How do you justify your private club membership ? Do you even need to?

[MattM97]

I'm seriously considering a private membership for next year because of all going on in the world recently. I know a lot of people say muni's are great and cheap but where I live nothing is cheap for golf, I'm seeing myself paying $100 Canadian a round on average and if I do get a cheap round courses are usually bleh. The biggest reason is booking as a single, as much as I like playing with my friends they don't want to play as much as me and courses near me are not booking singles so I have to wait until I can play with friends. To note I've only played 5 rounds this year, usually I'm at 15+ at this point.

 

But you might be thinking normally 15+ rounds and you want a membership? Yeah, since I have access to rounds when I want, range, etc I can just walk in whenever I want. The free access is huge and I'd use it more, maybe hit a bucket and play 9 daily after work? Awesome. Maybe I just want to hit a bucket or two of ball and work on my wedges and putting, that's something I couldn't do before. Play 36 on Saturday and Sunday, would be fun. 

 

I enjoy golf, I want to play more and that's how I'll do it and I'm sure the cost I'll get my moneys worth in no time. That's how I'm justifying it, I enjoy it, I'm happy when I play golf, it's exercise, there are only benefits to me playing more. 

[Duffer222]

7 hours ago, mangohead said:

Of course, there are the intangibles.   No reservations.  Empty course.  Social element.  Higher quality course.  If you can afford it, why not?  I've joined a club in the past and felt it was a huge value.   Now, I only dabble occasionally, so the math changes for me

 

The gambit of a private club is tricky, regardless of income.  Part of it is dictated by frugality DNA.  The irony is that if you're working hard to earn big, you may only golf 1x a week in 30s/40s/50s.  

 

Even if you're a billionaire, it's hard to justify paying, pro rata, $1000 per round at your local CC, if $15k annual.  And if retired, and playing 5x a week, your pensioner budget may not afford $15k for golf.  Time vs. money.  The eternal tug of war.

 

Henry Bemis : And the best thing, the very best thing of all, is there's time now... there's all the time I need and all the time I want. Time, time, time. There's time enough at last.   

 

At least, that is how I am content playing local muni for $35 a pop.    Anticipate 15 rounds max.  $500/summer.   No way I can justify paying 10x to 30x.  The only way the numbers really work out is if you have an entire family that plays golf.  

 

• I love playing the same course.  Nothing worse than an unknown course.  Hit a great shot and then realize there's a lake yonder the hill.
• I also can play on weekdays, so the muni weekend logjam is something I sidestep.   Makes muni much more tolerable.
• I also play as single, so getting a decent tee time is not an issue.
• The muni are 5-10 mins from my house.   I live in an expensive area.  Private clubs within 15 mins. are big money.   
  That truly ends the debate for me.   In a way, I'm glad a $5k option does not exist near me

 

So, for me, the passive golfer, the delta is not a big deterrent.

 

The muni greens are slow, but you get used to it.

I cringe when I get to the green and see ball marks that were not repaired.

 

That said, I loved my years at the private club.  

It's really where I learned the short game.

And it is simply not a numbers thing.   

Certain things can't be quantified.

 

I could’ve written this verbatim. I still work, but from home and mostly from my phone.  So I play 9 for lunch every day that weather allows, and on beautiful evenings, I’ll knock out the other 9.  I rarely have to wait, I walk and finish in 1:15 like clockwork.

I’ll never retire, I’m already living retirement.

[LeftDaddy]

5 hours ago, thezinfan said:

Most of the folks I know who joined clubs end up playing 50-100 rounds per year (some play more). With dues around 500/month, it usually ends up being a good value for a much-better-than-muni course.

Yes on a marginal basis, comparing the cost of playing a similar quality public course (if one exists), above about 50 rounds per year many private clubs end up being less expensive. I’ve done this math several times and it almost always breaks even at about 4 rounds per month. That doesn’t sound insurmountable, so many golfers take the plunge, join the club, start playing more and get a lot of enjoyment and ostensibly even value out of it. 
 

But what I’ve come to learn is that the absolute cost of joining a club is more expensive than playing public golf. Basically, you probably aren’t playing 50-100 rounds a year if you play public courses. Even if you want to, it’s hard to do it. And if you do play that much, you probably start to consider going private. 
 

Even though my marginal cost per round might increase if I dropped my membership, I’d definitely save a lot of money over the course of the year. But again, I’m willing to pay for all of those other things that come with a private club membership so I stay. 

Edited July 31, 2021 by LeftDaddy

[rooski]

10 hours ago, ZacR88 said:

My club is probably the biggest social space in my life right now. 

 

I enjoy being there so much that I moved to a condo that is actually beside the course. I can walk home after a few too many drinks during Men's night haha. 

 

Would kill for this experience, my area has only a single country club and while ritzy and "exclusive", the course is mediocre at best and the dues are $400 a month for 28 year olds 🙄

 

I considered joining for quite a while but they didn't want to cut a successful young guy a deal and the course is worse than the public courses in the area so no "walking home after too many at the men's league" for me 

[goobers80]

I only pay 250$ A month for a private club. No food minimum. I hit more in range balls a week if i had to pay for them somewhere else. That alone is good enough for me. 

[Chanceman]

Because my wife likes to have 3 days of “space” every week. I  tell her that she is very lucky have a beloved who considers her interests so much. 

[Hawkeye77]

6 hours ago, Chanceman said:

Because my wife likes to have 3 days of “space” every week. I  tell her that she is very lucky have a beloved who considers her interests so much. 

My wife's a peach, but when I retire if she wants 7 days of space I'll fill the nights (resting up for golf the next day, of course).  Bold talk, but she actually likes to play, too.

[Hawkeye77]

17 hours ago, Tpfol said:

 Joining a club is about becoming a member as well. You dont get that at the local muni. Amazing how many late afternoon rounds you end up playing on a whim. And while greens fees are already covered, it doesnt matter if you play 6  holes or 10. Stop by the club to just chip an putt. So much more golf than just getting that 18 hole round in.

 

Like I said, we don't have any privates around here and I'd probably belong to one if we did (but even the private of my youth back in my hometown as been semi-public for 20+ years and still struggling), but maybe not.  Our kids are grown, I don't care if I eat in a restaurant at "the club" and we can get on the privately owned but open to the public course we play almost any time and late afternoons are usually empty, practice area usually empty - I think our husband/wife works out to just under $200/month on an annualized basis and I play enough to make that a bargain.  Also have a cheap range membership to another course nearby with a very nice range and play that course occasionally.  

[CT007]

Id list the benefits as

1. Pace of play 

2. Pace of play

3. Pace of play

4. Playing 4 holes, any combo / and just walking on to play with son / wife (can’t do that anytime, but late in the day we can every time but events)

 

as far as money goes, it why I buy good rum vs bad rum - something are worth it 

[ND2005]

Every time I play at a pubilc course in Houston, there is something that just about ruins the experience for me.

 

Either slow play, or bad conditions, or slow greens. And unless I can get a tee time at memorial park, the public courses are all running close to or over $100 bucks a round. 

 

I'm not trying to be a snob. I've just been very lucky up until now to live in places where good golf was affordable. I had a season pass to a Pete Dye semi-private course for $1500 for 7 years, at a course where you could just walk on anytime except weekend early mornings and pace of play was always under 4 hours. 

 

This is the first time where I've seriously considered joining a country club, and to me the value is in the experience, not in the $ per round. 

 

 

[DonatelloNobodie]

I spent 25 years as a member of private clubs.  I met and played regularly with enjoyable groups of players, a few of whom became good friends.  I never used amenities other than golf (pool, tennis, fitness), was never much for social gatherings, and used the restaurant only because it was mandatory. (There were plenty of much better dining elsewhere.)  I used the clubs quite a bit for hosting business partners and customers.  No kids. Wife does not play.

 

After relocating, I dropped club membership. I found a group of buddies that played two or three times per week at various public courses or private courses with a senior league.  In that, I got what I liked – friendly golf with a good group of people and a variety of good courses.

It’s not about the cost.  I can easily afford to belong to any private.  Paying for amenities that I don’t use seems wasteful.  Being limited to the same course can be boring.  I play with a bunch of fun people and select only courses that are in good condition and play fast.  Good courses and playing partners are what matters most to me.

 

Reasons to join a club:
- you can’t find good conditioned public courses that aren’t slow
- you can’t find a fun group of regular people to play with
- you’d use amenities other than golf (pool tennis, fitness) regularly
- your spouse and/or kids would use the club a lot
- you could use the club for business entertaining
- you’re willing to risk losing the initiation/joining fee if the club gets sold, closes, or gets in financial trouble

[ZacR88]

15 hours ago, MattM97 said:

I'm seriously considering a private membership for next year because of all going on in the world recently. I know a lot of people say muni's are great and cheap but where I live nothing is cheap for golf, I'm seeing myself paying $100 Canadian a round on average and if I do get a cheap round courses are usually bleh. The biggest reason is booking as a single, as much as I like playing with my friends they don't want to play as much as me and courses near me are not booking singles so I have to wait until I can play with friends. To note I've only played 5 rounds this year, usually I'm at 15+ at this point.

 

But you might be thinking normally 15+ rounds and you want a membership? Yeah, since I have access to rounds when I want, range, etc I can just walk in whenever I want. The free access is huge and I'd use it more, maybe hit a bucket and play 9 daily after work? Awesome. Maybe I just want to hit a bucket or two of ball and work on my wedges and putting, that's something I couldn't do before. Play 36 on Saturday and Sunday, would be fun. 

 

I enjoy golf, I want to play more and that's how I'll do it and I'm sure the cost I'll get my moneys worth in no time. That's how I'm justifying it, I enjoy it, I'm happy when I play golf, it's exercise, there are only benefits to me playing more. 

 

I am from the GTA as well and can confirm how crazy expensive public golf is. 75-100 bucks to play a very mediocre course. 

 

Evenings at most private tracks are super quiet. Sometimes I just going out and mess around on the first 3-4 holes for a couple hours. Hit a bunch of wedges and putt. We even have a extra hole at our club that I can practice on for hours. So you are right, even if you don't play as much there is still a ton of value to be had. 

 

I would start shopping around now though. Golf as you know has exploded in the GTA and a lot of private clubs have some huge waiting lists to get in. I think we are estimating a 2-3 year wait to clear our waiting list right now with initiation prices drastically rising. 

[goaliedad30]

I don't actually need to. I can afford it. My wife & I both play golf 4-6 days a week, we live in the community, and can drive our personal cart from home to the course. I love the people I get to play with, plus the social environment at the club. I love being able to play pretty much whenever I want, without packed tee sheets. I love being able to play in 3-3.5 hours most days (even as a foursome!).

 

We also play other courses both locally and when traveling, but wouldn't trade our club community for semi-private (which is really "mostly public", IMO) or public golf as our primary access. 

 

If you're just calculating the cost per round down to the nickel, public will almost always be cheaper. If you like being a part of something that's fun, convenient, collegial, and welcoming, there's a private club out there with your name on it (if you can afford it, without it being a burden to the rest of your  life).

[MattM97]

5 hours ago, ZacR88 said:

 

I am from the GTA as well and can confirm how crazy expensive public golf is. 75-100 bucks to play a very mediocre course. 

 

Evenings at most private tracks are super quiet. Sometimes I just going out and mess around on the first 3-4 holes for a couple hours. Hit a bunch of wedges and putt. We even have a extra hole at our club that I can practice on for hours. So you are right, even if you don't play as much there is still a ton of value to be had. 

 

I would start shopping around now though. Golf as you know has exploded in the GTA and a lot of private clubs have some huge waiting lists to get in. I think we are estimating a 2-3 year wait to clear our waiting list right now with initiation prices drastically rising. 

 

Yeah it's insane I went up to Glen Eagle this morning for $100 which wasn't bad honestly, greens were nice, tee boxes sucked. But hey I can't drive to Barrie for 7am golf. 

 

I have my name on 2 wait lists, I'm hoping my #1 pick opens up first, the second club is nice but more expensive and less of what I want in a club. But I'm also below full membership so I avoid that entrance fee for now. 

[vancouver81]

Easy formula for me in BC, closest private clubs are 40 mins away and initiation fees are ~$60k-$80k at all of the ones that are better than the public courses. So no dice even on a decent income. I do quite enjoy the occasional round at these courses through friends/vendors/clients and certainly get the appeal.  

[lefthack]

I looked at 2 private clubs and can't justify the expense. I just want to play golf, not looking to dine there, just golf. After looking around I joined a local "club" that is totally open to the public, but it isn't often crowded because of the location. It's a very short 9 holes course, but I use it as practice. I play 3+ balls and hit at greens from anywhere with whatever club I'm looking to practice with.

 

I play 1 day a week at a nicer course to check my overall game. But I practice 3-4 days a week at the club. It's a tee box with a green down range. 

 

$700/year +$6/day for a cart 

 

$35/18 with a cart at Wildwood with coupon

 

$23/9 with cart at McKay Creek 

 

It's a cheap hobby that keeps me out of the ER. I can bring my own beverage and wear whatever at the club (usually shorts and offensive tshirts). It works out well.

Edited August 1, 2021 by lefthack

[TomRUtah]

There is one private club in my small city and while not cost prohibitive, it's difficult to justify spending the money at this time.  Golf in my area is still relatively cheap and I generally do not have a problem securing tee times at any of the muni courses and semi-private course I regularly use.  It's rare that I cannot get on as a single walk-on. 

 

When I moved here it cost $12 to walk 18 holes and is now $30, which is still inexpensive compared to what some of you pay.  If future price increases outpace inflation in the next 5-8 years I may revisit the private club.  That's when I'm looking to fully retire anyway.  The club near me has a $5,000 (USD) buy-in and the monthly fee + food totals $5,200 a year. 

 

I drive by the club often and the course looks great from the road.  The club includes a pool, tennis/pickleball courts, gym, and the normal food/banquet facilities.  I would also consider the social aspect as justification for private club membership. 

[cristphoto]

Anyone considering private membership by considering X amount of rounds divided by Y amount of dues will usually be disappointed. Its much more than that. Private membership to me is about quality of lifestyle and service.  I've been an avid golfer my entire life and my wife also plays (but not addicted like me).  Plus we have decent amenities (pool, indoor and outdoor tennis, exercise room - we make use of all). The food service is excellent and the staff is professional and courteous.  Golf pace of play is never an issue and conditions are always high quality.  You can't really put a price on enjoyment.  

Edited August 1, 2021 by cristphoto

[lefthack]

2 hours ago, cristphoto said:

Anyone considering private membership by considering X amount of rounds divided by Y amount of dues will usually be disappointed.

 

This is really all I'm looking at. I'm not looking to augment my lifestyle, I'm looking to play as much golf as possible.

 

It sounds like you really use all the things your club offers and that's awesome. I don't play tennis and have no need for a pool or fitness center. The club near the office has a $250/month minimum food purchase. I don't know that I can eat $250/month worth of breakfast burritos (what I usually have with my morning round).

[vancouver81]

3 hours ago, cristphoto said:

Anyone considering private membership by considering X amount of rounds divided by Y amount of dues will usually be disappointed. Its much more than that. Private membership to me is about quality of lifestyle and service.  I've been an avid golfer my entire life and my wife also plays (but not addicted like me).  Plus we have decent amenities (pool, indoor and outdoor tennis, exercise room - we make use of all). The food service is excellent and the staff is professional and courteous.  Golf pace of play is never an issue and conditions are always high quality.  You can't really put a price on enjoyment.  

I can put a price on it. $80k. Lol. I’m just kidding of course, I get the appeal and if the 2-3 options in the lower mainland were about half that price and closer to me I’m sure I’d rationalize it too. Everyone I know who’s a member says the exact same thing you did, clearly the model works. 

[JohnnyCashForever]

If I were offered membership, my reasons to join a golf club in order of importance:

1. The membership must be overwhelmingly a good group of guys who also love and respect the game.
2. The staff must be professional, courteous, and friendly.
3. I must love the course.

If 1 and 2 aren't there, no matter how good 3 is, I would not join.  Life is too short.  

 

 

[Miker20890]

Like most people say you’ll never “break even” unless you play a lot of golf. For me, it’s the convenience of it being 10 minutes from my house. Basically can call same day for a tee time minus the weekends. Tournaments are definitely a good time. Pace of play was huge. Public courses were at least 30 minutes away then a 5 hour round. Now it’s 10 minute drive. Included range. 3-3.5 hour round. Just can’t beat it. 

[thezinfan]

1 hour ago, lefthack said:

 

This is really all I'm looking at. I'm not looking to augment my lifestyle, I'm looking to play as much golf as possible.

 

It sounds like you really use all the things your club offers and that's awesome. I don't play tennis and have no need for a pool or fitness center. The club near the office has a $250/month minimum food purchase. I don't know that I can eat $250/month worth of breakfast burritos (what I usually have with my morning round).

$250/month seems reaaaaaally high.

[ND2005]

1 hour ago, thezinfan said:

$250/month seems reaaaaaally high.

Spends pretty quick if you’re spending any decent amount of time at the club 

[Roody]

The justification is easy for me. 

 

- I play over 100 rounds a season (we live in the Northeast, so a season is not year-round)

- My wife plays around 75-80 rounds a season

- Our course is about 3-5 minutes from our house

- The course is always in great shape. And it drains exceptionally well, so even after we get a lot of rain the course is playable

- Pace of play is almost always good to very good

- Food at the clubhouse is great

[ChipDriver]

There is no single answer - you can't put a value on another man's idea of "worth".

 

For me - joining a club vs muni; is similar to public vs private school; or even eating out at a restaurant vs eating at home.   The costs are never going to be cheaper per round, but the quality; enjoyment, convenient, pleasure, fun - are intangibles - and only make it worth it depending on who you are.

 

For me - I feel like I am on vacation 10 mins away.   So from that aspect it's terrific - and I love it.  

 

One trick - I use golf  for business purposes - so I am fortunate that golf pays for itself.  The real luxury is if you can join a club and never have to ever bring a guest.  🙂  I'm not one of those guys.  By the same token - I don't worry about joining a club as long as I can use it in business...and you can join more than one club.

[touch]

On 7/30/2021 at 3:58 PM, miamistomp said:

 Obviously all depends...

 I have no interest in a club except for playing golf

 Living in South Florida, with an abundance of courses, I rarely need to pay more than $25 a round with Golf Pass as long as I am flexible with tee times ( played a lovely old Donald Ross course for $18.00 today )

 

 I don't eat, shmooze or hang out at a club

 Things should get even more open once covid clowns go back to bowling, or whatever they did  before they invaded golf

 

"Things should get even more open once covid clowns go back to bowling, or whatever they did  before they invaded golf."

 

Love it.   bravo  

Edited August 3, 2021 by touch

[cristphoto]

On 8/1/2021 at 8:20 PM, thezinfan said:

$250/month seems reaaaaaally high.

 

Agree.  That's my minimum per quarter.  Easy to make - the grandkids are big eaters.

[JJFWebster]

The old guys at my club ask if I can keep the pace before introducing themselves. My kind of club. 😄

 

Beautiful facility that both my spouse and I can enjoy. I would've likely waited a couple years if it was just me but well worth the money when we can both utilize it.

[DZClark]

I tell people all the time, it if very hard and rare to find someone who can justify the cost of a private membership with just golf.

 

Why am I am member, simple, I can take my 7 and 3 year old daughters out to the course late in the day and play. Don't have to pay a green fee for them and no one bats an eye that they are out there. Try that on a muni.

 

My wife, who has never had an interest in playing, found a couple of ladies who play, and is now playing some. She would never had done that had we not been members.

 

It is a lifestyle choice. There is no right or wrong answer, but trying to justify it financially is really difficult I have found. We don't think about the cost, just enjoy the benefits.