Kansas City Membership - Best Deal in Town?

[nix]

I'm a little things kind of guy myself and I believe the little things matter. I also believe communication is king. You're absolutely right that if the place was going to go private soon, it would be an enticement for people to join. I've heard those same rumors, but haven't heard anything definitive on the status and I find it a little odd.

 

I just found out that they got into the overland park racquet club and are having free clinics and an open house on the 6th of january. I just learned this by seeing it randomly on a facebook page which I"m almost NEVER on. I would have loved an email about this. I still think it's growing pains. Yeah it's not new, but they are in a very big growth phase and things get harder when you grow fast.

[ntjackson]

If you're considering doing Great Life and are located near Falcon Ridge, then I think the scales tip considerably in favor of doing Great Life. It's typically in much better shape than the other three in that price point, particularly the greens. Shadow Glen is a great track just down the road from there, but I personally couldn't justify the cost ($4k to $6k initiation, with monthly dues around $500 to $700 and rising to almost $900 at age 40+), not to mention the drive.

[scratchITguy]

I completely agree that the concept is both intriguing and unique and displays great potential - especially at the current price point. But this ain't their first rodeo nor did they just arrive on the scene a couple of months ago. I would think by now they would have a little bit better handle on this.

 

One of my huge peeves in life is inattention to detail and sometimes I believe that Great Life was born to push me over the edge. Websites that go unattended are a prime example. For instance, there's a link on the Falcon Ridge site for "Course Conditions and Updates."

 

Why you might ask? Because the most recent post is dated April of 2016!

 

If you're not going to monitor and update it, delete the danged thing!

 

The "Events" link will inform you about the Club Championship dates and times. Great to know except it was last October!

 

I know that this sort of thing isn't exclusive to Great Life and doesn't really matter in the big picture but it is also unnecessary and an easy fix. If you're not going to stay on top of the low hanging fruit type of stuff then what does that say about your ability to handle the important things going forward?

 

And people notice this stuff.

 

It is also almost impossible to find anything pertinent to the membership special that I referred to in my previous post. There is a copy of the flyer that pops up on several of the course websites but it provides very little in the way of specifics. No mention about carts being included, no expiration date for the offer, etc.

 

If you inquire as to whether of not range privileges are included in the deal, you will be told that they don't know yet. WHAT?

 

The latest newsletter from Staley Farms did at least make mention of the waiving of initiation fees and the new lower monthly fee but it was at the bottom of the page after the New Year's Eve party promotion.

 

I've seen nothing in the paper, heard nothing on sports radio and, other than a couple of flyers that all look alike, have seen zip in the way of marketing or promotion on site. A guy would really have to go out of his way to access any information about this deal.

 

Likewise they are offering the same deal to all law enforcement, first responders and military both active duty and retired. Great idea! Except I happen to know quite of few guys that fall into this category and not a single one of them know anything about it. AND, neither did we until I saw it a few days ago posted on the Great Life Facebook page - post dated 12 December.

 

We were told a year ago that Falcon Ridge would become private once they had 400 members. Then we were told that all of the courses in that tier would become private no later than 1 April 2018 or sooner once total membership for the tier totaled 1600.

 

However, and again, I've seen zero mention of this on any of the Great Life websites, individual course websites or promotional flyers posted at Falcon Ridge, Prairie Highlands or Deer Creek. I would think the thought of these facilities being private clubs would be a great enticement for future members.

 

That is, if anybody knew about it.

 

Now, as far as I'm concerned, none of these things represent a showstopper so far as our being members or the golf courses or even being satisfied with our membership but they are both frustrating and bewildering and give a very poor impression of Great Life as an ownership/management group that sells itself as a first class golf/fitness/lifestyle outfit.

 

But what do I know?

 

I experienced the same thing with GreatLife at Blue Springs CC, we are not on the upper tier of their golf courses, but the attention to detail is so lacking that it borderlines incompetent. They promised upgrades and improvements from day 1 but the club has become a ghost town in the F&B compared to what it was a few years ago. We have an outstanding Superintendent but he is growing tired of the empty promises for more labor and budget cuts. Seems GreatLife bought more than they could handle but a wise man once said, if you want a nicer golf course you can always spend more money for it.

[nix]

I went to BSCC prior to GL and it was a ghost town then too, but it's a fun track that at the time needed LOTS of tree pruning. Need to get back out there honestly.

[QMany]

I don't live near Lionsgate, but I would consider joining there if I were close. However am I the only one who is annoyed by the number of pine trees they have on the course? I hate pine trees on golf courses.

I never really thought about it until reading your post. Inside the course, there are only a few trees what I would consider "in play." Mostly the pines line the exterior of a few holes and the property itself, but I can only think of a few on the interior of the course. I mean, don't get me wrong, I've sprayed it way right into the pines on 4 a few times. :taunt: For the most part, I think most of the course is devoid of trees.

[nix]

I don't live near Lionsgate, but I would consider joining there if I were close. However am I the only one who is annoyed by the number of pine trees they have on the course? I hate pine trees on golf courses.

I never really thought about it until reading your post. Inside the course, there are only a few trees what I would consider "in play." Mostly the pines line the exterior of a few holes and the property itself, but I can only think of a few on the interior of the course. I mean, don't get me wrong, I've sprayed it way right into the pines on 4 a few times. :taunt: For the most part, I think most of the course is devoid of trees.

 

I mean, yeah if you're going to play in the middle of the course, but I like to use the whole course. The fairway is for people who like golf to be easy. So yeah, I'm a 20 handicap, so I'm in left or right pretty regularly and pine trees are just ultra penal. I saw a guy at the web.com,,, andrew landry I think who was left on #2 (the way they play it) I think and it's just impossible. It's hard to find and hard to hit.

 

It's a fun course though, I typically get out there 2-4 times a year. The guest fees though, man they're pretty stiff.

[QMany]

I mean, yeah if you're going to play in the middle of the course, but I like to use the whole course. The fairway is for people who like golf to be easy. So yeah, I'm a 20 handicap, so I'm in left or right pretty regularly and pine trees are just ultra penal. I saw a guy at the web.com,,, andrew landry I think who was left on #2 (the way they play it) I think and it's just impossible. It's hard to find and hard to hit.

Oh, yeah #2 for the Web.com is our #11, and left is dead. My miss is right, and I bail out wayyy right. It is easy to spray it out there, especially when the wind starts blowing.

 

It's a fun course though, I typically get out there 2-4 times a year. The guest fees though, man they're pretty stiff.

Guest fees are a little steep. But as much member play as we get (Friday-Sunday tee sheets are packed), it is probably more of a deterrent.

[vernon]

Just noticed that Great Life has added Moila Country Club in St. Joe to its collection. Of course, I wasn't notified of this, I just happened to see it on Great Life's Facebook page.

 

$120 per month for St. Joe Country Club and Moila in the "Legends" tier although I'll be damned if I know how that squares with the prices at Staley and Canyon Farms.

 

So if a guy joins St. Joe/Moila for $120 he can play Staley and Canyon whenever he wants for no surcharge even though those two courses charge way more than that?

 

But if the same guy joins Falcon Ridge for $150 per month he pays and additional $30 for a cart fee whenever he wants to play St. Joe, Moila, Staley or Canyon because it's an upgrade?

 

I swear, this Great Life deal is downright mind boggling.

[artica]

I mean, yeah if you're going to play in the middle of the course, but I like to use the whole course. The fairway is for people who like golf to be easy. So yeah, I'm a 20 handicap, so I'm in left or right pretty regularly and pine trees are just ultra penal. I saw a guy at the web.com,,, andrew landry I think who was left on #2 (the way they play it) I think and it's just impossible. It's hard to find and hard to hit.

Oh, yeah #2 for the Web.com is our #11, and left is dead. My miss is right, and I bail out wayyy right. It is easy to spray it out there, especially when the wind starts blowing.

 

It's a fun course though, I typically get out there 2-4 times a year. The guest fees though, man they're pretty stiff.

Guest fees are a little steep. But as much member play as we get (Friday-Sunday tee sheets are packed), it is probably more of a deterrent.

 

Starting in March I’ll start my consideration for a new club (private or public basically) and Lionsgate because of proximity will be the only option private I’ll consider.

 

With that in mind, how does the tee sheet work at LG? I like the social setup at Blue Hills hoping for something similar there?

[canthitathreewood]

Anyone in the market for a new place to play should look into Sycamore Ridge.

 

I will be purchasing an annual pass for the fifth consecutive year. The place has changed a great deal in the last five years. I joined initially to take advantage of a good layout that did not get much play due to poor course conditions and location. In my first couple of years I could go out during the week and have no trouble playing 36 in four hours. Ownership changed three or four years ago and the new owner is doing all the right things, unfortunately they have not been able to move the course closer to OP. New bunkers, new cart paths, a few holes have been rerouted slightly. The days of 36 in four hours are mostly gone, unless your willing to tee it up in 40 degree weather, which I am. The GM/Head Pro does a great job and his staff is friendly and knowledgeable.

 

Few Things:

 

You mostly cannot walk. You could walk the back nine with permission from the shop (slow days) but the front nine is an almost dangerous walk.

 

The golf course is demanding! It can really take a toll on your confidence if you aren't hitting it good. On the other hand, good shots are rewarded and your handicap will travel well. There are some really good holes on both nines. 12/13/15 are my favorites on the back nine. 1/7/8 get my vote on the front. Throughout the course the par 3's are very strong as are the par 5's. There are several par 4's that provide scoring opportunities.

 

Not easy to get a game out there. I play with the same 4-8 guys most rounds, we play scratch games and have plenty of action but it is difficult for us to get two groups together during the week. This is one of the reasons I am posting! It would be nice to have a few more players during the week. I can't speak for the weekend games as I generally play with a different group elsewhere on the weekend.

 

Over the last couple of years the number of rounds seems to have gone way up. It's not Wolf Creek, you can't show up on Wednesday afternoon and expect to be the only car in the parking lot. Spring/Summer/Fall weekday rounds are mostly around four hours, weekends can be longer depending on when you tee off.

 

If anyone has questions about SR, let me know.

[ntjackson]

I mean, yeah if you're going to play in the middle of the course, but I like to use the whole course. The fairway is for people who like golf to be easy. So yeah, I'm a 20 handicap, so I'm in left or right pretty regularly and pine trees are just ultra penal. I saw a guy at the web.com,,, andrew landry I think who was left on #2 (the way they play it) I think and it's just impossible. It's hard to find and hard to hit.

Oh, yeah #2 for the Web.com is our #11, and left is dead. My miss is right, and I bail out wayyy right. It is easy to spray it out there, especially when the wind starts blowing.

 

It's a fun course though, I typically get out there 2-4 times a year. The guest fees though, man they're pretty stiff.

Guest fees are a little steep. But as much member play as we get (Friday-Sunday tee sheets are packed), it is probably more of a deterrent.

 

Starting in March I'll start my consideration for a new club (private or public basically) and Lionsgate because of proximity will be the only option private I'll consider.

 

With that in mind, how does the tee sheet work at LG? I like the social setup at Blue Hills hoping for something similar there?

 

Lionsgate has an online system for tee time reservations where members can book tee times up to one week in advance. The stated position of the club is that tee times are not held for anyone and that they're all equally up for grabs. That said, it's understood that some groups have de facto standing tee times every weekend. During the week is usually no problem, and the weekend is usually only a challenge if you're a foursome trying to play before 10:00. I'm usually a single and have no issues floating in/out of groups. When I've need to book a weekend morning foursome for guests, I'm usually okay if I'm proactive about booking it. Guys in the pro shop are fantastic and can usually find a way to get you out.

[ntjackson]

Anyone in the market for a new place to play should look into Sycamore Ridge.

 

I will be purchasing an annual pass for the fifth consecutive year. The place has changed a great deal in the last five years. I joined initially to take advantage of a good layout that did not get much play due to poor course conditions and location. In my first couple of years I could go out during the week and have no trouble playing 36 in four hours. Ownership changed three or four years ago and the new owner is doing all the right things, unfortunately they have not been able to move the course closer to OP. New bunkers, new cart paths, a few holes have been rerouted slightly. The days of 36 in four hours are mostly gone, unless your willing to tee it up in 40 degree weather, which I am. The GM/Head Pro does a great job and his staff is friendly and knowledgeable.

 

 

Sycamore Ridge was the first place I considered this time last year. Unfortunately, the extreme southern location of this place is a deal-breaker for most, including me. I remember timing the drive from my work to the course to see about weekday rounds, and there was no chance. Too bad, because I otherwise like the layout.

[bhj83]

A buddy and I just joined GL before the 12/31 deadline. It's hard to pass up a course as nice as Falcon Ridge for $150 per month and I can finally try to get my wife to play golf. To top it off, since it's a fitness membership my wife's work will reimburse us $25 a month so only $125 per month. As for the range, we were told it was free until April 1 and then it's $225 for the year and can be added in monthly. He also told us the range pass is good for all courses that have a range. Nice touch. We were at Falcon Lakes last year and enjoyed it but wow they had a lot of tourneys.

[vernon]

If anyone in the area is still interested in doing the $150 per month referral deal at Falcon Ridge, let me know ASAP.

 

Due to some extenuating circumstances, I was provided an extension to sign up a referral at the special rate.

 

Probably needs to be done by the end of next week though.

 

$150 per month for unlimited golf with cart for a family membership at 12 or 13 courses (or whatever it is now) is a heckuva deal.

[vernon]

A buddy and I just joined GL before the 12/31 deadline. It's hard to pass up a course as nice as Falcon Ridge for $150 per month and I can finally try to get my wife to play golf. To top it off, since it's a fitness membership my wife's work will reimburse us $25 a month so only $125 per month. As for the range, we were told it was free until April 1 and then it's $225 for the year and can be added in monthly. He also told us the range pass is good for all courses that have a range. Nice touch. We were at Falcon Lakes last year and enjoyed it but wow they had a lot of tourneys.

And Falcon Lakes just implemented a 15% across the board rate increase. That's a lot of money to never be able to play. Heck, we live there and still joined Ridge last year. From what I hear, quite a few homeowners at Falcon Lakes have left to join Falcon Ridge.

 

And for less than half the price, why not? Plus, you have all the other courses to play on days that your home track is hosting an event.

 

No brainer for us.

[bhj83]

A buddy and I just joined GL before the 12/31 deadline. It's hard to pass up a course as nice as Falcon Ridge for $150 per month and I can finally try to get my wife to play golf. To top it off, since it's a fitness membership my wife's work will reimburse us $25 a month so only $125 per month. As for the range, we were told it was free until April 1 and then it's $225 for the year and can be added in monthly. He also told us the range pass is good for all courses that have a range. Nice touch. We were at Falcon Lakes last year and enjoyed it but wow they had a lot of tourneys.

And Falcon Lakes just implemented a 15% across the board rate increase. That's a lot of money to never be able to play. Heck, we live there and still joined Ridge last year. From what I hear, quite a few homeowners at Falcon Lakes have left to join Falcon Ridge.

 

And for less than half the price, why not? Plus, you have all the other courses to play on days that your home track is hosting an event.

 

No brainer for us.

We both had the weekday membership since we don't play a ton of weekend mornings and it was only like $1150 last year which was great. I think that one only went up to $1250 if you signed up before 12/31. But having all of those courses and no time restrictions for $1800 is a great deal. The only bad part was having to sign up thru March of 2019...that's a lot of winter months and although I'll play whenever I have time and the courses are open, weather can obviously force courses to stay closed for extended periods of time. Maybe I should start going to the gym in the meantime...

[vernon]

A buddy and I just joined GL before the 12/31 deadline. It's hard to pass up a course as nice as Falcon Ridge for $150 per month and I can finally try to get my wife to play golf. To top it off, since it's a fitness membership my wife's work will reimburse us $25 a month so only $125 per month. As for the range, we were told it was free until April 1 and then it's $225 for the year and can be added in monthly. He also told us the range pass is good for all courses that have a range. Nice touch. We were at Falcon Lakes last year and enjoyed it but wow they had a lot of tourneys.

And Falcon Lakes just implemented a 15% across the board rate increase. That's a lot of money to never be able to play. Heck, we live there and still joined Ridge last year. From what I hear, quite a few homeowners at Falcon Lakes have left to join Falcon Ridge.

 

And for less than half the price, why not? Plus, you have all the other courses to play on days that your home track is hosting an event.

 

No brainer for us.

We both had the weekday membership since we don't play a ton of weekend mornings and it was only like $1150 last year which was great. I think that one only went up to $1250 if you signed up before 12/31. But having all of those courses and no time restrictions for $1800 is a great deal. The only bad part was having to sign up thru March of 2019...that's a lot of winter months and although I'll play whenever I have time and the courses are open, weather can obviously force courses to stay closed for extended periods of time. Maybe I should start going to the gym in the meantime...

We actually thought that the $229 per month (plus tax) last year was pretty darn good but the $150 is ridiculous.

 

Now, I can't imagine that they're going to maintain that price point beyond this year but I'll take it while I can get it. As for the winter months, that just kind of goes with the territory with any annual pass/membership deal but we usually don't miss all that much time anyways. We played up until the Thursday before Christmas and I'd be surprised if we can't get back out there a time or two before the end of January. At least I HOPE we can cause I'm about to lose my mind and it's only been two weeks!

 

The gym has always been a great alternative this time of the year and since it's included in the price of golf it's kind of dumb not to do it.

 

That being said, I've been pretty dumb up until this point but need to get motivated!

[mhardman100]

Any Lionsgate members out there willing to share either here or PM what the initiation fee, monthly dues, and any additional fees would be for a new junior member? I’ve been hearing good things about it and it’s a good proximity to work and home for me. Thanks in advance!

[molecularman]

Just noticed that Great Life has added Moila Country Club in St. Joe to its collection. Of course, I wasn't notified of this, I just happened to see it on Great Life's Facebook page.

 

$120 per month for St. Joe Country Club and Moila in the "Legends" tier although I'll be damned if I know how that squares with the prices at Staley and Canyon Farms.

 

So if a guy joins St. Joe/Moila for $120 he can play Staley and Canyon whenever he wants for no surcharge even though those two courses charge way more than that?

 

But if the same guy joins Falcon Ridge for $150 per month he pays and additional $30 for a cart fee whenever he wants to play St. Joe, Moila, Staley or Canyon because it's an upgrade?

 

I swear, this Great Life deal is downright mind boggling.

 

Where do you see the deal for St. Joe CC? It is 225 on St. Joe CC's website.

 

I'm looking at doing something there. What Is crazy to me is the fitness option. For about 62 dollars a month, you can have a family fitness pass, unlimited range balls and free golf on Monday's. That seems like a really good deal. Because I don't know how much golf I will really get to play, it looks to be the perfect set-up for me, but I'm trying to figure out the 'catch'.

[vernon]

Just noticed that Great Life has added Moila Country Club in St. Joe to its collection. Of course, I wasn't notified of this, I just happened to see it on Great Life's Facebook page.

 

$120 per month for St. Joe Country Club and Moila in the "Legends" tier although I'll be damned if I know how that squares with the prices at Staley and Canyon Farms.

 

So if a guy joins St. Joe/Moila for $120 he can play Staley and Canyon whenever he wants for no surcharge even though those two courses charge way more than that?

 

But if the same guy joins Falcon Ridge for $150 per month he pays and additional $30 for a cart fee whenever he wants to play St. Joe, Moila, Staley or Canyon because it's an upgrade?

 

I swear, this Great Life deal is downright mind boggling.

 

Where do you see the deal for St. Joe CC? It is 225 on St. Joe CC's website.

 

I'm looking at doing something there. What Is crazy to me is the fitness option. For about 62 dollars a month, you can have a family fitness pass, unlimited range balls and free golf on Monday's. That seems like a really good deal. Because I don't know how much golf I will really get to play, it looks to be the perfect set-up for me, but I'm trying to figure out the 'catch'.

It was posted on Great Life's Facebook page back in December.

 

I've got a copy of the flyer but it won't post here for some reason. I'll keep trying and see if I can figure it out.

[vernon]

I can't for the life of me figure out why Wrx won't allow me to post the flyer but if you go to St. Joe Country Club's Facebook page it's still there.

 

Was posted on 21 December.

 

Hope that helps!

[molecularman]

Thanks! I'll check it out. I'm a bit leery of the whole thing, but I plan to go up and check out the facility soon. If the gym is halfway serviceable, it'll be an amazing deal. It's cheaper than the local Y with the added benefit of all the range balls I could want and an occasional free round of golf.

[vernon]

Thanks! I'll check it out. I'm a bit leery of the whole thing, but I plan to go up and check out the facility soon. If the gym is halfway serviceable, it'll be an amazing deal. It's cheaper than the local Y with the added benefit of all the range balls I could want and an occasional free round of golf.

All of the Great Life fitness facilities that I have seen are first class.

 

Well maintained with lots of new equipment and offer personal trainers, group stuff, you name it.

 

I don't know about the situation at Moila but I'm pretty sure all of St. Joe CC's stuff is all less than a year old.

 

A couple of their fitness centers near me are available 24/7.

 

Nobody else in the area even comes close so far as a golf/fitness value.

 

Do your due diligence but considering that there's got to be a couple thousand members between St. Joe and KC it's my opinion that there's not much to be leery of.

 

Good luck!

[jli2636]

This deal has stretched into Mid Missouri too with Hail Ridge in Boonville, Eagle Knoll just south of Columbia, and Osage National at the Lake if you are ever headed that way. Still trying to talk my wife into the $80/month deal for just golf and cart for me if I can find someone to get a referral from. I dont spend much time on ranges and would rather play than hit balls. Might be an easier sell on the family rate if my daughter was a little older to be able to take her out, but shes only 4.

[molecularman]

 

All of the Great Life fitness facilities that I have seen are first class.

 

Well maintained with lots of new equipment and offer personal trainers, group stuff, you name it.

 

I don't know about the situation at Moila but I'm pretty sure all of St. Joe CC's stuff is all less than a year old.

 

A couple of their fitness centers near me are available 24/7.

 

Nobody else in the area even comes close so far as a golf/fitness value.

 

Do your due diligence but considering that there's got to be a couple thousand members between St. Joe and KC it's my opinion that there's not much to be leery of.

 

Good luck!

 

 

Thanks. I plan to run up and check it out today. So long as the gym has what I need and the driving range is decent - I'll be sold. I live really close to Moila - which they are supposed to add a whole new fitness facility there as well, so it'd be awesome to have to option to use one or the other.

 

I'm hopeful to get back into golf and see this as a good way to spend a bit more time on a course. I played a total of 1 round of golf in 2017 and maybe hit balls 3 or 4 times. I'd really like to have a regular place I can practice and work towards some tournament golf again.

[Truman]

I completely agree that the concept is both intriguing and unique and displays great potential - especially at the current price point. But this ain't their first rodeo nor did they just arrive on the scene a couple of months ago. I would think by now they would have a little bit better handle on this.

 

One of my huge peeves in life is inattention to detail and sometimes I believe that Great Life was born to push me over the edge. Websites that go unattended are a prime example. For instance, there's a link on the Falcon Ridge site for "Course Conditions and Updates."

 

Why you might ask? Because the most recent post is dated April of 2016!

 

If you're not going to monitor and update it, delete the danged thing!

 

The "Events" link will inform you about the Club Championship dates and times. Great to know except it was last October!

 

I know that this sort of thing isn't exclusive to Great Life and doesn't really matter in the big picture but it is also unnecessary and an easy fix. If you're not going to stay on top of the low hanging fruit type of stuff then what does that say about your ability to handle the important things going forward?

 

And people notice this stuff.

 

It is also almost impossible to find anything pertinent to the membership special that I referred to in my previous post. There is a copy of the flyer that pops up on several of the course websites but it provides very little in the way of specifics. No mention about carts being included, no expiration date for the offer, etc.

 

If you inquire as to whether of not range privileges are included in the deal, you will be told that they don't know yet. WHAT?

 

The latest newsletter from Staley Farms did at least make mention of the waiving of initiation fees and the new lower monthly fee but it was at the bottom of the page after the New Year's Eve party promotion.

 

I've seen nothing in the paper, heard nothing on sports radio and, other than a couple of flyers that all look alike, have seen zip in the way of marketing or promotion on site. A guy would really have to go out of his way to access any information about this deal.

 

Likewise they are offering the same deal to all law enforcement, first responders and military both active duty and retired. Great idea! Except I happen to know quite of few guys that fall into this category and not a single one of them know anything about it. AND, neither did we until I saw it a few days ago posted on the Great Life Facebook page - post dated 12 December.

 

We were told a year ago that Falcon Ridge would become private once they had 400 members. Then we were told that all of the courses in that tier would become private no later than 1 April 2018 or sooner once total membership for the tier totaled 1600.

 

However, and again, I've seen zero mention of this on any of the Great Life websites, individual course websites or promotional flyers posted at Falcon Ridge, Prairie Highlands or Deer Creek. I would think the thought of these facilities being private clubs would be a great enticement for future members.

 

That is, if anybody knew about it.

 

Now, as far as I'm concerned, none of these things represent a showstopper so far as our being members or the golf courses or even being satisfied with our membership but they are both frustrating and bewildering and give a very poor impression of Great Life as an ownership/management group that sells itself as a first class golf/fitness/lifestyle outfit.

 

But what do I know?

Greatlife is not member focused. They are volume focused. If they have 5,000 members paying and can renew that 5,000 with a new 5,000 every year while investing very little it is a very profitable business. It appears to be an unstainable model, based on what we’re seeing in health club bankruptcies which use the same model.

[tnord]

an unwalkable golf course cannot be the best golf course. it's just the rules.

 

as of right now i might have to give the nod to KCCC.

[artica]

an unwalkable golf course cannot be the best golf course. it's just the rules.

 

as of right now i might have to give the nod to KCCC.

 

100% agree, love the course but it’s awful to walk. In fact I’m not sure they even allow it for safety purposes lol

 

Blue Hills and Lionsgate are two of my favorites.

But, I have yet to play KCCC and/or Colburn.

[tnord]

i've only been to shadow once, but i don't believe it's walkable. unless i lived right next to it, or it was my second/company club, i would not join.

 

the actual golf holes at shadow are pretty good, but it represents a LOT of what is wrong with golf these days.

 

EDIT; don't get me wrong, i don't think i'd join KCCC either given their nose-in-the-air attitude and anti-semitic history. i'm just talking about the quality of the golf only.

[vernon]

I completely agree that the concept is both intriguing and unique and displays great potential - especially at the current price point. But this ain't their first rodeo nor did they just arrive on the scene a couple of months ago. I would think by now they would have a little bit better handle on this.

 

One of my huge peeves in life is inattention to detail and sometimes I believe that Great Life was born to push me over the edge. Websites that go unattended are a prime example. For instance, there's a link on the Falcon Ridge site for "Course Conditions and Updates."

 

Why you might ask? Because the most recent post is dated April of 2016!

 

If you're not going to monitor and update it, delete the danged thing!

 

The "Events" link will inform you about the Club Championship dates and times. Great to know except it was last October!

 

I know that this sort of thing isn't exclusive to Great Life and doesn't really matter in the big picture but it is also unnecessary and an easy fix. If you're not going to stay on top of the low hanging fruit type of stuff then what does that say about your ability to handle the important things going forward?

 

And people notice this stuff.

 

It is also almost impossible to find anything pertinent to the membership special that I referred to in my previous post. There is a copy of the flyer that pops up on several of the course websites but it provides very little in the way of specifics. No mention about carts being included, no expiration date for the offer, etc.

 

If you inquire as to whether of not range privileges are included in the deal, you will be told that they don't know yet. WHAT?

 

The latest newsletter from Staley Farms did at least make mention of the waiving of initiation fees and the new lower monthly fee but it was at the bottom of the page after the New Year's Eve party promotion.

 

I've seen nothing in the paper, heard nothing on sports radio and, other than a couple of flyers that all look alike, have seen zip in the way of marketing or promotion on site. A guy would really have to go out of his way to access any information about this deal.

 

Likewise they are offering the same deal to all law enforcement, first responders and military both active duty and retired. Great idea! Except I happen to know quite of few guys that fall into this category and not a single one of them know anything about it. AND, neither did we until I saw it a few days ago posted on the Great Life Facebook page - post dated 12 December.

 

We were told a year ago that Falcon Ridge would become private once they had 400 members. Then we were told that all of the courses in that tier would become private no later than 1 April 2018 or sooner once total membership for the tier totaled 1600.

 

However, and again, I've seen zero mention of this on any of the Great Life websites, individual course websites or promotional flyers posted at Falcon Ridge, Prairie Highlands or Deer Creek. I would think the thought of these facilities being private clubs would be a great enticement for future members.

 

That is, if anybody knew about it.

 

Now, as far as I'm concerned, none of these things represent a showstopper so far as our being members or the golf courses or even being satisfied with our membership but they are both frustrating and bewildering and give a very poor impression of Great Life as an ownership/management group that sells itself as a first class golf/fitness/lifestyle outfit.

 

But what do I know?

Greatlife is not member focused. They are volume focused. If they have 5,000 members paying and can renew that 5,000 with a new 5,000 every year while investing very little it is a very profitable business. It appears to be an unstainable model, based on what we’re seeing in health club bankruptcies which use the same model.

I can't say that I disagree even a little bit. However, I was looking for a place to play when I found this one and if it goes belly up, I'm sure I can find another. As volatile as the industry is it really doesn't make much sense to make any long term plans as a consumer.

 

Just have to go with the flow and this is by far the best option available for my wife and I at the moment.

 

As great as it is for this year, I agree that $164 per month for unlimited golf with cart and fitness access at multiple locations sounds pretty unsustainable though.

 

Especially considering that we thought that the $250 plus tax that we paid last year was a pretty danged good deal.

 

Come March of 2019, we'll see what they have to offer, reevaluate and go from there.