Bay Area/Peninsula Clubs

[Hamhockers]

Apologies if this has been asked before—I am looking for a club in the bay / peninsula that has non-resident membership options. I live on the East Coast but am regularly in the Burlingame/Millbrae area especially in the summer. Ideally has non-golf activities (pool and tennis) as well. Thank you!

[carrera]

Peninsula fits your requirements for pool and tennis (and good if not great golf course). But I don't know if they have a nonresident membership category.  You can probably call to find out.  https://www.thepgcc.org/

 

Burlingame has everything you want, but that club is difficult to join.

 

Cal Club has nonresident memberships, but no tennis/pool and difficult membership process also.

Edited January 18, 2023 by carrera

[ayc25]

Olympic has non-resident memberships. Know a member who lives on the East Coast who comes out pretty regularly. I know it's a much quicker process to become a non-resident golf member than it is to become a regular full golf member.

[carrera]

10 minutes ago, ayc25 said:

Olympic has non-resident memberships. Know a member who lives on the East Coast who comes out pretty regularly. I know it's a much quicker process to become a non-resident golf member than it is to become a regular full golf member.

Yes that is true, but while there is tennis (great variety of courts) and a pool (indoor and terrible) at Lakeside, it doesn't fit the "tennis and pool" vibe of a country club that the OP seemed to spell out.  Source:  I was a golf member at Olympic for 30+ years.

[jjr]

Interesting you didn't mention Green Hills CC in Millbrae, they have non-resident membership, a pool & tennis courts.

 

Many other local private members don't care for this Alister McKenzie shorter 6300 yd design, probably because the greens can tear you a new as*****, yes I've played it many times and it has done it to me. 

 

Olympic would be great if you could do without the pool 

 

 

[Mullenboy]

re Green Hills... I LOVE:

"the greens can tear you a new as*****,"

 

I have not played it all that many times, but I was in charge of the last NCGA rating which got me there twice.  I believe I used similar terminology in subjective discussion about the greens.  🙂

 

That being said... I kinda like that thing... and quite enjoyed the course.  It is however WAY out of my price league - as are all of these really.  Thus the question to the OP:  price is no object, right?  If it is... don't do private golf in the Bay Area.  

[Upper Michigan]

On 1/25/2023 at 10:40 AM, Mullenboy said:

re Green Hills... I LOVE:

"the greens can tear you a new as*****,"

 

I have not played it all that many times, but I was in charge of the last NCGA rating which got me there twice.  I believe I used similar terminology in subjective discussion about the greens.  🙂

 

That being said... I kinda like that thing... and quite enjoyed the course.  It is however WAY out of my price league - as are all of these really.  Thus the question to the OP:  price is no object, right?  If it is... don't do private golf in the Bay Area.  

 

How bad are are initiation fees at Green Hills?  I've played the SFGC 4 times and feel that most of their greens elicit the same type of feelings.  But ironic enough I enjoy the challenging greens and have been thinking I might like Green Hills.   

[Mullenboy]

1 hour ago, Upper Michigan said:

 

How bad are are initiation fees at Green Hills?  I've played the SFGC 4 times and feel that most of their greens elicit the same type of feelings.  But ironic enough I enjoy the challenging greens and have been thinking I might like Green Hills.   

I'd only be guessing for specifics... Carrera is the man for that knowledge.  I will say this:  I'll be shocked if initiation is less than six figures and monthlies are less than four.

[carrera]

Sorry, I don't know anyone at Green Hills.  To counter Mullenboy, I would be shocked if the initiation was six figures.  If it is, without significant equity, I wouldn't be even remotely interested.

[ayc25]

[Mullenboy]

Thanks Carrera.  I have no clue how these private clubs go.  They're all so far above my price reality I don't bother to check.  I just report rumors.  And every rumor about every club seems to mention six figure plus initiation fees.

 

So Green Hills is "lowest available price" - that means it's equity, what the market will bear?  Right?

 

And if that is true... do you really think it could be obtained for less than $100K?

 

Again I have no clue.  I am just asking... based on what the paupers I hang around with report.  🙂

 

 

Edited January 30, 2023 by Mullenboy

[jkody]

It's $60k. It says so.

[Mullenboy]

32 minutes ago, jkody said:

It's $60k. It says so.

sorry I am dense where does it say that?  

[Mullenboy]

But also... I totally spaced that the OP is asking about non-resident membership.  I don't see that on the list above... I see international but the guy lives on east coast.... 

 

No way non-resident is over $100K.  I had thought local proprietary would be. 

 

Private clubs are indeed quite expensive here.

[carrera]

It says a Proprietary Membership is stipulated at $60K in the MacKenzie membership section (so a MacKenzie member who pays $15K for that has to come up with an additional $45K when they convert to Proprietary). 

 

Since they charge a floating market price for a Proprietary, who knows what it is.  But probably in the neighborhood of that.

[Upper Michigan]

Thanks, fellas. I appreciate the responses and info.  Given the cost of everything in the Bay Area, I expected an equity stake to be a good chunk of change.   

[ayc25]

Anyone know if Bay Area clubs have been doing alright recently, in light of rising inflation, lots of tech jobs cuts, economy trending towards a recession, etc?

 

Hoping that maybe initiations / waiting list times become slightly more reasonable...

 

In particular, I'm most interested in Cal Club as a junior member (I'm in my 20s) in the next several years - something in the high 5 figures / low 6 figure range for that? Just trying to get ballpark numbers...

[Mullenboy]

17 hours ago, carrera said:

It says a Proprietary Membership is stipulated at $60K in the MacKenzie membership section (so a MacKenzie member who pays $15K for that has to come up with an additional $45K when they convert to Proprietary). 

 

Since they charge a floating market price for a Proprietary, who knows what it is.  But probably in the neighborhood of that.

Thanks.  I glossed over the fine print.  🙂

 

The more I read this thread the more I think Peninsula GC fits the bill perfectly... if they offer non-resident... which is the first thing you said.  🙂

[carrera]

14 hours ago, ayc25 said:

In particular, I'm most interested in Cal Club as a junior member (I'm in my 20s) in the next several years - something in the high 5 figures / low 6 figure range for that? Just trying to get ballpark numbers...

Cal Club used to have a Venturi Membership category (younger ages) but I don't know if they offer that any more.  For the regular club it was slightly over $100K a couple of years ago, so now it is probably a bit higher.

[Abh159]

15 hours ago, ayc25 said:

Anyone know if Bay Area clubs have been doing alright recently, in light of rising inflation, lots of tech jobs cuts, economy trending towards a recession, etc?

 

Hoping that maybe initiations / waiting list times become slightly more reasonable...

 

Unless the actual membership numbers start to drop initiation fees aren't going to get lower.

 

Clubs (for the most part) couldn't care less what the local economy is doing. If their membership is full and they have a waitlist there is no reason to lower prices. 

[carrera]

16 hours ago, ayc25 said:

Anyone know if Bay Area clubs have been doing alright recently, in light of rising inflation, lots of tech jobs cuts, economy trending towards a recession, etc?

Dues are up everywhere.  10% increases over the last year were common.  So that means that almost every "family" CC membership in the area is over $1000/month.  That used to be rare air in the Bay Area.  

 

As noted above, as long as clubs have waiting lists, initiation fees won't go down.  Lowering fees after a lot of new members paid big $$ to join will go over as well as Tesla's recent price cuts....everyone that bought one in the last six months is angry.

 

But if there is a prolonged downturn, things can change fast.  See 2009.

[banister]

When I inquired a few months ago for GHCC, proprietary membership initiation was $75k, with monthly fees as above. Peninsula was $172k with a monthly of $1250.

[Mullenboy]

It's sad to me how crazy expensive private golf is around here.  Even my silly little 9hole club has gone up a lot in the last few years... from what I hear initiation is now nearly 4 times what I paid three years ago.  I have no idea why.

 

BUT... as a wise man once said... if you have to think about the cost, you really shouldn't do it.

 

 

[Krt22]

35 minutes ago, Mullenboy said:

It's sad to me how crazy expensive private golf is around here.  Even my silly little 9hole club has gone up a lot in the last few years... from what I hear initiation is now nearly 4 times what I paid three years ago.  I have no idea why.

 

BUT... as a wise man once said... if you have to think about the cost, you really shouldn't do it.

 

 

Typical bay area FOMO drives the price of everything up, on the peninsula it's even worse since land is so scarce. There is a decent chunk of folks here that crave/want that level of exclusivity. Your dollar goes A LOT further on the other side of the bay, but I know some peninsula folks would rather die than make that move lol

[tinez]

Looking for a national membership around there myself too. Olympic and Cal Club are top of my list, but not sure how much easier they are to get as a national member vs. full member. Not too worried about cost, but I figured waiting list length and getting references would be the hard part.

[Hamhockers]

Thank you to everyone who replied!

[golfinguru11]

How difficult/expensive is Meadow club? Imo one of the more underrated courses in the country, and unpopular opinion but better than Cal Club from what I have seen. 

[Mullenboy]

I like Meadow Club better than Cal Club. 🙂

 

I have no insight into membership possibilities at either, though.  Just do check the geography.  Meadow Club is quite remote to the city.

[So_Cal]

2 hours ago, golfinguru11 said:

How difficult/expensive is Meadow club? Imo one of the more underrated courses in the country, and unpopular opinion but better than Cal Club from what I have seen. 

Most would probably say Cal is “better” but I could see rather playing Meadow on the regular.  What a quality layout. 

[carrera]

19 hours ago, golfinguru11 said:

How difficult/expensive is Meadow club? Imo one of the more underrated courses in the country, and unpopular opinion but better than Cal Club from what I have seen. 

I think I have posted this previously, but Meadow has a long wait (3+ years for social, 8+ years for proprietary) and the non-equity fee is about $100K (and for sure will be higher by the time you get to the top of the list).

 

Great club, but as noted by Mullenboy it isn't easy to get to.  It is a 20 minute drive to the club from the exit on 101.  Slightly longer now due to road work up there.

 

Conservative membership process...so you have to be proposed by a member and go through a full pipeline, including playing with members on the committee.