses that have turned down requests, are outside of the top 100 and even then they provided a path to play through the club by introduction of a member or offering me another time to play.

That being said, Augusta would be my choice as it is probably the hardest to get onto and is supposedly very reasonably priced.

> @vallygolf said:

> This really isn't a fair fight. Cypress is the only answer. When all the other courses are covered in snow and I am hosting ANG,PV, etc, members in November and December, I would be able to play the others whenever I wanted. My opinion but the physical beauty of the land at Cypress is unmatched. The course is as classic as it comes in Architecture. I cant see how a course that is open a few months a year would even be a consideration.

Perfectly said, couldn't agree more.

Pine Valley. But I've always lived within 10 miles of it, so it's really a choice of convenience. Merion would be 2nd for the same reason (i.e., proximity).

None. I hate uppity people and all of those clubs would have a boatload of them.

Cypress Point or Seminole. even though Seminole is not on the list.

Given I'm based in LA, I'd chose Riviera or LACC. Not as prestigious as the others, but plenty good for me.

> @raynorfan1 said:

> > @monty09 said:

> > > @raynorfan1 said:

> > > > @monty09 said:

> > > > i also have to think... you a member at ANGC.. you can get on to any of the other clubs pretty easy... PV maybe has the same pull.. does any of the others?

> > > >

> > >

> > > This is true of just about any club inside the top ~25.

> >

> > highly disagree

>

> Who do you think can't get on where?

I think maybe the top 5 has the option to play any course.. i wont say the top 25 or top 50 even.... a cypress member will options that a club #50 wont

> @monty09 said:

> > @raynorfan1 said:

> > > @monty09 said:

> > > > @raynorfan1 said:

> > > > > @monty09 said:

> > > > > i also have to think... you a member at ANGC.. you can get on to any of the other clubs pretty easy... PV maybe has the same pull.. does any of the others?

> > > > >

> > > >

> > > > This is true of just about any club inside the top ~25.

> > >

> > > highly disagree

> >

> > Who do you think can't get on where?

>

> I think maybe the top 5 has the option to play any course.. i wont say the top 25 or top 50 even.... a cypress member will options that a club #50 wont

Here's the thing. It works the same way for everybody. An Augusta member can't just throw his (or her) green jacket on and waltz into any pro shop in the world and ask for the next available tee time. There is an implicit expectation of reciprocity in hosting that guys at ANGC, PV, etc. can't really live up to. The commitment to host (mostly from a time and scheduling perspective) at one of the major national clubs is so high that it's hard to hold out real reciprocity (except at places like Ballyneal or Sand Hills that allow unaccompanied play).

IME, guys at places like SFGC, LACC, Olympic, WF, Shinnecock, or Merion are better positioned to "get on" anywhere, because it's really easy for them to host on the flip side.

Also, when you think about this, you have to take out of the equation the relative status of the member. I'd host Bill Gates any day of the week because he's Bill Gates...but not because he's an ANGC member.

WRT the "Top 50", I tend to agree, which is why I limited it to ~25. Even some in the Top 25 aren't "great" reciprocal opportunities (Oak Hill comes to mind...great course, but when am I going to be in Rochester?).

None. Augusta is only open part of the year, and the rest are in places where the winters are too cold, too wet, too windy, or too foggy. If I'm paying to belong to a top tier club, I want to be able to play it year round in relative comfort.

NGLA

> @raynorfan1 said:

> > @monty09 said:

> > > @raynorfan1 said:

> > > > @monty09 said:

> > > > > @raynorfan1 said:

> > > > > > @monty09 said:

> > > > > > i also have to think... you a member at ANGC.. you can get on to any of the other clubs pretty easy... PV maybe has the same pull.. does any of the others?

> > > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > > This is true of just about any club inside the top ~25.

> > > >

> > > > highly disagree

> > >

> > > Who do you think can't get on where?

> >

> > I think maybe the top 5 has the option to play any course.. i wont say the top 25 or top 50 even.... a cypress member will options that a club #50 wont

>

> Here's the thing. It works the same way for everybody. An Augusta member can't just throw his (or her) green jacket on and waltz into any pro shop in the world and ask for the next available tee time. There is an implicit expectation of reciprocity in hosting that guys at ANGC, PV, etc. can't really live up to. The commitment to host (mostly from a time and scheduling perspective) at one of the major national clubs is so high that it's hard to hold out real reciprocity (except at places like Ballyneal or Sand Hills that allow unaccompanied play).

>

> IME, guys at places like SFGC, LACC, Olympic, WF, Shinnecock, or Merion are better positioned to "get on" anywhere, because it's really easy for them to host on the flip side.

>

> Also, when you think about this, you have to take out of the equation the relative status of the member. I'd host Bill Gates any day of the week because he's Bill Gates...but not because he's an ANGC member.

>

> WRT the "Top 50", I tend to agree, which is why I limited it to ~25. Even some in the Top 25 aren't "great" reciprocal opportunities (Oak Hill comes to mind...great course, but when am I going to be in Rochester?).

now this i agree 100%

> @farmer said:

> Cypress Point or Seminole. even though Seminole is not on the list.

This would be my top 2 as well.

If I could join one club it would likely be Fisher's Island. I'd sell a kidney to play there, let alone be a member. Chicago Golf Club is another I'd love to be a member at.

To quote Groucho Marx, "I would never be a member of a club that would have me as a member."

All good listings but if location / cost is not a factor in this.... I would join http://www.taraiti.com/

Sand Hills

> @FairwayFred said:

> Sand Hills

=)

An ANGC member could play any course anytime (the course was open) they want. Anybody who says otherwise is loco. All they have to do is host a member at home, boom, they are pickin a tee time and a weekend that’s good for them at any of these places. Even pine valley. Same can’t be said if your a member at Merion or Oakmont or probably all the others.

However, most of these guys are probably members or friends with members at all of these clubs anyway.

I don’t really consider Merion or Oakmont in the same league as the others mentioned though. I know they are beautiful and architectural phenomenons but they just don’t carry the same prestige.

Of course I’m just a dope typing on a phone who reads a golf forum daily.

> @monty09 said:

> i also have to think... you a member at ANGC.. you can get on to any of the other clubs pretty easy... PV maybe has the same pull.. does any of the others?

>

If you’re a member at ANGC you’re probably already a member at 3 of those clubs listed, Oakmont, Pine Valley and Cypress.

> @CCTxGolf said:

> An ANGC member could play any course anytime (the course was open) they want. Anybody who says otherwise is loco. All they have to do is host a member at home, boom, they are pickin a tee time and a weekend that’s good for them at any of these places. Even pine valley. Same can’t be said if your a member at Merion or Oakmont or probably all the others.

>

> However, most of these guys are probably members or friends with members at all of these clubs anyway.

>

> I don’t really consider Merion or Oakmont in the same league as the others mentioned though. I know they are beautiful and architectural phenomenons but they just don’t carry the same prestige.

>

> Of course I’m just a dope typing on a phone who reads a golf forum daily.

You’re more right than you realize.