Clubs to join in the Pittsburgh area

[dlov]

I recently moved to Pittsburgh and I’m looking at some options of clubs to join in the area. I’m open to driving about 40 minutes and live in the Lawrenceville area. I don’t really want to put any crazy money down as I’m not sure how long I’m gonna stay in the city any suggestions would be much appreciated

[05LMBVette]

IMHO, there's not a lot of options if you don't plan on spending big money....

 

Seven Oaks in Beaver, PA is a course that's always in good condition, but the course is quirky (doesn't hardly have a flat lie on the course)... I was a member there for 1 year when i was in Pittsburgh still. Since i was a "young professional", there was no initiation, no food and alcohol minimums, and $105 a month for unlimited golf. Crazy cheap for a course that was always in good shape.

 

Otherwise, everything is pretty pricey.... Oakmont is the most exclusive, as I'm sure you know. Nevillewood, Field Club, Montour Heights and Diamond Run are all pretty exclusive. Southpointe is a pretty cool course, but its not cheap either.

 

I never played anything else private that I thought was worth any money. A public course like Birdsfoot is a nice course, and probably right around your travel max.... and i thought Pittsburgh National (used to be Deer Run CC) was always a nice course, but haven't played it in a decade.

 

Since moving away from Pittsburgh, i better realize how bad the public golf scene is there - - - - i hope you can find something private to enjoy.

[CivicArena]

Look at Chartiers Country Club. 15 minutes from Lawrenceville right outside the city going towards the airport. Reasonable fees and they just redid 4 greens and the men's grill is being renovated now. Great group of young guys there, always events and games going on.

[dpb5031]

I was out there last summer to play in a stag day at Oakmont. We also played a course called Longvue Country Club. I'm not sure about the cost of membership but the course was fun and challenging and the clubhouse is a historic landmark. There are some great views (hence the name) of the Alleghany river valley out there.

[CCtrey5]

Also looking into joining a club in Pittsburgh this year, would like to hear what you decide on. I’m leaning toward Edgewood CC but haven’t done all my research yet

[howellhandmade]

Lawrenceville is a cool area. Ground zero for microbreweries. What is your budget? Hillcrest CC in Lower Burrell can be had for $140/mo. I think 15 minutes to Chartiers from Lawrenceville is optimistic. Edgewood is a great middle ground — way more expensive than Hillcrest/Green Oaks but nicer and not as expensive as the big boys. I live 5 minutes from Green Oaks and went with Hillcrest (15 min.) at less than half the price and have been quite satisfied. PM if you want more details. Longvue is very nice and maybe 2 minutes but but out of my price range. Oakmont is walking distance, but don’t call them, they’ll call you.

[CCtrey5]

Anyone have any opinions on green oaks cc?

[howellhandmade]

5 minutes from me. Depends what you’re looking for. Not a bad course. At one time they were offering a $300/month no-initiation deal. I would guess that with a phone call you’ll be able to play it and form your own opinions.

[CCtrey5]

As a young executive it’s around the 160 a month, it seems to be one of the better deals in the area. Looking for a place that has some members in the 25-35 age range but I know that’s hard to find.

[Hateto3Putt]

Lawrenceville is a cool area. Ground zero for microbreweries. What is your budget? Hillcrest CC in Lower Burrell can be had for $140/mo. I think 15 minutes to Chartiers from Lawrenceville is optimistic. Edgewood is a great middle ground — way more expensive than Hillcrest/Green Oaks but nicer and not as expensive as the big boys. I live 5 minutes from Green Oaks and went with Hillcrest (15 min.) at less than half the price and have been quite satisfied. PM if you want more details. Longvue is very nice and maybe 2 minutes but but out of my price range. Oakmont is walking distance, but don’t call them, they’ll call you.

 

^^^^^THIS^^^^^

 

Also, OP... welcome to Pittsburgh!

[Cayman898]

Check out South Hills Country Club. It is a few miles south of the city on route 51. They have a great membership and a great course. They just hired a new superintendent and have already began an aggressive tree program.

 

PM me if you want more details or I can put you touch with the membership director. They have all sorts of new member incentives.

[929rob]

I played at Green Oaks once about 10 years ago. It was very nice. I play at Shannopin Country Club now and then, my step brother is the head pro there. I think that it's a very nice course as well.

[btpd806]

Shannonpin is a great course, very nice people work there also

[diablocrusher]

I met with the membership director at Shannopin last month since they we’re running a new member special. If you look at Shannopin just know the costs they list on the sheet they send you is not the real cost of the membership.

 

Monthly dues depend on your age - they claim they’re a golf first club but if you want to use the range it’s an extra $150+ a year on top of monthly dues. Your monthly dues also don’t cover cart fee, if you want to take a cart it’s an extra $54 dollars per 18 holes. $54 dollars for a cart, c’mon this is just a money grab. You can bring guests but they offer you a “guest pass” book you can purchase for discounted guest fees but you have to pay upfront for it.

 

It’s a nice club, the staff I thought was very friendly and nice but just understand the price they advertise is not the only costs you’ll pay.

 

This may be pretty standard of private clubs in the area, I’m not sure as I only looked into Shannopin but I didn’t like that my monthly dues would end up being roughly $300-400 more a month than they advertise.

 

Just give me a cost for everything and I’ll let you know if I’ll pay it or not.

 

[howellhandmade]

That’s SOP for country clubs.

 

My wife and I just joined Green Oaks — this was a “we” decision as I can pretty much afford Hillcrest by selling my plasma. Green Oaks is better for my wife as there’s a more active women’s group. It’s much closer. It is more expensive in every dimension — at Hillcrest you walk for free; at Green Oaks there’s a trail fee. Hillcrest has no food/beverage minimum for associate golf members, Green Oaks does. And so forth. But it’s still less expensive than Edgewood — when I see the cars in the Green Oaks parking lot I’m reminded that country clubs are generally for people who don’t have to worry about what it costs.

 

Can’t say which way it will go after this year — it’s kind of an experiment to see if my wife is going to continue getting into golf, and if she doesn’t, it’s Hillcrest all the way on my budget. Green Oaks is a very nice course, though. I haven’t really made any friends at Hillcrest; the members seem older (even) than me and have their groups. We’ll see about Green Oaks.

[shoot4par]

A little late to the party but:

Best and ($$$$)- Oakmont, Nevillewood, Field Club, Fox Chapel Golf Club, Butler C.C.

In between Best & Good ($$$$) - Sewickley Heights

Good ($$$)- Long Vue, Green Oaks, Edgewood, Montour Heights

I was thinking about joining Long Vue as I am only 26 and the rates for Jr. Executives are not bad. It's also really close to Lawrenceville. Dad was a member at Nevillewood but thats well out of my price range at the moment. Montour is also not a bad club with reasonable rates... I'm surprised no one

[isaacward44]

I feel like it's rained nonstop in Pittsburgh since the end of 2017. Even if I belonged to a club, unless it had a roof over it, everything has been soaked and a mudpit for at least the last 15 months. Really hoping for a dry summer.

[howellhandmade]

> @isaacward44 said:

> I feel like it's rained nonstop in Pittsburgh since the end of 2017. Even if I belonged to a club, unless it had a roof over it, everything has been soaked and a mudpit for at least the last 15 months. Really hoping for a dry summer.

 

Yep. Some courses drain better than others, though. Have been impressed with Green Oaks in that regard.

[earleyrc]

Diamond Run is a solid track, and my personal favorite in the area. It's a club corp facility, and part of your membership grants access to other club corp facilities nation wide (at least it used to include it). Firestone CC in Columbus OH where they play the memorial included.. worth the drive.

 

Treesdale is another local club corp a little further north in Mars/Valencia area, but the topography is a little quirky. The big plus is that it does have 3 nine-hole sides, so you get more variety.

[grm24]

> @earleyrc said:

> Diamond Run is a solid track, and my personal favorite in the area. It's a club corp facility, and part of your membership grants access to other club corp facilities nation wide (at least it used to include it). **Firestone CC in Columbus OH where they play the memorial included.. worth the drive.**

>

Firestone is in Akron not Columbus. They held the World Series of Golf and WGC Bridgestone events at Firestone. The Memorial is played in Dublin, OH (Columbus suburb) at Muirfield Village Golf Club. A/K/A The House that Jack built.

 

[earleyrc]

> @grm24 said:

> > @earleyrc said:

> > Diamond Run is a solid track, and my personal favorite in the area. It's a club corp facility, and part of your membership grants access to other club corp facilities nation wide (at least it used to include it). **Firestone CC in Columbus OH where they play the memorial included.. worth the drive.**

> >

> Firestone is in Akron not Columbus. They held the World Series of Golf and WGC Bridgestone events at Firestone. The Memorial is played in Dublin, OH (Columbus suburb) at Muirfield Village Golf Club. A/K/A The House that Jack built.

>

 

You are correct. My mistake.

[ArmchairAviator]

I am so late to this post, but I may as well throw into the pot if someone is still looking. A course that is always in amazing condition not far out of Pittsburgh is Willowbrook Country Club. For a young exec, prices out the door for unlimited golf (walking), a 65 dollar F&B minimum, and range fee ends up being around 230 dollars a month. Nice course with challenging greensides and great views, and a good restaurant! Definitely a golf-first kind of club.

[DrWalterWhite]

Anyone know of clubs offering national memberships in Western PA? Any good deals out there?

I’m in Pittsburgh about three weeks a year and I’m trying to get a handle on what my options may be.

I typically stay in Lawrenceville and ideally I’d have a reasonable drive from there.

Thanks in advance for any info.

[shoot4par]

I'd look at something with club corp. Its probably more cost effective depending on where you're located.

[Holymoly]

Hey! I’m late to this but does anyone have prices to green oaks and hill crest? Preferably a family membership cost but a normal one works.

[412BryanC]

On 9/17/2023 at 9:20 PM, Holymoly said:

Hey! I’m late to this but does anyone have prices to green oaks and hill crest? Preferably a family membership cost but a normal one works.

For Hillcrest it's

 

 

1st year $185 

2nd year $220

I believe the full price is $245 but I can't quite remember.

$55 minimum 

$90/yr locker locker 

$90/yr storage 

No tee times

Unlimited golf, pool,tennis and pickleball