Golfer turned cyclist... give up golf membership??

golfer555

I swore 10 years ago I would never let it happen to me. That I wouldn't become one of them ... a cyclist!

Way back then I never wanted to buy a bike as I thought it was too dangerous. However in the New Year a friend convinced me to sign up for a triathlon in the summer. I fell to the peer pressure and bought a road bike, joined a cycling club as I m the competitive type as I didn't want to show myself up. The triathlon came and went and after I did a longer version, both of which I've loved and to my surprise I ve become a want to be cyclist. Of late instead of looking at golf trips to the West of Ireland to play Rosses Point, Enniscrone and Belmullet I m looking at cycling trips to the Alps, Tuscany or Croatia.

On the golf front I ve been playing off single figures for the past 8 years or so. Haven't improved a great deal in this time but just about maintained my handicap. Over the last year in particular even with additional practice I ve struggled to play to my handicap and my enjoyment for the game has waned. Two weeks ago the yearly invoice for my membership came through the letterbox, it s pricey at £1,700 but that s the going rate (with bar card, EGU & locker fees) in London for a bog standard course. I ve found the level of parkland courses (the normal ones, not the likes of Sunningdale, Wentworth or The Grove etc) pretty average over here and uninspiring. What I'd give to play the Headfort, Dunmurry Springs or Greystones week in week out. While the members are your typical old man stuffy type who would rarely acknowledge you a week after playing with them, sounds strange but many have experienced this and its labelled as the friendliest club in this particular part of London. So I think that s put a dampener on my golf experience here. To be fair one thing I will say about London golf is that it s a hell of a lot dryer here so you get much better yearly value, the course I play never closes unless there s snow plus this summer has been immense.

I should be homeward bound in the next six months or so and I m torn on which sport to keep up as it's a struggle time and money wise to commit to the two. Has anyone else experienced this with cycling or other sports and what conclusion did you come to?

I see Dublin full memberships are around the €1,500 mark so if I play around 30 Saturdays in the year a round will cost €50, which is still quite pricey. I've done my stint with Metropolitan and Barton Cups so don't care about interclub competitions.

When I do get back home I m tempted to join somewhere on a distance membership and play there once or twice a month as I think I'll never want to fully give up a club membership. This way my initial outlay won t be as big so I won't have the guilt hanging over me if I don't play as much. Failing this its giving up a membership completely and paying for odd green fees which could well happen.

I've found if I don t get out before 9am rounds are taking 5 hours which is far too long in my book. The game hasn't moved with the times in getting quicker and if anything we ve made it longer. With cycling I can get out for a decent 75k spin and be home and showered in 3 hours, never thought I would be sticking up for cycling over golf and I know you can t compare two vastly different sports. You could say well you can play 9 holes but when I want to play on a Saturday or Sunday morning and you put your name on the timesheet your committing to 18, its not appreciated if you skip off after 9 leaving the group as a three ball behind fourballs, it's not something I would do.

As clubs are putting out their yearly memberships about now I wondered are there others in the same boat and thinking about scrapping their memberships for 2017?

Keano

Can see how fitting in the cycling and the golf would be tough. Golf will not keep you fit

Senecio

I'm a golfer and a cyclist. Play 18 holes on a Saturday morning and put in a 60-80km ride on a Sunday morning. I'm fortunate in the regards that I've no kids and I'm an early riser. On a Sunday morning mid Summer I've been out for 80km and home and showered before the wife has gotten out of bed. The only thing that it has interrupted is my drinking as I like to be focussed for both golf and cycling (probably not a bad thing).

The decision is entirely yours. Whether your constraint is time or money if it can be only one then you need to decide which you get the most enjoyment out of. And there's nothing stopping you from changing your mind.

morrga

Hibernian golf club will give you an affordable chance to look at doing both. Plus you can play a top course it suits you. Check out the website.

Livefornow

Golf clubs in Ireland are struggling for new members and prices are far cheaper now than 10 years ago. Shop around for the best deal. I would be very confident of getting 7 day membership for €800 or less.

rickis tache

Stuck in the hard spot of deciding whether to stay or go.

Two kids under 4 and no real gra for the game the last couple of months.

I have almost reached the goal i had at start of the year but the thought of cold wet Sunday mornings trudging around a course for 4 hours doesn't appeal to me.

The comradeship with the lads I play with would be the hardestate thing to part with, but my priorities have changed.

Probably will return soon to playing but moving clubs would be a step down to be honest as my current is the best within 20 miles or its either pack it in or stick it out but reduce the amount of rounds per year and not getting the value ( 1100 per year)

Gonna give it another couple of months before I decide which way I go.

Seve OB

Tried cycling a few years ago. used to go out on a Sunday morning or a weeknight during summer. I like it, good fun, nice exercise, but no matter what way you look at it, you still give it a few hours. I came to the conclusion, I prefer golf, so that's what I spend my time at instead. Kids are grown up a bit now, so Sunday is normally swimming with them, Saturday is for me and my golf clubs.... Greystones actually are ya jealous

d2ww

Golfer555, are you looking at North, South or West Dublin?

Loire

golfer555 wrote: »

On the golf front I ve been playing off single figures for the past 8 years or so.

I have a cracking bike in the shed. Wanna swap for your handicap?

golfer555

Senecio wrote: »

I'm a golfer and a cyclist. Play 18 holes on a Saturday morning and put in a 60-80km ride on a Sunday morning. I'm fortunate in the regards that I've no kids and I'm an early riser. On a Sunday morning mid Summer I've been out for 80km and home and showered before the wife has gotten out of bed. The only thing that it has interrupted is my drinking as I like to be focussed for both golf and cycling (probably not a bad thing).

The decision is entirely yours. Whether your constraint is time or money if it can be only one then you need to decide which you get the most enjoyment out of. And there's nothing stopping you from changing your mind.

Great going, you're living the life of Reilly right now so enjoy it! What time do you get out for a Sunday morning spin? I was thinking of joining a cycling club and their spins normally start around 9am which is a little on the later side for me, would love to get out at 7 and be back for 10:30/11 with the day still ahead of me.

Can't say my constraint is money but it becomes a factor if I paid €1,500 for membership and only got out 15 times in the year. Also, like you, if I played golf and went for a spin the other day my social life takes a hammering as I can't drink and focus the next day, so I've got to bear that in mind too.

d2ww wrote: »

Golfer555, are you looking at North, South or West Dublin?

I'll be South Dublin based but originally from out the country and thinking if I do the distance it will be close to the home house. Kind of handy visiting the parents and getting out for a spot of golf too.

Seve - What I'd do to play Greystones week in week out

Loire - its a deal! ;-)