Overseas memberships

[Jerry Kluger]

Are any of the UK and Ireland clubs offering additional overseas memberships because of their decreased non-member revenue?

[John Emerson]

There are many many clubs with overseas memberships.  Actually I’ve only noticed a couple that don’t.

[Mike Sweeney]

There are many many clubs with overseas memberships.  Actually I’ve only noticed a couple that don’t.

I am an Overseas Member at Enniscrone GC (Ireland), and while The Irish are good at dealing with all sorts of depressions, famines, wars, and such... this latest closure of golf is really hurting all of them. Even the BIG clubs.

I joined as a Lifetime Member many years ago, so I have no annual dues, but I do try to contribute annually. One of my favorite moments in life was taking Mr Moore and my son to Enniscrone on a Father and Son golf trip in 2019. The locals are really appreciative, warm, and generous. The views are spectacular:



Obviously there are only a few clubs that don't allow public play, but the membership brings you inside the local club, and local member rates at many/most other clubs in Ireland. Someday soon with the World Handicap system, it is expected that you can log your rounds home and abroad into one system.

I joined Marine Memorial GC this year in a similar spirit, as I love that place, hope to travel to San Diego this July (??), and it helps in accessing other Military courses.

[Jeff Schley]

Still prevalent and for some reason under the radar to most. Been a few years since I had researched them so interesting info in this recent article.

https://www.linksmagazine.com/overseas-membership/
Surprised at the heavy fee for Waterville, as both Lahinch and Ballybunion are significantly lower IIRC. Anyone joined somewhere during the pandemic or recently as an overseas as I know the clubs really have come to rely on it during lean times?

[Tim Martin]

I know a few that have purposely joined a “Royal” club as an overseas member for it allows entry into the other “Royal” clubs.

[jeffwarne]

Are any of the UK and Ireland clubs offering additional overseas memberships because of their decreased non-member revenue?

As the lockdown restrictions tighten. I'm seeing surprising (vocal at least) resistance at local members paying dues at their clubs-based on the social media platforms I follow of clubs I am familiar with overseas.
A little surprising given the fact that the months of Dec, Jan, Feb aren't exactly prime season and their subs are quite low by comparison-also given that most courses are a community gathering center and need the support of all.The club still has operating costs despite zero revenues.
Of course many are suffering with financial hardship of their own.
At one point last spring, National members at the club I'm a member at were not allowed(from certain states), despite the club being open. It did not occur to me to not pay my dues.




It would seem Overseas memberships would be the way forward for many struggling clubs.Surprised we don't see more promotion of it as we did last year a la Brora and others.
The deal at Crail looks like a home run for anyone visiting the St. Andrew's area more than a time or two, and there are many great deals at under the radar places that could use the support and provide great value and experience.

[Joe_Tucholski]

Anyone joined somewhere during the pandemic or recently as an overseas as I know the clubs really have come to rely on it during lean times?

I'd been looking into it for a long time ([size=78%]International Memberships/Country Memberships/Lifetime Memberships (golfclubatlas.com)[/size].


I ended up joining at Carne last year just after everything kicked off.  Kind of crazy the price has gone down 50% since 2013...probably not a great indication of financial health, but I did love it out there.  I also considered Brora (no longer offering their special price) and Royal North Devon.  The three offered life options and are more on the budget/value side with regards to price.  Most importantly all appeal to my opinion on what golf is about.  Who knows when the next trip will be.


I've joined two clubs with the long picture of retirement in mind so hopefully I don't die young.

[Niall C]

Does Cypress Point do deals for Scottish residents ?

Niall

[Dan_Callahan]

I had joined Narin & Portnoo in early 2020, before covid was a thing. When it became clear restrictions would keep me from traveling to ireland in summer 2020, I inquired about pushing my membership ahead a year to 2021 (with no real expectations they would say yes, just thought it was worth asking). Instead, they went ahead and refunded me the full amount, which I thought was incredibly generous and is a primary reason why I will rejoin as soon as travel becomes doable.

[David_Tepper]

"I know a few that have purposely joined a “Royal” club as an overseas member for it allows entry into the other “Royal” clubs."


Tim M. -

I am an overseas member of a Royal club in Scotland. The club does have reciprocal arrangements with a small number of clubs around the world (both Royal and not). But I am not aware of any blanket arrangement that allows entry into other Royal clubs either in Great Britain or elsewhere.

DT 

[Tommy Williamsen]

"I know a few that have purposely joined a “Royal” club as an overseas member for it allows entry into the other “Royal” clubs."


Tim M. -

I am an overseas member of a Royal club in Scotland. The club does have reciprocal arrangements with a small number of clubs around the world (both Royal and not). But I am not aware of any blanket arrangement that allows entry into other Royal clubs either in Great Britain or elsewhere.

DT

I was an overseas member of Royal North Devon for half a dozen years. The membership is very inexpensive and allows you to play during member tee times and competitions. When I went to other clubs I had them call for me and I received a discounted green fee, whether it was royal or not.

[Michael Felton]

I'm an overseas member at two English clubs. I could likely add a couple more if I were so inclined, but both would be a lot of work. One of the two I am currently a member of has a healthy overseas membership, but as far as I can tell, they're all expats who were full members and then switched. It doesn't seem to me like something they would go out of their way to do. I don't pay a whole lot for either of them, although one of them has just about quadrupled in cost over the past 6-7 years. The club found out that other similar stature clubs around were charging more than they were so they bumped it up. It's still a reasonable deal (not last year's!) and I would keep it even if I didn't think it was reasonable for the possibility that I move back there and want to become a full member again.


Regarding the Royal clubs - are there any in the UK that you can't just play (given the green fee)? I'd think at most you might need a letter from someone saying you're a member somewhere in good standing, but I think most places will let you play with a handicap certificate. There are places like Wisley and Queenwood where that isn't the case, but I didn't think any of them were "Royal" anything.

[Ian Mackenzie]

"I know a few that have purposely joined a “Royal” club as an overseas member for it allows entry into the other “Royal” clubs."


Tim M. -

I am an overseas member of a Royal club in Scotland. The club does have reciprocal arrangements with a small number of clubs around the world (both Royal and not). But I am not aware of any blanket arrangement that allows entry into other Royal clubs either in Great Britain or elsewhere.

DT

+1

[Thomas Dai]

"I know a few that have purposely joined a “Royal” club as an overseas member for it allows entry into the other “Royal” clubs."
Tim M. -
I am an overseas member of a Royal club in Scotland. The club does have reciprocal arrangements with a small number of clubs around the world (both Royal and not). But I am not aware of any blanket arrangement that allows entry into other Royal clubs either in Great Britain or elsewhere.
DT

+1

I’ve been a member of a couple of Royals over the years and am still a member of one. While there are some inter-Royal Club arrangements it is not correct that all Royal clubs have reciprocals with all the others.
It’s also worth noting that there are non-exUk commonwealth/empire clubs with Royal/Real prefix in countries like Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Spain etc.
Atb

[David Jones]

I'm an overseas member at two English clubs. I could likely add a couple more if I were so inclined, but both would be a lot of work. One of the two I am currently a member of has a healthy overseas membership, but as far as I can tell, they're all expats who were full members and then switched. It doesn't seem to me like something they would go out of their way to do. I don't pay a whole lot for either of them, although one of them has just about quadrupled in cost over the past 6-7 years. The club found out that other similar stature clubs around were charging more than they were so they bumped it up. It's still a reasonable deal (not last year's!) and I would keep it even if I didn't think it was reasonable for the possibility that I move back there and want to become a full member again.


Regarding the Royal clubs - are there any in the UK that you can't just play (given the green fee)? I'd think at most you might need a letter from someone saying you're a member somewhere in good standing, but I think most places will let you play with a handicap certificate. There are places like Wisley and Queenwood where that isn't the case, but I didn't think any of them were "Royal" anything.

I think the Royal Household would be the only one that would be unplayable, but I’m pretty sure that membership of any other Royal won’t help get you on there either.

[Ian Mackenzie]

I had joined Narin & Portnoo in early 2020, before covid was a thing. When it became clear restrictions would keep me from traveling to ireland in summer 2020, I inquired about pushing my membership ahead a year to 2021 (with no real expectations they would say yes, just thought it was worth asking). Instead, they went ahead and refunded me the full amount, which I thought was incredibly generous and is a primary reason why I will rejoin as soon as travel becomes doable.

So, it sounds like you really do not wish to be a true member, just an opportunistic one.
When UK clubs genuinely needed to expand overseas memberships as visitor revenue dried up, you asked the club to do a very awkward thing.


Good on them.
Shame on you....


Will be curious to hear what they do when you resubmit your application.
I hope they ask you to pay retroactive to your original date.


I can hear the membership committee debating your candidacy:


"Yes, Paddy, but this is the member who will pause his membership if his hemorrhoids flair up on him. We will lose money just processing all of his paperwork constantly[size=78%]..."...[/size]

[Niall C]

Ian


I think you make a good point. A case of what you can do for your golf club and not what a golf club can do for you. And not to pick on Tommy but I've never heard of a UK club where members asked the pro to get them a time on another course, and at a discount. That said, I've advocated in the past that all SGU clubs should offer a discounted rate to other club members as a way of encouraging more club membership.


Niall

[Paul Jones]

Anyone joined somewhere during the pandemic or recently as an overseas as I know the clubs really have come to rely on it during lean times?

I'd been looking into it for a long time ([size=78%]International Memberships/Country Memberships/Lifetime Memberships (golfclubatlas.com)[/size].


I ended up joining at Carne last year just after everything kicked off.  Kind of crazy the price has gone down 50% since 2013...probably not a great indication of financial health, but I did love it out there.  I also considered Brora (no longer offering their special price) and Royal North Devon.  The three offered life options and are more on the budget/value side with regards to price.  Most importantly all appeal to my opinion on what golf is about.  Who knows when the next trip will be.


I've joined two clubs with the long picture of retirement in mind so hopefully I don't die young.

Joe,


Congrats on your membership to Carne.  Are you limited on how many rounds you can play a year?

[Tommy Williamsen]

Ian


I think you make a good point. A case of what you can do for your golf club and not what a golf club can do for you. And not to pick on Tommy but I've never heard of a UK club where members asked the pro to get them a time on another course, and at a discount. That said, I've advocated in the past that all SGU clubs should offer a discounted rate to other club members as a way of encouraging more club membership.


Niall

Nial, the secretary's office called for me.

[Joe_Tucholski]

Joe,


Congrats on your membership to Carne.  Are you limited on how many rounds you can play a year?

Thanks, Paul.  There are no limit on my rounds.  The terms indicated I must reside outside of Ireland for the majority of the year.  Home ownership is permitted, which some places didn't allow.  There is a limit on the number of guests I can bring each day at the guest rate.  I thought it would be 3 but it's 2 for some reason.

[Dan_Callahan]

Deleted

[Rob Marshall]

“Of course many are suffering with financial hardship of their own.At one point last spring, National members at the club I'm a member at were not allowed(from certain states), despite the club being open. It did not occur to me to not pay my dues.”


Some people look at it like a renter and others at it like an owner. At my small private club in upstate NY there were people who asked about a dues cut since the clubhouse was closed. Who do they think is going to make up the shortfall?