We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Why did you choose a private club?

I just joined a really nice club here with a very extensive joining process. It's invite only so letters had to be written, we had to be sponsored by current members and I had to meet with 3 different board members and the club manager before they all voted on our acceptance. Before I joined I was able to play the course, eat the food and tour all the facilities. A month in and these are the benefits we've enjoyed.
The course is awesome- it's a Donald Ross design and it's in flawless shape.
Great practice facilities- we've got a practice nine, nice range, multiple putting greens and bunkers.
On course perks- 2 snack sheds on the course, fresh towels, wet towels, cold water every few holes.
Friendly but competitive competition- there are multiple games daily and tournaments every 6 weeks or so.
Wife and kids love the pool- we've got small ones and they have 4 separate pools and a great zero entry for the babies.
Locker room with everything you could imagine- no more going home and hitting the shower before I can love on my family. Now I shower after every round and also have a chance to hop in the jacuzzi, etc...
Great Food! We get a menu sent out to us every day and we've been very impressed by everything thus far. If you want a $40 steak they've got it, but you can also get a club sandwich and fries for $8.
Fun events- from 4th of July fireworks, trivia nights, and big screen movies at the pool, our club has weekly events that we've all enjoyed.
Other cool amenities- my wife loves the work out classes, I've gotten my haircut by the locker room barber, the masseuse is not creepy...

All in all its been a huge win for us. It's expensive, but honestly , every time we're up there we feel like we're on vacation. If you can swing it I'd say go for it!
 
bendalbey said:
Pros for me:

1 - I was able to join on an intermediate membership which allows me to leave whenever I want. I'm trying the club out as much as they're trying me out. I want to make sure we fit well here and utilize it to the fullest before being an full equity member. It's not the up front money that is the problem with an equity membership it's that you can't just leave when you want, having to wait for someone to replace you.

2 - The facilities are fantastic. The course is beautiful and the practice facilities are just first rate.

3 - Open tee times. Go to the club and say I'd like to play. You can usually get off in less then a half hour. I'm not a planner for when I like to get out and golf so I love this.

4 - Pros. They genuinely care about your game. They're invested in the club(in a different way) and it's membership as much as you are and it shows in the quality of their care and instruction.

Cons:

1 - Expensive. It's always more then they tell you it will be. Always.

2 - Old ladies. I've never felt more out of place then being in the dining room for lunch surrounded by nothing but old ladies whose husbands are all out golfing.

3 - Socially. It's hard to break into the "cliques" . They're not really that interested. I've met some really nice people, and some absolute d-bags. One in particular sticks in my mind(hate world get revenge soon!) .

4 - You do feel a little like you have to play more then you might even want to to justify the cost of your membership.

5 - Keeping up with the Joneses. It's easy to get sucked into having to keep up with the Joneses at places like private golf clubs.

Just my experiences so far. We joined our club with the plan of keeping the membership for one year and then re-evaluating whether it's worth having. I think if you can do it I think that's a good way to look at it.
Click to expand...
Which club did you join? PM me if you'd prefer. I looked at nearly all of them but couldn't pull the trigger. Just curious.
 
tequila4kapp said:
Which club did you join? PM me if you'd prefer. I looked at nearly all of them but couldn't pull the trigger. Just curious.
Click to expand...

I joined Tualatin. Overall I'm pleased with the experience so far. If you've got any questions about it shoot me a PM or in this thread if you prefer. Might help answer other folks questions.
 
So we are moving forward with the inquiry process. One big tip I got from my parents (who used to be members at a club) was to inquire about the nature of the debt, if they are recourse loans I should stay away. And that makes sense, I have no desire to be on the hook for millions of dollars if the club were to default for some reason. In fact, my parents waited 4 years to join until that club refinanced into non-recourse loans. Do most clubs go the non-recourse route for loans (which keeps the membership safe)?

Also, with an equity ("redeemable"?) membership, how likely is it to recoup the membership fee? We could pay the entire membership fee up front but only if the scenarios favor us getting all of it back should we have to leave. How usually does that process work?
 
rbarthle17 said:
So we are moving forward with the inquiry process. One big tip I got from my parents (who used to be members at a club) was to inquire about the nature of the debt, if they are recourse loans I should stay away. And that makes sense, I have no desire to be on the hook for millions of dollars if the club were to default for some reason. In fact, my parents waited 4 years to join until that club refinanced into non-recourse loans. Do most clubs go the non-recourse route for loans (which keeps the membership safe)?

Also, with an equity ("redeemable"?) membership, how likely is it to recoup the membership fee? We could pay the entire membership fee up front but only if the scenarios favor us getting all of it back should we have to leave. How usually does that process work?
Click to expand...
When I was looking I never found a club that returned the full amount. My impression was that's the standard - you get some percentage but not all of it back. Also, it appeared to me there were routine rules in place about the club handling the transfers, which made me wonder if the system would work against you to get your money back.
 
good

good

Why it made sense for me to join a private club:
  • I absolutely hate slow play. I played at a few public courses with friends over the past few weekends and I wanted to poke my eyes out.
  • Family environment. Wife and kids can use other parts of the facility. I fully intend to enroll my girls in junior golf, tennis and swimming.
  • Golf course is always in premium condition.
  • Lots of golf events/tournaments.
  • I joined one that did not require any long-term commitments so I am free to leave at any time.

This is my first experience as a member at a club and I'll likely always be a member somewhere. We've hosted multiple events at the facility and the experience has been wonderful and the service is amazing.
 
I am not a full member but an associate currently. The way the club I am at works, I may be an associate for a few years before a spot opens up. The major restriction as an AM is not being allowed to tee up before 11:30 on the weekends. I have no problem with that. It's cheap money. my 12 year old is a student member with the same privileges as me. We can play as a twosome any time. i always play after work on the weekdays. It is super neat and in great condition all the time. Loaded with wildlife. I am pleased that I decided to join.
 
I joined the club I'm at because I spent the monthly membership fee in one week. I like the course. Everyone is pretty awesome there the course is nice and the price was right.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I am meeting tomorrow with the membership director at Highland Meadows. I am hoping it goes well. I already sent her all the questions I have (around 50 total) so I am hoping to make some good progress on this front.
 
rbarthle17 said:
So we are moving forward with the inquiry process. One big tip I got from my parents (who used to be members at a club) was to inquire about the nature of the debt, if they are recourse loans I should stay away. And that makes sense, I have no desire to be on the hook for millions of dollars if the club were to default for some reason. In fact, my parents waited 4 years to join until that club refinanced into non-recourse loans. Do most clubs go the non-recourse route for loans (which keeps the membership safe)?

Also, with an equity ("redeemable"?) membership, how likely is it to recoup the membership fee? We could pay the entire membership fee up front but only if the scenarios favor us getting all of it back should we have to leave. How usually does that process work?
Click to expand...

Likewise...not sure why, but we are.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Waited years to join and waiting was a HUGE mistake!! I've already played 50 rounds since we opened on April 12th (while holding down a full time job) and the slowest was 4:20 with most under 4 hours. Add unlimited range balls, pool, great people... the biggest no brainer ever.

I figure I've saved 75 hours of my summer already with reduced show play. I've made great friends, played great conditions daily, never had to scramble for a tee time (often don't even have to make one, just walk on). Don't know what I was thinking waiting so long to do this.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
 
rbarthle17 said:
I am meeting tomorrow with the membership director at Highland Meadows. I am hoping it goes well. I already sent her all the questions I have (around 50 total) so I am hoping to make some good progress on this front.
Click to expand...
What were those questions? I'm looking to join a club around the end of this year, but I'm not quite sure what all I should be asking about when I go tour.
 
Dave Alvarado said:
What were those questions? I'm looking to join a club around the end of this year, but I'm not quite sure what all I should be asking about when I go tour.
Click to expand...

I started with this: http://www.thegolfmembershipspot.com/images/GolfMembership.BuyersGuide.pdf

Then I added things that occurred to me. Some of it was family specific things (like gluten free eating), but the one major financial question that they did not have that I added was to inquire about the nature of the clubs loans. If it's a recourse loan the lender would have rights to go after the entire membership for the monies owed if the club defaults. While an unlikely scenario, you should know the risks you are taking on. A non-recourse loan protects the membership.
 
Barthle make sure you play a round out there first and see how the membership is. HM is well known for having a much more boisterous group than the other clubs in Toledo
 
I'm so so so looking at a local private club. Cost is hard to justify but never anyone out there during the week . No leagues no guys just hacking all over no so called rift raft . Just people looking to get in a round and get out as soon as they can. Already called and they told me to play a complimentary round with the new member chairman

so so so so thinking about it
 
belmontcc15 said:
Barthle make sure you play a round out there first and see how the membership is. HM is well known for having a much more boisterous group than the other clubs in Toledo
Click to expand...

That is a given. I would not dream of joining a place without playing there. Who knows maybe I can play my Soundchucks there! :)
 
rbarthle17 said:
That is a given. I would not dream of joining a place without playing there. Who knows maybe I can play my Soundchucks there! :)
Click to expand...

Yeah I personally have never played it but it's a beautiful course. However during the Marathon Classic many of their groups were playing out at Belmont and I found them loud and annoying
 
Mystery Meat said:
I'm so so so looking at a local private club. Cost is hard to justify but never anyone out there during the week . No leagues no guys just hacking all over no so called rift raft . Just people looking to get in a round and get out as soon as they can. Already called and they told me to play a complimentary round with the new member chairman

so so so so thinking about it
Click to expand...
Not kidding - I played on Wednesday of this week at my club. There were two people in front of me, five people behind me. All day. I never saw anyone (other than the maintenance staff) during my entire round.
A guy in the clubhouse said (mind you, this is AZ)
"In the winter, this is a great private club. In the summer, this is a fantastic personal golf course." He was right.
 
rbarthle17 said:
That is a given. I would not dream of joining a place without playing there. Who knows maybe I can play my Soundchucks there! :)
Click to expand...
You could just move here and join my club

Sent from my VS986 using Tapatalk
 
Well as of Tuesday I should be a conditional member at Highland Meadows! Had a 90 minute meeting where all my questions were answered. They have a promotion going on right now called the test drive. For the cost of one months dues you become a full member for the month of August. Full privileges use it as if you were a full member. After that month you make a decision if you want to become an active member. If you choose to be an active member you have your dues waved until March 2016. It is a complete no-brainer, basically a one-month trial with no commitment. Membership would be due after we make the decision to become a full active member.

I'm hoping that everything gets wrapped up and we can start using the club as early as Wednesday!
 
My wife and I are pulling the trigger as well. We met with a private course in our area last fall, but couldn't do it at the time, but we have now set it up where we are paying the initiation fee now for 2016. It hurts leaving my home course of 40+ years, but the course has become a goat ranch with the owner now being into his 80's. His children, both in their 50's will take it over at some point, but they are doing nothing right now to make the conditions of the course better, so I've stopped working there and playing little. It is so bad, the greens now have a serous fungus that is killing them slowly in small patches. So bad, area course's are asking people that play there to wash their shoes before coming to their course. Heart breaking really.

But the upside is, we are going where the course is top rated, with a great PGA Pro, great clubhouse, pool and other great things. It will make a dent in our budget, but we are cutting back on some other things to make it happen. I played there this week, and it was like being at Augusta to me. Going to miss my friends I have made over so many years, but looking forward to making some new ones.
 
rbarthle17 said:
Well as of Tuesday I should be a conditional member at Highland Meadows! Had a 90 minute meeting where all my questions were answered. They have a promotion going on right now called the test drive. For the cost of one months dues you become a full member for the month of August. Full privileges use it as if you were a full member. After that month you make a decision if you want to become an active member. If you choose to be an active member you have your dues waved until March 2016. It is a complete no-brainer, basically a one-month trial with no commitment. Membership would be due after we make the decision to become a full active member.

I'm hoping that everything gets wrapped up and we can start using the club as early as Wednesday!
Click to expand...

Great to hear. I always love going there to the LPGA event. Nice course. If I lived there, I would be there. Hope all goes well. I'm sure you will love it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top