Indianapolis - Membership Values - Course Comparisons

[TMScottyCam5]

Hey everyone.

 

I was curious what Indianapolis area golf memberships run compared to other courses near me. I've asked about private clubs in the past just out of curiosity (thanks for sharing your thoughts!) and have done further research on that front, but I thought everyone might be interested in an aggregate list of the public/semi-private courses that i just checked out this lazy afternoon from my phone. Maybe it'll help someone looking to move to the area and understand the great value the Indy golf scene provides.

 

All of the amounts I have here are for a Single - 7 day full membership to look at them all consistently as possible. Any particulars you all think stand out? They are in no particular order.

 

Prairie View. $1900 includes cart up to $3500 at 35 yrs

Plum Creek $2400 includes cart up to $3400 at 32 yrs

Golf Club of Indiana $3200 includes cart

Deer Creek $1800 includes cart

Purgatory $2500 includes cart

Bear Slide $3600 includes cart

Trophy Club $2000 no cart

Southern Dunes $1700 includes cart

Hickory Stick $2100 includes cart

Heartland Crossing $1950 includes cart

Ironwood + Gray Eagle $2000 include cart

Pebble Brook $2100 includes cart

Brookshire $1400 cart ~$300 extra

River Glen $1800 no cart

Wood Wind $2200 no cart no range

Quail Creek $1500 includes cart

 

I can add more as others bring them up or I find them. Best to everyone with their home clubs this year and success for Indy's golf courses in general!

[Mob]

I think a significant part of your decision should be based on location (proximity to your home) and how much you like the course. I would narrow down your list based on these 2 things, then the list will be more manageable. To get the most out of a membership, location is key. If the club is close to your home or work, you stand to use it a lot more and enjoy it more. From the list above, I personally like Prairie View and Trophy Club the most, but you may feel differently.

[TMScottyCam5]

Agree entirely, Mob. I personally have not played a single course on this list, as Indy is a bit of a drive for us. I'd like to change that this coming year. Just play some different courses a few weekends. Knock out at least 8-12 on this list. Obviously I won't be joining any but thought the research could help someone else.

[HoosierHacker89]

bearslide is 4500 holy cow! that't a great course, but i cant imagine paying that much compared to purgatory etc.

[TMScottyCam5]

Yeah that seemed out of whack so I did go back and check that one. The website on my phone has the lines a bit messed up in mobile version trying to view family/single/junior/etc. I had the family price. The single is $3600 including cart.

[FairwaysToHeaven]

Can someone explain to me the benefit to paying 3k+ to join a public golf course.

 

indy has a lot of decent value golf. why lock yourself into playing one course...or at least feel guilty playing elsewhere when you already paid a steep price to join elsewhere. even if you want to play weekend mornings at their top rate the amount of golf you'd need to play would be substantial.

 

basically do you find there are perks outside of the golf, or are you doing the math and feel that you get your money's worth by playing well over your 'break even' amount.

 

even at $70/ round you'd have to play 50 rounds of golf to break even at $3500. thats 50 rounds without discount on the same course, which is public. Playing April - October (7 months) thats 7 rounds month. and thats not factoring in the rounds where you could easily play after lunch where the rate may be $40-50.

 

i guess i'm just curious for those that are members what they feel like they gain by being a member vs just showing up and playing.

 

Private Course membership is a whole different discussion.

[crd198]

Hard to justify joining a public course like the above poster said.

 

I’ve been real curious about private course prices for people under 35. Of course I live near Woodland which is way beyond my price range.

[w24p]

For what it's worth Trophy Club memberships all include a cart.

 

I joined their weekday membership this year and I've played about twice as much as compared to last year at this point. It's nice to not have to worry about paying, and if pace is slow I can just skip holes or head home without worrying about getting full value for the round.