Scotland membership options

[Quebec Club Ho]

Hi All,

 

Accidentally posted this is the Europe section, ops!

 

I need help making a decision:

 

I'm looking for an international membership at one of the following courses Machrihanish, Fraserburgh or Murcar. I selected these because it seems like they are more accepting as I am a public golfer without a membership in Canada and the prices are within my budget.

 

I plan on staying in Scotland for 2 months at a time (4 months total time) within the next couple of years and plan to play everyday. So instead of paying 'a la carte' green fees (which will add up fast and be WAY out of my budget) the membership will pay for itself rather quickly. I don't plan on any sightseeing or other non related golf activities - all golf all the time! I also plan on using an air b&b or rent housing as traditional 'b&b's' or hotel will be more costly.

 

Further, I plan to keep the membership as I plan to go back every year (at this point 2 weeks per year) as I close in on retirement and start to enjoy the fruits of my 'savings'.

I've studied all three courses and they all seem awesome. Pretty much gathered the pros and cons of each (e.g., Machrihanish being the most isolated but probably the easiest to be accepted as a member) etc...

 

Any members on this forum? Any insights, tips, comments or insider information (are the members welcoming to foreigners? unwelcoming? is the club very formal? casual?) that may help me decide on a course?

Thank you so much in advance !

:DDDDD

[Walter]

Great idea to get an oversea membership!!!

I have been looking for one @ Crail, great conditions as well! ( and very welcoming people!!!) staff and members!

https://crailgolfingsociety.co.uk/Becoming+a+Member/

 

All tree courses look great!

Enjoy!!!

[Shrinkwr4p]

I'm a Murcar member and of course prejudiced accordingly.

 

That said Murcar is probably the easiest of the 3 to access with an airport only 10 minutes away. If you fly into ABZ from whichever hub you've chosen you have an hour's drive to Fraserburgh.

 

In terms of accommodation you'ld have a broader range to choose from in the city and just day to day there are innumerable practical conveniences to city life. F'burgh is pretty rural. (Renting around Aberdeen is going to be much easier since the turn-down in the oil industry.)

 

Not least because of oil foreign members are nothing unusual. The club is friendly and welcoming and the dress code is fairly casual. No jackets or ties required in the clubhouse but no jeans or collarless shirts on the course.

 

Through the season there are club competitions played on Wednesdays and Saturdays each week and on Sundays twice a month. These events would be open to you as a country member. If you are over 55 there is a seniors Stableford competition played each Tuesday.

 

The Senior Section play matches home and away against Duff House Royal, Deeside, Cruden Bay , Turriff and Royal Aberdeen each season while the "ordinary" membership play against St Andrews New, Scotscraig, Ballater, Downfield and maybe others I've forgotten. Again international membership would not, I think preclude you playing in these friendlies.

 

Aberdeen's a decent base for playing open competitions at a large number of clubs within 30 or 40 miles through the season. Look at http://www.northeastgolfdraws.co.uk/ . Entry fee is usually around £15.

 

I love Fraserburgh GC. If it were less isolated it would be much more highly ranked I'm sure. It's a great links and the club is a warm welcoming friendly place to be. (I'm not sure I'd choose to live in F'burgh for 4 months of the year though.) The club is not wealthy and that I think is reflected to a degree in the conditioning/presentation of the course. I didn't play there this season but over the previous 3 or 4 years I've thought the greens might have been a bit better.

 

Murcar by contrast, over the past couple of years, has enjoyed greens as good as any and and much better than most. I've had the chance this season to compare them with Turnberry , Nairn, Royal Dornoch and Royal Aberdeen amongst others and I wasn't envious.

 

I've played golf at Murcar for over 30 years. Our members are serious golfers who play a lot of competitive golf. Competition draws are made in a way that would allow you to integrate yourself quickly and easily. The courses (we have a nine hole too) are generally quiet Monday to Friday. I play with a group every weekday and apart from the height of the holiday/ tourist season we expect to drive up and walk on without a reserved tee time about 8.30 each day. The Saturday medal has to be booked 2 weeks in advance and Sundays can be quiet if there is no competition.

 

Murcar has a lot going for it. Doubt if you can go wrong with either of the other two though.

[Hawkeye77]

Good luck!

[babyfade]

great choices. I will do an international membership at blairgowrie from 2020 on.

[Shrinkwr4p]

great choices. I will do an international membership at blairgowrie from 2020 on.

 

Lucky you. I'd love to move to Blairgowrie but my wife says no. Rosemount is a bit of golfing heaven and the Landsdowne is terrific. Hard to think of any better set up.

[Quebec Club Ho]

Great idea to get an oversea membership!!!

I have been looking for one @ Crail, great conditions as well! ( and very welcoming people!!!) staff and members!

https://crailgolfing...oming a Member/

 

All tree courses look great!

Enjoy!!!

 

Just checked the link...it says for International members you can play up to 16 rounds (8 on each). This won't work if I'm there for 4 months.

 

The full adult membership might work - more pricy than my 3 options but might work. Since I don't know any of the members, I'll have to arrange a meeting with the captain. It's a long flight over from Montreal and I would be VERY disappointed if I am rejected! :swoon:

 

Merci

[Quebec Club Ho]

great choices. I will do an international membership at blairgowrie from 2020 on.

The courses look gorgeous! But I'm looking more for the 'links' type golf. All we have back home are 'parkland' courses.

[duffer987]

Great idea to get an oversea membership!!!

I have been looking for one @ Crail, great conditions as well! ( and very welcoming people!!!) staff and members!

https://crailgolfing...oming a Member/

 

All tree courses look great!

Enjoy!!!

 

Just checked the link...it says for International members you can play up to 16 rounds (8 on each). This won't work if I'm there for 4 months.

 

The full adult membership might work - more pricy than my 3 options but might work. Since I don't know any of the members, I'll have to arrange a meeting with the captain. It's a long flight over from Montreal and I would be VERY disappointed if I am rejected! :swoon:

 

Merci

You need to live there for a full membership. I certainly don't know their current subscription capacity, but they set things up locals v internationals for a reason :)

Not sure what your requirements are - apart from quality golf - but almost Scotland (just across the border) is: https://www.goswickl...o.uk/membership

They have a good value distant membership. Good town in Berwick up the road and easy access to Edi for some city fun, and loads of other courses within 20min to an hour.

 

I lived up Autoroute 40 in Quebec between 2009-11... you have my utmost sympathy as a golfer in that neck of the woods.

[raynorfan1]

It is, of course, up to each club to decide how they want to categorize their membership, but I would find it an abuse of the concept of an overseas membership to have somebody rent a house in the area for several months a year and play every day.

 

I would join as a regular member - it’s not like the overall dollar difference is all that great.

[babyfade]

great choices. I will do an international membership at blairgowrie from 2020 on.

 

Lucky you. I'd love to move to Blairgowrie but my wife says no. Rosemount is a bit of golfing heaven and the Landsdowne is terrific. Hard to think of any better set up.

 

It's always the wifes... took me long to convince mine to do all our holidays in Blairgowrie. We will try it out in 2020 and hopefully she also starts to love the place.

 

The courses look gorgeous! But I'm looking more for the 'links' type golf. All we have back home are 'parkland' courses.

 

I can see your point. Machrihanish was also very high on my list, but I know that my wife doesn't like the remoteness of the place.

[scott_Donald]

interesting, my dad is an overseas member at Mount Bruno in Montreal from Scotland.

 

As far as I am aware Murcar would be the easiest all round; they are in need of members and near a bigger city.

 

If I am about I could take you on Royal Aberdeen.

[imakaveli]

I'm a Murcar member and of course prejudiced accordingly.

 

That said Murcar is probably the easiest of the 3 to access with an airport only 10 minutes away. If you fly into ABZ from whichever hub you've chosen you have an hour's drive to Fraserburgh.

 

In terms of accommodation you'ld have a broader range to choose from in the city and just day to day there are innumerable practical conveniences to city life. F'burgh is pretty rural. (Renting around Aberdeen is going to be much easier since the turn-down in the oil industry.)

 

Not least because of oil foreign members are nothing unusual. The club is friendly and welcoming and the dress code is fairly casual. No jackets or ties required in the clubhouse but no jeans or collarless shirts on the course.

 

Through the season there are club competitions played on Wednesdays and Saturdays each week and on Sundays twice a month. These events would be open to you as a country member. If you are over 55 there is a seniors Stableford competition played each Tuesday.

 

The Senior Section play matches home and away against Duff House Royal, Deeside, Cruden Bay , Turriff and Royal Aberdeen each season while the "ordinary" membership play against St Andrews New, Scotscraig, Ballater, Downfield and maybe others I've forgotten. Again international membership would not, I think preclude you playing in these friendlies.

 

Aberdeen's a decent base for playing open competitions at a large number of clubs within 30 or 40 miles through the season. Look at http://www.northeastgolfdraws.co.uk/ . Entry fee is usually around £15.

 

I love Fraserburgh GC. If it were less isolated it would be much more highly ranked I'm sure. It's a great links and the club is a warm welcoming friendly place to be. (I'm not sure I'd choose to live in F'burgh for 4 months of the year though.) The club is not wealthy and that I think is reflected to a degree in the conditioning/presentation of the course. I didn't play there this season but over the previous 3 or 4 years I've thought the greens might have been a bit better.

 

Murcar by contrast, over the past couple of years, has enjoyed greens as good as any and and much better than most. I've had the chance this season to compare them with Turnberry , Nairn, Royal Dornoch and Royal Aberdeen amongst others and I wasn't envious.

 

I've played golf at Murcar for over 30 years. Our members are serious golfers who play a lot of competitive golf. Competition draws are made in a way that would allow you to integrate yourself quickly and easily. The courses (we have a nine hole too) are generally quiet Monday to Friday. I play with a group every weekday and apart from the height of the holiday/ tourist season we expect to drive up and walk on without a reserved tee time about 8.30 each day. The Saturday medal has to be booked 2 weeks in advance and Sundays can be quiet if there is no competition.

 

Murcar has a lot going for it. Doubt if you can go wrong with either of the other two though.

 

Loved Murcar, one of the most fun golf days I have ever had! Serpentine is still on my desktop after a couple of years :golfer:

Would love to play it again one day!

[Quebec Club Ho]

interesting, my dad is an overseas member at Mount Bruno in Montreal from Scotland.

 

As far as I am aware Murcar would be the easiest all round; they are in need of members and near a bigger city.

 

If I am about I could take you on Royal Aberdeen.

Ill take you up on your offer!!! Merci!! :taunt:

[Quebec Club Ho]

It is, of course, up to each club to decide how they want to categorize their membership, but I would find it an abuse of the concept of an overseas membership to have somebody rent a house in the area for several months a year and play every day.

 

I would join as a regular member - it's not like the overall dollar difference is all that great.

 

I see your point, never thought of that....However, the goal is to return annually so its not a 'one off / drive by / one year and I'm out!' If I won the lottery I'd definitely be moving there and getting the full membership!! But as a regular working guy, it's probably the best I can do.

[Quebec Club Ho]

Great idea to get an oversea membership!!!

I have been looking for one @ Crail, great conditions as well! ( and very welcoming people!!!) staff and members!

https://crailgolfing...oming a Member/

 

All tree courses look great!

Enjoy!!!

 

Just checked the link...it says for International members you can play up to 16 rounds (8 on each). This won't work if I'm there for 4 months.

 

The full adult membership might work - more pricy than my 3 options but might work. Since I don't know any of the members, I'll have to arrange a meeting with the captain. It's a long flight over from Montreal and I would be VERY disappointed if I am rejected! :swoon:

 

Merci

You need to live there for a full membership. I certainly don't know their current subscription capacity, but they set things up locals v internationals for a reason :)

Not sure what your requirements are - apart from quality golf - but almost Scotland (just across the border) is: https://www.goswickl...o.uk/membership

They have a good value distant membership. Good town in Berwick up the road and easy access to Edi for some city fun, and loads of other courses within 20min to an hour.

 

I lived up Autoroute 40 in Quebec between 2009-11... you have my utmost sympathy as a golfer in that neck of the woods.

You escaped Quebec??!!! So jealous :tomato: