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PThomas

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Re: Smallest Memberships
« Reply #25 on: November 21, 2008, 05:20:09 PM »
Gotta be the Lollipop Guild:



  The winner so far!



they just need to fix the bottoms of thoe plus fours, a little ratty looking....
199 played, only Augusta National left to play!

ChipOat

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Smallest Memberships
« Reply #26 on: November 21, 2008, 07:17:34 PM »
Deepdale is no longer < 100 members; probably 200+ these days.

Michael Robin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Smallest Memberships
« Reply #27 on: November 21, 2008, 08:03:49 PM »
I do believe that Ballyneal currently qualifies.

TEPaul

Re: Smallest Memberships
« Reply #28 on: November 21, 2008, 08:29:36 PM »
JackC:

Gulph Mills has around 300 members but the RPY have always been fairly low and that's the way that club has always liked it. Starting times have always been anathema to the club.

I remember the old Links Club in Long Island always wanted less than 100 members and I know from experience back then the club probably did less than a couple of thousand member rounds a year and almost always on Sunday because the lunch was so good. A lot of firemen and cops played the course though.  ;)

Then there was Biderman in the old days. The Duponts owned it and I guess they just asked their friends to play because of that old story that when Mrs Dupont played she apparently insisted that no one else be on the course.

Joey Smith

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Smallest Memberships
« Reply #29 on: November 21, 2008, 09:20:56 PM »
How about The Honors in TN? Not certain but it seemed pretty quiet when we were there last Fall. How about Gulph Mills in Philly-that seemed pretty quiet as well. Probably the coolest , most spartan lockerroom I've seen. In Chicago it would be CGC, Old Elm,Shoreacres in that order. Rich Harvest is kind of a different fish so hard to include in this list.    Jack 

The Honors has more than 100 - I have no idea how many though...
I've only seen one that really stinks...but I seen a lot of really good ones...

Joey Smith

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Smallest Memberships
« Reply #30 on: November 21, 2008, 09:23:18 PM »
How about The Honors in TN? Not certain but it seemed pretty quiet when we were there last Fall. How about Gulph Mills in Philly-that seemed pretty quiet as well. Probably the coolest , most spartan lockerroom I've seen. In Chicago it would be CGC, Old Elm,Shoreacres in that order. Rich Harvest is kind of a different fish so hard to include in this list.    Jack 

Why not Rich Harvest?  I know Mr. Rich is the owner and benevolent dictator but they do have a small membership...
I've only seen one that really stinks...but I seen a lot of really good ones...

Andy Troeger

Re: Smallest Memberships
« Reply #31 on: November 21, 2008, 09:25:20 PM »
Did Canyata ever open to members, or is it still of the Sanctuary type with just an owner and whoever he chooses to allow to play?

K. Krahenbuhl

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Smallest Memberships
« Reply #32 on: November 21, 2008, 09:33:12 PM »
Did Canyata ever open to members, or is it still of the Sanctuary type with just an owner and whoever he chooses to allow to play?

He did.  I don't know how much interest there was or how many members there may be.

Matt Varney

Re: Smallest Memberships
« Reply #33 on: November 21, 2008, 09:41:34 PM »
Cherokee Plantation
The Dunes Club
The Golf Club


Robert Mercer Deruntz

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Smallest Memberships
« Reply #34 on: November 22, 2008, 03:20:26 AM »
Sands Point--150 members

Tim Gavrich

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Smallest Memberships
« Reply #35 on: November 22, 2008, 03:34:08 AM »
Ellerston?
Morefar?
The Institute?
Friars Head?
Alotian?

Two smaller-time 9-holers in NW CT--Sharon CC and Lake Waramaug GC--have fewer than 200 members, I believe.

How many members does Sebonack have?  Liberty Nat'l?  Fishers Island?  Cypress Point?

Senior Writer, GolfPass

Matthew Mollica

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Smallest Memberships
« Reply #36 on: November 22, 2008, 04:13:33 AM »
Tim, as you probably know, Ellerston is a course within the country retreat of the late Kerry Packer and his family. It gets minimal traffic from what I understand, but I'm not sure that any memberships as such have ever been offerred. I expect you get to play it if James or another family member invite you to play.

MM
"The truth about golf courses has a slightly different expression for every golfer. Which of them, one might ask, is without the most definitive convictions concerning the merits or deficiencies of the links he plays over? Freedom of criticism is one of the last privileges he is likely to forgo."

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Smallest Memberships
« Reply #37 on: November 22, 2008, 06:00:11 AM »
Blackwell is the club I think with the smallest membership around me.  I think its about 300 and its one of those divide the bill up at the end of the year clubs.  However, the place is dead every time I am there.  There is no club like atmosphere and if you want a game you have to bring your partners.  There aren't guys hangin about looking for games or throwups.  Personally, I can't see the appeal of a club like this unless the course is absolutely 1st class - which Blackwell isn't. 

Tell me, why do folks value a club with short numbers? 

Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Dave_Miller

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Smallest Memberships
« Reply #38 on: November 22, 2008, 05:09:08 PM »
Ellerston?
Morefar?
The Institute?
Friars Head?
Alotian?

Two smaller-time 9-holers in NW CT--Sharon CC and Lake Waramaug GC--have fewer than 200 members, I believe.

How many members does Sebonack have?  Liberty Nat'l?  Fishers Island?  Cypress Point?


How about Hamilton Farms.
Best
Dave

Mark_F

Re: Smallest Memberships
« Reply #39 on: November 23, 2008, 01:24:10 AM »
It gets minimal traffic from what I understand, but I'm not sure that any memberships as such have ever been offerred.

Matt,

Ergo, it has a membership of one, which is two less than Capital, and about the same number St Andrews Beach will have should it get resurrected.

JWinick

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Smallest Memberships
« Reply #40 on: November 23, 2008, 01:30:06 AM »
Deepdale has approximately 250 members, but very few live in Nassau County.   If clubs take steps to restrict local members in order to keep play down, it can fee like a club with 50 members.   When I played Deepdale earlier this month, I was told that there were only 2 foursomes per day in June, July, August, because most of the membership was playing in the Hamptons.

Mark Chaplin

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Smallest Memberships
« Reply #41 on: November 23, 2008, 05:24:18 AM »
I couldn't agree more with Sean, being a member at a club is about relationships, meeting mates for a beer and a game, etc, etc. I value the mix in membership at my club from local working people, thro the seriously comfortable to the retired. Playing with a bunch of CEOs or wealthy retirees EVERY week would bore the life out of me.

p.s Old Elm has around 250 members
Cave Nil Vino

Mark_Fine

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Smallest Memberships
« Reply #42 on: November 23, 2008, 08:29:28 AM »
I can name MANY these days that do NOT want to be on this list  ;) 

Tony Petersen

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Smallest Memberships
« Reply #43 on: November 23, 2008, 09:57:53 AM »
Somerset Golf Club is a nice Raynor in W. St. Paul with right around 200 members. Simple, subtle clubhouse, delicious food, a creaky screen door into the shop & a great design. Just golf. Pretty much all local, with a few national members (family of local members) No tee times, caddy & maintenance Monday's... love it!

 :D :D :D
« Last Edit: November 23, 2008, 10:02:06 AM by Tony Petersen »
Ski - U - Mah... University of Minnesota... "Seven beers followed by two Scotches and a thimble of marijuana and it's funny how sleep comes all on it's own.”

RJ_Daley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Smallest Memberships
« Reply #44 on: November 23, 2008, 01:33:13 PM »
Did anyone say Wolf Point, membership of 1, I think...  ;D

Is Dan Marino still a member of the Cherokee, having just watched him on the pre-game show...
No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.

ChipOat

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Smallest Memberships
« Reply #45 on: November 23, 2008, 03:04:40 PM »
Sean:

You are correct that being a member of a "bring your own game all the time" club can have a downside along with the obvious upside.  As someone who will play with anybody that's honest and ready to play when it's their turn, I like the "one call to the organizer" clubs and will put up with starting times and other elements of busy, bustling golf places to get that.

To me, the most appealing thing about Bay Hill is the daily Shoot Out run by the pro shop.  a single phone call or e-mail that morning and $20 in the pot gets you a good game every day when you want one.  That Arnie plays and that the golf course is a good one are the side dishes - not the entree.

Jim Tang

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Smallest Memberships
« Reply #46 on: November 26, 2008, 06:34:57 PM »
Black Sheep Golf Club in Sugar Grove, Illinois, has about 100 members.  Perhaps 15 or 20 of those are national members.

Ville Nurmi

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Smallest Memberships
« Reply #47 on: November 27, 2008, 05:38:17 AM »
The average number of members in Holland is 1800!!!
Not a small number :)