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Memberships in your area

SquirrelyDave

SquirrelyDave

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This may be an odd question, but I see a lot of questions and comments about memberships that seem a bit strange to me.

In my area most of the courses are at least semi-public. Meaning anyone can make a tee time and come out to play. All of thme offer memberships of some sort. Usually a monthly fee which lets you play golf, maybe get a discount in the pro shop, make early tee times etc. No initiation fees, no monthly food and beverage minimums, nothing too complex. maybe you get a cart, maybe range balls etc.

My home course my membership gets me all the golf I can play, carts range balls and a few guest passes each year to give my guests free greens fees. Its also attached to a community, so basic memberships (limited tee times) are included in the HOA fees.

So what kind of memberships are offered around you and what are the courses like, doesn’t have to be your specific course, just the available options. What does your membership include?
 
Lots of super exclusive invite only private clubs, and a decent amount of normal private clubs. There are about 4 semi-private clubs within 20 minutes. The two semis I belong to are pretty good. One is $99/month for unlimited range balls at two local clubs (there are 3 more in the system, but further away.) Also includes free golf after 1pm (walking) or $19 with cart

I cover the cost in range balls alone, so I love this deal. Both courses are in spectacular shape as well.
 
Space Bandito said:
Lots of super exclusive invite only private clubs, and a decent amount of normal private clubs. There are about 4 semi-private clubs within 20 minutes. The two semis I belong to are pretty good. One is $99/month for unlimited range balls at two local clubs (there are 3 more in the system, but further away.) Also includes free golf after 1pm (walking) or $19 with cart

I cover the cost in range balls alone, so I love this deal. Both courses are in spectacular shape as well.
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What’s the functional difference in private vs semi-private? No public tee times?
 
I've always considered the clubs that offer either 9 holes for members only (one of my memberships is a 27 hole course,) and in the case of the other, unlimited golf/range for a membership fee + they also offer member only days, as well as member for a day deals at private clubs in the area.
 
The local "Membership Scene" can be broken down like this:

Tier 1: A handful of very high end, very exclusive courses. Very high initiation, high dues, high food minimus & a loooong wait list to get in. Layouts on these courses are amazing and conditions are above reproach.
Tier 2: Half dozen private clubs that are around 1/2 the cost of those above. Some nice layouts and some dud layouts - but ultimately they aren't worth the cost IMO.
Tier 3: Affordable for most people. Courses have uninspired layouts and conditions aren't much better than you're average course. They almost always carry too many members at a time and premium tee times are a fight to get.
Tier 4: Semi-Private. There are a few gems in this category which offer public tee times as well as carry a membership. The better ones are usually in fabulous shape and they offer unlimited yearly play for around $5k.
 
Public courses are a flat fee tee times in advance of public and all you can play.

an inner club for tournaments and discounted fees for members in other tournaments includes handicap
 
Space Bandito said:
Lots of super exclusive invite only private clubs, and a decent amount of normal private clubs. There are about 4 semi-private clubs within 20 minutes. The two semis I belong to are pretty good. One is $99/month for unlimited range balls at two local clubs (there are 3 more in the system, but further away.) Also includes free golf after 1pm (walking) or $19 with cart

I cover the cost in range balls alone, so I love this deal. Both courses are in spectacular shape as well.
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$99/mo seems pretty steep, but I'm glad its a good deal for you. I am a member of two separate "clubs" that offer similar deals - unlimited range balls, discounted pro shop, free or discounted golf in the afternoon (neither are free - one is $15 w/ cart, the other is "free" plus $12 for cart). I pay $35/mo for one, $30/mo for the other.
 
We've got 5 (I think?) private clubs in the city.

Annual dues for a single membership for my age from $2,500 (w/ no initiation fees) to $9,000 and change (plus initiation fees...not listed anywhere but I've been told they're 5 figures).
 
Lots of ultra exclusive private clubs in AZ. Those will alway be out reach for me.

However I decided to get a membership to the Arcis managed public courses around phoenix. For a monthly fee ($59) and 12 month commitment, I get unlimited golf at dramatically reduced greens fees, cart only after noon rounds, unlimited range and practice areas, weekly clinics, free breakfest /lunch with round, ability to play their private courses on "prime play days". There are 6 courses that I have access to and should work out to be a nice savings if I play as often as I want to this coming year.
 
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In my area, there are really only two types of clubs: private and public. No "semi-private" that I'm aware of.

The private clubs are beautiful and super pricey. I don't think I'll ever really be able to join one. Initiation fees, assessments, monthly dues/food minimum, etc. are well north of what I would be able to get out of it for golf. Plus, my wife and kids are not likely to spend any time there, so it would be 100% for me.

Public courses here are generally pretty nice, and often offer a "membership" that basically includes unlimited or discounted range balls, discounted tee times, and sometimes free golf in the afternoon on lazy days. I am a member of several of these, but its mainly for the practice facilities.

I would LOVE a "cheap" private club. Maybe $5k a year for unlimited golf, range, etc. I guess that might be a semi-private situation, but I haven't seen it here. The one club that I'm aware of that had that setup went under a few years back.
 
None of those types of memberships here.. closest is the municipal course annual membership where it's just discounted greens fees.. pays for itself with 3 rounds
 
Local courses:
  • 2 public; can purchase an annual membership
  • 3 private; can only play as a guest of a member
Within 45 min:
  • 3 additional public; one is a 9-hole course.
  • 3 private; uber exclusive
 
dazeedmonds said:
This may be an odd question, but I see a lot of questions and comments about memberships that seem a bit strange to me.

In my area most of the courses are at least semi-public. Meaning anyone can make a tee time and come out to play. All of thme offer memberships of some sort. Usually a monthly fee which lets you play golf, maybe get a discount in the pro shop, make early tee times etc. No initiation fees, no monthly food and beverage minimums, nothing too complex. maybe you get a cart, maybe range balls etc.

My home course my membership gets me all the golf I can play, carts range balls and a few guest passes each year to give my guests free greens fees. Its also attached to a community, so basic memberships (limited tee times) are included in the HOA fees.

So what kind of memberships are offered around you and what are the courses like, doesn’t have to be your specific course, just the available options. What does your membership include?
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You have a great deal at your club.
 
Beau Rivage here in Wilmington is like $4500 for everything a year. You can pay $2000 a year, but then you have to pay $20 for 18 holes every time.
 
There are multiple clubs with 25k, 50k, or higher initiation fees with high monthly dues. As far as I know, all of them are always pristine.

We have 10+ ClubCorp properties and I’m a member of one. I pay $350 a month for a full golf family membership that includes cart and range use (range balls included). It is 100% private outside of special events or guests of members with a member present. I can play any of the other ClubCorp properties of the same tier in my market for free as long as it’s after 10am on weekends/holidays, and that includes cart and range balls. I can travel to any ClubCorp club out of my market and pay only $20 to play. My home club courses are always in great shape - we have 4 on the one property and 2 ranges. That means it’s almost never busy. I’ve been a member for 5 years and was told my membership rate would not change until I reach 40 years of age as long as I don’t change anything. Then it jumps to a little over $500 for the same membership. I guess they want to get the younger families hooked on the club life.

To my knowledge there are only a handful of semi-private and most of them are in pretty poor shape. There is no way I’d pay for them. There is one exception, but the membership is more than what I pay for less benefits. And those members have to compete for the course/tee times with non-members.

Most of our public courses are in pretty poor shape and over priced for what they have to offer. Even the Golf Club of Houston, current home of the Houston Open, is in pretty bad shape outside of the few weeks immediately before and after the Open.
 
Full public or full expensive private here in Vegas.
 
Here we everything from gated private clubs with very expensive membership fees (or home purchase) to public "Ala Carte" courses. They quality of the courses vary too. Some look like they are manicured with tweezers and some that look like they are little more than goat paths. Depending on the time of year and the course you can pay anything from $30 including cart to $300 with cart extra. There are over 80 courses to chose from within 30 miles of my house.
 
My membership gets me unlimited golf with no restrictions on days and/or times. I always walk so do not pay additional cart fees. There is an add-on option ($100 per year I believe) for unlimited range balls available that I never have opted for. I pay $600 per year and will easily hit 250 rounds this year.

The only other option I have near where I live is a private course that is a lot pricier and the course is really no better.
 
Sox_Fan said:
My membership gets me unlimited golf with no restrictions on days and/or times. I always walk so do not pay additional cart fees. There is an add-on option ($100 per year I believe) for unlimited range balls available that I never have opted for. I pay $600 per year and will easily hit 250 rounds this year.

The only other option I have near where I live is a private course that is a lot pricier and the course is really no better.
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I knew before that you had a great deal, but I'm always shocked anew when you describe it.
 
The course I’m a member at $2,700 annual gets you the following:

Unlimited Rounds with Cart
Unlimited used of practice areas with Unlimited Range Balls
GHIN Handicap
20% off in the pro shop
Driver or Iron Fitting
Discounted Green Fees at all Marriott owned Golf Courses


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
campilobaxter said:
I knew before that you had a great deal, but I'm always shocked anew when you describe it.
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Have been a member for 10 years and have only seen one price increase in that time. The course is much better maintained than a lot of other public courses I have played and they have stepped up their maintenance game in the past year and a half or so. Living in the middle of nowhere has it's perks sometimes! Haha
 
JDax said:
The course I’m a member at $2,700 annual gets you the following:

Unlimited Rounds with Cart
Unlimited used of practice areas with Unlimited Range Balls
GHIN Handicap
20% off in the pro shop
Driver or Iron Fitting
Discounted Green Fees at all Marriott owned Golf Courses


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Sheesh, I guess it's time for me to move.
 
campilobaxter said:
Sheesh, I guess it's time for me to move.
Click to expand...

My home course is about the same the same cost if you don’t live in one of the associates communities. If you do, the price is a little under that.

There is another course that’s about $1500 a year for the under 40 set, doesn’t include range balls or carts (but those can be added) for unlimited golf, with no restrictions on tee times.

The local goat track runs under $1200/year for unlimited golf and a pool in the summer.
 
It's all private or public courses in the Twin Cities, at least I can't think of any semi-private. The city of Minneapolis has 6 muni courses that you can buy an unlimited membership for something like $1800 per year for unlimited golf. There are about 20 private clubs within 25 miles of my house and on the low-end initiation is about $12,000/$450 per month dues. On the higher end, it's about $45-65k and due are around $725. Food minimums are about $100 per month. There are dozen's of excellent quality public courses that are mostly in the $50-$70 range. Way more choices and much better golf courses options than I had living in the Sacramento/San Jose area for 20 years.
 
The closest full country club to me is a $6k initiation fee, $611/mo and an F&B minimum of $300/qtr. This course is one of the 2nd stage Q School courses.

There's another one right up the street from me that's more of an HOA course, but they allow non-residents to join. For non-residents, it's $265/month.
 
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