Cost of a golf club membership

[playit]

What does a membership cost in your area? Is it public / daily fee access or country club?

 

I just checked one around here and it's almost $500/month but it's a pretty upscale country club with lots of facilities, including a restaurant. That doesn't include cart fee if you ride.

Edited September 13, 2021 by playit

[lefthack]

I paid $700/year at Vernonia, might pay $900/year at McKay Creek next but still on the fence. Both are public, McKay is much nicer than Vernonia but I often have Vernonia all to myself, so that is a huge selling point.

 

http://vernoniagolf.com/

https://www.mckaycreekgolf.com/

 

 

I am thinking about just doing a regular rotation of a dozen courses vs joining one this time. I'm playing 3-4 days a week, so trying to figure my budget.

 

Rock Creek is $1880/year private, but they have a dress code and that doesn't work for me. 🤣

 

https://www.rockcreekcountryclub.com

Edited September 13, 2021 by lefthack
Added links

[elwhippy]

I PAY £750 a year at a very good private club on the England Scotland border. That is Golf, locker rental and both county and national union dues. Head 100 miles either direction and fees are over £1000 for inferior courses. 

[Abh159]

We have both ends of the spectrum in my area...

 

• There are goat tracks where you can get a membership for $200/year + cart fees.

 

• There are country clubs that have $100,000 initiation fees and undisclosed monthly dues (They simply divide up the operating costs and bill all of the members evenly at the end of the year. Could be $20k or $200k a member depending on the year.)

 

However, most of the mid to upper-level private clubs in my area have initiation fees ranging from $25k - $75k and monthly dues from $400 - $800. 

[aenemated]

I pay ~$900/mo for TPC Summerlin. 

 

They've got it in shape for the Shriner's in October and man ... simply incredible condition. I get it'd be crazy expensive to keep it like that year around but dang, it'd be nice. Not to say it's not always in great shape - but tour stop shape is another level. 

 

Most of the private clubs I looked at when moving back to Vegas, the dues are around the same. Biggest differences were initiation fees. There're a few ClubCorp spots but I wasn't interested in any of them. Mainly chose TPC for the practice facilities. 

Edited September 13, 2021 by aenemated

[Mustard_Tiger]

The main CC in my area has an initiation fee of $20k and annual dues around $10k per year ($800+ per month) - U.S. dollars. On the plus side they have three nice courses to play on, all within about a 30 minute drive of each other).

Edited September 13, 2021 by Mustard_Tiger

[dugue4]

The one I’m looking at now is $500 to join and $200 per month, $280 if you want the cart included 

 

There are much nicer courses here, but I know I can’t afford it so I haven’t even looked at prices. 

Edited September 13, 2021 by dugue4

[wantacigar]

Man! If clubs were that cheap here I would join in a NY minute.  The cheapest club is $10K initial with $500 w/$100-$300/month food purchase minimums.  The mid level clubs range from $15K-$30 initial with food minimums and upscale range $50K-$200K.  The public courses range from $65 to $125 w/cart.  Bethpage is a State course.  NYS residents pay $38-$43 for Yellow, Blue or Green (walking.  Carts $30-$40 extra)  Red is $43-48 for walk and Black is $65-$85 (walk ONLY) Caddy $100 + tip.  It's almost impossible to get tee times.  Golf on Long Island is very expensive.  

[rooski]

1 hour ago, lefthack said:

I paid $700/year at Vernonia, might pay $900/year at McKay Creek next but still on the fence. Both are public, McKay is much nicer than Vernonia but I often have Vernonia all to myself, so that is a huge selling point.

 

http://vernoniagolf.com/

https://www.mckaycreekgolf.com/

 

 

I am thinking about just doing a regular rotation of a dozen courses vs joining one this time. I'm playing 3-4 days a week, so trying to figure my budget.

 

Rock Creek is $1880/year private, but they have a dress code and that doesn't work for me. 🤣

 

https://www.rockcreekcountryclub.com

 

Wow I thought I had played every single course in the greater Portland metro area when I lived there for 4-5 years. I had never even heard of those two, Vernonia looks cool

[rooski]

Down in the Rogue Valley I have a single choice if I want to join a country club. It's more of a social club instead of a golf club and the course is meh at best, maybe #4 in the area.

 

I'm 28 and even in the junior executive it was nearing $450 a month (incl. food) on top of initiation for a few thousand and I just couldn't justify it, the course is not nearly nice enough to justify that cost. I offered to pay two years up front in cash for a break in dues but they were entirely unwilling to move on their ridiculous number so figured it just wasn't the place for me.

 

I'm on the waiting list for a public course "membership" that will be $160 a month or so with no initiation and includes the best course in the area as well as a really nice 9 holer in a retirement community ran by the same company.

 

I'd rather go private but unfortunately the options just don't exist down here

Edited September 13, 2021 by rooski

[playit]

45 minutes ago, dugue4 said:

The one I’m looking at now is $500 to join and $200 per month, $280 if you want the cart included 

 

There are much nicer courses here, but I know I can’t afford it so I haven’t even looked at prices. 

 

That's a decent deal if the course is decent.

 

On the other end of the spectrum from what I mentioned in the OP, there is a small course here that is $75/month. I think at my brother's course 200 mi from here, it's $60/month. That is cheap. Of course, they are not country club quality courses! I don't care to play the "goat ranch" courses, the greens are too slow but it doesn't bother my brother. It's certainly dirt cheap!

[goaliedad30]

In Northern California, private clubs have initiation fees ranging from $30,000 to $400,000. Monthly dues tend to run between $900-$1500. Most have monthly or quarterly F&B minimums as well (ours is $250/qtr).

[Frankensteins Monster]

$20,000 to $500,000 to join plus yearly of $25,000-$100,000 and mandatory monthly spending that can range from $100 to $10,000.

Edited September 13, 2021 by Frankensteins Monster

[lefthack]

1 hour ago, rooski said:

 

Wow I thought I had played every single course in the greater Portland metro area when I lived there for 4-5 years. I had never even heard of those two, Vernonia looks cool

 

I now live in Saint Helens, so Wildwood is closest but they don't offer membership. Vernonia is 30ish minutes away. McKay Creek is 20 minutes from Nike HQ, so it's easy first thing before the office. 

[rooski]

2 minutes ago, lefthack said:

 

I now live in Saint Helens, so Wildwood is closest but they don't offer membership. Vernonia is 30ish minutes away. McKay Creek is 20 minutes from Nike HQ, so it's easy first thing before the office. 

 

Too bad Wildwood doesn't offer memberships that's an honestly great little course. Other than the first tee shot I always found it pretty wonky

[PJE]

1 hour ago, goaliedad30 said:

In Northern California, private clubs have initiation fees ranging from $30,000 to $400,000. Monthly dues tend to run between $900-$1500. Most have monthly or quarterly F&B minimums as well (ours is $250/qtr).

Yep, you're looking at least $ 30,000 initiation and about $1000/mo plus food and beverage for a nice, but average, club. This excludes Club Corp types of clubs.  But some clubs which were previously tied to home ownership are beginning to offer memberships to non home owners. 

 

[MtlJeff]

In Montreal you can be a member at pretty nice clubs for no initiation and maybe 6-7K a year everything included (bar bill + dues)

 

"high" end clubs maybe there will be a 5-6K initiation but dues roughly the same

 

"highest" end clubs , like where they sacrifice virgins etc...maybe a 20K ~ initiation

[jvincent]

1 hour ago, MtlJeff said:

In Montreal you can be a member at pretty nice clubs for no initiation and maybe 6-7K a year everything included (bar bill + dues)

 

"high" end clubs maybe there will be a 5-6K initiation but dues roughly the same

 

"highest" end clubs , like where they sacrifice virgins etc...maybe a 20K ~ initiation

 

Have prices not gone up with the Covid boom?

[cwilk]

I’m at a ClubCorp property and have been for 8 years or so now. Private, but anyone can join. No initiation when I joined and it’s currently $450 a month for a family unlimited plan with carts included (under 40/young executive plan).

It’s not in flawless shape, but it’s better than all the public courses in the immediate area by far. It also has four 18 hole courses/72 holes at the same location so it never gets old/boring, as well as 3 pools, a gym, tennis courts, 2 restaurants/bars, etc. Well worth it for me and my son to play, and we play every day the weather and our schedule allows. 

[MtlJeff]

15 minutes ago, jvincent said:

 

Have prices not gone up with the Covid boom?

 

yes but not much--our club only increased a few hundred bucks

[DArnie]

Member at two clubs, one private and one public. 

 

Private is no initiation, $300/month including $50 food minimum. Pool, tennis, nice restaurant and course.

Cart and green fee $25.

Range pass $20/month.

Under 16 play free.

 

Public is $600/year. Strictly a Golf Club. Decent enough course.

Range pass $200 year. 

Cart and green fee $20.

Under 16 play free with parent.

 

And yes, Georgia is full so don't move here!!😄

[Jackal66]

In middle Arkansas you can find a pretty good one for $225  a month with cart.

 There are some in NW Ark that are $300  a month including  cart.

This is owned by the Lindsey and Assoc. Corp.

This also allows you to play  any other Lindsey course for the same monthly fees.

We have had several courses  shut down within 50 miles of the Fort Smith area, and now courses are begging  for players/ members.

 

[Schley]

23 hours ago, Frankensteins Monster said:

$20,000 to $500,000 to join plus yearly of $25,000-$100,000 and mandatory monthly spending that can range from $100 to $10,000.

Wait what?

 

Yearly 100k?  Where is that? Monthly spending 10k? A couple guys and that is the yearly maintenance budget at some courses.

[Frankensteins Monster]

32 minutes ago, Schley said:

Wait what?

 

Yearly 100k?  Where is that? Monthly spending 10k? A couple guys and that is the yearly maintenance budget at some courses.

New York area.

[scottaz]

My club's monthly dues are around $800 (carts not included) 8k initiation, $225 per quarter for food. A friend was looking to join recently and the only option now is social membership, in hopes of moving up as members leave.  Full membership is capped at 265.

 

Other clubs in my area are similar now, but pre-covid most were less and offering great deals for new members.  Now there are waiting lists everywhere around me.  

  

[ode]

$750-850 walking

$1000-1100 with cart

depending on when you pay/re-up

Public, used to be private. No initiation.

 

Looked at a well known private that recent co-hosted the state am this year and is well known.  $5000 initiation, $6100 annual dues....for my age bracket 40+

[Bonneville85308]

Although the pricing at all clubs in my area has gone through the roof in the past 2 years, it is at the point where the lower-level clubs make no sense. You spend $5,000+ initiation and $600-$800/month in dues at a corporate-owned club to get a completely packed course with slow pace, mediocre conditions, where it is easier to get a prime tee time at the public course down the street where conditions are almost as good. You need to spend $25,000+ initiation and $900-$1,000+/mo dues to get a member owned club with a true "private club" experience. That is why I just get an early tee time at the public course for $40 and play a quick round instead of joining a club, since I can't justify the expense $25,000+ initiation places nor would I fit in well.

Edited September 15, 2021 by Bonneville85308

[golfortennis]

On 9/13/2021 at 8:31 PM, DArnie said:

Member at two clubs, one private and one public. 

 

Private is no initiation, $300/month including $50 food minimum. Pool, tennis, nice restaurant and course.

Cart and green fee $25.

Range pass $20/month.

Under 16 play free.

 

Public is $600/year. Strictly a Golf Club. Decent enough course.

Range pass $200 year. 

Cart and green fee $20.

Under 16 play free with parent.

 

And yes, Georgia is full so don't move here!!😄

 

What area of Georgia?  (I'm a Canuck, so info is for driving to Florida, not setting up residence.)

 

[golfortennis]

I'm not certain of the fees moving up or down, but I did see a notice that one of the public courses in the area is planning on going private next year.  Apparently that was the plan when it first opened, but don't think it worked out that well.  Will be interesting to see what happens because prior to the covid boom, a 36 hole facility was going to go down to 18, effectively removing a private club from the area.  Which at the time the market was saying was needed.  I'm not sure if that is the plan any more, plus adding another....  if it opens our tee sheet a touch, maybe that would be good.

[BTE0816]

$90 a month in my small town. Gets you the in town course/pool and the sister course about 15 miles away and their pool. The sister course is in better condition, that's where the owner plays most of the time but I have talked to him a bit and they cant figure out why the other course isn't in better shape. They do all the same maintenance. I'm not a huge fan of my home course as I can only hit driver about 3 times and they have incredibly small elevated greens that if you miss by 1y kicks 20y+ left or right. That said its hard to beat a course 4 min from my house to the first tee.