Are you a member at a club or a daily fee golfer

[DeNinny]

Club member here. With the wife just starting to play, it became much more economical to join a club instead of paying daily fee for the both of us. The downside is now having to spend even more to play outside of the club course, but the upsides are 1) free range balls, 2) a bunker and pitching green for practice, 3) much faster play, and 4) ability to play a few holes right after work. It was basically a no-brainer to join the club after I got the wife to start playing...what a gal!

[idiotbox]

Club member. Paid $250 initiation and I pay $106/month. I live on 36 holes and have privilege at 17 other clubs.

[ce_me_golf]

I was talking with a couple of buddies of mine the other day and wanted to ask. How many of you out there are members at a private club or a daily fee golfer. And why one over the other.

 

I'm a daily fee golfer. It's simply less expensive and I have more options in terms of where I spend my golfing dollars. I've had the occasion to go to some very nice country clubs and quite frankly the difference in course quality doesn't justify the lofty price you pay. Being a club member tends to be more of status thing more than anything else.

[dtwainright]

I'm a member of a private club. It is a "working man's" golf club. 500 initiation; 100 a month. It is a nice club more a golf club than a country club. The grill serves good burgers and cold beer.

 

That's about all any hard working golf addict needs. A decent course a place to hit balls, eat a good burger and drink a cold one or two every now and then.

 

I want a place like this! Sounds great!

 

Daily fee for me...when I get to play. The public courses around here are good enough...I can't afford or justify the price of some of the private clubs in town.

 

Regards,

TW

[CowtownTexas]

While I realize private clubs are just too expensive in some parts of the country, I feel like the relationships I make at our private club more than pay for the membership. Of course, I guess that depends on the business you are in, but the best way to be successful is to surround yourself with successful people.

[NikeTaylormade891]

daily fee here

[jimb]

I belong to one of the few, if any, remaining Shriner Country Clubs in the country called Irem CC. Medinah used to be a Shriner Country Club. I have been there for 20 years. It is an A.W. Tillinghast design, short and sporty. It's located in northeast PA. The annual dues are $1500.00 for an individual and that includes $200.00 credit for the grill room. Carts are extra, but you can walk after 5:00 every day. Before golf boomed, you could walk the course every evening like you were Willie Nelson. It's a lot more crowed now.

 

I like the fact that there is a pro, a handicap system and a variety of tournaments to play in. Plus, we are part of the Pennsylvania golf association, so I can play in amateur events.

[Steve_FLA]

I live in Florida and belong to a private club. Their are 15 public courses within 30 minute drive from my house.

 

The reason I joined a private club is to play golf. I play/practice 6 days a week, 52 weeks a year. To do this on a public course would be impossible for three reasons.

 

1. I would be bankrupt paying every day for range balls and green fees.

 

2. I would never be able to play so much because of slow play/crowed courses

 

3. 1 and 2 would discourage me and I would not be as good or love golf as much as I do now.

 

Private clubs are only a status symbol if you make it one. I drive a Dodge and park it next to Mercedes and BMW's at the club. Their are many members who only play Saturday mornings for no other reason than to get out of the house. Their are many other members like me who work hard so they can finance their golf. I make sacrifices to afford this, but its worth it to me.

 

-Steve

[JHR]

I belong to 2 clubs, ( listed in my signature).

 

I belong because i like the ability to get a starting time whenever i wish at a tour condition course, i almost never play a round longer than 4 hours, and it is good for my business to be able to take clients to courses they would not get to play.

[Sam-Tee-Time]

PRIVATE for me. Here's my story......

 

This is the point where I decided to join a private golf club. Fundamentally, I was growing very tired of the waiting times and crowds at public courses. This is a recurring problem at many public courses in my area - they will not make tee times for singles, and it's very common to wait 1-2 hours for an available slot as a "walk-on". Even If you call ahead of time, the proshop insists on telling you on the phone the course is open, no tournaments, and it's easy to walk-on. LIES! :cheesy:

 

I went to a local course called "Westridge GC" to walk-on as a single. I was told to standby on the practice green, and they should have an opening in 30-45 minutes. TWO HOURS later, I still never got the call. The Proshop apologized, then immediately sent me to the #10 teebox (the course was starting on #10 that day, which is a long cart ride away from the clubhouse). To add to the confusion, there were no carts available, and I had to wait another 2-3 minutes for a cart. Once I (finally) got to the teebox, the Starter, and all the other golfers waiting to tee off were FUMING at me for my tardiness. There must have been 7-8 golfers all standing around the teebox waiting for me. ;)

 

I had to explain that the Proshop directed me out there, to pair up with a 3-some on the teebox! Without a warmup, I immediately came under the ball, and put a huge Skymark on my BRAND NEW Titleist 980F 3Wood. The ball popped up high, and only about 50 yards away from the teebox! As you would imagine, the starter, and all the golfers waiting looked at me as if I was a prize idiot.

 

PRECISELY at that moment, I made the decision to join a Private Golf club. I've never looked back since. Having the ability to make a tee time as a single golfer has changed my golfing life for the better. I'll never go back to Public golf again, if I can help it.

[TheBUNKY]

Etiquette is another reason why I am in a private club.

 

For most of the public courses, not all but most of them around here there is no etiquette. One course in particular that features 27 holes is particularly bad.

 

At this course.....

I've seen people walk with pull carts through bunkers.

I've seen people hit into others.

I've seen people walk through putting lines.

I've seen people pick up balls that weren't theirs and put them in their pockets.

I've seen bunkers go unraked.

 

 

So far at my private club, this hasn't happened that I've seen. I am not saying it doesn't, but the chance of it happening is minimal. My main gripe about our club is ball marks being left and certain golfers not raking bunkers. Our Marshall is friends with everyone. Sometimes this is good, other times this isn't so good. Our club is in a residential area. On occasion we'll have non members out walking their dogs on the course. It isn't that bad, but sometimes you have to watch where you step.

 

Everyone pretty much knows everyone else at our club. If not, everyone is pretty easy to get along with. Slow play is an issue, but not as bad as I've seen at public courses. Slow play is an issue everywhere.

[northeastgolfer]

I live in Florida and belong to a private club. Their are 15 public courses within 30 minute drive from my house.

 

The reason I joined a private club is to play golf. I play/practice 6 days a week, 52 weeks a year. To do this on a public course would be impossible for three reasons.

 

1. I would be bankrupt paying every day for range balls and green fees.

 

2. I would never be able to play so much because of slow play/crowed courses

 

3. 1 and 2 would discourage me and I would not be as good or love golf as much as I do now.

 

Private clubs are only a status symbol if you make it one. I drive a Dodge and park it next to Mercedes and BMW's at the club. Their are many members who only play Saturday mornings for no other reason than to get out of the house. Their are many other members like me who work hard so they can finance their golf. I make sacrifices to afford this, but its worth it to me.

 

-Steve

 

 

 

100% pure love for the game. I love it!

[italianstallion]

Neither for me, I work at a course so getting to play free of charge is one of the perks. But, I'd be a daily fee kindof guy if I didn't work at a course.

[pinseeker]

Private: As I have written below - I am part of the Canongate Golf group. They now control some 12-15 courses in metro Atlanta. The initiation and yearly fees are very reasonable. See the web site at www.canongategolf.com

There is a wide choice of course to play. The members are a bit more etiquite than the standard daily fee/munici players.

[kiwidave]

I'm a member at 2 courses. Memberships are pretty cheap down here where I am. The yearly due only works out to about 12 rounds a year at each course and your saving vs paying green fees. We don't have to make tee times, just turn up and play and 95% of the time get round in under 4 hours. 1 of them isn't in that greater shape at the moment but is having major re-structuring so I'll let it slide lol

[TourPro]

Private

[dac]

daily fee here. when money and time become more prevalent in my life, then i wish to be a member of several nice courses... ;)

[sync71]

I am a member of a public course that is 8 min from my house. Its only a 165 US dollars a year. Since I'm a junior there a few restrictions but there not bad at all. I like it because I can go and play as many or as little holes as I want to play pretty much whenever I want. And the course also has a range and 2 practice greens.

[Viking Golfer]

I've been a "green fee" player for the first 5 years of my "golfing life" and haven't really felt the urge to be a member of a private club because of the friends I have and know.

 

I'm fortunate enough to have 5 very good friends who all work in private companies, each of which have 4 free membership rights to the best golf clubs in my local area.

 

This means I get to play with my friends at the best golf courses in my region for free :drinks:

 

Last year however, I became a member of a small private club - but I only plan on playing there 5-10 times a year. I think it's boring to play the same course day in and day out. And it's much easier to lower your handicap playing the same course year in and year out.

 

I feel like I evolve and improve myself better as a golfer, when I play on 6-8 different courses throughout the year, than if I only played on the same course day in and day out.

 

Even Augusta would be boring if you played it 200 times a year for 25 years in a row :drinks:

[nagoh]

Even Augusta would be boring if you played it 200 times a year for 25 years in a row :drinks:

 

I'm not sure I buy that.

[Belman]

Private. No such thing as public courses where I am. Golf is not game of the poeple here. Although all of the private clubs let non-members play -- for hefty green fees. Plus, you can always get a tee time at my club on short notice.

[Viking Golfer]

Even Augusta would be boring if you played it 200 times a year for 25 years in a row :drinks:

 

I'm not sure I buy that.

 

Angelina Jolie would be boring if you lived with her for 25 years - think about it :drinks:

[flogjam]

Club member. £700 to join and £750 a year it's a short par 68 and the longest round for a four ball would take 3:20. It's only a short walk away from where I live so I tend to play there most days after work in the summer. It's a great course to practice on in the evening by yourself, or getting to know other members by making up a two ball.

 

As for playing other clubs - for £15 you can get a County Union of Clubs Card which gives you half price fees to all the other private clubs in the area (about 180). This pays for itself after a couple of visits.

[Grimace45]

Grew up playing daily fee courses and then my family joined a private club when I was in college. Played daily fee courses when I was just out of school and decided that I wanted to go back to private club life. I then joined a private club a few years and after three years realized it was not a good fit for me an my family. I now play out of two semi-private clubs that offer me the same benefits I liked at a private club but without all the bs that comes with being a member at a country club (term used to define my former club and not a broad overview all clubs).

[nagoh]

Even Augusta would be boring if you played it 200 times a year for 25 years in a row :drinks:

 

I'm not sure I buy that.

 

Angelina Jolie would be boring if you lived with her for 25 years - think about it :drinks:

I think Angelina would age a little worse than ANGC.

[Cuteshark]

I'm a daily fee golfer. Finally, after several accidents and some other stupid behavior, my back gave up.