Mission Impossible? Low Cost Private Clubs

[Tony_Muldoon]

Steve I did recently visit The Berkshire.  36 holes of world class golf can be yours for £850 per annum ($1200?).  Guess they paid for the land a long time ago.

Now how do I tell the committee that I've got blue blood without upsetting my mum?

[Marc Haring]

The Berkshire doesn't count. Because of its reputation and quality and history and all that, there are plenty of people that will pay about £100 a round for the experience.

[Steve Curry]

Tony,

Great last name you have, wrong Berkshire Berkshire County

Steve

[hick]

Dan, I looked at the orchards about three years ago when the regional membership was 750.00  and then 100.00 a month. Was a great deal, but to far from providence. would love to see the course this fall if i can get some time off.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Patrick

You and I coming from separate ends of the stick.  For me golf is far more than architecture and maintenance.  There is absolutely no doubt in my mind of this fact.  What separates golf from other sports is the people in the game and their shared interests.  The playing field is important, but secondary.  Many golfers never get to play a great or very good course.  What brings them back?  

If that's your theory, then the bigger question is:
what makes them fail ?

I've been playing golf with the same friends for 40+ years.
I continue to play golf with new acquaintances as well, but,
the challenge of the "game" is presented by the architecture, not your companions.  That's the lure.  And, that's the common thread that interests and unites us in our pursuit of overcoming the challenge.

You can have a total stranger sitting next to you, but, if he's a golfer, you have an immediate common bond.

It's the "game" that brings us all together,  it's the game that supplies new friends.

You've got it backwards.[/color]

[Jason Topp]

Patrick and Sean - two choices - Pine Valley alone for a year or your basic muni where you choose any three people to play with you for a year.  Which do you pick?

While I enjoy playing alone, the choice is not close.  I'd pick the people.

[Jim Nugent]

Patrick and Sean - two choices - Pine Valley alone for a year or your basic muni where you choose any three people to play with you for a year.  Which do you pick?

While I enjoy playing alone, the choice is not close.  I'd pick the people.

Pine Valley.  Hands down.  

[Patrick_Mucci]

Patrick and Sean - two choices - Pine Valley alone for a year or your basic muni where you choose any three people to play with you for a year.  Which do you pick?

While I enjoy playing alone, the choice is not close.  I'd pick the people.

That's because you structured the question with a predetermined conclusion.

Let me modify you question.

You basic muni where three total strangers, idiots, who play with you every day for a year.

Now, what's your answer ?[/color]

[Patrick_Mucci]

I almost exclusively play matchplay.  So for me, the main challenge is the opponent.  I can utterly fail the course challenge and still do well enough to win.  It doesn't matter what I shoot so long as I have fun and win (no matter what anybody says, it is funner to win!).  

So, for you, the lure is the competition.

I can buy into that.

Sometimes you play a competitor who doesn't say a word for all 18 holes.  (Shades of Ben Hogan)  Other times it can be a gregarious individual who won't stop talking.  But, for you, it doesn't matter who the opponent is, it's the match play competition that drives your desires..   I view your preference as "the game", the test presented by the architecture and another golfer, and who can overcome the challenge offered by the architecture, best.[/color]

I will readily concede that nirvana can be reached if the stars align and provide a great course, great people and a great match in which everybody is playing well.  In my experience, this is fairly rare.    

I can play by myself, with family, friends, acquaintances and strangers, causally or in competitions, and almost universally, I enjoy myself because I love playing the game of golf.

I enjoy interfacing with the architecture, conditions, elements and people.[/color]

I am not knocking your viewpoint.  In truth, to a large extent, I don't think we disagree.  I emphasize one part of the game while you emphasize another.  Fair enough.  

I don't think you understood my views, initially.
See my above comments for clarification.  [/color]

[Jason Topp]

You basic muni where three total strangers, idiots, who play with you every day for a year.

Now, what's your answer ?[/b][/color]

Patrick:  Take a wild guess.  Although this is probably beating a dead horse, a more interesting question might be Pine Valley with idiots versus the local muni alone.  I might go with the muni in that instance but the choice would not be an easy one.

[Jim Thompson]

Mission very possible!  I will do it before I leave this earth.

Cheers!

JT

[RJ_Daley]

The reason there are all sorts of club and membership options is that the question is unanswerable.  We all want something different.

Is a low cost private club possible?  Of course it is, if you live in the right place or are willing to travel some to get there.  There is something out there for nearly everyone.  While a metropolitan citizen has it more difficult to find something reasonable, we in mid to small town America still have options.  

Jason, if you want to know if it is possible for a person with little disposable income, or few financial assets, probably only in rare circumstances like a semi-private Wild Horse sort of deal.

I have the perfect set up at my muni.  Unlimitted golf for $1135, I get to meet plenty of new players, yet play with my regular circle of buddies 2-4X a week.  Men's club, plenty of weekend tournaments, a county open, steak frys, corn roasts, card games, etc.  We have a very good quality new clubhouse with a restaurant concessionaire that provides a fine menu, open to the public, yet we never have to wait to be seated, fine veranda for sippin or dining outside, and good service.  All that, yet we don't pay per meal and drinks as we go as much as most local private minimum charges, and at about 1/3rd the yearly golf dues.  But that is what I like, not what others might like.  

Now, saying all that, I would personally be willing to pay about 10-20K initiation (if it had resale or buy back when you leave, etc.) and about 1500-3000 a year if the club was golf only focused on a decent design (no need lush and green) and a reasonable (not fancy) F&B service.  But is that low cost?  Depends... on your financial comfort zone.

I do think it reveals something about our tastes in the question posed above.  Pine Valley at a very reasonable cost, but play alone or with the same disagreeable idiots every time, or low cost semi-private with great playing companions, like Wild Horse or my deal here at Brown County.  I'll take the Wild Horse or the county deal every time.

[A_Clay_Man]

Hear here, A different idiot everyday can be most humorous and enjoyable.

[Tom_Doak]

Playing Pine Valley every day with three golfers who weren't very good [whether of good personality or not] would be sheer torture.

[Michael Whitaker]

Golf is everything about architecture, it's what seperates the sport from bowling and tennis.[/color]

Why do these guys play golf? For the architecture?



How about these guys? Surely golf is all about the architecture for them!



For these guys camping in their car to play Bethpage it probably is about the architecture.



But, I don't think these folks are too concerned about "interfacing with the architecture."

[Brian_Gracely]

Mike W,

I'm not sure what pictures you're looking at, but the McRaynorShovel influence is obvious in those pictures.....the squared off green (3rd picture) and the semi-punchbowl (last picture).