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Has Your Club Waived Initiation Fees?

NEhomer

NEhomer

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I joined a nice local club three years ago. One of the deciding factors as that they had waived the initiation fee so that made it much more affordable. I love the club, however, the front 9 is very steep and hilly and it's become a bit of a challenge to walk the course. I got hip replacement last April and then have had some minor but nagging knee issues so I've mostly needed a cart to play 18 holes. This year Covid has forced tee times upon us and all play starts off of #1. I used to be able to access the course on #1, #7 or #12 but now every round requires the hike up and down #4 and #5 and up and down #8 and #10.

I got to play another very nice private local course as a guest back in September. This course is dead flat and much more walkable. I looked into joining this week but the membership director informed me that they are keeping their $3000.00 initiation fee in place. That along with dues will make it more than double what I pay now so I guess I'll just go back to walking 9s or using a cart at my current club.

It just got me wondering during these covid times how prevalent it is for clubs to enforce or waive that fee.
 
The local club I looked to join this year has not waived their fee.
 
Clubs here seem to be either raising or lowering their initiation fee, but nobody is waiving it.
 
highest they have ever been in NE FL and not going anywhere.
 
No fee at my course but it is a muni and not private. Yearly membership is super reasonable.
 
troyefl said:
highest they have ever been in NE FL and not going anywhere.
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You can say that again...it’s crazy. I’ve looked at several & just can’t justify those fees.
 
The club we joined this fall had two options as incentives. One was pay 9 months of dues in full, get 12 months for it, and no initiation fee. Second was pay initiation fee in full and don't pay dues until March. If cashflow is not an issue, both represent a good bit of savings.
 
My club waived the fee starting a year ago and offered really low rates for that club in an effort to drive up membership. It worked. They went from a measly 30 members up to close to 200 in a year which is pretty good for that club and this area. Its not walkable though by most people's standards. Its not so much the hills. There are a few but its more about the distance between tee boxes. It is just not laid out to be walking friendly. I think they are about to put the initiation fee back in place. The monthly cost has been steadily going up as they grow. My rate was the lowest they ever offered and was locked in for a 2 year time frame guaranteed.
 
ours has gone up due to Covid. We are completely full and have a wait list, so they have no reason. Those fees go to long term improvements, so it’s a big investment into the course.
 
mmaynard11 said:
You can say that again...it’s crazy. I’ve looked at several & just can’t justify those fees.
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just come to windsor man, best deal out there
 
I shop clubs every year. This year there is absolutely no rhyme or reason as to their fees. Some are waiving initiation, some have raised dues, some have doubled initiation, some have stayed the same. Lol

I’d say fwiw that I think most aren’t waiving initiation this year for whatever reason. Some even came up with an interesting way to waive them by you signing a three year contract to not leave.
 
My membership at the University's public course is $150 per month for all golf and cart fees. It's a fun little track but a decent amount of jackass students are a problem much of the good weather playing time. Most of the time they're tolerable but there are times they suck. And from November to mid-April or so, the driving range is mats only. The manager will absolutely crawl your a** for hitting a couple of drivers off tees in the dormant grass. He threatened to cancel my membership.

My local country club is $5K initiation and $365 monthly dues. Even if the club waived the initiation fee, I go back and forth on it. I think the $365 monthly is a bit steep.
 
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My course doesn't have an initiation fee, but we also ended up going to a waiting list for next season for the first time in a long time - so I'm guessing most places aren't going to be lowering rates/fees based on demand.
 
I joined a private club in early April of this year. The deal that was offered mirrored similar deals at clubs in the area. I think going into the year, memberships were struggling at most of the private clubs in the area I had my choice of 4 clubs (3 private and 1 semi private) that were offering deals on membership including the waiver of any initiation fee. I don't know how the pandemic and increased demand will affect these local clubs. It will be interesting to see if there are any offers for the 2021 season by these clubs that were hurting for membership in early 2020.
 
If you buy a premium lot in our community they will sometimes wave the initiation fee.
 
My club had a $25,000 initiation fee under the previous owners. They didn't know how to run a golf course and were always on shaky financial ground, they pulled all kinds of questionable shenanigans to keep it going. There was no way I was going to dump that kind of coin and then have them go bankrupt and close the doors a month or two later. When those owners finally got booted, the new ownership immediately waived the initiation fee and...surprise, surprise, memberships started rolling in. I joined at that point - no initiation fee, no minimum contract commitment, $300/month for unlimited golf/range (with unlimited free range balls) and use of all facilities (fitness center, pool/spa, social activities, etc.).

The new owners are actually golfers (the previous ones weren't), and they've already made significant improvements to the course. They're still fighting to overcome all the neglect the course suffered under the previous owners, but it's looking the best it has looked in the ten years I've been playing there.
 
I joined a club right at the start of the pandemic.
Initiation fee was cut from 1000 to 500.
Dues are $199 a month.
I think it’s one of the best deals in the state, as it is actually 2 clubs that combined, so two completely different 18 hole courses. And they are pretty good tracks and well maintained
 
Our club has dropped their dues dramatically since their inception in 97. That said, it’s stayed where it is currently for the last decade or so.

We do run some specials each year, but that no longer includes waived initiation.
 
Today I received an email that makes it appear we are now a members only club. We can schedule one guest after 9 am per day.
 
I’ve been with my club for 6-7 years now. They change what specials they run all the time, so I have no clue if it’s currently waived. Even if it is, I doubt Covid had anything to do with it as the club has been busier with covid since people can’t do other things with some of the regulations in place.

When I joined they waived my initiation fee with a signed promissory note saying I’d remain a member for at least 12 months.
 
No, if they would wave it, they would have more members.
 
Sure haven’t waived anything, they’ve gone up. We upped our membership at one club just before the raises were announced but would’ve paid it. Great course, great staff & pleasurable members.
No reason to waive initiation, COVID has shown people will pay to get outside, why reduce revenue?
 
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