Weighing Private vs Public Membership

[Pepperturbo]

I believe Private Golf Club or Country Club membership is extraordinary.  However, my wife and I are very social, get involved, and we both like interclub team golf, and hosting parties.

 

The better question is what are you wanting from the private club environment, and what are you willing to do to make it your happy place? 

 

I ask those questions because I have been on the BOD of two clubs and chaired Membership.  Typically, clubs do not have "ongoing" programs to socialize new members that struggle getting to know people.  At best a few introductions - the rest is up to the new member.  Keep in mind, new members can not bring friends nearly as often as they want.    

 

Private clubs are not the best environment for people that just want to play golf and practice, and or are loners, as they tend to get frustrated with the club limitations. 

[MPAndreassi]

On 3/2/2021 at 4:43 PM, -GoldenHawk- said:

I'm 29, and after a significant salary increase with a new job and new side hustle, it's feasible for me to be able to pay for a single membership at a private club. I also have other savings goals though, so I'm wondering, of those here who have a private membership, has the quality of your golf life increased significantly at your club over your experience playing public courses or having a "membership" at a public course? Improving my golf game is one priority I want to set for myself for the next 3 to 5 years, and I feel like that may be more achievable at a course that has the amenities, but I'm not sure of that I suppose. Any insight is appreciated! Maybe it's something where I could pay for the first year and see how I feel after that. Thanks!

 

I grew up at a private club as a kid, but took some years off after college then joined one last year again. I was 30 at the time. It was the best golf decision that I've made.The ability to go out and play a handful of holes or play 18+ in a day if time permits is great. I've also met a great group of guys that I play with regularly. We still try to get out and play one or two other courses a month just to keep things fresh. The course I joined is a golf first place, it has a small bar but the socialization and use of the bar comes after rounds. 

[Abh159]

25 minutes ago, Pepperturbo said:

Private clubs are not the best environment for people that just want to play golf and practice, and or are loners, as they tend to get frustrated with the club limitations. 

 

I've done both the public and private routes and have found both have their pros and cons, but I'm curious about the last part of your post. 

 

Why do you feel like a private club would be a poor fit for someone who prefers playing alone and isn't necessarily interested in other amenities? To me, it seems like it would be the exact opposite.

 

At a private club you can pretty much play when you want and with who you want (within reason), and you have unlimited access to the practice facilities so if you want to spend 4 hours at the range then have at it. I've rarely seen a decent quality public course have open availability for singles to just go out and play. All the pubic courses I've ever been to religiously pair strangers together so they can fill up the tee sheet with as many foursomes as possible, and their ranges are ALWAYS slammed.

[Pepperturbo]

9 minutes ago, Abh159 said:

 

I've done both the public and private routes and have found both have their pros and cons, but I'm curious about the last part of your post. 

 

Why do you feel like a private club would be a poor fit for someone who prefers playing alone and isn't necessarily interested in other amenities? To me, it seems like it would be the exact opposite.

 

At a private club you can pretty much play when you want and with who you want (within reason), and you have unlimited access to the practice facilities so if you want to spend 4 hours at the range then have at it. I've rarely seen a decent quality public course have open availability for singles to just go out and play. All the pubic courses I've ever been to religiously pair strangers together so they can fill up the tee sheet with as many foursomes as possible, and their ranges are ALWAYS slammed.

As I said, having been on the BOD of two somewhat large equity clubs, and over membership, I've listened to the common complaints of new members that eventually leave within one-two years of joining.  Your reasons for joining a private club are valid, and not all loners quit or don't like private club environments.  Its depends greatly on the club culture and the new members expectations.

 

Most people that are not good at socializing eventually quit within a year or two.  The common objection is they don't know anyone, haven't been invited to parties, no one to play golf with, so they conclude it's too costly and quit. 

 

When I joined my last club, I signed up for tournaments, stayed after to socialize with strangers, and signed up for leadership participation.  My P&L background and ownership of employees lead to membership roles, etc.  I didn't care who I got teed up with, I made a point of getting to know people and hang out with them after the round in the grill.  Didn't take long for me to know many of the members which lead to other roles.  Even though I invited friends to the club it was not common place, because I had all sorts of members that called me to play.  I had no problems being the 3rd or 4th stranger in a regular group, and my game was good enough to join in a money game, if asked.  

 

I agree with your public play assessment.  We've been playing public tracks since leaving the last club.  It's a pain getting tee times and practice facilities suck, sometimes we play with idiots that have no game, but that's just the way it is at muni's.  We make it work, again cause were comfortable with strangers.  I have four course memberships now, so we try to play mostly at upscale facilities where high green fees bring in a different type of golfer. 

[vallygolf]

2 hours ago, Pepperturbo said:

As I said, having been on the BOD of two somewhat large equity clubs, and over membership, I've listened to the common complaints of new members that eventually leave within one-two years of joining.  Your reasons for joining a private club are valid, and not all loners quit or don't like private club environments.  Its depends greatly on the club culture and the new members expectations.

 

Most people that are not good at socializing eventually quit within a year or two.  The common objection is they don't know anyone, haven't been invited to parties, no one to play golf with, so they conclude it's too costly and quit. 

 

When I joined my last club, I signed up for tournaments, stayed after to socialize with strangers, and signed up for leadership participation.  My P&L background and ownership of employees lead to membership roles, etc.  I didn't care who I got teed up with, I made a point of getting to know people and hang out with them after the round in the grill.  Didn't take long for me to know many of the members which lead to other roles.  Even though I invited friends to the club it was not common place, because I had all sorts of members that called me to play.  I had no problems being the 3rd or 4th stranger in a regular group, and my game was good enough to join in a money game, if asked.  

 

I agree with your public play assessment.  We've been playing public tracks since leaving the last club.  It's a pain getting tee times and practice facilities suck, sometimes we play with idiots that have no game, but that's just the way it is at muni's.  We make it work, again cause were comfortable with strangers.  I have four course memberships now, so we try to play mostly at upscale facilities where high green fees bring in a different type of golfer. 

I guess I am an outlier.  I joined a club to not have to socialize, and play/practice whenever I wanted as my busy schedule would dictate.  I resigned my previous club because the tee sheet was too full and regular members socialized too much on the course precipitating 4.5+ hr rounds.  In an extremely busy professional life, private golf provides the quiet repose from everything it seems most are seeking in a course.  In 6 years at my previous club it was perfect until the economy came back and numbers went up:).  My current club it twice as expensive but worth the privacy.

[Abh159]

 

39 minutes ago, vallygolf said:

I guess I am an outlier.  I joined a club to not have to socialize, and play/practice whenever I wanted as my busy schedule would dictate.  I resigned my previous club because the tee sheet was too full and regular members socialized too much on the course precipitating 4.5+ hr rounds.  In an extremely busy professional life, private golf provides the quiet repose from everything it seems most are seeking in a course.  In 6 years at my previous club it was perfect until the economy came back and numbers went up:).  My current club it twice as expensive but worth the privacy.

 

I'm not too different from you. I went private for several reasons, but being able to play/practice whenever I wanted however I wanted was the #1 reason. The social aspect of a club was not even on my radar as something I was looking to get out of a private club.

 

I wouldn't call myself a loner, and I'm lucky that I don't have a difficult time making friends nor do I have a type of social anxiety. However, as much as I enjoy my regular weekend games at the club I also really enjoy the solo round of golf from time to time, and I knew there was no way I'd ever have that opportunity at a public course.

 

  

 

[Brock1818]

I’m guessing the club you are looking at is in Norwalk? Which club had u on a waiting list? Which private club(s) are closest to where u live?

 

At your age, joining a club is probably the way to go. DSM area public golf isn’t great for practice facilities or to find new playing partners unless u join a league. Plus I think the public rounds are super slow. 
 

Id be glad to tee it up w u this summer If ever looking to play. 

[david.c.w]

On 3/3/2021 at 11:35 AM, -GoldenHawk- said:

Right now I'm thinking the wait list just isn't cost effective. I want to play a lot of golf this year, but I'm also not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination.

 

As many have said, "Private Club" and "Cost Effective" should not be used in the same conversation.  Joining a private club is about the environment and not cost savings.  Obviously you can consider costs between 2 private clubs, but don't consider cost between private and daily fee or membership at a public course.   Come up with a monthly amount you are willing to spend and go from there.  You are joining to play golf at a great course that you like and find a group of 10-15 people you can play with for the next 30 years.  A private club will "always" cost more than moving around public courses.  Heck, i am out $600+/month before I even set foot on property. 

 

But what do I get for that?

• A great course in great condition
• A great group of friends who are not going anywhere.
• A wellness center I go to 4 times/week
• A tennis facility where I play year round
• A great clubhouse, locker room and mens grill to enjoy
• A pool in the summer
• A pretty good restaurant & bar scene
• A place for my kids to learn golf/tennis/swimming

Remember that every club, neighborhood, church, office is going to have people you don't like and who don't like you.  You are not going to be friends with all 500 members and their spouses.  You will find your group of however many and will socialize and golf more with them.

 

If you pick the right place, the club can become the focal point of your social life, and you cant put a dollar figure on that

[Pepperturbo]

19 hours ago, vallygolf said:

I guess I am an outlier.  I joined a club to not have to socialize, and play/practice whenever I wanted as my busy schedule would dictate.  I resigned my previous club because the tee sheet was too full and regular members socialized too much on the course precipitating 4.5+ hr rounds.  In an extremely busy professional life, private golf provides the quiet repose from everything it seems most are seeking in a course.  In 6 years at my previous club it was perfect until the economy came back and numbers went up:).  My current club it twice as expensive but worth the privacy.

There's NOTHING wrong with that as long as a persons desire fits the clubs culture.  I know of a private golf club that is minimalistic, small practice range and 18 holes of nice golf.  

[PeteNC]

On 3/2/2021 at 4:43 PM, -GoldenHawk- said:

I'm 29, and after a significant salary increase with a new job and new side hustle, it's feasible for me to be able to pay for a single membership at a private club. I also have other savings goals though, so I'm wondering, of those here who have a private membership, has the quality of your golf life increased significantly at your club over your experience playing public courses or having a "membership" at a public course? Improving my golf game is one priority I want to set for myself for the next 3 to 5 years, and I feel like that may be more achievable at a course that has the amenities, but I'm not sure of that I suppose. Any insight is appreciated! Maybe it's something where I could pay for the first year and see how I feel after that. Thanks!

Where are you located?  Depending on what's in your area may make a big difference.  Also, there are various levels of public vs private.  

[-GoldenHawk-]

51 minutes ago, PeteNC said:

Where are you located?  Depending on what's in your area may make a big difference.  Also, there are various levels of public vs private.  

Des Moines, IA area. Some decent public golf, but the ability to find a decent range or practice area is crap.

[PeteNC]

22 minutes ago, -GoldenHawk- said:

Des Moines, IA area. Some decent public golf, but the ability to find a decent range or practice area is crap.

 

I don't know much about the courses other than what you'd find online like top100 golf.  If you can 'afford' it I'd recommend private & member owned.  For the $$ side know if you plan to be there a member for a long time or not.  If so you can be more willing to pay an initiation.  

 

It does sound like the ondeck program may be a good way to learn if you like the place or not.  Esp if the initiation side doesn't kick in right away.  

[-GoldenHawk-]

1 minute ago, PeteNC said:

 

I don't know much about the courses other than what you'd find online like top100 golf.  If you can 'afford' it I'd recommend private & member owned.  For the $$ side know if you plan to be there a member for a long time or not.  If so you can be more willing to pay an initiation.  

 

It does sound like the ondeck program may be a good way to learn if you like the place or not.  Esp if the initiation side doesn't kick in right away.  

With the on deck, there is still 1 year of an annual fee at $500 for me since I'm under 30, but after that, it bumps up to $1500

[PeteNC]

1 minute ago, -GoldenHawk- said:

With the on deck, there is still 1 year of an annual fee at $500 for me since I'm under 30, but after that, it bumps up to $1500

 

That's about as low as it can get.  Not sure what the rest of the monthly/yearly is but it sounds like a great opportunity to see how you like it. 

 

I'd also say joining a club is a great way to build lifelong relationships.  It can be done at any club but it seems to me a little easier to be done at a private/semiprivate club.  

[taskerc]

I gave myself a membership to a private club as a divorce present 🙂 ITs been an awesome experience and I know I could never go back to public play as my primary access to golf.  I do play 10 or so rounds per year at public places with friends every year.  

 

Pros - my game has REALLY improved by being around generally better players every round, I can play on my terms and access to the tee is great, I can choose whether to be solo (later in the day etc) or to be social  - both work and the flexibility is awesome, playing for practice is a great option that really didn't work for me as a public player, people treat me nicely 🙂

 

Cons - cost but that gets normal fast, cuts into personal time since I can play as much as I want, supposedly gets boring playing the same course so often, but with different tees I've avoided this over the last 7 years.

 

The OP said he was 29 (I think) - here in Toronto area of Canada most courses offer intermediate status for that age range which defers initiation over time etc - if I was 29 with the ability I wouldn't hesitate .....

[PNB_Golf]

I will never not be a member at a private club. The access and pace of play alone make it worth it.

[bluehose]

I'm kind of in the same boat.  Have the ability to join a low-cost private club but it's 30-35 minutes away depending on traffic.  There's also a public pass option for a group with four reasonably maintained courses-two are 10 minutes from my apartment and the other two are about 40 minutes away but would give some variety/less crowds on a weekend as they are in more rural areas.  All are in good shape.  I like the idea of a private club but with it being 35 minutes away on a weekday that might get old if I wanted to zip over there after work.

Edited March 10, 2021 by bluehose

[tte720]

I’m trying to figure this out myself. How far is “too far” to be from your local club? a few options near me, but the closest is 20 min away from my house. It’s a little bit closer to work, so could pop over and play a few holes. 

[Abh159]

11 hours ago, tte720 said:

I’m trying to figure this out myself. How far is “too far” to be from your local club? a few options near me, but the closest is 20 min away from my house. It’s a little bit closer to work, so could pop over and play a few holes. 

 

My club is about 25 minutes from my house, but only about 5-10 minutes from my work. Personally I like that balance because it's extremely easy for me to go out and play 9 or practice during the week after I leave the office, and I don't really mind driving the 25 minutes from home on the weekends especially since I don't have to worry about rush hour traffic on Saturday and Sunday. 

[vallygolf]

Distance is all relative to the amount of time you have.  For me half an hour is a frank impossibility.  Often I have only an hour to spend at the course, so an hour round trip defeats the purpose.  Currently I am just over 10 minutes and it is the limit for me.  Last course was 4 mins away, but crowding mitigated any gain.  If you want to frequent the practice areas often and pop in to play a few holes, I would say 15-20 mins would be the max.  Otherwise you will fight it all the time and end up doing those things much less than you think.  If you have consistent plans to join a group and play 18 with drinks and food a few times a week, but arent interested in the pop in and practice and play model, then 30mins+ might work.  

[jvincent]

14 hours ago, tte720 said:

I’m trying to figure this out myself. How far is “too far” to be from your local club? a few options near me, but the closest is 20 min away from my house. It’s a little bit closer to work, so could pop over and play a few holes. 

 

Depends on your playing model. I'm about 30-35 min from my club but since I'm there to play 18 and socialize a bit for probably 99.99% of my golf it's not a big deal.

 

That said if I could convince my wife to move (apparently she likes to be close to her friends) I'd definitely move closer.

[NJPhil]

16 hours ago, tte720 said:

I’m trying to figure this out myself. How far is “too far” to be from your local club? a few options near me, but the closest is 20 min away from my house. It’s a little bit closer to work, so could pop over and play a few holes. 

 

My club is 10 minutes from my house, I think up to 20 would be my max.  It is great to pop over and go to the range for a few minutes, grab a bite to eat or watch a game with some friends in the grill.

 

I also use the club a lot with my family, on the weekends I can be back and forth between the club and home multiple times.  Golf and lunch at the club, home for 3-4 hours then back with my daughters to hit the range and play 4-5 holes.

 

Private golf is expensive, but generally worth it.  I guess it all depends on how much you value your time.

[Krt22]

 

On 3/3/2021 at 2:07 PM, -GoldenHawk- said:

Worth looking into for sure. I guess what are the main questions I need to be asking? He told me they have about 360-some family memberships, 125-150 of which are "under 35" memberships.

The same GM has been there for more than 6 years and in 2013 this course earned course of the year in my state.

The biggest question would be if it's equity or not, that initiation seems pretty low for it to be equity. If it's non-equity, the questions about assessments go out the window. I'm not much older and joined a private club about 1.5yrs ago, best golf decision ever, especially with the pandemic and resurgence in the popularity of the game. In addition to everything that has been mentioned, one thing not talked about much is being surrounded by others serious about their game (of varying skills). Yes there will be some hacks, but picking the brain of much better players (on and off the course) is a great perk.

[Krt22]

 

On 3/3/2021 at 2:07 PM, -GoldenHawk- said:

Worth looking into for sure. I guess what are the main questions I need to be asking? He told me they have about 360-some family memberships, 125-150 of which are "under 35" memberships.

The same GM has been there for more than 6 years and in 2013 this course earned course of the year in my state.

double post

Edited March 10, 2021 by Krt22

[Krt22]

 

On 3/3/2021 at 2:07 PM, -GoldenHawk- said:

Worth looking into for sure. I guess what are the main questions I need to be asking? He told me they have about 360-some family memberships, 125-150 of which are "under 35" memberships.

The same GM has been there for more than 6 years and in 2013 this course earned course of the year in my state.

double post

Edited March 10, 2021 by Krt22

[golfortennis]

2 hours ago, Krt22 said:

double post

 

we heard you the first time!!  🤪

[Woodridge]

I have two county public courses 10 minutes away in different directions, but joined a private course 30 minutes away a couple of years ago. I was tired of dealing with public golf as a single. A private club gives me the option of playing at 2pm during the week and having the course mostly to myself. The social aspect doesn't interest me, but I could see where that would be a factor for some, especially guys looking for a regular game.

[Florida Gator]

Two most important factors for me:

1.  I travel quite a bit, it helps to have a way to book a tee time at the best course you can play wherever you travel to.  I don’t sit in a car or a flight for hours on end to play a goat path!

2.  The quality of the public courses in your area.  When I lived in Orlando, there were so many great public access courses that it would have been a waste to join somewhere.  I’m in the Detroit area now and I think it’s a good choice to have a membership even with the great golf within a 2 hour drive.  Go to 4 hours and it’s unbelievable for public access.  I lived in the Columbus Ohio area from 2008 to 2018 and there is no question that you need to join somewhere.  The best courses were all private and most of the public courses take 5 hours or longer to play at any time other than mid day during the week.

 

Hope that helps.

[daegyu]

I'm in the same situation you are. I'm in my mid 30s and I think I'm at a place where I can afford to join a private club. I'm not rich by any means but I figured sometimes you just have to spend money on the things that bring you joy. Some of the factors I've considered:

 

1) I still have about 4 years of junior member dues. I pay about 33% of the full member initiation fee at this point, and will transition into a full member at age 40 without having to pay the extra initiation cost. 

2) I'm an avid golfer and covid has been a nightmare for me in this area. Rates have gone up, tee times have dried up, and pace of play has been rough. I'd have to double what I normally spend on a month of golf to join the club but I can play when I want at a pace I enjoy. 

3) This is my golf prime. I want to play as much as I can while I'm healthy

 

Do more things that make you happy

[darom86]

14 hours ago, daegyu said:

I'm in the same situation you are. I'm in my mid 30s and I think I'm at a place where I can afford to join a private club. I'm not rich by any means but I figured sometimes you just have to spend money on the things that bring you joy. Some of the factors I've considered:

 

1) I still have about 4 years of junior member dues. I pay about 33% of the full member initiation fee at this point, and will transition into a full member at age 40 without having to pay the extra initiation cost. 

2) I'm an avid golfer and covid has been a nightmare for me in this area. Rates have gone up, tee times have dried up, and pace of play has been rough. I'd have to double what I normally spend on a month of golf to join the club but I can play when I want at a pace I enjoy. 

3) This is my golf prime. I want to play as much as I can while I'm healthy

 

Do more things that make you happy

Great outlook - I concur