Membership Cork area- 2023

leesidegolfer

Just wondering if anyone has information regarding membership in the Cork area for 2023 , I'm in ballincollig

Been out of game for 5 years. Used to be a member in Blarney but would prefer a different club if something suitable available.

Closest is Lee valley but not sure if they are open for membership. I sent an email but didn't receive a reply

Open to any suggestions, or info

Dbu

All Cork clubs are open for membership, prices vary massively

I would contact them all by phone

sean.ocall

Muskerry is pretty close to you. Busy course but quite nice. Greens are always in great nick.

slingerz

All depends on your budget. Muskerry/Lee Valley very close by but expensive, Macroom a little forward west but cheaper.

it all comes down to budget really

ShivasIrons

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119655212#Comment_119655212

Douglas GC and Cork GC are full.

ShivasIrons

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119656404#Comment_119656404

The first consideration for joining a club is distance or proximity, not price. No point joining a club 45 minutes away if there's one on your doorstep.

Dbu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119665927#Comment_119665927

Douglas taking applications until this Friday, so I presume there are vacancies

frink

I applied to join Douglas for this year and despite having an ex-President and Senior Cup player propose me, my application was unsuccessful. 8 memberships for 50+ applicants.

Ended up joining Monkstown and very happy there, and practice facilities are improving. I believe they are still advertising full membership

Mushy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119667554#Comment_119667554

What's the financial situation there? They built a big clubhouse and almost went bust, but seem to be doing some good works there. It's a lovely course

frink

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119668383#Comment_119668383

Yes I think they were in trouble 3-4 years ago but seem to be very settled financially now. Chipping green opened this summer and is great albeit still bedding in. Full driving range is in construction at the moment.

Lovely course, aside from 3-5 and the greens have been excellent all summer

big_drive

Heard previously that Lee Valley had reintroduced entrance money but not certain if correct

Mushy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119669456#Comment_119669456

Ah thats good to hear. It is somewhere I may end up joining in a few years if it suits, although not a fan of hello money.

What we're the issues with 3-5? I liked those holes myself although wish I didn't try lay up on 3.

Buttros

The 3rd hole in Monkstown is not great. It's a blind second shot and a good second shot can often take a few mins to find if you find it at all and it's the one hole with a poor green. I've no issues with 4 and 5. The fifth is a tricky par 4 given its length and the fact it has no bunkers. The 4th is a nice little index 18 par 4. Reachable for most golfers I would think. I like that index 18 is undebatably the easiest hole on the course. Would have eagle putts there fairly regularly.

chasingbirdies

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119672217#Comment_119672217

3rd hole is the worst on the course by far - up there with the worst hole in all of Cork I'd say... a completely blind 2nd shot where really good shots can be punished very harshly and really bad shots can be absolutely perfect

4th is what it is.. in the summer it is very short, could be hitting an iron up there and running onto the green, when its cold and windy it can be a tricky tee shot because you feel like you always have to go for it and if you are trying to carry it up there it gets a lot tighter -especially to the bushes on the right .. which the land naturally falls

5th is of divided opinion I think, I like it because I can carry it a good way up the hill and still have a short iron/wedge in, alot of ppl find it very long though with the gradient of the hill - tricky green as well big slope from left to right as you approach, can have some interesting putts

phelimb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119665933#Comment_119665933

Yeah, that swung it for me in the past...old club was an hours drive where realistically I'd go once a week at most. Current club is less than 10 mins away so I go so much more, even just for the range/practice area and maybe a few holes in the evenings. I've probably recouped the increased subscription costs in reduced petrol costs...

To the OP, if Lee Valley or Muskery aren't options for you there are many courses within 30mins of Ballincollig - Bandon, Mallow, Fermoy, East Cork and Macroom as well as the likes of Douglas and Monkstown.

Speaking of Monkstown - I was never a fan of 3 and 5 either (4 was OKish). Holes 6 and 7 made up for it and 17, 18 are quite nice/strong finishing holes.

frink

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119672217#Comment_119672217

I am probably being overly harsh on 4,5, its just the stretch of holes I wouldn't be a fan of. 3 is one of the worst holes I've played. Hit good shots and gone over the back, hit bad shots and ended up on the green.

Mushy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119674822#Comment_119674822

Yeah seems to be the trend based on comments, I imagine in dry weather it's impossible to hold the green

slingerz

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119665933#Comment_119665933

well there is if its 10K on your doorstep or €800 45 mins away. Price and available disposable income are key concerns for a lot of people

big_drive

Lot of clubs took in members during Covid. I wonder will numbers start dropping back again in next couple seasons if financial pressure starts to hit people

coillcam

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119679695#Comment_119679695

A bit of the financial hit and a bit of normal life resuming I'd imagine. Lads around my age early-mid 30s are back at GAA/soccer/5 a side etc. The social calendar also has picked up and holidays are another cost to be considered. Less time to play golf so maybe not in a position to justify full membership.

big_drive

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119680147#Comment_119680147

I wonder how long until clubs feel the hit. In a strange way Covid proved a positive for some struggling clubs with increases in membership and revenue from green fees, open comps, etc.

Even equipment prices seemed to jump hugely as a result. Some second hand clubs have sold for crazy money past 2 years

ShivasIrons

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119679466#Comment_119679466

The first club golfers will nearly always look at is the closest one to them, if they can't afford that one they will look at the next closest one etc. I've never said that price wasn't a concern, just that it's not the first concern.

The issue for clubs where decision makers think that price is the only concern is they market only on price and not all the other reasons why golfers join clubs, it also prevents the clubs from running as profitable businesses. I can certainly understand a big difference between an €800 subscription and a €2,000 subscription and a €40 green fee and a €200 green fee but to think that an €800 sub is more attractive than a €900 sub or a €40 green fee is more attractive than a €50 green fee is why so many clubs get into financial difficulty.

Username1_

Do you happen to know price of muskerry considering joining them next year?

big_drive

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119778894#Comment_119778894

Think last year it was around €1,350 , they had upped it a lot on previous years. Think there was more people looking at joining clubs since covid. That interest might start to decrease again with everyday costs rising, so there might be deals available again for next year

big_drive

Muskerry advertising their membership on social media this evening

€1,501 for next year. So up another €150 which surprised me. I don't see it as a course worth that annual fee

callaway92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119830189#Comment_119830189

I’d say it’ll be increases across the board nationally with memberships continuing at an all-time-high

big_drive

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119830742#Comment_119830742

I thought with other costs rising so much in everybody's life that demand for golf membership wouldn't be high on list of priorities but looks like you could be correct

leesidegolfer

I see cork golf being mentioned on another thread, reminded me to come back to this for anyone interested in membership info

I still haven't joined any place but this is the info I got from clubs

Macroom €875

Blarney €960

Muskerry €1,500

Lee Valley €1,248 plus €1,500 joining fee. Currently full for new members. May take on members in April/may

Not sure what is the best option to be honest. Lee valley is probably my favourite course of those but paying entrance money is annoying really

big_drive

Is €1,500 very pricy for muskerry? Or just a sign of where things are at moment

phelimb

Regarding Lee Valley, hopefully "Joining Fees" aren't making a comeback in general. Some of the "Hello" money back in the day was nuts. Was Blarney 10K or something when it opened?

@big_drive , yeah 1500 seems a lot for Muskerry alright. I wonder does that include a bar subscription and/or a bunch of green fees or something etc?

big_drive

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120246956#Comment_120246956

Would you believe Blarney was €15,000 when it opened, I know 2 lads who paid it at the time. And one isn't even playing golf anymore. Absolutely a sign of the times , crazy money. At one stage they had a scheme running that if a member brought in a new member they were given a cut of the joining fee, something like €1,500. Shows the way money was being thrown around in Ireland at the time

The Muskerry €1,500 includes the GUI levy and a bar levy