joining a club - any advice?

arg

I'm considering joing a local club but the fees are substantial (10k-12k joining fee, 1.2k-1.4k annual subs) and so I'm putting a fair bit of thought into it.

At the moment I play about once a week. I'd like to play more but I don't know too many golfers who have the same flexibility with their work as I do. I'm guessing that most clubs will have a couple of midweek competitions that I can compete in whenever suits. correct?

The alternative to joining a nearby club is to join one a bit more awkward to get to with no joining fee (corballis, hollystown and elmgreen seem to have reasonable rates on northside dublin) and get an official GUI status. This way I'd be able to enter open competitions and play different courses. Not sure what the deal is with open competitions though - would groups of golfers normally enter together rather than individuals? Do other golfers mind 'outsiders' joinging their grouping? The disadvantage I see with this type of membership is that I'd miss out on the social aspect of meeting the same players every week at a club. Also I reckon I'd play more often in the local place because its more convenient (may end in divorce though ).
From a purely financial point of view, assuming I play outside my club 20 time per year with family, work, friends, I see my golf costing me the same amount annually (~2k) - but the club also has the hefty joining fee (equates to €400 per year for the 30 odd years I expect to be able to play:D) - however, I'd be more likely to play more golf!

Has anyone joined a club and regretted it?
What are the main benefits of being a club member?
Are there other alternatives?

A.Partridge

Don't know where you are located but Skerries GC has membership open at the moment for just €5k joining fee and around €1k annual sub after that.

I understand plans are being put forward to make substantial course improvements too over the next year, so now could be a very good time to join.

Note the above joining fee is for 5 day membership initially.

The club has a long history and plenty of comps etc.

Dublin Spur

There are some very competitive offers around Dublin these days.
I'm in the process of joining Beaverstown GC in Donabate.
Joining fee reduced from 11k to 7.5k (they also do a 3 year easy payment plan).

derby7

Join Slievenamon, Co. Tipp, for €180 (distance members, >50miles), hand in 3 cards & get your GUI handicap. Then play Open Single events in various clubs around the country.

Trampas

Its a buyers market for golfers these days were clubs are looking for members and dropping they entrance fees to get members to join.

I am sure some clubs advertise around €10K entrance fee but if they are looking for members and finding it hard I would come in lower.

No harm in trying

uberwolf

I did the Elm Green thing this year. I won't be back. Location is ideal for me, but it's no good if you can't get tee times for competitions.

So I'm on the look out.

Presumably city courses are not finding it as difficult to keep their finances in order?

Mister Sifter

uberwolf wrote: »

I did the Elm Green thing this year. I won't be back. Location is ideal for me, but it's no good if you can't get tee times for competitions.

Getting a teetime on a Sunday morning is impossible cos of the clicks in place up there, but still, i've never once failed to get a time either by jsut turning up in hope of a no show or by playing later in the day.

The likes of Elmgreen is only a good thing short term though. Getting into a 'proper' club is on the cards for me too in the next year or two.

Arg - if you have the money i'd definitely join a decent club.

Trampas

sorry i meant clubs just outside Dublin. especially Kildare area

Fulton Crown

For somebody who is pretty sure that they will continue with Golf long term-I would recommend joining a club - there is the extra benefit of the social aspect and practice facilities.

Definately as stated by previous posters - it is now a buyers market and the days of 10k entrance fees are gone in all but the most prestigious clubs.

Previously impossible to get into Forrest Little in Swords - now big sign on clubhouse stating memberships available !!

Message check around and join a members club - as opposed to a pay and play.

badbrian

Lease a membership in Killeen. Nice course. Nice crowd there. If you decide you like it you can always buy a membership later but I know a lad there who is leasing, very involved and has no interest in buying.

arg

Dublin Spur wrote: »

There are some very competitive offers around Dublin these days.
I'm in the process of joining Beaverstown GC in Donabate.
Joining fee reduced from 11k to 7.5k (they also do a 3 year easy payment plan).

Do you know what the annual sub is?

arg

Graeme1982 wrote: »

Getting a teetime on a Sunday morning is impossible cos of the clicks in place up there, but still, i've never once failed to get a time either by jsut turning up in hope of a no show or by playing later in the day.

The likes of Elmgreen is only a good thing short term though. Getting into a 'proper' club is on the cards for me too in the next year or two.

Arg - if you have the money i'd definitely join a decent club.

I'd just about convinced myself I'd be crazy to outlay all that cash on membership of a 'proper' club before seeing this. Is it the same situation in corballis and hollystown?

steelbar

derby7 wrote: »

Join Slievenamon, Co. Tipp, for €180 (distance members, >50miles), hand in 3 cards & get your GUI handicap. Then play Open Single events in various clubs around the country.

Slievenamon is a joke. 4800ish yards long and around 2000 "members".
All its gud for is for a handicap, mind you, don't be suprised on peoples reaction when they hear where your home club is, there are alot of bandits playing out of there.

WHIP IT!

steelbar wrote: »

Slievenamon is a joke. 4800ish yards long and around 2000 "members".
All its gud for is for a handicap, mind you, don't be suprised on peoples reaction when they hear where your home club is, there are alot of bandits playing out of there.

Well if all you want out of it is a GUI then I think it's a decent idea. I can't afford to keep leasing a membership this year so am joining Slievenamon to keep my handicap current. When I play in an Open or semi-Open (I only play the odd one, would be more of a social golfer) I'll register my score like everyone else and, unfortunately, I can assure you - absolutely no one will ever accuse me of being a bandit when they see me play!

Trampas

steelbar wrote: »

Slievenamon is a joke. 4800ish yards long and around 2000 "members".
All its gud for is for a handicap, mind you, don't be suprised on peoples reaction when they hear where your home club is, there are alot of bandits playing out of there.

I moved my handicap to there after my club closed down (Coldwinters) and process of moving again to a club nearer to me sending mails to a few places asking about their entrance fee is negotiable since it is a buyers market.

Its a short course and I have play it 4 or 5 times a year.

I played in an open the other week and when I said where I was a member the Pro gave me one of them looks. Only for it was a fourball I wouldn't have played because of his his reaction.

I would join the place as a stop gap if you are looking to join somewhere close to you.

hcnyla

badbrian wrote: »

Lease a membership in Killeen. Nice course. Nice crowd there. If you decide you like it you can always buy a membership later but I know a lad there who is leasing, very involved and has no interest in buying.

How does this work? There are no details on their website about leasing a membership.

What kind of costs are you looking at for this? I'm more of a social golfer as well so 10K joining and 1K+ sub is not for me unfortunately.

WHIP IT!

hcnyla wrote: »

How does this work? There are no details on their website about leasing a membership.

What kind of costs are you looking at for this? I'm more of a social golfer as well so 10K joining and 1K+ sub is not for me unfortunately.

Give the clubhouse a ring and they'll give you any info you need. This year, I believe the lease memberships are in the region of €1350 so, well, maybe it would be better to wait til next year - although it's possible they might do a deal for the remainder of the year?

stockdam

I wouldn't pay a joining fee.......that's a waste of money as there are enough clubs looking for members now and you should be able to find a reasonable club that doesn't ask for a joining fee.

Dublin Mountain is looking for €600 (I think) with no joining fee. Ok so I guess the social side wouldn't be the best as the clubhouse is small but then again I don't really know. It's a reasonable course but the greeens are far too fast to be playable.

hcnyla

ANyone know of a club in the North Kildare area that doesn't look for a joining fee?? The one in Dublin Mountains is the kind of thing I'm looking for. I'm not really interested in the clubhouse scene. Just looking for a reasonably cheap way of having a game of golf whenever I'm free.

Mister Sifter

arg wrote: »

I'd just about convinced myself I'd be crazy to outlay all that cash on membership of a 'proper' club before seeing this. Is it the same situation in corballis and hollystown?

I'm not too sure about Corballis and Hollystown but as far as i know they have smaller membership numbers so shouldn't be as bad.

Maybe an unfair picture has been painted of Elmgreen though. On the whole i enjoy being a member there. I've never really had a bad experience and everyone involved in the running of the club is generally spot on.

The only trouble is getting a teetime early on a Sunday. That could be solved by the introduction of an electronic timesheet, but can't see them bringing it in anytime soon.

Personally, i'd like to join a club in the next few years where i don't have to pay everytime i want to play, in addition to the annual fee. I also miss the social aspects and clubhouse banter.

If its money that's the main consideration then Elmgreen is cracking value (in my opinion, the best of the three mentioned).

Trampas

email a few clubs around Kildare and ask them about membership. Even if they have advertised a few grand I think these are open to offers under it.

uberwolf

Graeme1982 wrote: »

Maybe an unfair picture has been painted of Elmgreen though. On the whole i enjoy being a member there. I've never really had a bad experience and everyone involved in the running of the club is generally spot on.

The only trouble is getting a teetime early on a Sunday. That could be solved by the introduction of an electronic timesheet, but can't see them bringing it in anytime soon.

certainly as a place to have a casual round of golf it's spot on, but there's no advantage to joining the place if this is your aspiration.
There's no member's discount on green fee's except during comp times (unavailable) or during the week.
If you don't want a handicap then Elm Green is avail 6 days of the week, first come fist serve and is an ok track

Mister Sifter

uberwolf wrote: »

certainly as a place to have a casual round of golf it's spot on, but there's no advantage to joining the place if this is your aspiration.
There's no member's discount on green fee's except during comp times (unavailable) or during the week.
If you don't want a handicap then Elm Green is avail 6 days of the week, first come fist serve and is an ok track

You can't get a time at all on a Sunday or just at the time you want to play?

Dublin Spur

arg wrote: »

Do you know what the annual sub is?

1,200 / 1,300 ish

uberwolf

Graeme1982 wrote: »

You can't get a time at all on a Sunday or just at the time you want to play?

nothing before 13.30, even 2 minutes after the timesheet opens. If it really were first come first serve I would be ok with that. Even if it were a private club and I had to serve my time until I got preferential treatment. But it's a public course subsidised by the state.

I take your point though, if I wanted to play badly enough I could. None of my playing partners can play later though.

My point to the OP is that for 6 and a half days of the week, joining Elm Green would bestow no benefits. Anyone can ring and book a time for 6 days, and the other half day is unavailable whether you join or not.

Mister Sifter

I agree totally that every member should have a fair crack at getting an early slot. Pretty annoying, but thankfully i can play any time on a Sunday. Although it does mean playing on the trampled greens etc.

The course is public, but the club itself is a seperate entity as far as i'm aware. It just uses the facility.

I agree also, the discounts to members are crap and in 18 odd months i've never availed of any of them other than on a Sunday.

slumped

where ever you join make sure you dont pay an entrance fee. Clubs are going to be scaling back their entrance fees in the coming years and you dont want to pay big bucks now only for the club to reduce fees later.

S

downthemiddle

The best value golf club in the greater Dublin area has to be Boystown just outside Blessington. It is a great test of golf, always in good condition, playable all year round and set in a beautiful location.
It costs 800 euro for the yearly subscription with no entrance fee. I have been a member since it first opened 10 years ago and it is a great place to play golf. It never gets too busy so there is no difficulty getting a game there.
I highly recommend it!

Mister Sifter

uberwolf wrote: »

Nothing before 13.30, even 2 minutes after the timesheet opens.

Was ringing from bang on 8am today and when i finally got through... 1pm was the earliest!:D

Unbelievable. Said as much on the phone too.

uberwolf

Graeme1982 wrote: »

Was ringing from bang on 8am today and when i finally got through... 1pm was the earliest!:D

Unbelievable. Said as much on the phone too.

you won't have been the only one to say it them this morning then

did you take the time? What format and I might play, just to play a comp for the first time

Mister Sifter

uberwolf wrote: »

you won't have been the only one to say it them this morning then

did you take the time? What format and I might play, just to play a comp for the first time

Hehe...:D

Yeah, i took 1pm. It's the May medal - singles strokeplay.

uberwolf

ugh, stroke play. (say's he who's aim is to break 100 for the first time this month, from 130 2 months ago, it's sub 110 at the mo)

Mister Sifter

I much prefer strokeplay to stableford myself. Far too many stablefords and team comps on the elmgreen fixtures list imo!

markie4

Last year, i played in about 20 comps in elmgreen, think i had booked only about 5 of them, mostly turned up by 9.30 and nearly always got out before 11. If you only want to play with your three mates then yeah, you're probably not going to get a teetime before 1.30ish, but if you want to play golf then you'll get a game most sunday mornings.

Definitely agree that there aren't enough singles comps, tho not too fussed on whether medal or stableford....to be fair both are too slow @elmgreen. People don't seem to pick up when they're out of a hole, so it's not even a decent bit quicker with the s/ford.

uberwolf

didn't know you could do that.

Golf Pro

Did you talk to Dunmurry Springs in Kildare, I know they had some lease memberships available earlier this year

CallawayMan

Corballis Links Golf Club is great value. €375 for the year including GUI and discounted green fees at the weekend for €11.