[Scott_Park]

There are two clubs near me that I am considering.  The first one is an established club that has a decent course and a very comfortable and relaxed feel to it.  The second is a new Nicklaus-firm design (opens in May) that Clubcorp is managing- it is a little more money and for that the course is better.  The trade-off is that it feels more like a place to go play golf rather than a golf club.

Anyone else been in a similar position?

Any advice?

Thanks

Scott

[C. Squier]

I've never joined a brand new club, but I would hypothesize that its similar to buying a house in a brand new subdivision.  Everyone's new, so it'll probably be easier to break the ice w/ new people since everyone is a fish out of water.  Average age may be younger too.  On the other hand, unless they've sold out of memberships, the course may seem "less private" due to marketing efforts and trial runs of other potential members.  I wouldn't care, but some may.  Are all of the facilities built/under construction?  Wouldn't be the first time a giant clubhouse was promised, but plans changed over time. 

Best of luck!  What a great problem to have

CPS

[ed_getka]

Scott,
   I haven't been in that situation but I would be inclined to go with the better golf course as that is more important to me. You need to decide what is more important to you. The club/social aspect vs. architecture. I would also want to know the track record of Clubcorp management and where the course is likely to be in 5 years.
   Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

[Tommy Williamsen]

As in most organizations of 300 or more you generally can find a group of guys that fit your style.  I look at the way I buy a car.  When I buy a car that I'm not really crazy about, I trade it in because I am dissatisfied.  Go with the new club.  Not all new clubs have that many "testing" the course that it would interfere with play.  Good luck. 

[Jason McNamara]

Scott, did you get to walk the new course back in the fall?  Will they give you any "test-drive" period?  Not likely, but what if you play the new course and you just really don't like it?

The only club I've joined had a brief trial period when it opened, which in my case completely confirmed I was making the right choice.

[W.H. Cosgrove]

Check the membership rolls and the balance sheet before joining a club.  That could save a lot of hassles later on.

[wsmorrison]

Do you know anyone at the established club?  If so, that might be a good way to go.  If the new club lets people in only on the basis of being able to pay the entrance fees and dues, then you can expect some problems down the road. 

I don't know how old you are or the family statues, but if you plan on staying in the area for a long time and raising a family, the club that would be more of a family club should be considered a bit more.

[cary lichtenstein]

I joined a JN club next door, the Ritz in Jupiter Florida, stayed for 4 years and left. It was sort of a hodge podge of private membership/residence/and time shares and never really got a local membership.

[Jim_Kennedy]

Scott,
For me the choice would be easy. I would take established, decent, relaxed
and comfortable over pretty much everything else. Plus, you won't have to go through the growing pains of a new course.

[John Kirk]

Scott,

I would also consider checking out all possible options.  Maybe not just the two clubs you have investigated, but also the most presitgious and best clubs in the area.  You never know who is looking for qualified members.

[Gary Slatter]

Go with the established course, unless you are joining purely for business purposes. In that case the JN courses might have more entrepreneurs.

[Ian Andrew]

One suggestion - ask the club's debt.

I went to join a course east of Toronto about 10 years back because I loved playing the course and the initiation was cheap. When I asked the debt (clubhouse related) - and worked out my portion, I discovered that my initiation was 5 times the original amount if I added my portion of the debt responsibility.
They were flat broke - and couldn't fix areas that needed deperate work - which included the worst maintenance facility in Canada.

On the other side, I work with a club that (used to) have more than a million in the bank. They don't borrow - ever. The initiation is triple, but everything is in perfect shape, even the 90 year old clubhouse is in perfect shape. That's the club I would join in a heartbeat if I lived in that area - they run it like I run my own business.

Hope that helps you investigate more - I find most people join a club without knowing the facts about the business - I hope they don't pick stocks the same way.

[Joe Bausch]

Sounds almost too obvious, but I would suggest only joining the club where you really LOVE the course.  If you don't really love either course, take a pass.

[Karl Bernetich]

Do you want a golf course or a club ?

I joined a "new course" Fasio that was a for-profit owned holding company.  3 owners later, countless outings (read for profit), weddings (read for profit) and complementary preview rounds (read for profit) later ... I resigned.

Go with what club FEELS better, not the better design.

Now I'm looking for a CLUB ...

[Steve Lang]

 

Don't forget that you will still "play outside" and need a budget for that. 

Also, all it takes is one or two years of 130 rounds, and you'll know every yardage and club selection without thinking about it..  will you continue to be challenged or will your time there evolve into something greater with socializing, networking, and group play etc.,?   

[Dave_Miller]

There are two clubs near me that I am considering.  The first one is an established club that has a decent course and a very comfortable and relaxed feel to it.  The second is a new Nicklaus-firm design (opens in May) that Clubcorp is managing- it is a little more money and for that the course is better.  The trade-off is that it feels more like a place to go play golf rather than a golf club.

Anyone else been in a similar position?

Any advice?

Thanks

Scott

Scott:
If you feel comfortable with the established club then go with that.  Club Corp. managed properties tend to be run almost as if they are public courses even if you have a membership. 
At an older more established club you will find a group you fit in with and have an enjoyable experience for a long time. 
Wayne Morrison's comments are right on.
Best
Dave

[Wayne_Freedman]

Established and comfortable. No contest.

We're talking a long-term marriage.

[Jed Peters]

I was up against 3 clubs when I made the decision on the current one.

"Feel" and golf course were the most important to me.

2 were nice "club" courses, but were old and kinda fuddy-duddy (to me).

The one I chose had the better course, with the better players.  By joining the club I did, I have become a better player.

And, because it's a younger membership, I've been luck enough to meet people around my age to hang out with and be in the same social circle.

[Dan Herrmann]

Established & comfortable.

It's taken us 5 years to get there - some tough times for all.  We're OK now, but I don't know if I'd want to go through that again, even with our fantastic golf course.

[Wayne_Freedman]

Other considerations:

Possible future assessments
Equity
Monthly minimums
And, most important, how many members? That will equate to your ease of getting tee times.

I was looking at two clubs. The one I did not join rebuilt their clubhouse, and now their course (closed for almost a year) with a cost of at least $35-k per member. Even before, they had to fight for tee times. 

The one I joined dates to 1924, and has that more conservative approach. We've re-done lockers, greens, and fairways, but those assessments have totaled $7500 in eight years. While not an architectural 'gem', it's good enough for US Open qualifiers, and fun to play.

I made the right choice.
 

[Jason Topp]

The people and atmosphere are more important than the golf course (and I care a lot about the course).

[archie_struthers]

Not even close for me....I join the place where it"s comfortable...and you can get a game

Most new clubs take a long time to get it!

[tlavin]

Not even close for me....I join the place where it"s comfortable...and you can get a game

Most new clubs take a long time to get it!

My feelings exactly.  If you're joining your first club, you should do your best to make sure that you're comfortable with the current members.  At the end of the proverbial day, the most important factor in club membership is who constitutes the membership of the club.  The golf course is secondary.

[Rich Goodale]

Go for the one where you like the club and its people.  No contest.  The course is tertiary, if that.

[Jeff Spittel]

I just submitted my letter of resignation at a ClubCorp facility today. I won't disparage the way things were run there in this forum, but I will say that their focus is on profit maximization rather than the quality of the golf.

You may have an entirely different experience, but that's my two cents.

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