Opinions/Advice on Private Courses Near Newcastle/Renton, WA

[RicAsh03]

Looking for advice/opinions on affordable private courses near Newcastle/Renton, WA, including:

• Rainer
  
• Glen Acres
  
• Fairwood
  
• Glendale
  
• Overlake
  

Anyone have any thoughts or comments on quality of golf and affordability? Feel free to suggest other clubs as well but I'm mostly interested in the above because I don't want to drive farther than about 15 mins away from my house.

 

Some of these courses have pricing information online, but I'm interested in any "insider" tips that could be shared (e.g. perhaps certain times of year where prices are better or initiation fees waived). No idea whether either Glendale or Overlake is "affordable," I just threw them on the list because I saw they were close to me. I'll note that I'm 33, so the "young executive"-type options are a possibility.

 

The only course I've played from this list is Glen Acres, and I like it. I know it currently offers public times, but I've heard it is going purely private next year.

 

I'm of course aware that there are lots of good public courses nearby. I'm looking for an affordable private club to supplement the public courses (and to avoid 5-6 hour rounds at peak times).

 

Thanks!

[wkuo3]

First , you'll need to look at the geographic location of these golf courses. I can't figure out any place that's within 15 minutes from all of these. If you loop in the traffic pattern we have, some of these golf courses can be an hour apart in regular traffic pattern. These golf course spread out in the cities if Seattle , Renton , and Bellevue ( one is close to Kirkland ).

 

Secondly, you'll have to have a good reason to belong to a private club. Especially you mentioned economic concerns.

 

If anyone join a private golf club, it'll to be for either socially connected, or the value of golfing the golf course offers. I don't belong to any of these private golf clubs. Have had friends whom belonged to a few of them. One in particular was a member of the Overlake, because he lives 5 minutes away and the initiation / monthly was not an economic concern for his family. Problem with him was, he had never broke into the social circles within the club. He has the economic means, and he was a nice person, a decent golfer. He quite the membership within 2 years because he was not able to establish a social sphere there.

Glendale, is right in the City ( edge of the city ), kind of pricey for what it is but for those lived around the golf course, a very convenient location. The demographic if the membership had changed through the last 40 years, several times. A nice club

Fairwood in the Renton area is a nice family oriented private golf club, they had financial crunch time in recent years and under went management changes but the area is very desirable for middle class families.

Rainier is South of the other City , Seattle. Visited that one once in the past, not too memorable but remembered it was a nice golf course with tight layout.

Glen Acres is only a 9 hole layout, not sure if you want that, but it is certainly right on the edge of Seattle. Never visited that one although had tee times offered to the public through many venues.

 

If I had made up my mind to join a private golf club instead of playing the many public golf courses we have in the area, then this is what I would do.

I would exam the club's financial back ground, by checking into their year to year balance book ( which should be public information and should be available to any new perspective members ). I don;t want to join a private club and sunk the initiation fee to find out the club is in financial jeopardy.

Don;t wish to be hit with special assessment to the members right after you become a member.

Next is to physically visit the golf club, during a club tournament event or annual meeting, where you could observe the main body of the members ,if that's the place you wish to camp out and make friends.

 

People join private clubs for many reasons, For certain, one is for golfing, then social function, then last not least, for the family to enjoy the membership. My father had many memberships and we certainly enjoyed the benefits of some. I am not a member of any private golf clubs at the current time. Not with less than 30 rounds played each year.... and so many great public venues to golf within 45 minutes of ride.

I might consider camp out a private golf club after I retire ( if that day ever comes )..

For my own pick, Sahalee is my first choice. and if I play enough rounds of golf , the Aldarra is all golf and nothing much beyond that but great golf.

But then again, it'll depend on where you live, certainly don;t want to get stuck in traffic after work to try to get in a 9 hole.

[bellken]

If you are in the Newcastle/Renton area, Fairwood CC is the closest to you, and, they have a Golf/Young Executive memberships.

 

I have heard that quite a few of the private CC's have members that wish to quit, and, are looking for someone to take over their memberships. You might contact/visit the ones you are most interested in, to check out the golf course, and, to see what options are available.

[leejohnkieh]

I will second Aldarra if you're looking strictly for golf. Tough course and but you can only golf 7/12 months there iirc (from a buddy whos a member) because of weather.

 

Another place to look at just south of you is Meridian Valley. If you were further down south, I would say Tacoma (I'm a member there).

[RicAsh03]

Aldarra would be great, as would Tacoma. Thing is I'm trying to join somewhere within about 15 mins of my house (in north Renton/Kennydale area), so that I get good use of the membership. With little kids and a crazy job, I know that if I have to drive more than 15 mins or so I'll basically never use it. I guess we'll see what happens. Thanks for the thoughts.

 

I will second Aldarra if you're looking strictly for golf. Tough course and but you can only golf 7/12 months there iirc (from a buddy whos a member) because of weather.

 

Another place to look at just south of you is Meridian Valley. If you were further down south, I would say Tacoma (I'm a member there).

[RicAsh03]

Yeah, it is looking like Fairwood, Rainer, or Glen Acres will be my tickets. I quickly realized Overlake does not fit my definition of "affordable." Lol.

 

If you are in the Newcastle/Renton area, Fairwood CC is the closest to you, and, they have a Golf/Young Executive memberships.

 

I have heard that quite a few of the private CC's have members that wish to quit, and, are looking for someone to take over their memberships. You might contact/visit the ones you are most interested in, to check out the golf course, and, to see what options are available.

[leejohnkieh]

I would do Fairwood over the other two.

[JasonWebb030]

I've been a member at fairwood for 6 years, young exec. We have a new driving range cover/facility and a new short game area underway. The membership is great! Shoot me a message if you are still considering and we would love to have you out for a round and tour.

[Stevo85]

+Following

 

In the same boat. Early 30's with young kids and demanding job, scoping out a private course membership. Here's what I've found from my research (I live in W Seattle so Glen Acres and Rainier are definitely the closest, followed by Fairwood).

 

Rainier - I played a round here and got some feedback from golf network at work. The course itself seems to be nice and well laid out albeit tight with narrow, tree-lined fairways. Summer conditions were good. A Friday afternoon round in summer took about 4:45 - 5 hours. Driving range is poor due to spacing constraints, but not terrible. The clubhouse is older. The club seemed generally busy at the time and people were friendly enough. I did get some feedback from other young professionals who had negative experiences with the club itself. The short of it was, if you're looking strictly for golf, this is a good option but if you're looking for a family club, steer clear.

 

Glen Acres - I played a round here from GolfNow. 9 hole layout with multiple tee-boxes in case you want to do 18. Also narrow, fun layout, though a step down from Rainier. Most the feedback I've seen says the course does not hold up very well in the winter. I played in fall and it was pretty wet after 1 day of rain. Side note, I called the clubhouse earlier in the year during spring to ask if I could get on. They asked if I had played before, and said I should wait until it's dryer out to play the first time - I appreciated the response but that says something about the conditions. Club seems older and one thing that stood out to me was the smell of cigarette smoke around the golf shop and on the course, FWIW.

 

Fairwood - Looking to get a time in the coming month via boxgroove.

 

Haven't researched too much into the pricing yet, short of knowing that Glendale, Overlake, Seattle, Broadmoor are non-starters for that reason. I believe both Rainier and Glen Acres have young professional memberships.

 

The east side, particularly Sammamish and Redmond, have tons of great options (Aldarra, Sahalee, Snoquamie Ridge, Plateau, Bear Creek) but are sadly too far.

[Muffy]

I used to live in Kennydale/Renton. While not private, Newcastle has a great membership plan that is affordable and flexible, and it is hard to beat their practice area for year-round hours, lighting, covered, heated, etc. The staff bends over backwards to accommodate members. Two good courses, although there are drainage issues in areas in the winter, and in the summer peak there are a lot of corporate tournaments.

 

Glendale has a lot of social events and is not too much farther away. A nice relatively new clubhouse, last I inquired it was a relatively reasonable $18k initiation fee, but dues seemed to be about market rate in the area for a private course (about $600/mo). It adjoins a swamp, so drainage(and mosquitoes) can be an issue.

 

FairWood is next closest, or maybe Renton’s municipal course, Maplewood. FairWood is okay, perhaps more reasonable cost wise than Glendale.