How much are memberships where you live?

[hogans71]

[quote name='FuzzyKnuckles' timestamp='1395586242' post='8930753']
I heard this is and don't know if its true, but when you end your membership at a club, do you get the initiation fee back? Like $3k initiation fee when you join, and when you end your membership and leave you get the $3k back. Is that true?
[/quote]

Depends on the club...

[stevopagolf]

[quote name='hogans71' timestamp='1395586329' post='8930759']
[quote name='FuzzyKnuckles' timestamp='1395586242' post='8930753']
I heard this is and don't know if its true, but when you end your membership at a club, do you get the initiation fee back? Like $3k initiation fee when you join, and when you end your membership and leave you get the $3k back. Is that true?
[/quote]

Depends on the club...
[/quote]

If inititation is a bond/stock (equity-you own part of the club), typically you get your money back, provided there is someone to buy the stock. Initiation fees at private non equity clubs you don't--- you right the check. It is gone..

[FuzzyKnuckles]

[quote name='stevopagolf' timestamp='1395587430' post='8930845']
[quote name='hogans71' timestamp='1395586329' post='8930759']
[quote name='FuzzyKnuckles' timestamp='1395586242' post='8930753']
I heard this is and don't know if its true, but when you end your membership at a club, do you get the initiation fee back? Like $3k initiation fee when you join, and when you end your membership and leave you get the $3k back. Is that true?
[/quote]

Depends on the club...
[/quote]

If inititation it is a bond/stock (equity-you own part of the club), typically you get your money back, provided there is someone to buy the stock. Initiation fees at private non equity clubs you don't you right the check. It is gone..
[/quote]

Ok makes sense. Appreciate it!

[Bonneville85308]

In my area, an unlimited single membership ranges from $7,000 to $9,000 per year (including dues and miscellaneous fees/assessments) plus food minimums ranging from $75 to $100 per month. A few clubs currently have zero initiation (down from $5,000-$10,000), one is around $10,000 (down from $35,000 I believe), and the "prestige" club is $30,000-$35,000 or so (down from $50,000).

Unfortunately, this is an average cost of living area (you can buy a decent house for $150,000) and these membership costs are completely out of line with the local economics and incomes. As a result, these clubs are hurting badly for members, even the "prestige" club. These clubs have a lot of debt, aging infrastructure to maintain, high property taxes, etc. It's sort of a chicken and the egg thing. They need a lot more members in order to lower the dues. But if they can't lower the dues, they aren't going to get more members.

I'm considering leaving my club because as membership levels decline, the costs is rising out of control. It's almost not worth it anymore when I can buy a season pass at a public course for $1,200-$1,800/yr. with no surprise assessments, minimums for food I don't want, etc. The public courses are nowhere near as crowded as they were 5 years ago.

[Balloon]

Private club 20 miles from a major city. USD 1750 per year. Range balls are charged and carts are not even available. Everybody walks.
My 14 year old son's membership fee at the club is just USD 300 including team training twice a week. Very conservative "old style" environment though.

[fmac]

Here in beautiful Northwestern Ontario, Canada I paid $700 for a membership for the coming season. It is an additional $125 to have full use of the driving range, practice facilities. We may live in the middle of nowhere but it is a great deal on a well maintained and scenic lakeview course.

[33 Handicap]

$35 per month allows me to walk the course any day of the week, no additional charge.If I want a cart I think it's $12. I like River Oaks in Grandview.

[MizzyMan]

[quote name='FuzzyKnuckles' timestamp='1395586242' post='8930753']
I heard this is and don't know if its true, but when you end your membership at a club, do you get the initiation fee back? Like $3k initiation fee when you join, and when you end your membership and leave you get the $3k back. Is that true?
[/quote]

This depends. Usually you have SOME type of equity position when you join, especially at the more pricey ones. My main club I play at was 150K to join, but as an original member, it's full equity and I get that back plus half of any appreciation to the current amount. Plus around 900-1000 bucks a month for dues, fees, etc. Expensive, but no tee times, fantastic course, no houses, phenomenal practice area.

At a lot of clubs in the metroplex you get maybe around half what you put in or less. Making the one I joined seem like a bargain.

[joey2aces]

least expensive here in Syracuse for private is @ $1300 a year.. no initiation. Most expensive is about $8k a year with 10-15k initation (which they allow you to pay over 3 years).

You can get some decent deals on semi-private for about $800 a year.

Here in Cuse I'd be more willing to pony up for initiation if it were equity and I'd get it back. Seeing as we play golf 6 months out of the year a $10,000 initiation isn't something I am willing to fork over right now.

[ruascott]

This is like asking how much does a car cost. Maybe a junker for $500, or it may be a Ferrari for $500,000.

Most areas have golf at all different price points, with most expensive being high end private clubs.

[scottishpedro]

Very lucky here in the East of Scotland. I'm at member at Blairgowrie which has 2 championship 18 hole courses and a great wee 9 holer - £720 a year. Also Carnoustie which has the Championship course and 2 other courses for £370 a year, some of the best value golf anywhere!

[pdakc]

[quote name='QMany' timestamp='1395509956' post='8925695']
[quote name='bhj83' timestamp='1395501758' post='8925041']
Here in the KC area, memberships to nice semi-private courses range from $2,400 to around $3,300 for a single. That includes green fees, cart, and range unlimited. Not sure about most of the private courses...
[/quote]
I'm at a semi-private and KC and this is spot on. I pay $215/mo. No initiation fee. This includes greens fees, carts, and range.

For private clubs, dues are closer to $400 and initiations vary greatly.
[/quote]

I would agree with this re: KC. I've either looked at or played at most of the private clubs in KC and with the exception of maybe 4 or 5 (KCCC, Mission Hills, Indian Hills, Hallbrook, National), most private vary anywhere from no initiation to $15k, depending on age. Dues at a good private track are around $300-750, again, depending on age, and most also ding you for a monthly/quarterly F&B fee. my club's dues are about $350/month + carts + range + it seems like everything else, but i love the track. initiation wasn't bad, but never a "good financial decision".

[highdraw69]

this is a fascinating thread...here in MN, i've been getting invites to join some private tracks with a deal to wave initiation...i think the golf economy remains in a severely weak position; for myself, i pay $3740 for unlimited golf at a high-end public track (but membership is extremely limited); i could actually join some private clubs near me for LESS money, but my only real decision is based on which course i want to play

[HoffTTM]

Somewhere between 800-1100 USD annual dues for the upper mid-tier 18 hole clubs here.

[GoStars]

Very traditional, exclusive Dallas club. Monthly dues $625, but as a practical matter it's $750-$1000 with any usage. Unlimited golf and range. Club storage, carts, and pull carts (which you must rent, you cannot bring your own) are extra. No food minimum because the club has substantial food, beverage, and banquet revenue. Also: indoor and outdoor tennis courts, workout facility, spa. Entry is six figures, but the hardest part is just getting your name to come up for consideration.

[WalleyeDave]

$ 1300 for golf, cart, and range (season pass) . As far as private courses in my area ,to much for me. Most season passes in S/E Wisconsin run between 1200 and 2800.

[dan360]

$1000-2000 for a nice course with cart per year, depending on how "nice" you want it to be.

There is a local private club that is pretty nice--some would say REALLY nice--that right now has a "Young Executive" (18-40) membership special of $500 initiation fee and $269/month. $100 per quarter food minimum. Used to be a Nike/Buy.com/Nationwide/Web.com tour stop. Seriously thinking of doing it.

[highdraw69]

[quote name='GoStars' timestamp='1395692016' post='8941021']
Very traditional, exclusive Dallas club. Monthly dues $625, but as a practical matter it's $750-$1000 with any usage. Unlimited golf and range. Club storage, carts, and pull carts (which you must rent, you cannot bring your own) are extra. No food minimum because the club has substantial food, beverage, and banquet revenue. Also: indoor and outdoor tennis courts, workout facility, spa. Entry is six figures, but the hardest part is just getting your name to come up for consideration.
[/quote]

is that you, JR? i thought they shot you! j/k ... cool to get info on the BigD area...

[Truman]

We paid a $50,000 initiation when the course was being built. Dues are $650 plus a $1,200 cart fee, $500 locker and $350 club storage. Cart fee locker and storage are payable in the first quarter. Even though they are not included in the dues they are mandatory.

[jakenlson0311]

I don't know why but here in San Diego we must get taken for everything we got. I'm a member at del mar country club and our fees are as follows
Fees:

Initiation Fee: $160,000
Dues: Monthly $1,650
Food & Beverage: $300 Monthly
Green Fees: Weekday $100, Weekend $100
Cart Fee: 0 Included
Locker Fee: 0 Included
Total Monthly: $1,950

And this is the cheap course you don't even want to see The Bridges which is right up the road. They pay so much just to say they are members at Phil's home course.

[jakenlson0311]

By the way I don't pay that, they must feel bad for me haha

[divebreck]

Here in Southern Arizona/ Tubac

Initiation - I think $7500 non equity
Dues - $325 month
Walk after 1:00- free
Cart - $20
Locker - $100 year
Handicap - $35
Range - Free
No food minimum

[oregongolfguy]

That is a good question.......I really had no idea, some quick internet searching found That of the two courses I play frequently, First one is $750 for the year. This is a steal in my mind. Course is short (5900yds) and not super exciting, but well kept and fair, pace of play is usually pretty decent as well. I didn't realize it was this low, this actually has me thinking about dropping some dough down, I've already spent about $150 in the last month or so counting rounds of golf and range balls.
Second course is $1920 a year(this takes into account all costs for the year). Definitely a couple steps up in the course itself, actually I absolutely love this course. Problem is that everyone else loves this course too, it is slam packed during the weekends and rounds on a weekend usually creep over the 5hr mark. Its too much for me...not enough time after work to play a round most days, maybe nine...don't like the range as much either....But I like the course.

It goes up from there....The cheapest private course is the old country club, which runs a couple grand initiation and 3-400 a month. Really not a bad price considering the pools, tennis, spa etc etc....It goes up quickly from there for the high end resort clubs....

[TML]

private course in phoenix area. $725/month for dues (includes family members). no food bev min. Great new clubhouse. Cart fees extra but i walk every day. Initiation varies based on equity market value.

[Greenie]

I was recently talking to a fellow golfer here in my area of Md. He told me a local course was on the selling block because they were struggling. He was saying the initiation fee was $10,000 and a monthly $345 fee.

[BirdieRoll]

[quote name='butch33611' timestamp='1395517579' post='8926235']
I pay 750.00 at a semi private course. Unlimited play. Season cart fee is 550.00 and unlimited range balls is 160.00. I don't buy the cart fee because an 18 hole cart fee for a member is only 12.00 and I walk a lot of the time. I don't buy the range pass either. I buy a small bucket for 5.00 and guys with the range pass leave half a bucket and walk away. By the time im done on the range Ive hit a couple of large buckets between my small and their left overs.

Based on this thread, life is good where I live. I gota show this to my wife. Let her see how little I spend on golf as to what it could be.
[/quote]

Butch - can you say which club you're at? I'm in the Twin Cities and am (very) casually looking at options for the first time. Otherwise, PM? Thanks.

[dpdm03]

I'm in West Michigan. Most of the clubs around here have dropped their initiation fees to $0 and charge $400-$600 per month in dues plus quarterly food minimums, cart, etc

[RichieHunt]

In Orlando you're looking at anywhere between $2k and $8k for the year. But, you're playing golf year-round. Many of the courses on the lower end of the price are public courses. The only issue I have with some of the private course memberships is the initiation fees which can range from $1k to $5k.

Of course, there is Lake Nona, Isleworth,CCO, etc. that are going to cost much more than that. But that is what we generally see.





RH

[MizzyMan]

[quote name='GoStars' timestamp='1395692016' post='8941021']
Very traditional, exclusive Dallas club. Monthly dues $625, but as a practical matter it's $750-$1000 with any usage. Unlimited golf and range. Club storage, carts, and pull carts (which you must rent, you cannot bring your own) are extra. No food minimum because the club has substantial food, beverage, and banquet revenue. Also: indoor and outdoor tennis courts, workout facility, spa. Entry is six figures, but the hardest part is just getting your name to come up for consideration.
[/quote]

DCC?

[ctfuzz21]

OP,
I grew up in Sterling, my folks still love there. I'll play Emerald a couple of times per year for giggles.

I'm a member at a "player's" public course in the northern suburbs of chicago. $1500/yr unlimited golf, no time restraints. Going rate around here for similar courses are around 4-6k/yr and that would be fair. My course struggles with getting play bc it's more challenging and a little too daunting for the rec player, so memberships are offered at an extreme discount. Weekend rate is still around $70-$80/round.