Private or Public

[Gogolf]

Hi, I'm looking for more tournaments and a competitive men's club and several of folks have mentioned joining a country club is the best way to have unlimited practice and also a 'better ROI'. My practice days would be limited to after 5 pm and on the weekends or possibly early AM.

 

What are your experiences with private vs public clubs?

 

 

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[PlaidJacket]

That's a lot to cover. Your post started with wanting more tournaments... and a competitive men's club. With your low +1 hcp. seems like you'd be most interested in your state amateur association and events they host. Have you joined or looked into those?

 

Men's club: are you meaning a MGA at a country club or a golf club just for men only? There's probably not a "men's" only golf club. I've been a member at several country clubs. Some were good and were not. All depends on the members and the facility. Also depends what you're really after. Will a membership be used just by you for golf only or by family members too?

 

For me personally and when I was younger I enjoyed playing CC tournaments. Lot's of golf and food and booze, parties and prizes, etc. I also played in we call here in Texas as the BBQ circuit. They were tournaments held at different courses/clubs in towns around my area. Usually a 2-man partnership format.

 

These days I don't play many tournaments. The reason is.... I'm older and don't give a hoot anymore about all the fluff such as booze, food, parties, or winning a cheesy pro shop gift certificate. I prefer pure stroke or match play. I'm a member of a golf club now. That's all it is. No fine dining, pool, tennis, spa, etc. etc. Just golf.

[DaveP043]

I guess the simple answer is, if you're not getting what you want in your current situations, explore the options.  As PlaidJacket says, the number, degree of seriousness, and level of competition of in-house competitions varies from club to club.  Where I am, we have a reasonably active tournament schedule, although some are more serious than others.   We're also lucky to have a few interclub leagues, one for 5 to 16 handicaps that runs all summer, and a scratch interclub league that has a number of short (3 or 4-match) seasons. PlaidJacket asks some additional questions that should be considered.  What amenities might be important?  What is the potential for involvement by others in your family?  I think the thing to do is to research at least a few of the clubs within reasonable driving distance from your home, and see what they have to offer.

[Gogolf]

Thanks, looking to join just for the golf - not interested in the amenities, pool, tennis, etc.

it would only be me who is using the membership and I would be looking for a young executive membership (since I'm only 28) with unlimited golf privileges.

 

The reason why I bring up this question is I've heard PGA and mini tour players play in in-house competitive matches in AZ and that would be an advantage to be practicing and playing with folks like that, not just seeing them in local/state tournaments.

 

 

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[sp0rtsfan86]

Thanks, looking to join just for the golf - not interested in the amenities, pool, tennis, etc.

it would only be me who is using the membership and I would be looking for a young executive membership (since I'm only 28) with unlimited golf privileges.

 

The reason why I bring up this question is I've heard PGA and mini tour players play in in-house competitive matches in AZ and that would be an advantage to be practicing and playing with folks like that, not just seeing them in local/state tournaments.

 

 

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Think that also comes down to the club. By me there's a lack of good golfers, the only private club in the area caters to those that want to avoid crowds. In NJ some of the better courses where I live cater to the serious golfers of the area and the ones who love competetion. Just have to do a bit of research.

[revkev]

If you want to be at a club where the big boys are playing - even mini-tour like guys - it's got to be TX, AZ or FL.  It's not that they don't live anywhere else it's that they congregate in those places.  They won't be around this time of year because there are too many places for them to play for dough right now. 

 

Cali is just too expensive for guys who are trying to make a living playing golf and too taxing for those who are.  If your goal is to play big time golf it might be wise to move to one of those three aforementioned states.  If you have a nice day job that forces you to stay you aren't likely to find the competition that you are after where you are currently living unless you can get plugged in around one of the colleges and play with guys from that team. 

 

As the guys have stated every club is different.  The one that I just left had a great course and a nice men's group plus lots of amenities.  Sadly for me most of the Men's group tournaments were Saturday/Sunday affairs - it wasn't that way when I joined the new pro changed it.  In all fairness it was better for the group just not for me.  It is a great course but they really didn't have a suitable game to fit my time schedule.  The local muni has two such games - one on Tuesday evening and the other at noon on Fridays.  There are plus handicaps in the Friday group and you get lots of mini-tour types in the Friday game from January-March.  You have to be invited to play in that game.  I've been invited so I get to. 

[Kenny B]

Not a lot up here in E. Washington.  There are some very good + players, but they are not members of exclusive clubs.  They tend to play different courses in some rather exclusive "gangsomes".  The only private club is more social golf.  Other clubs have tournaments throughout the year; some on the weekends, but my club had one this last Wednesday.  The bad deal with my club is that they have after-work leagues Mon-Wed. So Th-Fr are the only days to play after 4pm.  

 

Our area does have a couple of local pro-am circuit.  As an example, on Mondays a club pro brings 3 ams for play at courses within 100 mile radius; three flights for the ams.  I found it to be a nice way to play different courses, some private for a reasonable fee $60.  Some of the top pros have gone on to the web.com and PGA... Alex Prugh for example.  His brother Corey might also make it one of these days.

[Jmikecpa]

Not sure that it matters public or private when it comes to players clubs.  I have done both and found great players at both public and private clubs.  Currently I am at a private club that maybe has a handful of guys that are a 3 or below and having a blast.  Golf for me these days is less about the competition and more about having a good time and relaxing.  One thing to consider on a private club is that it has to be the right price to get any ROI.  I know where I am currently a member that I just really don't want to do that math since I pay in a month what it cost to play all last year at public tracks.

[Gogolf]

Thanks everyone! The insight really helps.

 

 

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[rickkimbrell]

I have belonged to private clubs for almost 40 years.  I love "club life".  I enjoy the ease of getting out to play, practice facility, and playing in club tournaments.  There is usually a game 2 days a week and on Saturday as well as the regularly scheduled MGA tournaments.  I do not play in all the MGA events simply because I do not like the format.  I love match play and I love individual stroke play.  Scrambles...they are ok. 2man events are fun.  I do not like stuff like "3 club tournament".  Anything that is tricked up...I generally don't play in them. 

BUT...I also play in a traveling golf league.  We play 20+ individual stroke play events every year and we rarely play the same golf course twice in a year.  All are 18 holes and all are played under USGA Rules of Golf. 

Playing the same course all the time impacted my ability to compete in tournaments at other clubs.  You get to a point where you don't think...you just pull out a club because you know what you need to hit on every hole.  

So, yes, I enjoy being a member of a  private club but I also like playing other courses too.  

[Gogolf]

Thanks! Reviving an older thread because I'm thinking about this again.

 

I guess another option now is GolfNow's VIP membership -  so an option could be hopping on GolfNow everyday after work and trying to squeeze in a few holes before sundown.

What are others doing to practice after work with the remaining 1-2 hours of sunlight?

[Liberty Ball Markers]

I belong to a country club, it's my home course in a group of about 2 dozen that I can play on one membership.

 

I think it's a great way to go - I have unlimited green fees and cart, and normally play 20-25 rounds per month (that ends up at about $4 per round).

 

I play after work, but with my membership, no one feels cheated if we don't finish before sunset.

 

I also think it's a more close-knit group. You get to know other golfers, play in leagues and tourneys together, etc.

 

 

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[JAGolfore]

Best advise I can give is to practice with a purpose.  Don't just go because you have an hour.  Make that hour worth it and have goals for each time you go and what you want to accomplish.  And I agree with someone from above, look to play in your state or local events.   These will be much better than anything a club has to offer.

[fozcycle]

That's a lot to cover. Your post started with wanting more tournaments... and a competitive men's club. With your low +1 hcp. seems like you'd be most interested in your state amateur association and events they host. Have you joined or looked into those?

 

Men's club: are you meaning a MGA at a country club or a golf club just for men only? There's probably not a "men's" only golf club. I've been a member at several country clubs. Some were good and were not. All depends on the members and the facility. Also depends what you're really after. Will a membership be used just by you for golf only or by family members too?

 

For me personally and when I was younger I enjoyed playing CC tournaments. Lot's of golf and food and booze, parties and prizes, etc. I also played in we call here in Texas as the BBQ circuit. They were tournaments held at different courses/clubs in towns around my area. Usually a 2-man partnership format.

 

These days I don't play many tournaments. The reason is.... I'm older and don't give a hoot anymore about all the fluff such as booze, food, parties, or winning a cheesy pro shop gift certificate. I prefer pure stroke or match play. I'm a member of a golf club now. That's all it is. No fine dining, pool, tennis, spa, etc. etc. Just golf.

Oh, I remeber those days.......when I lived in North Louisiana.  In august thru October, we would travel to different places in NW LA and NE TX to play in 2 man team tournaments.  Hack, I still have some golf clubs that i won in a couple.

[Lonnie96]

I did both . Would go for public.In our area the best players are at the public tracks.Kinda a rough crowd but they can shoot under par.The private world got old.And that is why they are struggling and a majority of cc's are closing.Manu don't want the snobby atmosphere anymore and talking behind ones back.Our local cc is so desperate that they are letting anyone in now as a trial.No background checks for who you are, just have to pay. So even the snob crowd is getting rough now . Love it