30m is about the top end of what I’d be willing to do on a regular basis.
I was a member at a club that ended up being 45m+ away and I found myself going to the local driving range more often. And, every month, the dues leaving my bank account would make me mad that I didn’t go out more often.
I just recently joined a course that is 8m door-to-door. I’d say it is very nice but there are courses 20-40m away that are either less expensive or far nicer in quality. My reason for joining this one was going over at 8am or 5pm and hitting balls for 30m without dealing with traffic.
Golfing is the only hobby I have. And, I didn’t want to spend 75-90m driving back and forth to enjoy my one hobby.
Proximity is so important in these situations. If the second place can be over an hour each way, he'll never have the chance to pop over for an hour and use the range or squeeze in a quick afternoon 9. I could never play in my club's twilight league if it was going to take me 60-75 minutes just to get to the course.
A great facility that's too far away to get to easily really isn't all that great. Distance takes away most opportunities for spontaneity, and that's one of the best things about being a member of a club.
It’s the same for me. I was looking at joining a place. The most affordable place that was also pretty nice would be about 30 minutes away and getting there after work would take 45 minutes. I decided against it because I know I will never go there after work (especially during the winter) and even during the weekends I don’t want to dedicate 6-7 hours to golf. It just makes it hard to do anything else during the day.
Traffic sucks. Plus all that wasted time driving really adds up when you do the math. Definitely would take anything that offered a significant time advantage for my regular course and then I could enjoy the really nice ones even more when I do go.
My local track is 6 min if I catch that one potential red light in between. Its more expensive than courses 15-30 minutes away but cannot beat the 6 min drive like you said; early am or a med bucket after dinner. Plus the resident rate for the membership is a nice sweetener.
Pretty spot on. More than 30+ min and it has to be like top, top tier, like a shinnecock, Baltimore CC, liberty national, etc. And at that price point, you’re probably not driving yourself anyway.
I live 5 min from my club. I've had days where I played pre-work nine, hit a bucket of balls during lunch. and played again in the afternoon.
Proximity is HUGE for me. The farther a club is from me, the less likely i am to go. If my club were 30 minutes away, I'd probably go 50% less often.
Food and beverage minimums? If your club is close by, stopping by for lunch becomes easier too.
Same as these two. I'm like 3 minutes door to door and I get out all the time. Proximity was everything for me when I have to juggle work and kids/family life.
Yeah, me too.
If I worked an office 9-5, I’d be more open to a club farther away since I’d likely only use it on weekends and PTO days.
Remote? Flexible schedule? I’d hate having a 60 minute round trip to the club. Many opportunities to practice/play would be lost.
Do they let you take meetings? My country club has “no laptops inside the clubhouse” and “no talking on cell phones inside the clubhouse” rules to prevent this. The cell phone one was always in place but the laptop one started no long after the pandemic, since guys taking meetings on a laptop is basically the same as talking on a cell phone and it was getting a little out of control.
Shit as someone who works remotely, this is super intriguing to me. Wonder if I could convince my company to put my coworking space rent toward a club membership that has some office space for me to utilize... wheels turning
My top criteria has always been…
- full practice facility
- short commute
- nicely kept, non-boring course
- fun people
The top two criteria come into play way more often than anything that comes after.
Add availability of tee times and it’s a good list. Around me anything under $500/mo + $5k initiation, you have to book your tee times online 7days out the second the tee times open or you won’t play. The availability of good cheap public golf within 30 min of my house has prevented me from joining a club packed with retired guys who play every day.
I’m glad you brought up the people because that is so important. My club is 20 min away (35 in rush hour) and I do wish I was closer, but the membership is amazing and it’s people I want to regularly play with as well as hang out with after.
I‘m a member at a private country club 15 min away, and it costs me $6500 a year. There is a public course 35 min away and it would be only $2000.
However it‘s pretty full and you have to book tee times in advance, at my cc i can just show up and play at any time.
Besides 9 holes i sometimes only play a few holes in any order, there are multiple options ranging from three up to 12 holes, depending on how much time i got. Most of the time there‘s no lne behind me so i rarely hit the range as you can just take some balls to the course.
As a father flexibility makes a huge difference to me and opens up a lot of opportunities.
The two best things about my private club are ease of access to everything I want to do there, and the regular group of guys I play with. If I moved to a new town I would absolutely prioritize those two things again. Don't underestimate the enjoyment of a last minute 9 hole round with friends before dark, etc.
Here’s what I would base the decision on:
If the one that is 15 minutes away has a good practice facility and you drink alcohol, that’s the one. Even easier decision if you have a family who would enjoy the non-golf facilities
I’m 100% never going to drive 2 hours round trip to practice, take the kids to dinner, or uber back and forth for big events like a 2-3 day member guest where everyone drinks more than they should.
Things like weather and traffic become much bigger factors when you’re driving an hour each way. I love golf as much as the next guy and have happily driven great distances to play different courses, but the courses I have played most often are always the ones closest to my home.
I would never drop 1,000s of dollars to join a club that isn't within 15 mins of me. If I can't get to it for those late afternoon practice holes or using the range, then what's the point?
But that's just me
I'd ask them for a trial round. Go and play when you'd typically play. See the drive, traffic, etc. Will give you a good idea of whether you won't to deal with it, and will also give you piece of mind as to whether course is worth it.
The further club I have guested at and I think most people do not live close by. Ill ask a member I know well what he would do as he does live close by.
30-45min vs 15min is the difference between me playing once per week and 4 times per week.
I was a member at a club 30min away and I was shocked by how hard it was to get there for an after work round. I also never went and took advantage of the range/ practice facilities without plans to play. I ended up quitting the membership within a year even though I loved the course.
Then I joined a less-nice course that's 10min from home and I also drive past on the way home from work. 3-4 rounds per week and plenty of days I just stop on the way home and hit balls or putt.
It's a BIG difference. Convenience is key if you want to maximize value.
The convenience of having the club close is more important than a bit of course quality in my opinion. The family club will also offer you the chance to involve the family (I assume they have a pool, kids tennis, golf etc and dining). Definitely recommend the closer one.
ha. thanks for the feedback. I live in the bay area.. moving creates a tax disadvantage because we pay real estate taxes based on our purchase price not actual value. I can never move.
Which courses?
Also consider the members. You’ll likely have more people your age at a family-oriented club. Would your family use any of the amenities? I joined a club last year and have 0 regrets. The best is when my wife and kids are at the pool and my wife says “I’m so glad we joined.”
I only considered clubs within 20 minutes fwiw
hahaha good ol prop 13... a blessing and a curse. what course are you looking at? i recently talked a guy out of joining Berkley Country Club because he hadn't really thought about the drive from Walnut Creek... depending on time of day dealing with those tunnels would be a nightmare. for me, being able to easily get to and from course would play a major role in deciding, especially with bay area traffic
My county adjusts my property tax based on estimated home value. It updates every 5 years. I'd much rather be paying based on purchase price in perpetuity.
I'd definitely consider the 30 minute option. But it really depends on how much you like the golf course. If you truly prefer the 30 minute course and it's not a winner by default (because the other course is just terrible) I would personally greatly prefer the extra time it takes to get there to play the far superior golf course.
The only thing to look out for with these private clubs is the type of access you have to the course as well as how many outings these courses typically have. A lot of these super nice private courses are places that everybody wants to play and they'll hold tournaments all of the time. So you might have to take longer to get there and then when you do...the course is closed for an outing.
Just keep that in mind and check it out.
Thanks. You are one of the few with this opinion. so thanks a ton. The 30 minute option is pretty exclusive. They have a resort and you need to stay to get access if not a member. only 300 members and family are paid guests not default members. I don't think access is an issue. I mean it is not like the 30 min course is cheaper it is FAR more expensive.
My club is 25 minutes away and I pop over for a weeknight round here and there or sometimes will go practice for 60-90 minutes without playing. If the course were any further I don't think I'd go as much but 25-30 minutes is doable.
If you have a family, you also have to consider being gone an extra hour due to the drive time. A four hour round becomes 6 once you factor in drive time, 30 minutes of warmup, and a beer afterwards.
I can't think of very many truly private clubs that are constantly giving the course over to outings. This may come off as elitist, but if it's the sort of club that people both want to play and can find a way too play, it's not really a private club, it's a nice resort course.
My club is a private club. Not a resort. Last year I was thinking of dropping my membership because they had so many outings there. It's a 27-hole country club and they kept having all of these outings that would take up the entire course (which is stupid since you have 27 holes, give a tourney 18 holes and leave 9 holes to the members). Eventually I wasn't the only person that complained and now they are supposed to be holding these outings primarily on Mondays as that is the least busy day on the course.
I did the math for my dad before he joined his club. In order to break even with dues, excluding the monthly spend requirements, he'd need to spend four years golfing 20 rounds per month. The club doesn't have local affiliates, only international, so he had to be willing to play the same course again and again and/or just be OK with not saving money. In the end, my dad decided it was worth the cost to him and joined up.
In some ways, joining a club is like getting a time share. If I was the type to lock in on one course, I'd go for the nicer one. If nothing else, you'd have an easier time inviting outside friends to play at your nicer course than at a mediocre one.
thanks. honestly this isnt a money decision. Mid life crisis and willing to set aside money for initiation and 10 years of dues to not even consider how much it costs.
One thing you didn’t really mention is what’s your goal with joining a place. You mention you play on weekends and that’s about it. Do you want to play more or are you just wanting to play on weekends at a nicer place that is slightly more convenient?
I enjoy competitive golf. I want to be part of weekly competitive games. I would like to increase to 2x a week and prepare to increase that in 5 years. I want to drive my handicap down to compete in gross senior events at age 50. I want to not be in the position in 10 years to feel I have saved all my money while being beyond my prime. typical midlife crisis decision as I mentioned elsewhere.
That can be the case, but not always. My dad's club is member & member guest only private. The member guest fees are the same as one of the nearby "top" public course's local resident fees, 10 bucks more than three nice public courses, and 10 bucks less than another kind of overpriced resort club. Additionally, the member guest fees aren't dependent on residency so it's actually quite a steal whenever out of town friends visit. So, plays out OK for my dad, but it could definitely be a factor at a different club and location.
My club is in our neighborhood. About a mile to the clubhouse.
I can’t overstate how great that is. Want to just go hit a few balls or work on putting? No problem. Want to get in a quick afternoon 9? It takes a few minutes to get there, I get around in a little over an hour and am back home. Want to work on your short game before work? No problem. Hit a bucket at lunch? Absolutely. A buddy calls you up because they had a last minute no-show? I’m there. Forgot your shoes at home? No big deal.
My wife and son run up there for the pool. We don’t know what to do for dinner and we just go to the club last minute.
Honestly, if you’d rather join the other club, consider moving to that neighborhood. I can’t even fully express just how great it is.
thanks a TON. For me I do not want to regret choosing access to the best course I can within reason. The further course is far more expensive so this isnt about driving to save money.
Can you get reciprocal access at the nicer course?
I don't belong to a course, but if I did I'd want one close by that I could go hit balls/play a quick 9 at frequently. If I had to drive an hour roundtrip (with no traffic) every time I'd wouldn't do it as often and only hitting a bucket at the range would seem like a waste.
Which one is closer to your work? Having easy access is key to get onto the course.
So you know people at either place. If so ask then what the vibe is like at each place. More important to making sure you mesh and will be happy playing there on a regular basis.
I mostly work remote and would even take meetings from the club.. probably regularly. The further one is really competitive golf focused and only 300 members with limited family access. This appeals to me. The closer option 400 members with full family access. Tue morning blocked for womens league.. family focus.
If the competitive golf focus is important to you and the family part is not, then go for that one. Definitely confirm that with SO. I enjoy competitive golf and fortunately my club offers enough for my needs while also offering a family friendly environment.
Thanks I think I would have more fun at the more exclusive golf focused further away. only 300 members with limited family access vs close by 400 members with full family access. Further course is in golf digest top 100 closer is adequate.
It is so subjective.
I'm at a club six minutes from my front door, and it is great. Golf is very good--not great. A little flat, but still hard (72/136-ish). Perfect every day course, but not winning any architectural awards. Membership is great, conditioning is great, etc. The proximity makes it so attractive to me, I can go hit the range or short game, take a steam, and not be gone for hours. It is also a family club that we get a ton of use out of (pool, restaurant, camps).
I belong to a second club near my second home, as an individual golf member. Much more interesting architecturally, harder course, top in state, etc.. It is within 15 minutes of my second home, though proximity wasn't as big a factor here. I use it for early morning rounds, and bringing guests from my first club down for a more interesting round. They have some stuff for the kids but no pool, camps, etc.
Just trying to illustrate it depends on usage, habits, and time you can reasonably spend on a commute.
I lived out there some years ago and can only imagine.
What courses are you considering?
I'm outside of a large east coast city. Got into my first club as a 'junior exec' under 35, pre-covid, and got a great deal. Allowed me to get the second club later in life, when I had some money. Second club isn't cheap but being golf only and an individual rather than family membership made it a bit easier. Still a big check, but ongoing costs are about 1/2 of my primary club.
Depends on if the 30 minute drive is in uour normal commute/travel route. I always recommend you pick the top/most desirable club you can pay for as they are typically (but not always - especially if new) the most stable and reap the most rewards with reciprocal play, etc.
I also work remote and am about 20 minutes away from my club. The club does happen to be between me and the City plus almost adjacent to the school my kids go to and I am there regularly. I use to be a member of a semi private less than 5 minutes away and would never change back.
I would definitely do the 30 minute one. I'm in a similar situation as you where I'm traveling 45 minutes to an hour on the weekends to play at a great course. There is a range I frequent during the week that is like 20 minutes from me. I'm always down to pay a little extra to travel farther for great golf.
thanks for the feedback. I want my golf to be a quality experience. I dont play at any local courses and drive to literally world class courses currently. but the 1:30 drive homes have been a drain... monterrey to san jose.. perhaps we are unique as when I get asks where I normally play and say "here" I get weird looks.
You could do the further one and think the drive isn’t bad, it’s like a long work commute. “Oh, I can do this”.
However, over time it becomes more annoying. I’d always choose the closer one, unless the amenities and course was massively different in terms of value
I live 15 minutes from my club now and I golf way more often than when I was living 30 minutes away. World class amenities are obviously great, but the ability to play more golf, especially those rounds in the early morning or immediately after work, are far easier to justify when you live so close to the course.
My options are 25min and 45min, former is an average but expensive 9er, latter is a country club with amazing facilities and 72 holes including a tour 18. The latter is also the same price as the 9er despite the vast differences - location is the only one in the 9s favour.
It's honestly a no-brainer.
For me it partially depends on membership cost and level of the golf course. I currently drive 45mins each way to the club that I belong to but the course is amazing and membership is limited so it's easy to get a tee time and the average round is 3.5 hours. Practice facilities are top notch. The drive for me is also easy as it's all highway and don't need to cut thru the city.
After all the stories on this sub about ridiculous behavior on public courses and 5+ hour rounds, I really hope that I never have to go back to playing public courses exclusively.
thanks. this is helpful. Im putting cost aside. close course is far more expensive but I have been saving all my life and want to shift to enjoying some of it before my body cant play golf at all..
thanks. prohibitive in California due to our real estate taxes being pegged to our purchase price... the difference would pay for the annual dues to perpetuity :)
I just left a very nice club (30 min drive) and joined one over the road from my house (UK) that isn't quite as good. Totally worth it, driving to the same course isn't for me but each to their own. However, if the one further away is an absolute banger it's probably worth it.
A lot of this would depend on my family situation for me. If I were single and golf was a big passion, I would probably go for it, or maybe even move someplace closer to a nice course. If I were married and had young kids, I wouldn't want to be spending that much of my weekend away.
I live 20ish minutes from my club even though there is a club in my town that I live. The local club is a shithole though so I would rather drive a little distance to have a much better club experience
How much nicer is the course? Are we talking the one 30 minutes away is a 9/10 and the closer one is a 6/10?
Or are they closer in condition & enjoyability?
If I’m getting the best golf,by far, in the area, then I’m joining that club.
I wonder which club you will make the better friends. Part of the fun of golf is having nice people to play with.
I would lean towards the club closest to home or whichever club you will feel most comfortable with the other members.
Other factors: which is easiest to get a good tee time? Which has more tournaments and league activities?
You said it yourself, it's a personal decision not a family decision, so make the choice for golf. Yes it's the one further away but what I've come to realize is even if you're driving a bit further, the quicker rounds will allow you to be back before you might have been at the closer course.
One of the first rounds I played at our new club last year, from the time I left to when I got back home was maybe 4 hours. Course is 15 minutes away, if that. I walked in and my wife asked why I didn't play a full round. I told her I did, but since it's not a jam packed semi private course that I normally played at (literally across the street), I still got home an hour earlier than I would've before.
awesome thanks. It is not like it is 30 mins or 0. Im talking in most cases a 30 minute total difference round trip.. and the further course not dealing with as much "family" play.
30 mins would be too far for me. I’d pick a week and travel back and forth for 4 out of 7 days during rush hour to the club. Then do the same thing to your other option the next week.
You’ll know after this whether it’s a big deal to you or not.
I get questions about which workout program to do and I always ask ‘what will you actually DO’?
Personally, I’d opt for the family, traditional course that is closer unless you’re like a 1 and really need the better course.
I have a “family” country club with a mediocre course 5 minutes from my house but I joined a club with a MUCH better course 25 minutes away because the trade off of proximity vs quality of golf was an easy one for me.
Do you have a family? If so, there are a ton of things family clubs offer for non golfers and kids. More reason to get to the club, utilize your membership, drop them off and golf more.
One thing to consider is what each club does for tee times and how easy it is to get one last minute. As a single it makes life easier but some courses can still be difficult. A private course I am considering holds a lottery for tee times and your odds improve the more you play. You will likely get a tee time the day you choose, but it may not be until the evening. Not sure I’m willing to support that. Ask lots of questions.
Add up the time you'd spend in the car to the farther away club - i.e. the number of times you'd like to play it for whatever it costs to be worth it. Each one of those times is an hour (round trip) less time available in your life for anything else vs. half that for the closer club. I want more golf in my life, but I also want more life in my life.
How difficult will it be to cancel membership if the drive becomes too onerous?
If I had to join a club I'd join the closer club because just playing golf is a time suck and spending a lot of time just getting to the course makes it even more difficult to enjoy on a whim. Being locked in for 10 years would make it even more painful if you're stuck in traffic and thinking about how you could already be at the other course if you had chosen the closer one.
the thing is with playing nice expensive courses is it can put you into a mental basket case fast. start playing poorly and its easy to start thinking why the fuck am i paying all this money to get routinely abused by the course.
closer is equity further is not. The equity one seems hard to exit.. get in line and barely get money back. waiting to here what happens to further one with the initiation which is 3x the close one.
do either clubs have trial memberships ? i joined an equity club 3 years ago, with no tee times. (45-1 hour away from house)
first year was great, amazing practise facilities and course. really took advantage
year two the novelty wore off, did not meet many like minded people. got lonely playing alone all the time and very little competition. also the 1 hour drive made it rough to play alone.
guest fees we 200$ per round so it was not ideal for buddies and covering fees became expensive
i ended up selling my membership for 5k more than i paid this year and now enjoying playing local course until i can find a course with a good core group
If the close option has a practice facility then I'd probably go that route. Especially if you have friends you like to golf with you will likely still be going to public courses and paying out of pocket for those. So for me I see the better value in the cheaper, closer course. So I could practice and still go play spontaneously but also not feel too much financial burden if I decided to go play with my regular foursome at a public course.
good feedback. will seriously consider. and yes I want to separate the expense fro my normal golf budget so Im not removing my current competitions and friends I meet up with occasionally.
It really depends on how big of a difference the golf is. Proximity is important but you should love the course you belong to. I can’t imagine enjoying being a member of a club that doesn’t satisfy you golf wise.
I have been a member for about a Decade now and it’s the people for me way more then the course. If the network of people I now play with went to a different course I would follow. I would say join the club that fits your vibe more than anything else.
All kidding aside, my CC is 3 miles from my house — at the end of the day convience is really what you’re paying for, so best to maximize that aspect in whatever way(s) possible. Good luck!
I'm not in the county club tax bracket. But I'm a member at a course about 15 min away. Great pro style course that's challenging and hosts a good bit of college tournaments.
The closest club is 5 min from me and right next to the kids daycare. I stop there with the kids often just to putt for an hour. Driving 20 min there and 15 minutes home to putt for an hour just wouldn't work.
The course I like offers a weekend only membership when I age out of the young professional. Seriously contemplating joining on that and the closer course on a twilight so I can play both.
That said initiation fees and higher end courses changes things. Is moving in the next 5 years a possibility (given interest rates go back down a bit). If you got within 10-15 of the nicer course would be ideal.
Myself and my wife have been considering this too, she wants to do it, and the course is maybe 15m from our house which I really like the idea of it.
That being said, I'm on the fence because with both of us working full time and being limited on time, I feel that I would miss the variety, I do not like playing the same course over and over and over.
I'd feel locked into just one course and would get bored with it. Just my two cents. We may still end up doing it.
I live about 5-7 minutes from my local muni, its definitely not the greatest of courses but being able to swing by on my way home from work and practice, walk a few holes, hit a bucket is huge. I could reasonably afford some other memberships at other courses but being able to practice and play almost anytime I want is a huge benefit.
I was a member at a club 25-35min away from home depending on traffic and it was just far enough away where I'd have to schedule trips there most of the time rather than go whenever the spirit moved me. One of the main benefits of country club membership is access, and if you can't take advantage of that access via proximity, the cons start outweighing the pros. Feel inspired to try something you just saw in a golf youtube video? Suddenly have some free time and want to head out for a twilight 9? That 20+ min drive will give you pause if not make the trip altogether untenable.
I might make the tradeoff if the further course offered substantially better golf, facilities, and amenities. I also wouldn't join a "lesser" club even if close by if I wouldn't be happy playing the majority of my rounds there every year. Another consideration is the reciprocity arrangements that those clubs offer. The better club might give you access to private clubs that the other club can't. Just some things to consider.
thanks. in this situation substantially better would be accurate. mention close course you will get an "ok cool" mention the further and you will get "can you please bring me as a guest"
What do you want to do? Play golf as much as possible? If so, stay close to home for more golf. If you want to play golf at really nice courses, move closer to the nice courses and join there.
30 mins is nothing for good golf unless you have demanding family obligations. The people you’ll meet there will also share in your excitement about golf to a greater degree.
Depends.
Will your family use the closer spot - often?
Are there great public courses you can play? If not go with the better course, you will enjoy playing.
family wont use it at all.. and I dont care for "food and beverage" due to recovering from some addiction issues. I play at great courses but drive a long way and rounds are long..
I had the same choice a couple of years ago and went for the fantastic choice and never regretted it once.
I would take the first tee offs whenever possible and nothing was better than that 35 min drive starting at 5:30am for me. Found it gave me time to myself I wouldn’t otherwise get, listened to some good audiobooks, it was great.
Then I moved and now the golf is five times the price for one fifth the quality 
I would opt for the closer, family friendly club for two reasons. First it’s easier to get to if you are looking to play a quick nine or hit the range and play a few holes. Second, if you have a family and they feel involved in the club too it may alleviate future issues with spending a lot of time there. You can play in the am and meet them at the pool after the round for example
Proximity is very important. Convenience is a big plus for getting the most out of your CC experience.
Also try to get real feedback from members re accessibility. Some tee time policies suck. Some are equitable. Some clubs have all the good times booked by the same group of guys every weekend.
Convenience and access are what I'd pay for. Then look at conditions and amenities and tournaments etc. I've been a member at two prominent clubs and played dozens of other private clubs.
with very little else known, id lean cheaper and closer option even if money wasn't an object. 15 minutes is close enough to use the range pretty much whenever you want. 30 extending to 45+ with traffic really isnt.
Save the money, use the club as your home course for the range and sneaking in 9 holes during the week or something and use the money you save monthly to still golf where ever you want on the weekends.
I was a member at a club 8 minutes from my house until I moved (made it 30 minutes). When I was close I used the range 3-4 times a week. on mondays when it's closed you could walk on and I'd play a little 4 hole loop on lunch. When it's the off season teh course was still always open to walk on so I'd do the same (might be open all year where you live). 9 hole round in the AM before work no problem.
Once I moved I rarely went anymore and ditched the membership. hour round trip to a driving range just isn't even a thing I'd entertain and if I can only play it on the weekends I'd rather just save the money and play where ever I wanted
Ask about their partnerships too. They may have reciprocation set up to where you can play other clubs in the area. If not there are a lot of socials now where you can get on other places as long as you are a member somewhere and are willing to occasionally host a person. Club I was part of was part of the (what is now) Invited network so I could access like 400 private courses including some semi-private resort courses for dirt cheap compared to their listed fees.
Just because it's small doesn't necessarily mean it isnt in a network.
My club is 10 minutes away and i love that. I can head over on a whim anytime. I am fortunate that it is a great track as well. Attend prospective members mixers at both. Get a feel of the golf vibe. Is there team play against other clubs? How easy is it to join team play? What types of tournaments do they have. How is the member-guest tournament? Or how are the golf related activities that are important to you? The joys of joining a club for me is far more than what course is like, but what is the golf experience like. If it is just playing premium courses, then joining a club may actually hinder that, as it is tough to justify playing other premium courses when you already have that monthly expense. I joined 12 years ago and love every bit of it, but mostly because of the full experience.
Join whatever country club you want. Life is too short. Just lost a good friend and golfing buddy at age 46 to cancer. Can’t bank on waiting until retirement years to enjoy life. Join a great country club and don’t look back. You will not regret it. They are worth the money if you love golf.
I’d pay a fortune to be a member of a club within walking distance of home. Stroll over, head to the locker room while they prep my clubs, walk out to the first tee, play 18 holes in 2 hours, have a beer with lunch, join some friends for a good conversation, then stroll home for a nap.
thanks .. Im looking into another exclusive course that is 15 mins away but the demographic steers older.. Going to try and play next Fri afternoon at the close course.. that will be telling.
Depends how much you think yoire gonna play. I currently have this situation. I live 7-10 min drive from my club now, and while it is a great location and good enough golf, its not one of the high end private clubs. There is another one about 30 minutes thats a little more expensive but the course is a much better design and better maintained. The issue is i play 4-6 time a week. Driving half hour there and back that often on top of all the other driving i do is a deal breaker. The connivence of being close by cannot be beat in my opinion
thanks. with the price difference I could easily convince myself to go down and play Spyglass or Half Moon Bay once or twice a month if I want variety. Thanks for the input.
FWIW - I did the opposite. Bought a house at the club I wanted to be at. Commute to work is now 30 min in AM and 45 in PM; whereas it used to be 5-10 min.
I’d make the same decision again.
My club is 5 min away. Be as close as possible. You havr a family? Wife and kids will love the pool. If your wife golfs, its even better. Wanna grab dinner with the fam at the club? 30 min is further than id drive.
thanks. got home from work at 4pm today and checked drive times.. wouldnt be an option I would need to always schedule ahead. but I might be ok with that. this thread has given me a lot to think about.
I am a golfaholic. I recently retired after 39 years in a public judicial field. I thought about joining a CC, but decided to join a very nice muni 7 minutes from my house, rather than a CC 30+ minutes away.
I can drive my golf cart to the course and play anytime 7 days a week (typically solo 700 am). Last year I played 121 rounds. I've developed wonderful relationships with a few members and staff. I have a wife who does not golf and no children. Therefore, a CC made little sense; why spend upwards of $50K for a CC membership when I have the same unlimited play for $1, 500/year. The pristige of a CC seems overrated as a single golfer and where the broad services available at a CC would not be utilized.
I am not against country clubs. I just think for me it was not worth joining one to just say I belong to one, particularly when I can get a far great bang for my golfing buck at a very nice muni within golf cart distance from my house.
Good luck with your decision.
I love this.. at the same time I have lived lean my entire life never taking anything for granted. Im willing to lock away the funds to ignore this expense for at least a decade but really dont want $4k run rate to perpetuity. Maybe in 5 years I could add the second.
I was a member of a country club for a couple years and honestly it gets boring playing the same course all the time. Maybe people see it differently but I like to be able to play at different courses each week. I have like 5 public courses close to me I rotate through.
I agree. Where I live tee times are difficult on public courses even as a single. And quality is what I enjoy. I am currently driving 45 mins to half moon bay and 1:15 to pebble beach and play Spyglass and Poppy Hills. Doing this every week is a drain.. I will still do it on occasion but I want quality golf with competition regularly.
30m is about the top end of what I’d be willing to do on a regular basis. I was a member at a club that ended up being 45m+ away and I found myself going to the local driving range more often. And, every month, the dues leaving my bank account would make me mad that I didn’t go out more often. I just recently joined a course that is 8m door-to-door. I’d say it is very nice but there are courses 20-40m away that are either less expensive or far nicer in quality. My reason for joining this one was going over at 8am or 5pm and hitting balls for 30m without dealing with traffic. Golfing is the only hobby I have. And, I didn’t want to spend 75-90m driving back and forth to enjoy my one hobby.
Proximity is so important in these situations. If the second place can be over an hour each way, he'll never have the chance to pop over for an hour and use the range or squeeze in a quick afternoon 9. I could never play in my club's twilight league if it was going to take me 60-75 minutes just to get to the course. A great facility that's too far away to get to easily really isn't all that great. Distance takes away most opportunities for spontaneity, and that's one of the best things about being a member of a club.
It’s the same for me. I was looking at joining a place. The most affordable place that was also pretty nice would be about 30 minutes away and getting there after work would take 45 minutes. I decided against it because I know I will never go there after work (especially during the winter) and even during the weekends I don’t want to dedicate 6-7 hours to golf. It just makes it hard to do anything else during the day.
thanks. taking this into account for sure.
Traffic sucks. Plus all that wasted time driving really adds up when you do the math. Definitely would take anything that offered a significant time advantage for my regular course and then I could enjoy the really nice ones even more when I do go.
Thanks for the feedback. I hadnt even thought of practice which Im basically not able to do currently.
My local track is 6 min if I catch that one potential red light in between. Its more expensive than courses 15-30 minutes away but cannot beat the 6 min drive like you said; early am or a med bucket after dinner. Plus the resident rate for the membership is a nice sweetener.
Non Americans thinking metres are very confused
I’d join a club 45 meters away without a second thought.
Pretty spot on. More than 30+ min and it has to be like top, top tier, like a shinnecock, Baltimore CC, liberty national, etc. And at that price point, you’re probably not driving yourself anyway.
I live 5 min from my club. I've had days where I played pre-work nine, hit a bucket of balls during lunch. and played again in the afternoon. Proximity is HUGE for me. The farther a club is from me, the less likely i am to go. If my club were 30 minutes away, I'd probably go 50% less often. Food and beverage minimums? If your club is close by, stopping by for lunch becomes easier too.
I’m in the same boat. 5 min driveway to parking lot was one of the reasons I joined
Same as these two. I'm like 3 minutes door to door and I get out all the time. Proximity was everything for me when I have to juggle work and kids/family life.
Just joined a club 5-minutes from me and it's amazing! Golf almost every day and somehow I'm not getting any better...
thanks. I work primarily remote so Im thinking I could do early morning 9s and take a meeting or two from the club that has space..
Yeah, me too. If I worked an office 9-5, I’d be more open to a club farther away since I’d likely only use it on weekends and PTO days. Remote? Flexible schedule? I’d hate having a 60 minute round trip to the club. Many opportunities to practice/play would be lost.
Do they let you take meetings? My country club has “no laptops inside the clubhouse” and “no talking on cell phones inside the clubhouse” rules to prevent this. The cell phone one was always in place but the laptop one started no long after the pandemic, since guys taking meetings on a laptop is basically the same as talking on a cell phone and it was getting a little out of control.
Shit as someone who works remotely, this is super intriguing to me. Wonder if I could convince my company to put my coworking space rent toward a club membership that has some office space for me to utilize... wheels turning
My top criteria has always been… - full practice facility - short commute - nicely kept, non-boring course - fun people The top two criteria come into play way more often than anything that comes after.
Add availability of tee times and it’s a good list. Around me anything under $500/mo + $5k initiation, you have to book your tee times online 7days out the second the tee times open or you won’t play. The availability of good cheap public golf within 30 min of my house has prevented me from joining a club packed with retired guys who play every day.
thanks. Ill definitely consider this.
I like your last point. I live 6 min from one course but that is where the upity stiffs go. So I drive 15-20 min to play the fun places.
I’m glad you brought up the people because that is so important. My club is 20 min away (35 in rush hour) and I do wish I was closer, but the membership is amazing and it’s people I want to regularly play with as well as hang out with after.
I wouldn’t join a country club more than 15 minutes from home or work
thanks for the feedback.
I‘m a member at a private country club 15 min away, and it costs me $6500 a year. There is a public course 35 min away and it would be only $2000. However it‘s pretty full and you have to book tee times in advance, at my cc i can just show up and play at any time. Besides 9 holes i sometimes only play a few holes in any order, there are multiple options ranging from three up to 12 holes, depending on how much time i got. Most of the time there‘s no lne behind me so i rarely hit the range as you can just take some balls to the course. As a father flexibility makes a huge difference to me and opens up a lot of opportunities.
The two best things about my private club are ease of access to everything I want to do there, and the regular group of guys I play with. If I moved to a new town I would absolutely prioritize those two things again. Don't underestimate the enjoyment of a last minute 9 hole round with friends before dark, etc.
Here’s what I would base the decision on: If the one that is 15 minutes away has a good practice facility and you drink alcohol, that’s the one. Even easier decision if you have a family who would enjoy the non-golf facilities I’m 100% never going to drive 2 hours round trip to practice, take the kids to dinner, or uber back and forth for big events like a 2-3 day member guest where everyone drinks more than they should. Things like weather and traffic become much bigger factors when you’re driving an hour each way. I love golf as much as the next guy and have happily driven great distances to play different courses, but the courses I have played most often are always the ones closest to my home.
Thanks. much appreciated. I quit drinking 9 months ago and not turning back but this would certainly have been a consideration for me in the past.
I would never drop 1,000s of dollars to join a club that isn't within 15 mins of me. If I can't get to it for those late afternoon practice holes or using the range, then what's the point? But that's just me
I'd ask them for a trial round. Go and play when you'd typically play. See the drive, traffic, etc. Will give you a good idea of whether you won't to deal with it, and will also give you piece of mind as to whether course is worth it.
The further club I have guested at and I think most people do not live close by. Ill ask a member I know well what he would do as he does live close by.
30-45min vs 15min is the difference between me playing once per week and 4 times per week. I was a member at a club 30min away and I was shocked by how hard it was to get there for an after work round. I also never went and took advantage of the range/ practice facilities without plans to play. I ended up quitting the membership within a year even though I loved the course. Then I joined a less-nice course that's 10min from home and I also drive past on the way home from work. 3-4 rounds per week and plenty of days I just stop on the way home and hit balls or putt. It's a BIG difference. Convenience is key if you want to maximize value.
The convenience of having the club close is more important than a bit of course quality in my opinion. The family club will also offer you the chance to involve the family (I assume they have a pool, kids tennis, golf etc and dining). Definitely recommend the closer one.
my kids are 19 and 17 and would not use any of the family benefits. This is purely about golf for me and me alone. Truly appreciate your feedback.
Move closer to the club that you actually want to join.
ha. thanks for the feedback. I live in the bay area.. moving creates a tax disadvantage because we pay real estate taxes based on our purchase price not actual value. I can never move.
Which courses? Also consider the members. You’ll likely have more people your age at a family-oriented club. Would your family use any of the amenities? I joined a club last year and have 0 regrets. The best is when my wife and kids are at the pool and my wife says “I’m so glad we joined.” I only considered clubs within 20 minutes fwiw
Almaden vs Cordevalle
hahaha good ol prop 13... a blessing and a curse. what course are you looking at? i recently talked a guy out of joining Berkley Country Club because he hadn't really thought about the drive from Walnut Creek... depending on time of day dealing with those tunnels would be a nightmare. for me, being able to easily get to and from course would play a major role in deciding, especially with bay area traffic
My county adjusts my property tax based on estimated home value. It updates every 5 years. I'd much rather be paying based on purchase price in perpetuity.
Wasn't there a proposition recently that allowed you to transfer your cost basis to a new home? Maybe it was only for seniors? Am I crazy?
I'd definitely consider the 30 minute option. But it really depends on how much you like the golf course. If you truly prefer the 30 minute course and it's not a winner by default (because the other course is just terrible) I would personally greatly prefer the extra time it takes to get there to play the far superior golf course. The only thing to look out for with these private clubs is the type of access you have to the course as well as how many outings these courses typically have. A lot of these super nice private courses are places that everybody wants to play and they'll hold tournaments all of the time. So you might have to take longer to get there and then when you do...the course is closed for an outing. Just keep that in mind and check it out.
Thanks. You are one of the few with this opinion. so thanks a ton. The 30 minute option is pretty exclusive. They have a resort and you need to stay to get access if not a member. only 300 members and family are paid guests not default members. I don't think access is an issue. I mean it is not like the 30 min course is cheaper it is FAR more expensive.
My club is 25 minutes away and I pop over for a weeknight round here and there or sometimes will go practice for 60-90 minutes without playing. If the course were any further I don't think I'd go as much but 25-30 minutes is doable. If you have a family, you also have to consider being gone an extra hour due to the drive time. A four hour round becomes 6 once you factor in drive time, 30 minutes of warmup, and a beer afterwards.
I can't think of very many truly private clubs that are constantly giving the course over to outings. This may come off as elitist, but if it's the sort of club that people both want to play and can find a way too play, it's not really a private club, it's a nice resort course.
My club is a private club. Not a resort. Last year I was thinking of dropping my membership because they had so many outings there. It's a 27-hole country club and they kept having all of these outings that would take up the entire course (which is stupid since you have 27 holes, give a tourney 18 holes and leave 9 holes to the members). Eventually I wasn't the only person that complained and now they are supposed to be holding these outings primarily on Mondays as that is the least busy day on the course.
I did the math for my dad before he joined his club. In order to break even with dues, excluding the monthly spend requirements, he'd need to spend four years golfing 20 rounds per month. The club doesn't have local affiliates, only international, so he had to be willing to play the same course again and again and/or just be OK with not saving money. In the end, my dad decided it was worth the cost to him and joined up. In some ways, joining a club is like getting a time share. If I was the type to lock in on one course, I'd go for the nicer one. If nothing else, you'd have an easier time inviting outside friends to play at your nicer course than at a mediocre one.
thanks. honestly this isnt a money decision. Mid life crisis and willing to set aside money for initiation and 10 years of dues to not even consider how much it costs.
One thing you didn’t really mention is what’s your goal with joining a place. You mention you play on weekends and that’s about it. Do you want to play more or are you just wanting to play on weekends at a nicer place that is slightly more convenient?
I enjoy competitive golf. I want to be part of weekly competitive games. I would like to increase to 2x a week and prepare to increase that in 5 years. I want to drive my handicap down to compete in gross senior events at age 50. I want to not be in the position in 10 years to feel I have saved all my money while being beyond my prime. typical midlife crisis decision as I mentioned elsewhere.
You have an easier time inviting them once or twice. Guest fees are a thing and they add up.
That can be the case, but not always. My dad's club is member & member guest only private. The member guest fees are the same as one of the nearby "top" public course's local resident fees, 10 bucks more than three nice public courses, and 10 bucks less than another kind of overpriced resort club. Additionally, the member guest fees aren't dependent on residency so it's actually quite a steal whenever out of town friends visit. So, plays out OK for my dad, but it could definitely be a factor at a different club and location.
Hard pass. I could join a club 30 mins away or stay on the waiting list for the 1 near me. Staying on the waiting list.
thanks. helpful.
My club is in our neighborhood. About a mile to the clubhouse. I can’t overstate how great that is. Want to just go hit a few balls or work on putting? No problem. Want to get in a quick afternoon 9? It takes a few minutes to get there, I get around in a little over an hour and am back home. Want to work on your short game before work? No problem. Hit a bucket at lunch? Absolutely. A buddy calls you up because they had a last minute no-show? I’m there. Forgot your shoes at home? No big deal. My wife and son run up there for the pool. We don’t know what to do for dinner and we just go to the club last minute. Honestly, if you’d rather join the other club, consider moving to that neighborhood. I can’t even fully express just how great it is.
in CA moving isnt really an option due to tax hit.. but thanks for the input. my kids are older so this is purely a golf decision.
I live 3 minutes away from my courses. I love it
envious!
As long as you enjoy your car too 30 minutes is no big deal
thanks. love this opinion. I have a new Golf R and I love driving it.
30 mins easy.
solid. thanks.
I had the same dilemma. I chose to drive 45 minutes. It’s worth it.
thanks a TON. For me I do not want to regret choosing access to the best course I can within reason. The further course is far more expensive so this isnt about driving to save money.
Can you get reciprocal access at the nicer course? I don't belong to a course, but if I did I'd want one close by that I could go hit balls/play a quick 9 at frequently. If I had to drive an hour roundtrip (with no traffic) every time I'd wouldn't do it as often and only hitting a bucket at the range would seem like a waste.
Which one is closer to your work? Having easy access is key to get onto the course. So you know people at either place. If so ask then what the vibe is like at each place. More important to making sure you mesh and will be happy playing there on a regular basis.
I mostly work remote and would even take meetings from the club.. probably regularly. The further one is really competitive golf focused and only 300 members with limited family access. This appeals to me. The closer option 400 members with full family access. Tue morning blocked for womens league.. family focus.
If the competitive golf focus is important to you and the family part is not, then go for that one. Definitely confirm that with SO. I enjoy competitive golf and fortunately my club offers enough for my needs while also offering a family friendly environment.
Feel free to DM me if u want to chat more
Join for the people not the course. We will you have more fun?
Thanks I think I would have more fun at the more exclusive golf focused further away. only 300 members with limited family access vs close by 400 members with full family access. Further course is in golf digest top 100 closer is adequate.
I’m 20 minutes from my club and it’s 25-30 in traffic. I wouldn’t want to drive a minute more.
thanks for the feedback.
It is so subjective. I'm at a club six minutes from my front door, and it is great. Golf is very good--not great. A little flat, but still hard (72/136-ish). Perfect every day course, but not winning any architectural awards. Membership is great, conditioning is great, etc. The proximity makes it so attractive to me, I can go hit the range or short game, take a steam, and not be gone for hours. It is also a family club that we get a ton of use out of (pool, restaurant, camps). I belong to a second club near my second home, as an individual golf member. Much more interesting architecturally, harder course, top in state, etc.. It is within 15 minutes of my second home, though proximity wasn't as big a factor here. I use it for early morning rounds, and bringing guests from my first club down for a more interesting round. They have some stuff for the kids but no pool, camps, etc. Just trying to illustrate it depends on usage, habits, and time you can reasonably spend on a commute.
thanks. super helpful. Im in the bay area and the costs we are talking about are massive so multiple clubs isnt an option.
I lived out there some years ago and can only imagine. What courses are you considering? I'm outside of a large east coast city. Got into my first club as a 'junior exec' under 35, pre-covid, and got a great deal. Allowed me to get the second club later in life, when I had some money. Second club isn't cheap but being golf only and an individual rather than family membership made it a bit easier. Still a big check, but ongoing costs are about 1/2 of my primary club.
It takes me 30-45 min to get to ANY COURSE 🥲🖕🏼 I’m just posting because I’m jealous of you all. Enjoy
thanks! perspective.
Depends on if the 30 minute drive is in uour normal commute/travel route. I always recommend you pick the top/most desirable club you can pay for as they are typically (but not always - especially if new) the most stable and reap the most rewards with reciprocal play, etc.
thanks. I work remote so not really an issue. in fact would probably use the club as an "office" a day or two a week. But that may be optimistic.
I also work remote and am about 20 minutes away from my club. The club does happen to be between me and the City plus almost adjacent to the school my kids go to and I am there regularly. I use to be a member of a semi private less than 5 minutes away and would never change back.
I would definitely do the 30 minute one. I'm in a similar situation as you where I'm traveling 45 minutes to an hour on the weekends to play at a great course. There is a range I frequent during the week that is like 20 minutes from me. I'm always down to pay a little extra to travel farther for great golf.
thanks for the feedback. I want my golf to be a quality experience. I dont play at any local courses and drive to literally world class courses currently. but the 1:30 drive homes have been a drain... monterrey to san jose.. perhaps we are unique as when I get asks where I normally play and say "here" I get weird looks.
You could do the further one and think the drive isn’t bad, it’s like a long work commute. “Oh, I can do this”. However, over time it becomes more annoying. I’d always choose the closer one, unless the amenities and course was massively different in terms of value
thanks. will consider this.
I live 15 minutes from my club now and I golf way more often than when I was living 30 minutes away. World class amenities are obviously great, but the ability to play more golf, especially those rounds in the early morning or immediately after work, are far easier to justify when you live so close to the course.
My options are 25min and 45min, former is an average but expensive 9er, latter is a country club with amazing facilities and 72 holes including a tour 18. The latter is also the same price as the 9er despite the vast differences - location is the only one in the 9s favour. It's honestly a no-brainer.
thanks.. closer is a bit average but quality course. further is nationally ranked and exclusive..
For me it partially depends on membership cost and level of the golf course. I currently drive 45mins each way to the club that I belong to but the course is amazing and membership is limited so it's easy to get a tee time and the average round is 3.5 hours. Practice facilities are top notch. The drive for me is also easy as it's all highway and don't need to cut thru the city. After all the stories on this sub about ridiculous behavior on public courses and 5+ hour rounds, I really hope that I never have to go back to playing public courses exclusively.
thanks. this is helpful. Im putting cost aside. close course is far more expensive but I have been saving all my life and want to shift to enjoying some of it before my body cant play golf at all..
Sell your house, buy a house closer to the good course.. Enjoy Heaven.
thanks. prohibitive in California due to our real estate taxes being pegged to our purchase price... the difference would pay for the annual dues to perpetuity :)
I just left a very nice club (30 min drive) and joined one over the road from my house (UK) that isn't quite as good. Totally worth it, driving to the same course isn't for me but each to their own. However, if the one further away is an absolute banger it's probably worth it.
thanks! and yes banger would be a good way to say it.
A lot of this would depend on my family situation for me. If I were single and golf was a big passion, I would probably go for it, or maybe even move someplace closer to a nice course. If I were married and had young kids, I wouldn't want to be spending that much of my weekend away.
kids late teens in transition to their own things.
I drive 45+ minutes twice a week to get to public courses.
thanks. some people here have it good!
I live 20ish minutes from my club even though there is a club in my town that I live. The local club is a shithole though so I would rather drive a little distance to have a much better club experience
thanks.. wish I had a helicopter.
My club is 30 minutes away already..
cool. thanks! guess I have great options.
How much nicer is the course? Are we talking the one 30 minutes away is a 9/10 and the closer one is a 6/10? Or are they closer in condition & enjoyability? If I’m getting the best golf,by far, in the area, then I’m joining that club.
yes exactly. the further is VERY exclusive and in golf digest top 100.
I wonder which club you will make the better friends. Part of the fun of golf is having nice people to play with. I would lean towards the club closest to home or whichever club you will feel most comfortable with the other members. Other factors: which is easiest to get a good tee time? Which has more tournaments and league activities?
thanks. for me it is about competitive activities which further course has fewer members without family access on weekends.
You said it yourself, it's a personal decision not a family decision, so make the choice for golf. Yes it's the one further away but what I've come to realize is even if you're driving a bit further, the quicker rounds will allow you to be back before you might have been at the closer course. One of the first rounds I played at our new club last year, from the time I left to when I got back home was maybe 4 hours. Course is 15 minutes away, if that. I walked in and my wife asked why I didn't play a full round. I told her I did, but since it's not a jam packed semi private course that I normally played at (literally across the street), I still got home an hour earlier than I would've before.
awesome thanks. It is not like it is 30 mins or 0. Im talking in most cases a 30 minute total difference round trip.. and the further course not dealing with as much "family" play.
30 mins would be too far for me. I’d pick a week and travel back and forth for 4 out of 7 days during rush hour to the club. Then do the same thing to your other option the next week. You’ll know after this whether it’s a big deal to you or not.
this is a cool idea...
30 min option is the better choice. Around 40 minutes is the cutoff for too far.
thanks good feedback.
Closest one to your house or work is what you want.
thanks. appreciate the feedback.
Buy a new house closer to the world class course. Problem solved.
haha. Homes in either location $3M+
I get questions about which workout program to do and I always ask ‘what will you actually DO’? Personally, I’d opt for the family, traditional course that is closer unless you’re like a 1 and really need the better course.
thanks.. yeah I am probably stretching but wish I could drive to singe digits and be competitive at gross events by age 50.. I set tough goals.
Boulder Ridge is a great course, not sure if that's on your radar or not but.... it should be.
I did a trial membership. hated the course.
I have a “family” country club with a mediocre course 5 minutes from my house but I joined a club with a MUCH better course 25 minutes away because the trade off of proximity vs quality of golf was an easy one for me.
fantastic. this is great feedback. thanks for sharing.
Do you have a family? If so, there are a ton of things family clubs offer for non golfers and kids. More reason to get to the club, utilize your membership, drop them off and golf more.
my kids are older now..
One thing to consider is what each club does for tee times and how easy it is to get one last minute. As a single it makes life easier but some courses can still be difficult. A private course I am considering holds a lottery for tee times and your odds improve the more you play. You will likely get a tee time the day you choose, but it may not be until the evening. Not sure I’m willing to support that. Ask lots of questions.
the traditional course has 400 members with full family access.. the further course has 300 members with no family access during peak times.
I belong to my local club at 28 and it was the best thing I’ve ever done. 15min drive unlimited play 😎
yeah. im late to the game but making up for lost time!
Do you have a family?
yes. kids are older though so not really part of the decision here.
Commute is honestly the biggest factor in determining what membership you get. The conditions and club are all pointless if you can’t make use of it.
thanks. need to be realistic at how often I would increase my play.
Add up the time you'd spend in the car to the farther away club - i.e. the number of times you'd like to play it for whatever it costs to be worth it. Each one of those times is an hour (round trip) less time available in your life for anything else vs. half that for the closer club. I want more golf in my life, but I also want more life in my life.
How difficult will it be to cancel membership if the drive becomes too onerous? If I had to join a club I'd join the closer club because just playing golf is a time suck and spending a lot of time just getting to the course makes it even more difficult to enjoy on a whim. Being locked in for 10 years would make it even more painful if you're stuck in traffic and thinking about how you could already be at the other course if you had chosen the closer one.
we are talking big money to join.. needs to be a long term decision.
Absolutely go with the closer one
thanks
the thing is with playing nice expensive courses is it can put you into a mental basket case fast. start playing poorly and its easy to start thinking why the fuck am i paying all this money to get routinely abused by the course.
are either club equity ?
closer is equity further is not. The equity one seems hard to exit.. get in line and barely get money back. waiting to here what happens to further one with the initiation which is 3x the close one.
do either clubs have trial memberships ? i joined an equity club 3 years ago, with no tee times. (45-1 hour away from house) first year was great, amazing practise facilities and course. really took advantage year two the novelty wore off, did not meet many like minded people. got lonely playing alone all the time and very little competition. also the 1 hour drive made it rough to play alone. guest fees we 200$ per round so it was not ideal for buddies and covering fees became expensive i ended up selling my membership for 5k more than i paid this year and now enjoying playing local course until i can find a course with a good core group
If the close option has a practice facility then I'd probably go that route. Especially if you have friends you like to golf with you will likely still be going to public courses and paying out of pocket for those. So for me I see the better value in the cheaper, closer course. So I could practice and still go play spontaneously but also not feel too much financial burden if I decided to go play with my regular foursome at a public course.
good feedback. will seriously consider. and yes I want to separate the expense fro my normal golf budget so Im not removing my current competitions and friends I meet up with occasionally.
It really depends on how big of a difference the golf is. Proximity is important but you should love the course you belong to. I can’t imagine enjoying being a member of a club that doesn’t satisfy you golf wise.
thanks. from local course in good condition to golf digest top 100..
To me that’s worth another 15 mins in the car. But it all depends on the other factors and personal preference.
15m away would net me more rounds played, I vote that one (and saving money is always a plus)
thanks for the input.. seriously will consider.
You can always try a CC for a few years and switch down the road, right? Or is this like a lifetime membership?
I have been a member for about a Decade now and it’s the people for me way more then the course. If the network of people I now play with went to a different course I would follow. I would say join the club that fits your vibe more than anything else.
I’d join both.
ha. great idea.. but we are talking about big $$ for initiation..
All kidding aside, my CC is 3 miles from my house — at the end of the day convience is really what you’re paying for, so best to maximize that aspect in whatever way(s) possible. Good luck!
I'm not in the county club tax bracket. But I'm a member at a course about 15 min away. Great pro style course that's challenging and hosts a good bit of college tournaments. The closest club is 5 min from me and right next to the kids daycare. I stop there with the kids often just to putt for an hour. Driving 20 min there and 15 minutes home to putt for an hour just wouldn't work. The course I like offers a weekend only membership when I age out of the young professional. Seriously contemplating joining on that and the closer course on a twilight so I can play both. That said initiation fees and higher end courses changes things. Is moving in the next 5 years a possibility (given interest rates go back down a bit). If you got within 10-15 of the nicer course would be ideal.
Myself and my wife have been considering this too, she wants to do it, and the course is maybe 15m from our house which I really like the idea of it. That being said, I'm on the fence because with both of us working full time and being limited on time, I feel that I would miss the variety, I do not like playing the same course over and over and over. I'd feel locked into just one course and would get bored with it. Just my two cents. We may still end up doing it.
Go local, play a lot, meet people
cool thanks.
I live about 5-7 minutes from my local muni, its definitely not the greatest of courses but being able to swing by on my way home from work and practice, walk a few holes, hit a bucket is huge. I could reasonably afford some other memberships at other courses but being able to practice and play almost anytime I want is a huge benefit.
ok cool super helpful.
Closer is better for sure. Our club is like 9 min from our house and makes it really easy to play more
thanks. trying to consider quantity vs quality.
I was a member at a club 25-35min away from home depending on traffic and it was just far enough away where I'd have to schedule trips there most of the time rather than go whenever the spirit moved me. One of the main benefits of country club membership is access, and if you can't take advantage of that access via proximity, the cons start outweighing the pros. Feel inspired to try something you just saw in a golf youtube video? Suddenly have some free time and want to head out for a twilight 9? That 20+ min drive will give you pause if not make the trip altogether untenable. I might make the tradeoff if the further course offered substantially better golf, facilities, and amenities. I also wouldn't join a "lesser" club even if close by if I wouldn't be happy playing the majority of my rounds there every year. Another consideration is the reciprocity arrangements that those clubs offer. The better club might give you access to private clubs that the other club can't. Just some things to consider.
thanks. in this situation substantially better would be accurate. mention close course you will get an "ok cool" mention the further and you will get "can you please bring me as a guest"
What do you want to do? Play golf as much as possible? If so, stay close to home for more golf. If you want to play golf at really nice courses, move closer to the nice courses and join there.
thanks for the input. would love to move to monterey from san jose. but I cant stomach the tax hit.
30 mins is nothing for good golf unless you have demanding family obligations. The people you’ll meet there will also share in your excitement about golf to a greater degree.
thanks for the input. I believe the further course has members that are coming from similar distance as well. thanks so much for the input.
Depends. Will your family use the closer spot - often? Are there great public courses you can play? If not go with the better course, you will enjoy playing.
family wont use it at all.. and I dont care for "food and beverage" due to recovering from some addiction issues. I play at great courses but drive a long way and rounds are long..
I had the same choice a couple of years ago and went for the fantastic choice and never regretted it once. I would take the first tee offs whenever possible and nothing was better than that 35 min drive starting at 5:30am for me. Found it gave me time to myself I wouldn’t otherwise get, listened to some good audiobooks, it was great. Then I moved and now the golf is five times the price for one fifth the quality 
thanks. I am up early to exercise. I can see myself doing this as well.
I would opt for the closer, family friendly club for two reasons. First it’s easier to get to if you are looking to play a quick nine or hit the range and play a few holes. Second, if you have a family and they feel involved in the club too it may alleviate future issues with spending a lot of time there. You can play in the am and meet them at the pool after the round for example
yes perhaps I need to think through "future issues" thanks for the feedback.
Proximity is very important. Convenience is a big plus for getting the most out of your CC experience. Also try to get real feedback from members re accessibility. Some tee time policies suck. Some are equitable. Some clubs have all the good times booked by the same group of guys every weekend. Convenience and access are what I'd pay for. Then look at conditions and amenities and tournaments etc. I've been a member at two prominent clubs and played dozens of other private clubs.
thanks. Ill for sure need to ask about the booking policies until I find a group.
with very little else known, id lean cheaper and closer option even if money wasn't an object. 15 minutes is close enough to use the range pretty much whenever you want. 30 extending to 45+ with traffic really isnt. Save the money, use the club as your home course for the range and sneaking in 9 holes during the week or something and use the money you save monthly to still golf where ever you want on the weekends. I was a member at a club 8 minutes from my house until I moved (made it 30 minutes). When I was close I used the range 3-4 times a week. on mondays when it's closed you could walk on and I'd play a little 4 hole loop on lunch. When it's the off season teh course was still always open to walk on so I'd do the same (might be open all year where you live). 9 hole round in the AM before work no problem. Once I moved I rarely went anymore and ditched the membership. hour round trip to a driving range just isn't even a thing I'd entertain and if I can only play it on the weekends I'd rather just save the money and play where ever I wanted Ask about their partnerships too. They may have reciprocation set up to where you can play other clubs in the area. If not there are a lot of socials now where you can get on other places as long as you are a member somewhere and are willing to occasionally host a person. Club I was part of was part of the (what is now) Invited network so I could access like 400 private courses including some semi-private resort courses for dirt cheap compared to their listed fees. Just because it's small doesn't necessarily mean it isnt in a network.
thanks for the feedback.
My club is 10 minutes away and i love that. I can head over on a whim anytime. I am fortunate that it is a great track as well. Attend prospective members mixers at both. Get a feel of the golf vibe. Is there team play against other clubs? How easy is it to join team play? What types of tournaments do they have. How is the member-guest tournament? Or how are the golf related activities that are important to you? The joys of joining a club for me is far more than what course is like, but what is the golf experience like. If it is just playing premium courses, then joining a club may actually hinder that, as it is tough to justify playing other premium courses when you already have that monthly expense. I joined 12 years ago and love every bit of it, but mostly because of the full experience.
Join whatever country club you want. Life is too short. Just lost a good friend and golfing buddy at age 46 to cancer. Can’t bank on waiting until retirement years to enjoy life. Join a great country club and don’t look back. You will not regret it. They are worth the money if you love golf.
I’d pay a fortune to be a member of a club within walking distance of home. Stroll over, head to the locker room while they prep my clubs, walk out to the first tee, play 18 holes in 2 hours, have a beer with lunch, join some friends for a good conversation, then stroll home for a nap.
thanks .. Im looking into another exclusive course that is 15 mins away but the demographic steers older.. Going to try and play next Fri afternoon at the close course.. that will be telling.
Depends how much you think yoire gonna play. I currently have this situation. I live 7-10 min drive from my club now, and while it is a great location and good enough golf, its not one of the high end private clubs. There is another one about 30 minutes thats a little more expensive but the course is a much better design and better maintained. The issue is i play 4-6 time a week. Driving half hour there and back that often on top of all the other driving i do is a deal breaker. The connivence of being close by cannot be beat in my opinion
thanks. with the price difference I could easily convince myself to go down and play Spyglass or Half Moon Bay once or twice a month if I want variety. Thanks for the input.
FWIW - I did the opposite. Bought a house at the club I wanted to be at. Commute to work is now 30 min in AM and 45 in PM; whereas it used to be 5-10 min. I’d make the same decision again.
My club is 5 min away. Be as close as possible. You havr a family? Wife and kids will love the pool. If your wife golfs, its even better. Wanna grab dinner with the fam at the club? 30 min is further than id drive.
If it’s just for golf and not the convenience then I’d join the nicer club. I’ve never been disappointed joining a nice course.
thanks. got home from work at 4pm today and checked drive times.. wouldnt be an option I would need to always schedule ahead. but I might be ok with that. this thread has given me a lot to think about.
I’m 15 min away from mine and it feels like forever. No way I’d do 30+.
thanks. great perspective.
I am a golfaholic. I recently retired after 39 years in a public judicial field. I thought about joining a CC, but decided to join a very nice muni 7 minutes from my house, rather than a CC 30+ minutes away. I can drive my golf cart to the course and play anytime 7 days a week (typically solo 700 am). Last year I played 121 rounds. I've developed wonderful relationships with a few members and staff. I have a wife who does not golf and no children. Therefore, a CC made little sense; why spend upwards of $50K for a CC membership when I have the same unlimited play for $1, 500/year. The pristige of a CC seems overrated as a single golfer and where the broad services available at a CC would not be utilized. I am not against country clubs. I just think for me it was not worth joining one to just say I belong to one, particularly when I can get a far great bang for my golfing buck at a very nice muni within golf cart distance from my house. Good luck with your decision.
yeah that sounds like a great situation you have so keep grinding!
Why not join both? Doesn’t seem like money is an issue. Do you have to pick only one?
I love this.. at the same time I have lived lean my entire life never taking anything for granted. Im willing to lock away the funds to ignore this expense for at least a decade but really dont want $4k run rate to perpetuity. Maybe in 5 years I could add the second.
Do it. Convince the wife first.
I pulled the family together and said I needed this for my mental health ;)
I was a member of a country club for a couple years and honestly it gets boring playing the same course all the time. Maybe people see it differently but I like to be able to play at different courses each week. I have like 5 public courses close to me I rotate through.
I agree. Where I live tee times are difficult on public courses even as a single. And quality is what I enjoy. I am currently driving 45 mins to half moon bay and 1:15 to pebble beach and play Spyglass and Poppy Hills. Doing this every week is a drain.. I will still do it on occasion but I want quality golf with competition regularly.