Golf Club Atlas
GolfClubAtlas.com => Golf Course Architecture => Topic started by: David Beeney on June 06, 2014, 01:03:26 PM
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Hi all,
I was wondering what is the best private golf course that's joinable? When I say joinable I mean a club without a waiting list, so if your pockets are deep enough and you know a couple of members you can get in.
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NGLA
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NGLA
Really? I would of guessed there would be a long waiting list.
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Prairie Dunes.
Ballyneal.
Dismal.
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Depends on your interpretation of "best"?
The highest rated club is probably Prairie Dunes.
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I think any club, even those with waiting lists, are imminently "joinable" if you know the right people.
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I think any club, even those with waiting lists, are imminently "joinable" if you know the right people.
Good point Kyle. Connections and $ put together are a powerful combination.
MM
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I think any club, even those with waiting lists, are imminently "joinable" if you know the right people.
Not any. Crystal Downs has something like a ten-year waiting list right now. You could get a few places ahead in the line if you bought a house on the property ... if any were actually for sale. I think there are plenty of other clubs in a similar position.
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The answer has to be Ballyneal, which I have as world top 20. I would join there in two seconds if I thought I would get out there more than once a year. That's of the courses I have seen - I haven't been to Dismal or Gozzer or Rock Creek or ... the list goes on and on. For 'joinability' in the United States, the Midwest section has to be king.
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How about the best warm weather club that could be played all winter and is fairly easy to get to? And Rock Creek Cattle would be the answer to the first question.
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Olympia Fields , Black Sheep and Flossmoor come to mind in Chicago
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This thread is a bit pretentious considering that I have it on good authority that Ballyneal and Prairie Dunes won't take just anyone who offers to write a check.
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How about the best warm weather club that could be played all winter and is fairly easy to get to? And Rock Creek Cattle would be the answer to the first question.
Diamante?
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How about the best warm weather club that could be played all winter and is fairly easy to get to? And Rock Creek Cattle would be the answer to the first question.
Diamante?
Easy to get to?
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How about the best warm weather club that could be played all winter and is fairly easy to get to? And Rock Creek Cattle would be the answer to the first question.
Jim, Mountain Lake comes to mind- aging membership in a nondesirable location in Florida.
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How about the best warm weather club that could be played all winter and is fairly easy to get to? And Rock Creek Cattle would be the answer to the first question.
Diamante?
Easy to get to?
An easy non-stop or one connection flight for a majority of the US (directs from most major hubs). On par with getting to a place like Rock Creek, except for customs.
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How about the best warm weather club that could be played all winter and is fairly easy to get to? And Rock Creek Cattle would be the answer to the first question.
Diamante?
Easy to get to?
In a metropolitan city, Cal Club in San Francisco.
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If the Cal Club is easily "joinable", I'm packing my bags and moving north tomorrow.
The only top flight club, I know of that is easy to join is Hidden Creek.
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I think any club, even those with waiting lists, are imminently "joinable" if you know the right people.
Not Augusta, only by invite. If you ask, you will not be considered.
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The answer has to be Ballyneal, which I have as world top 20. I would join there in two seconds if I thought I would get out there more than once a year. That's of the courses I have seen - I haven't been to Dismal or Gozzer or Rock Creek or ... the list goes on and on. For 'joinability' in the United States, the Midwest section has to be king.
I quite agree, thought the course was great
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If they didn't have odd seasons Whispering Pines would be solid.
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How about the best warm weather club that could be played all winter and is fairly easy to get to? And Rock Creek Cattle would be the answer to the first question.
The Bears Club in Jupiter
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course or club?
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This thread is a bit pretentious considering that I have it on good authority that Ballyneal and Prairie Dunes won't take just anyone who offers to write a check.
John is certainly correct about that. I think there are a few clubs that would be receptive to a reasonable candidate. How good the course and the club are always open to debate, but I think Victoria National, Lookout Mountain, Inverness, Prairie Dunes, Valhalla, Holston Hills, and Wolf Run are some that as of a couple years ago did not have waiting lists.
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Just look for the ones who post their initiation and dues online...
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course or club?
Course
I started this thread just to see if anyone had any strong opinions about the place to join. Augusta, Cypress Point, Pine Valley, Shinnecock, Winged Foot, Oakmont and clubs like that, 90% people will probably be stuck on a waiting list for a long time. As someone mentioned, somewhere like the Bears club is relatively easy to get into.
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Just look for the ones who post their initiation and dues online...
LOL! I seem to remember this being an interesting discussion recently.
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The answer has to be Ballyneal, which I have as world top 20. I would join there in two seconds if I thought I would get out there more than once a year. That's of the courses I have seen - I haven't been to Dismal or Gozzer or Rock Creek or ... the list goes on and on. For 'joinability' in the United States, the Midwest section has to be king.
As a Ballyneal member, I am hopeful there will be a waiting list at this point next year.
Was thinking Friars Head as the answer to your question.
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This thread is a bit pretentious considering that I have it on good authority that Ballyneal and Prairie Dunes won't take just anyone who offers to write a check.
Do you mean "presumptuous"?
As we are presuming something that may not be true.
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David, are you thinking of a national club you travel to occasionally, or a club near home you can play all time? Where do you live if it's the latter?
I would agree about Ballyneal, great place, great club. Ballyhack, the other Bally- club, is pretty special too.
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I didnt know that The Bears Club was an easy get.
With members like Michael Jordan, Rory, Luke Donald, Michelle Wie and many other tour pros- is it really that easy to get into.
I wouldnt think they would just let anyone in. Big Pockets or not.
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David, are you thinking of a national club you travel to occasionally, or a club near home you can play all time? Where do you live if it's the latter?
I would agree about Ballyneal, great place, great club. Ballyhack, the other Bally- club, is pretty special too.
I started this thread out of curiosity more than anything else. In a few years I hope to be in a position to pay a decent sized initiation fee so I was wondering where the best place to join would be where you don't need to spend years on a waiting list or know half of the membership.
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I didnt know that The Bears Club was an easy get.
With members like Michael Jordan, Rory, Luke Donald, Michelle Wie and many other tour pros- is it really that easy to get into.
I wouldnt think they would just let anyone in. Big Pockets or not.
On a relative basis compared with Augusta, Pine Valley, Cypress Point and Seminole it's easy to get in. They don't just let anyone in but if you know a couple of members and you're not a complete moron you won't have to wait too long to get in.
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Dornoch & Brora both of which are within the reach of even a modest wallet. Muirfield if you know the right people. Bet you can still get in Loch Lomond.
Jon
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Donald Trump and his family would be happy to welcome new members to the World's greatest golf courses.
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David, are you thinking of a national club you travel to occasionally, or a club near home you can play all time? Where do you live if it's the latter?
I would agree about Ballyneal, great place, great club. Ballyhack, the other Bally- club, is pretty special too.
I started this thread out of curiosity more than anything else. In a few years I hope to be in a position to pay a decent sized initiation fee so I was wondering where the best place to join would be where you don't need to spend years on a waiting list or know half of the membership.
There are many private clubs below the top tier and many are very affordable. For example, my son who lives on the Southeast corner of Houston is joining Bay Oaks, a long established club where many members paid $20,000 and up to join. He's paying $2,500 initiation. This is not too unusual these days.
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Another vote for Olympia Fields in Chicago suburbs.
I think if you started process now, you would be in by July 4th.
As for the Bear's Club in FL...I heard that Kid Rock just joined.
Also heard funny story about A golf club in New England (I won't "name names",)but heard that an older prospective member wanted to write check and was told there was a 10 year wait. He offered to pay 2x initiation. Denied. 4x....denied. Then he dropped a big number on them and the board let him in and changed their by-laws to state that anyone who writes that big of a check can get in.
Ain't that America....
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One vote for Long Cove. I understand that golf membership is a perk of home ownership. What a course and club.
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Being VERY flexible with the term 'great,' I believe Wentworth will have anyone that'll chuck enough money at them.
Then again, rightly or wrongly, there's a price for everything.
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Most of Australia's top end clubs are joinable if you are prepared to put in the work. Waiting lists are now very short or non-existent but one must still go through the process of getting 5-8 sponsors etc
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David, are you thinking of a national club you travel to occasionally, or a club near home you can play all time? Where do you live if it's the latter?
I would agree about Ballyneal, great place, great club. Ballyhack, the other Bally- club, is pretty special too.
I started this thread out of curiosity more than anything else. In a few years I hope to be in a position to pay a decent sized initiation fee so I was wondering where the best place to join would be where you don't need to spend years on a waiting list or know half of the membership.
There are many private clubs below the top tier and many are very affordable. For example, my son who lives on the Southeast corner of Houston is joining Bay Oaks, a long established club where many members paid $20,000 and up to join. He's paying $2,500 initiation. This is not too unusual these days.
it was at one time 30,000
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Just look for the ones who post their initiation and dues online...
My club posts theirs online and has a 4 year waiting list! :) Typical elitist comment.
Kingsley Club
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Riviera?
Valley Club?
MPCC?
Eugene?
Waverley?
Palmetto?
AugustaCC?
Clear Creek?
aside from the others mentioned
it would be fun to live on Long Island, no doubt
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The US is full of "joinable" clubs. Every city has a number of fine clubs to join. It just depends how much you want to spend and what kind of club you want.
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One vote for Long Cove. I understand that golf membership is a perk of home ownership. What a course and club.
Two. There were some excellent homes selling at a 30-50% discount couple years ago. Today, nothing much for under $500k. Transfer fee (maybe $20k?) and annual HOA dues north of $10k.
As of a year or two ago, Colonial CC in Fort Worth had a fairly open line to membership.
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Just look for the ones who post their initiation and dues online...
My club posts theirs online and has a 4 year waiting list! :) Typical elitist comment.
Kingsley Club
It's a waiting list to get a season pass to the university course. How is that remotely relevant?
http://radrick.umich.edu/?page_id=167 (http://radrick.umich.edu/?page_id=167)
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All clubs are joinable. Just maybe not by you ;D
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Just look for the ones who post their initiation and dues online...
My club posts theirs online and has a 4 year waiting list! :) Typical elitist comment.
Kingsley Club
It's a waiting list to get a season pass to the university course. How is that remotely relevant?
http://radrick.umich.edu/?page_id=167 (http://radrick.umich.edu/?page_id=167)
One, you one have to be alum, faculty, or work at hospital to have full access. A renewable season membership pass any different than being stuck with mistakes of idiot board members? They don't require initiation. It is a quasi private membership. So because it is a University Course that doesn't have debt it isn't relevant? Because they don't have logo blazers and assessments due to morons they are diminished from private status?? There is only X amount of full member season pass members.
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One, you one have to be alum, faculty, or work at hospital to have full access. A renewable season membership pass any different than being stuck with mistakes of idiot board members? They don't require initiation. It is a quasi private membership. So because it is a University Course that doesn't have debt it isn't relevant? Because they don't have logo blazers and assessments due to morons they are diminished from private status?? There is only X amount of full member season pass members.
Quasi private membership? Is that like being half pregnant?
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One, you one have to be alum, faculty, or work at hospital to have full access. A renewable season membership pass any different than being stuck with mistakes of idiot board members? They don't require initiation. It is a quasi private membership. So because it is a University Course that doesn't have debt it isn't relevant? Because they don't have logo blazers and assessments due to morons they are diminished from private status?? There is only X amount of full member season pass members.
Quasi private membership? Is that like being half pregnant?
Quasi private relates to being assoc. with a University. Prop taxes are pretty low in Michigan for golf courses! Equity would be full prego, meaning you would be waiting till you are dead to get your stock back! ;D
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David, are you thinking of a national club you travel to occasionally, or a club near home you can play all time? Where do you live if it's the latter?
I would agree about Ballyneal, great place, great club. Ballyhack, the other Bally- club, is pretty special too.
I started this thread out of curiosity more than anything else. In a few years I hope to be in a position to pay a decent sized initiation fee so I was wondering where the best place to join would be where you don't need to spend years on a waiting list or know half of the membership.
There are many private clubs below the top tier and many are very affordable. For example, my son who lives on the Southeast corner of Houston is joining Bay Oaks, a long established club where many members paid $20,000 and up to join. He's paying $2,500 initiation. This is not too unusual these days.
it was at one time 30,000
I knew he was a classy kid! ;D
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Riviera?
Valley Club?
MPCC?
Palmetto?
AugustaCC?
Clear Creek?
aside from the others mentioned
it would be fun to live on Long Island, no doubt
I have been a member of both Riviera and MPCC, the former too long ago to know anything about the process. MPCC is very democratic,
with two sponsors and $225.000.00. and providing always, that you are not a felon, there should be no impediment to your acceptance.
The beauty of a membership at MPCC is that you get back 50% of the entrance fee upon resigning. It is gratifying to note there has never been the necessity for an assessment.
Bob
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Hi all,
I was wondering what is the best private golf course that's joinable? When I say joinable I mean a club without a waiting list, so if your pockets are deep enough and you know a couple of members you can get in.
"When I say joinable I mean a club without a waiting list"
Given the love expressed around here perhaps Painswick! :)
No waiting list and inexpensive.
But......despite the love expressed herein, could you actually see yourself playing it as your home course with all it's hills and quirk 2-3-4 times per week?
atb
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Hi all,
I was wondering what is the best private golf course that's joinable? When I say joinable I mean a club without a waiting list, so if your pockets are deep enough and you know a couple of members you can get in.
Depends on your deinotion of "know".
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One, you one have to be alum, faculty, or work at hospital to have full access. A renewable season membership pass any different than being stuck with mistakes of idiot board members? They don't require initiation. It is a quasi private membership. So because it is a University Course that doesn't have debt it isn't relevant? Because they don't have logo blazers and assessments due to morons they are diminished from private status?? There is only X amount of full member season pass members.
Quasi private membership? Is that like being half pregnant?
Quasi private relates to being assoc. with a University. Prop taxes are pretty low in Michigan for golf courses! Equity would be full prego, meaning you would be waiting till you are dead to get your stock back! ;D
In a word, public. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
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Muirfield was 19 years it maybe slightly quicker by a year or so for the right sort but it's not exactly a quick or easy process. It took my friend 11 years but then his father was a member!
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One, you one have to be alum, faculty, or work at hospital to have full access. A renewable season membership pass any different than being stuck with mistakes of idiot board members? They don't require initiation. It is a quasi private membership. So because it is a University Course that doesn't have debt it isn't relevant? Because they don't have logo blazers and assessments due to morons they are diminished from private status?? There is only X amount of full member season pass members.
Quasi private membership? Is that like being half pregnant?
Quasi private relates to being assoc. with a University. Prop taxes are pretty low in Michigan for golf courses! Equity would be full prego, meaning you would be waiting till you are dead to get your stock back! ;D
In a word, public. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
My definition of public is real simple. Joe calls from his phone, isn't a member of any type doesn't play.
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Muirfield was 19 years it maybe slightly quicker by a year or so for the right sort but it's not exactly a quick or easy process. It took my friend 11 years but then his father was a member!
Mark,
my understanding was it was by invite.
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I actually can't believe someone suggested Muirfield as an option.
Well Brian, not as bad as 'Friars Head?' Bit like Pebble Beach? CPC? ANGC? etc. etc. etc........ ::)
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This thread is a bit pretentious considering that I have it on good authority that Ballyneal and Prairie Dunes won't take just anyone who offers to write a check.
As a national member of Prairie Dunes I can't believe they have any serious membership requirements, to be honest. It is a very unpretentious place, very friendly. After all, I am a member there ;D
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David
With the parameters that you set out for immediate access and a certain concern for the tariff, I very much doubt that you will find many a Club seeking you out.
However, good luck in your search.
Bob
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Based on the photos I see on twitter, the answer appears to be Outpost Club.
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Muirfield cannot be easily joined and I don't see how including it is going to add anything to this thread which is meant as a genuine request for information, not just an excuse to name the top clubs within 100 miles of your front door.
Brian, the original question was 'I was wondering what is the best private golf course that's joinable? When I say joinable I mean a club without a waiting list, so if your pockets are deep enough and you know a couple of members you can get in.
So even though I threw Muirfield in a flippant manner it is still valid if you know the right people and/or have deep pockets.
Where as to suggest a name and a ? does not answer the original question which was my point. If we all did that you could name any club hence my list of obvious no chance clubs.
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Once again another inappropriate question about PRIVATE clubs. There is a modus operandi with regard to the etiquette of club joining, at least on this side of the pond, that doesn't involve trolling on websites. Unless you're talking about the biggest name courses in the best locations, most clubs do not have a wait list these days. Apparently there are a lot of folks who assume that there should be a shopping app for blue light specials on club memberships so as to avoid contact with actual human beings. Not really a resume builder for being a desirable member. Maybe you should stick to Golf Now.
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Once again another inappropriate question about PRIVATE clubs. There is a modus operandi with regard to the etiquette of club joining, at least on this side of the pond, that doesn't involve trolling on websites. Unless you're talking about the biggest name courses in the best locations, most clubs do not have a wait list these days. Apparently there are a lot of folks who assume that there should be a shopping app for blue light specials on club memberships so as to avoid contact with actual human beings. Not really a resume builder for being a desirable member. Maybe you should stick to Golf Now.
I recently did an "audit" of our family wireless plan and one thing is for sure. If my son is fairly typical of 18 year olds now, private club golf is toast. They simple don't TALK on the phone.
Don't yell at me. I have told him that if he learns to talk on the phone, he will be in the top 1% of society :)
in addition, there are better sites than Golf Now for private club golf now :D
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I think any club, even those with waiting lists, are imminently "joinable" if you know the right people.
Only a moron would make that claim.
Golfers seriously wanting to join PV, CPC, NGLA and others, all know the "right people"
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All I can say is, "Wow". Some of you can say some disrespectful things...to the OP and other responders.
Try practicing some compassion....and maybe a little respect for a fellow golfer.
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All I can say is, "Wow". Some of you can say some disrespectful things...to the OP and other responders.
Common sense isn't so common.
Try practicing some compassion....and maybe a little respect for a fellow golfer.
Only a moron would "assume" that he's a golfer !
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All I can say is, "Wow". Some of you can say some disrespectful things...to the OP and other responders.
Try practicing some compassion....and maybe a little respect for a fellow golfer.
I assume you are talking about those who disrepected private club membership info by disclosing it on a public forum without prior approval....
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All I can say is, "Wow". Some of you can say some disrespectful things...to the OP and other responders.
Try practicing some compassion....and maybe a little respect for a fellow golfer.
I assume you are talking about those who disrepected private club membership info by disclosing it on a public forum without prior approval....
Jud, are you referring to Bob Huntley's comments on MPCC?
Frankly, if I'd paid 225k to join a Club that is not even in the top 3 in the immediate area, I'd class it as my prerogative to tell whoever I liked.
You guys play a game of which I am not familiar......
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All I can say is, "Wow". Some of you can say some disrespectful things...to the OP and other responders.
Try practicing some compassion....and maybe a little respect for a fellow golfer.
I assume you are talking about those who disrepected private club membership info by disclosing it on a public forum without prior approval....
100 bucks says you've assumed incorrectly.
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All I can say is, "Wow". Some of you can say some disrespectful things...to the OP and other responders.
Try practicing some compassion....and maybe a little respect for a fellow golfer.
I assume you are talking about those who disrepected private club membership info by disclosing it on a public forum without prior approval....
Jud,
Just in case that last comment was directed at me, I was wondering why and from whom I should get approval. Do tell.
Bob
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I would suggest Forest Creek as a fine private club that is joinable. Two really good courses, you've seen the men's locker room, really nice clubhouse, easily accessible as it is just over an hour's drive from RDU Airport, weather is good enough to play most months of the year and plenty of places to stay in the area. Oh, and some other really good golf in the area.
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All I can say is, "Wow". Some of you can say some disrespectful things...to the OP and other responders.
Common sense isn't so common.
Try practicing some compassion....and maybe a little respect for a fellow golfer.
Only a moron would "assume" that he's a golfer !
I could not agree more. Common sense is not all that common. My Grandfather used to tell me that as a child. I've lived by that knowledge for most of my life.
Now, to your passive aggressive comment calling me a "moron" for assuming he is a golfer. He is a member of a golf course architecture forum and is looking to "join" a golf club that is the "best golf course that is joinable". He also states in later posts that he plays at other courses. I sincerely apologize for going out on too far of a limb for you to follow.
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All I can say is, "Wow". Some of you can say some disrespectful things...to the OP and other responders.
Try practicing some compassion....and maybe a little respect for a fellow golfer.
I assume you are talking about those who disrepected private club membership info by disclosing it on a public forum without prior approval....
Jud,
Just in case that last comment was directed at me, I was wondering why and from whom I should get approval. Do tell.
Bob
Bob,
I wasn't speaking specifically about you, but given that MPCC doesn't even have a public website I can't imagine that they're keen to broadcast their initiation fees and dues structure broadly, even on such an august site as this.
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All I can say is, "Wow". Some of you can say some disrespectful things...to the OP and other responders.
Try practicing some compassion....and maybe a little respect for a fellow golfer.
I assume you are talking about those who disrepected private club membership info by disclosing it on a public forum without prior approval....
100 bucks says you've assumed incorrectly.
Eric, You know me well my friend.
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All I can say is, "Wow". Some of you can say some disrespectful things...to the OP and other responders.
Try practicing some compassion....and maybe a little respect for a fellow golfer.
I assume you are talking about those who disrepected private club membership info by disclosing it on a public forum without prior approval....
Jud,
Just in case that last comment was directed at me, I was wondering why and from whom I should get approval. Do tell.
Bob
Bob,
I wasn't speaking specifically about you, but given that MPCC doesn't even have a public website I can't imagine that they're keen to broadcast their initiation fees and dues structure broadly, even on such an august site as this.
Ummm...no fees listed but they do have a web site, that is essentially a membership brochure
http://www.mpccpb.org/Default.aspx?p=DynamicModule&pageid=343169&ssid=244606&vnf=1
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Bob,
I wasn't speaking specifically about you, but given that MPCC doesn't even have a public website I can't imagine that they're keen to broadcast their initiation fees and dues structure broadly, even on such an august site as this.
Jud,
Come on, it is a new world. Even the C.I.A. showed a sense of humor this week when they posted their first tweet:
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oFIPSD__I_k/U5TXZzLQGtI/AAAAAAAACag/X2WGGBoebjU/w623-h478-no/Screen+Shot+2014-06-08+at+5.34.27+PM.png)
Is private golf REALLY that serious?
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Once again another inappropriate question about PRIVATE clubs. There is a modus operandi with regard to the etiquette of club joining, at least on this side of the pond, that doesn't involve trolling on websites. Unless you're talking about the biggest name courses in the best locations, most clubs do not have a wait list these days. Apparently there are a lot of folks who assume that there should be a shopping app for blue light specials on club memberships so as to avoid contact with actual human beings. Not really a resume builder for being a desirable member. Maybe you should stick to Golf Now.
Your post seems to imply I'm 'trolling' looking for invites or membership information. I just wanted to gauge the opinions of a very educated board of golf course enthusiasts as to what the best courses are where there is a possibility to join as there are a number of courses that are virtually impossible to join. I know most clubs don't have waiting lists these days hence the question which is the best course that doesn't have a waiting list. Your pretentious attitude belongs in a previous century, like most normal people I aspire to be a member of and play at a great course one day, that is all. It was meant to be a fairly light-hearted discussion.
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Once again another inappropriate question about PRIVATE clubs. There is a modus operandi with regard to the etiquette of club joining, at least on this side of the pond, that doesn't involve trolling on websites. Unless you're talking about the biggest name courses in the best locations, most clubs do not have a wait list these days. Apparently there are a lot of folks who assume that there should be a shopping app for blue light specials on club memberships so as to avoid contact with actual human beings. Not really a resume builder for being a desirable member. Maybe you should stick to Golf Now.
Your post seems to imply I'm 'trolling' looking for invites or membership information. I just wanted to gauge the opinions of a very educated board of golf course enthusiasts as to what the best courses are where there is a possibility to join as there are a number of courses that are virtually impossible to join. I know most clubs don't have waiting lists these days hence the question which is the best course that doesn't have a waiting list. Your pretentious attitude belongs in a previous century, like most normal people I aspire to be a member of and play at a great course one day, that is all. It was meant to be a fairly light-hearted discussion.
No, you're trolling to see which clubs have wait lists and which clubs don't. Also equally inappropriate IMHO. Are you willing to join any highly rated club in the world? Buy a place in St. Andrews and you can play the Old Course for a very reasonable stipend. End of discussion. Seriously, if you've spent a bit of time here, and are somewhat well traveled, it's pretty apparent which clubs have wait lists and which don't. Does geography matter, or simply rankings and prestige? Light-hearted is perhaps the wrong adjective for this inquiry.
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Once again another inappropriate question about PRIVATE clubs. There is a modus operandi with regard to the etiquette of club joining, at least on this side of the pond, that doesn't involve trolling on websites. Unless you're talking about the biggest name courses in the best locations, most clubs do not have a wait list these days. Apparently there are a lot of folks who assume that there should be a shopping app for blue light specials on club memberships so as to avoid contact with actual human beings. Not really a resume builder for being a desirable member. Maybe you should stick to Golf Now.
Your post seems to imply I'm 'trolling' looking for invites or membership information. I just wanted to gauge the opinions of a very educated board of golf course enthusiasts as to what the best courses are where there is a possibility to join as there are a number of courses that are virtually impossible to join. I know most clubs don't have waiting lists these days hence the question which is the best course that doesn't have a waiting list. Your pretentious attitude belongs in a previous century, like most normal people I aspire to be a member of and play at a great course one day, that is all. It was meant to be a fairly light-hearted discussion.
No, you're trolling to see which clubs have wait lists and which clubs don't. Also equally inappropriate IMHO. Are you willing to join any highly rated club in the world? Buy a place in St. Andrews and you can play the Old Course for a very reasonable stipend. End of discussion. Seriously, if you've spent a bit of time here, and are somewhat well traveled, it's pretty apparent which clubs have wait lists and which don't. Does geography matter, or simply rankings and prestige? Light-hearted is perhaps the wrong adjective for this inquiry.
No, I couldn't care less about rankings or prestige. I work very hard and in a few years when I reach an age milestone I would like to treat myself and have place to go and play a truly fantastic golf course. Yes it's not hard to find info on clubs that have joining lists but my question was simply which do you consider the best course. I could pay to play St Andres anytime, a lot of the great courses you have to be a member.
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If someone had just mentioned Kingsley earlier we could have saved Tigerman a ton of embarrassment.
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Bob,
I wasn't speaking specifically about you, but given that MPCC doesn't even have a public website I can't imagine that they're keen to broadcast their initiation fees and dues structure broadly, even on such an august site as this.
Jud,
A simple, "I'm sorry, Bob" would have sufficed.
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All I can say is, "Wow". Some of you can say some disrespectful things...to the OP and other responders.
Try practicing some compassion....and maybe a little respect for a fellow golfer.
I assume you are talking about those who disrepected private club membership info by disclosing it on a public forum without prior approval....
Jud,
Just in case that last comment was directed at me, I was wondering why and from whom I should get approval. Do tell.
Bob
Bob,
I wasn't speaking specifically about you, but given that MPCC doesn't even have a public website I can't imagine that they're keen to broadcast their initiation fees and dues structure broadly, even on such an august site as this.
http://www.mpccpb.org/
Jud they do have a website, and I believe there is a place they even talk about their wait list:
http://www.mpccpb.org/Default.aspx?p=DynamicModule&pageid=343169&ssid=244606&vnf=1
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Threads like this happen because Ran allows these guys to post under fake names. We have enough apologies in the world. "Jud T" meant what he said he just forgot who he was insulting.
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All I can say is, "Wow". Some of you can say some disrespectful things...to the OP and other responders.
Common sense isn't so common.
Try practicing some compassion....and maybe a little respect for a fellow golfer.
Only a moron would "assume" that he's a golfer !
I could not agree more. Common sense is not all that common. My Grandfather used to tell me that as a child. I've lived by that knowledge for most of my life.
Now, to your passive aggressive comment calling me a "moron" for assuming he is a golfer.
He is a member of a golf course architecture forum
[color=blue
So participating on a website focused on architecture qualifies him to be a golfer ?
Would that mean that Seth Raynor was a golfer ?[/color]
and is looking to "join" a golf club that is the "best golf course that is joinable".
Does that mean that if he lives in Des Moines that he'll move to New York, Los Angeles, Florida, Texas or Oregon if someone finds "the best course that is joinable" ?
Again, only a moron would conclude that he's trolling and willing to pull up his roots and move so that he could join "the best course that is joinable"
Shirley you're not so lacking in common sense that you thought that's why he created his post.
He also states in later posts that he plays at other courses.
Wasn't that subsequent to your comment ?
I sincerely apologize for going out on too far of a limb for you to follow.
So far out on the limb that you think he's willing to alter his entire life and move thousands of miles just to join "the best club that is joinable" ?
I here by anoint you with colossal moron status
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All I can say is, "Wow". Some of you can say some disrespectful things...to the OP and other responders.
Try practicing some compassion....and maybe a little respect for a fellow golfer.
I assume you are talking about those who disrepected private club membership info by disclosing it on a public forum without prior approval....
Jud,
Just in case that last comment was directed at me, I was wondering why and from whom I should get approval. Do tell.
Bob
Bob,
I wasn't speaking specifically about you, but given that MPCC doesn't even have a public website I can't imagine that they're keen to broadcast their initiation fees and dues structure broadly, even on such an august site as this.
http://www.mpccpb.org/
Jud they do have a website, and I believe there is a place they even talk about their wait list:
http://www.mpccpb.org/Default.aspx?p=DynamicModule&pageid=343169&ssid=244606&vnf=1
My bad. They do have a website. I loaded the members login earlier. I still don't see where it mentions the waitlist or the cost of membership. If they wanted to quote pricing it would have been listed on the site.
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If someone had just mentioned Kingsley earlier we could have saved Tigerman a ton of embarrassment.
That's ridiculous. Anyone who's spent any time here and looked at their website knows Kingsley's one of the best courses that's joinable. If, however, instead of feebly attempting to push people's buttons online you'd care to discuss the financial past and future of our respective clubs over cocktails, I'm buying.
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If someone had just mentioned Kingsley earlier we could have saved Tigerman a ton of embarrassment.
That's ridiculous. Anyone who's spent 5 minutes here and looked at their website knows Kingsley's one of the best courses that's joinable. If, however, instead of feebly attempting to push people's buttons online you'd care to discuss the financial past and future of our respective clubs over cocktails, I'm buying.
Sorry Jud, you must be confused because I am not a member of that club.
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If Scott W is on-line, he and I have been given the invite to several clubs in the Tidewater VA area. It's just they do not provide any better golf and I would rather spend the same $$ on trips.
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If someone had just mentioned Kingsley earlier we could have saved Tigerman a ton of embarrassment.
That's ridiculous. Anyone who's spent any time here and looked at their website knows Kingsley's one of the best courses that's joinable. If, however, instead of feebly attempting to push people's buttons online you'd care to discuss the financial past and future of our respective clubs over cocktails, I'm buying.
I preferred the ballsier pre-edit post. Not surprised you took it down.
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What a pickle John K is in. On one side of the coin he has to deal with someone posting to find out non-public information about private clubs (something he hates) and on the other side of the coin, he has Jud T (also something he hates). It appears that in the hierarchy of John K hatred, Jud T is above disclosure of private club information.
Here is an idea, instead of making your decision to join a club based upon how high the ranking is and whether you can get in by just paying a fee, make your decision based on playing the golf course, experiencing the club determining whether you like it and then hopefully making enough relationships to gain admission. The whole notion that someone would come on to this website WITH 10 posts and effectively say "I'm hoping to have enough money in a few years to join a club, which is the highest rated club I can get into?" is ridiculous.
The word private should mean something, otherwise we're just a society of places like Radrick Farms.
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The word private should mean something, otherwise we're just a society of places like Radrick Farms.
Ok, please define private in the modern golf world.
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This thread is a perfect microcosm of what is so wrong with the private golf mentality as it exists in America. We seem to feel that the more exclusive we can be the better. You would never have people taking such offense to a comment like this in Australia or the UK (outside of maybe one or two clubs). Too many private courses and private golfers take themselves far too seriously.
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Boston Golf Club would be near the top of my list.
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The word private should mean something, otherwise we're just a society of places like Radrick Farms.
Ok, please define private in the modern golf world.
Not public.
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Stephen,
If you'd met half the people posting on this topic, you'd realize that being too serious is one of the last things we'd be accused of. It's a question of non public info and a public forum. We can debate the merits of the US vs. the GB&I and Aussie club models, but that's a separate issue. Since you're all for full disclosure, why don't you tell us your address, phone number, current net worth, as well as a list of all your investments, sexual conquests and recent diseases?
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As alluded to previously in this thread there is no context to encourage a reasonable discussion. First of all there should be some parameters as far as location because as Pat Mucci alluded to it makes no sense that someone would totally uproot and move across the country. Additionally there should be some distinction between "everyday" and destination clubs. With the exception of Sand Hills most destination clubs have openings whereas many "everyday" clubs do not. Without more information being disclosed by the original poster this is a fool's errand.
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I think any club, even those with waiting lists, are imminently "joinable" if you know the right people.
Only a moron would make that claim.
Golfers seriously wanting to join PV, CPC, NGLA and others, all know the "right people"
Exactly and if the right members are their sponsors, they will likely get in without much of a wait not counting how long the "process" takes.
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What a pickle John K is in. On one side of the coin he has to deal with someone posting to find out non-public information about private clubs (something he hates) and on the other side of the coin, he has Jud T (also something he hates). It appears that in the hierarchy of John K hatred, Jud T is above disclosure of private club information.
Here is an idea, instead of making your decision to join a club based upon how high the ranking is and whether you can get in by just paying a fee, make your decision based on playing the golf course, experiencing the club determining whether you like it and then hopefully making enough relationships to gain admission. The whole notion that someone would come on to this website WITH 10 posts and effectively say "I'm hoping to have enough money in a few years to join a club, which is the highest rated club I can get into?" is ridiculous.
The word private should mean something, otherwise we're just a society of places like Radrick Farms.
I don't believe I have ever said anything indicating that I hate "Jud T". I consider all the members of Kingsley my friends.
As I mentioned on the another thread I believe the proof of access in a respective country can be seen in the faces of their amateur representatives. I was very proud of the diverse team the U.S. Curtis Cup team put on the field. GB&I, really...
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.
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The word private should mean something, otherwise we're just a society of places like Radrick Farms.
Ok, please define private in the modern golf world.
Not public.
And the lawyer sidesteps the challenge.
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Stephen,
If you'd met half the people posting on this topic, serious is one of the last things you'd accuse us of. It's a question of non public info and a public forum. We can debate the merits of the US vs. the GB&I and Aussie club models, but that's a separate issue. Since you're all for full disclosure, why don't you tell us your address, phone number, current net worth, as well as a list of all your investments, sexual conquests and recent diseases?
Jud,
I have actually met many members of this forum and have enjoyed my time with each of them. Between this thread and the one a month ago or so when someone was belittled for inviting people to join him at a prestegious club, I would say, that our track record has not been so good lately when it comes to discussions about private golf.
As far as the above information I don't really see how that is at all relevant to the discussion of great golf courses that people might be able to join. I for one found the discussion quite interesting up until it got squelched by people taking offense at the discussion of so brash a topic. BUT if you would really like to know, and as those who do know me know, I am pretty much an open book, so here you go.
You know my name. 3605 Star Ranch Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80906. 719-576-3276. I would say that my current net worth is somewhere in the -$1.5M number (and about to get worse ;)). As for investments, with a net worth like mine, that is pretty much a given. As for sexual conquests, I have had exactly one partner my entire life, of whom I have been married to for 10 wonderful years and as far as I know, I am blessedly free of any disease. Oh and if it helps the discussion, I am a member of two private clubs, so it is not out of envy that I write this.
Hope that helps! ;)
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The word private should mean something, otherwise we're just a society of places like Radrick Farms.
Ok, please define private in the modern golf world.
Not public.
And the lawyer sidesteps the challenge.
or, the lawyer answered the question you asked, not the question you wanted to ask but couldn't and didn't clearly articulate.
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Stephen,
If you'd met half the people posting on this topic, serious is one of the last things you'd accuse us of. It's a question of non public info and a public forum. We can debate the merits of the US vs. the GB&I and Aussie club models, but that's a separate issue. Since you're all for full disclosure, why don't you tell us your address, phone number, current net worth, as well as a list of all your investments, sexual conquests and recent diseases?
Jud,
I have actually met many members of this forum and have enjoyed my time with each of them. Between this thread and the one a month ago or so when someone was belittled for inviting people to join him at a prestegious club, I would say, that our track record has not been so good lately when it comes to discussions about private golf.
As far as the above information I don't really see how that is at all relevant to the discussion of great golf courses that people might be able to join. I for one found the discussion quite interesting up until it got squelched by people taking offense at the discussion of so brash a topic. BUT if you would really like to know, and as those who do know me know, I am pretty much an open book, so here you go.
You know my name. 3605 Star Ranch Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80906. 719-576-3276. I would say that my current net worth is somewhere in the -$1.5M number (and about to get worse ;)). As for investments, with a net worth like mine, that is pretty much a given. As for sexual conquests, I have had exactly one partner my entire life, of whom I have been married to for 10 wonderful years and as far as I know, I am blessedly free of any disease. Oh and if it helps the discussion, I am a member of two private clubs, so it is not out of envy that I write this.
Hope that helps! ;)
Cool. Now would you mind telling us which clubs you belong to, how many members they each have, what their membership target is and what the downstroke, annual dues, locker fee, cart fee, caddie fee, food minimums and caddie christmas fund requirements are at each as well as your detailed experience with going through the membership process including who recommended you?
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Cool. Now would you mind telling us which clubs you belong to, how many members they each have, what their membership target is and what the downstroke, annual dues, locker fee, cart fee, caddie fee, food minimums and caddie christmas fund requirements are as well as your experience with going through the membership process including who recommended you?
I belong to The Cornell Club, and there are 5-7 golf clubs that I can now play as a reciprocal member. I don't have to worry about all the stuff you mention, it just gets charged back.
http://www.cornellclubnyc.com/category/club-us
All the membership fees for CC are listed on the website and the membership process is simple if you graduated from Cornell or one of the affiliate schools. My wife and fellow graduate questions the value of a Cornell education everyday when she wakes up with me in the same bed, but this is how it is. Outsiders need one sponsor and again the fees are listed.
I am waiting for Garden City to show up on the reciprocal list ;D
Still waiting for MSU grad Jones to give a real answer.
Jud,
Did you see Wikileaks response to the CIA:
(http://static.businessinsider.com/image/53937e80eab8ea232d7e11b5-1200/image.jpg)
Information is fungible these days.....
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I belong to The Cornell Club, and there are 5-7 golf clubs that I can now play as a reciprocal member. I don't have to worry about all the stuff you mention, it just gets charged back.
http://www.cornellclubnyc.com/category/club-us
All the membership fees for CC are listed on the website and the membership process is simple if you graduated from Cornell or one of the affiliate schools. My wife and fellow graduate questions the value of a Cornell education everyday when she wakes up with me in the same bed, but this is how it is. Outsiders need one sponsor and again the fees are listed.
I am waiting for Garden City to show up on the reciprocal list ;D
Mike,
That's all well and good (and I have seen the golf recip list for Cornell - it has some very good courses)
But as you know, you cannot show up and play those clubs whenever you want - you are restricted on days/times.
Perhaps that works well for you, but I need to play in prime time, early on weekend mornings (as do many/most busy professionals). I also like to belong to a true "club" that has a culture and where you get to know people over a period of years, not just a course at which I can show up and play golf.
But - to each their own.
Cheers,
Kevin
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Obvioulsy joinable is a relative term depending upon contacts and bank balance.
For shear value and quality....
Texarkana CC one of this countries true hidden gems is a non beater.
Langford Moreau layout founded in 1914, with the L&M work to follow,beautiful old school tree lined SUPERB conditioning.
No waiting list, no tee times, $2500 initiation and dues under $400 a month.
I am so lucky to be in this town,every time I am out on the course, never held up or playing slowly, few groups on the course.....heaven.
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What a pickle John K is in. On one side of the coin he has to deal with someone posting to find out non-public information about private clubs (something he hates) and on the other side of the coin, he has Jud T (also something he hates). It appears that in the hierarchy of John K hatred, Jud T is above disclosure of private club information.
Here is an idea, instead of making your decision to join a club based upon how high the ranking is and whether you can get in by just paying a fee, make your decision based on playing the golf course, experiencing the club determining whether you like it and then hopefully making enough relationships to gain admission. The whole notion that someone would come on to this website WITH 10 posts and effectively say "I'm hoping to have enough money in a few years to join a club, which is the highest rated club I can get into?" is ridiculous.
The word private should mean something, otherwise we're just a society of places like Radrick Farms.
Rankings are publicly available and are ranked by people who perhaps don't have the appreciation for golf course architecture that posters on this board do. That's why I stated in a post I don't care about rankings.
I just wanted to know what people here think the best course that is joinable is, I'm certainly not interested in kissing asses to get invited to join so perhaps I should of put that in the original post. I respect the views of people on this board and so wondered if there was a course that perhaps wasn't on my radar. Until I met a member the other day, I had never heard of Eagle Point in North Carolina which will hold the 2017 Wells Fargo when the PGA is at Quail Hollow. I'm sorry if my slight invasion into the privacy of private clubs is a problem for you. I've actually been a member of this board for a while, just because I'm not a keyboard warrior like yourself and joined in discussions it demeans the credibility of my post.
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As alluded to previously in this thread there is no context to encourage a reasonable discussion. First of all there should be some parameters as far as location because as Pat Mucci alluded to it makes no sense that someone would totally uproot and move across the country. Additionally there should be some distinction between "everyday" and destination clubs. With the exception of Sand Hills most destination clubs have openings whereas many "everyday" clubs do not. Without more information being disclosed by the original poster this is a fool's errand.
I didn't think I needed to set such strict parameters for discussion as this isn't a Presidential debate. I don't see why location matters, most clubs have lots of international members and it's pretty normal for a number of members to visit only a couple of weeks of the year. How many Nanea members do you think live in Hawaii?
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Obvioulsy joinable is a relative term depending upon contacts and bank balance.
For shear value and quality....
Texarkana CC one of this countries true hidden gems is a non beater.
Langford Moreau layout founded in 1914, with the L&M work to follow,beautiful old school tree lined SUPERB conditioning.
No waiting list, no tee times, $2500 initiation and dues under $400 a month.
I am so lucky to be in this town,every time I am out on the course, never held up or playing slowly, few groups on the course.....heaven.
I had not heard of either of those, thank you.
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Anybody who wants to play there, let me know from now until NovemBEr the course will be magnificent.
Super bermuda fairways and greens odl school golf at its best.
I accept some bias here as it is my home course, but those who know me, also know I will speak my mind but will not bull shit when it comes to golf courses.
Ron Pritchrad knows about the place and I feel confident he will second my remarks.
http://www.texarkanacc.com/
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Anybody who wants to play there, let me know from now until NovemBEr the course will be magnificent.
Super bermuda fairways and greens odl school golf at its best.
I accept some bias here as it is my home course, but those who know me, also know I will speak my mind but will not bull shit when it comes to golf courses.
Ron Pritchrad knows about the place and I feel confident he will second my remarks.
http://www.texarkanacc.com/
Michael, I just read thru your clubs website and TCC is pretty impressive. Looks as though with the exception of 1 hole it is all still L/M. You have a nice club with some real pedigree with Nelson and Hogan.
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Thank you Sir....all comers welcome anytime, no unwillingness to share my good fortune here ;D
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Hey guys - first post here on GCA as a new member.
A few ideas off the top of my head on top "joinable" private courses that are also classic designs:
Old Town - Winston-Salem, NC (a fantastic place, top tier golf course, terrific/fun membership)
Linville - Linville, NC
Timuquana - Jacksonville, FL
Palma Ceia - Tampa, FL
Idle Hour - Macon, GA
Lookout Mountain - Chattanooga, TN (I think Lookout is right up there with Chicago and NGLA, personally)
There are fewer I can think of on the west coast and northeast.
Rob
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Anybody who wants to play there, let me know from now until NovemBEr the course will be magnificent.
Super bermuda fairways and greens odl school golf at its best.
I accept some bias here as it is my home course, but those who know me, also know I will speak my mind but will not bull shit when it comes to golf courses.
Ron Pritchrad knows about the place and I feel confident he will second my remarks.
http://www.texarkanacc.com/
Michael,
Looks great. I am truly jealous as you are correct that location has such a dramatic impact on these type of opportunities.
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This thread is a bit pretentious considering that I have it on good authority that Ballyneal and Prairie Dunes won't take just anyone who offers to write a check.
John is certainly correct about that. I think there are a few clubs that would be receptive to a reasonable candidate. How good the course and the club are always open to debate, but I think Victoria National, Lookout Mountain, Inverness, Prairie Dunes, Valhalla, Holston Hills, and Wolf Run are some that as of a couple years ago did not have waiting lists.
Nigel,
My understanding is there is a waiting list at Valhalla, only the waiting list is to get OUT. Some members are not happy about how often the course closes for events and re-designs, etc. A person can only get out if someone takes there place. So you are correct that someone can join, but they do have a waiting list, just on the wrong side. :D
Sorry if this was mentioned before. I have not read the entire thread.
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Prairie Dunes.
Ballyneal.
Dismal.
I have to agree with this list. Added Kingsley
Prairie Dunes.
Ballyneal.
Kingsley
Dismal.
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I went back and looked at the GCA unofficial top 100 list from a few years ago. Based on anecdotal evidence (including in this thread), and assuming the club must be (a) private and (b) in the U.S., only the ones highlighted in green (in honor of Pat Mucci) seem reasonably easy to join--assuming, in some cases, you can make a very significant downstroke. Purple is for places that might be reasonably easy to join but I have no idea if that's the case:
1 Cypress Point Club 9.81
2 Pine Valley Golf Club 9.78
3 Royal Melbourne (West) 9.65
4 Royal County Down 9.58
5 Sand Hills Golf Club 9.54
6 Merion Golf Club (East) 9.49
7 National Golf Links of America 9.49
8 Shinnecock Hills Golf Club 9.49
9 St. Andrews (Old) 9.35
10 Royal Dornoch 9.30
11 Pacific Dunes 9.28
12 Oakmont Country Club 9.19
13 Crystal Downs Country Club 9.05
14 Royal Portrush 8.91
15 Augusta National Golf Club 8.87
16 Ballyneal 8.82
17 Ballybunion 8.78
18 Pebble Beach Golf Links 8.75
19 Muirfield 8.75
20 Kingston Heath 8.73
21 Prairie Dunes Country Club 8.69
22 Seminole Golf Club 8.60
23 Fishers Island Golf Club 8.60
24 Barnbougle Dunes 8.60
25 San Francisco Golf Club 8.55
26 Riviera Country Club 8.49
27 Friar’s Head 8.45
28 Highlands Links 8.44
29 The Country Club (Composite) 8.41
30 Royal St. George's 8.37
31 Winged Foot Golf Club (West) 8.37
32 Sunningdale (Old) 8.32
33 Turnberry (Ailsa) 8.32
34 Lahinch 8.30
35 Pinehurst No. 2 8.30
36 Cape Kidnappers, N.Z. 8.27
37 Chicago Golf Club 8.22
38 North Berwick 8.17
39 St. George's Hill 8.15
40 New South Wales GC 8.13
41 Yale University Golf Course 8.08
42 Swinley Forest 8.00
43 Rye 8.00
44 Sebonack Golf Club 8.00
45 St. Enodoc 8.00
46 Rock Creek Cattle Company 8.00
47 Bethpage State Park (Black) 7.98
48 Carnoustie (Championship) 7.97
49 Pasatiempo Golf Club 7.95
50 Woodhall Spa (Hotchkin) 7.92
51 Royal Birkdale 7.91
52 Ocean Course at Kiawah Island 7.91
53 Garden City Golf Club 7.87
54 Paraparaumu Beach 7.85
55 Kingsley Club 7.83
56 Bandon Trails 7.82
57 Prestwick 7.81
58 Los Angeles Country Club (North) 7.81
59 Valley Club of Montecito 7.80
60 Portmarnock (Old) 7.80
61 Shoreacres Golf Club 7.79
62 Casa de Campo (Teeth of the Dog) 7.77
63 Holston Hills Country Club 7.76
64 TPC at Sawgrass (Players Stadium) 7.76
65 Myopia Hunt Club 7.74
66 Bandon Dunes 7.73
67 Cruden Bay 7.72
68 Walton Heath (Old) 7.71
69 The Golf Club 7.71
70 St. George's (Canada) 7.70
71 Ganton 7.68
72 Mid Ocean 7.68
73 Royal Melbourne (East) 7.68
74 Whistling Straits (Straits) 7.66
75 Western Gailes 7.66
76 Plainfield Country Club 7.64
77 Wannamoisett Country Club 7.64
78 Olympic Club (Lake) 7.63
79 Monterey Peninsula Country Club (Shore) 7.62
80 Kingsbarns 7.60
81 Banff Springs 7.58
82 Southern Hills Country Club 7.57
83 Macrihanish 7.56
84 Newport Country Club 7.55
85 Royal Lytham & St. Annes 7.55
86 Woking 7.53
87 Oakland Hills Country Club (South) 7.52
88 Sunningdale (New) 7.52
89 Maidstone Club 7.52
90 Camargo Club 7.50
91 Royal Liverpool 7.49
92 Franklin Hills Country Club 7.45
93 Yeamans Hall Club 7.43
94 Honors Course 7.43
95 Old Town Club 7.42
96 Royal West Norfolk 7.42
97 Lawsonia Golf Club (Links) 7.41
98 Quaker Ridge Golf Club 7.41
99 Cabo del Sol (Ocean) 7.40
100 Jasper Park 7.40
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Hard to argue with the quality on those lists, very impressive courses, and all rather remote ;)
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I went back and looked at the GCA unofficial top 100 list from a few years ago. Based on anecdotal evidence (including in this thread), and assuming the club must be (a) private and (b) in the U.S., only the ones highlighted in green (in honor of Pat Mucci) seem reasonably easy to join--assuming, in some cases, you can make a very significant downstroke. Purple is for places that might be reasonably easy to join but I have no idea if that's the case:
You should change Franklin Hills CC from purple to yellow or whatever color is opposite to purple.
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Once again another inappropriate question about PRIVATE clubs. There is a modus operandi with regard to the etiquette of club joining, at least on this side of the pond, that doesn't involve trolling on websites. Unless you're talking about the biggest name courses in the best locations, most clubs do not have a wait list these days. Apparently there are a lot of folks who assume that there should be a shopping app for blue light specials on club memberships so as to avoid contact with actual human beings. Not really a resume builder for being a desirable member. Maybe you should stick to Golf Now.
Again with this.... ::)
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You can change The Golf Club and Camargo to... not purple.
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Throwing this one out there, although it is not a Top 100 and is a Nicklaus design (Gary, not Jack). But is a tremendous deal and a heckuva golf course. After playing Victoria National graciously with a member the setting and vibe is very similar, though not as highly ranked ( and difficult! :)
Dalhousie Golf Club is in Cape Girardeau MO and has bounced between the #1 and #3 best in the state by Golf Digest. If you're 40 our under its a $1000 initiation fee, and $3000 in annual dues. BUT $1500 of the dues is actually a club credit to use on lodging (they have very nice cottages), food, guest fees and even pro shop credit. Its remote with just a few houses.
This is their National membership and must live outside of 75 miles.
I think the over 40 is only about a $1000 more.
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You can change The Golf Club and Camargo to... not purple.
In the same league as some of the others I didn't highlight?
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Carl- from my limited understanding, yes. :(
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Both Secession and Chechessee Creek Club would be options.... The former walking only with caddies, the latter's caddy requirement is only on weekends till noon time.
Both are within 40 minutes of the Savannah airport, which is a 40 minute flight from the Atlanta airport.
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You can change The Golf Club and Camargo to... not purple.
In the same league as some of the others I didn't highlight?
Phil is right, at least with regards to Camargo. Several of the richest men in Cincinnati only wish that money was enough to buy their way in.
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I'll throw one out that I've never heard discussed here (though I'm sure it has) --King Kamehameha CC on Maui. Not only do you get a very interesting, awesomely conditioned mountain course about 15 minutes from Wailea but your clubhouse is a Frank Lloyd Wright designed building with views of the Ocean on both sides of the island. I'm sure Nanea would be awesome but King Kamehameha makes living on and playing golf in Hawaii an actual possibility for at least the next 9 percenters below. Plus it's not far from the Costco.
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Love Joel's selection as well, two of my favourites that I enjoy every year.
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You can change The Golf Club and Camargo to... not purple.
In the same league as some of the others I didn't highlight?
Phil is right, at least with regards to Camargo. Several of the richest men in Cincinnati only wish that money was enough to buy their way in.
Camargo might be the hardest course to get on in Ohio unless of course you are good enough to try to qualify for the US Am.
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Throwing this one out there, although it is not a Top 100 and is a Nicklaus design (Gary, not Jack). But is a tremendous deal and a heckuva golf course. After playing Victoria National graciously with a member the setting and vibe is very similar, though not as highly ranked ( and difficult! :)
Dalhousie Golf Club is in Cape Girardeau MO and has bounced between the #1 and #3 best in the state by Golf Digest. If you're 40 our under its a $1000 initiation fee, and $3000 in annual dues. BUT $1500 of the dues is actually a club credit to use on lodging (they have very nice cottages), food, guest fees and even pro shop credit. Its remote with just a few houses.
This is their National membership and must live outside of 75 miles.
I think the over 40 is only about a $1000 more.
Are you saying Dalhousie is harder or easier than Victoria? What is the backstory on the building of this course/club? It's not exactly the Crossroads of America.
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But as you know, you cannot show up and play those clubs whenever you want - you are restricted on days/times.
Perhaps that works well for you, but I need to play in prime time, early on weekend mornings (as do many/most busy professionals). I also like to belong to a true "club" that has a culture and where you get to know people over a period of years, not just a course at which I can show up and play golf.
But - to each their own.
Cheers,
Kevin
Kevin,
I have been posting here for over 10 years, have hosted or played with a few hundred people here including many raters. You really think I am a one trick pony :)
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I think any club, even those with waiting lists, are imminently "joinable" if you know the right people.
Only a moron would make that claim.
Golfers seriously wanting to join PV, CPC, NGLA and others, all know the "right people"
Exactly and if the right members are their sponsors, they will likely get in without much of a wait not counting how long the "process" takes.
This has to be one of the most moronic, conflicting statements ever made on this site.
So they'll get in "without much of a wait not counting how long the process takes ? ? ?
So if the process takes years, they'll get in "without much of a wait" ?? ?
You've skyrocketed beyond colossal moron status.
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You can change The Golf Club and Camargo to... not purple.
In the same league as some of the others I didn't highlight?
Phil is right, at least with regards to Camargo. Several of the richest men in Cincinnati only wish that money was enough to buy their way in.
If Camargo was "easy" to get in, I'm virtually certain you and I would both be members. It's my favorite course in the area hands down.
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Wolf Run Golf Club in Zionsville, IN is a heck of a club with a great vibe in the clubhouse and a very fine course as has been discussed on this forum on a number of occasions. They are advertising initiation fees and dues on their website and I'd join as a national member (approx 3 hour drive for me) if my wife allowed. I've yet to broach the subject. Speaking of women, Wolf now allows female members. However, when I inquired about that, the asst. pro smirked and said "Yeah there's one woman out here, but we didn't build women's tees and don't plan to." I can report that the clubhouse smells of a manly yet pleasant combination of shoe polish, cigar smoke, popcorn and beer farts.
http://wolfrungc.com/membership.html
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I've strongly wanted to avoid adding any "fuel-to-the-fire" to the this thread, but now feel compelled to do so.
Most everyone's assumption about Friar's Head being handily available to join is pure fallacy. Much, much more goes into it than simply showing up, asking or applying. Anyone who thinks otherwise is making a jackass of themselves. Same (squared) goes for the likes of Myopia Hunt or Plainfield or the "O" Club.
Outside of simply asking ( for and in a PM) what information any existing member can address about a potential application, anymore is but further baseless speculation and insinuation and borderline conduct unbecoming of this board.
Is this the best GCA.com can reflect to the very large audience that lurks here? I certainly hope not.
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Throwing this one out there, although it is not a Top 100 and is a Nicklaus design (Gary, not Jack). But is a tremendous deal and a heckuva golf course. After playing Victoria National graciously with a member the setting and vibe is very similar, though not as highly ranked ( and difficult! :)
Dalhousie Golf Club is in Cape Girardeau MO and has bounced between the #1 and #3 best in the state by Golf Digest. If you're 40 our under its a $1000 initiation fee, and $3000 in annual dues. BUT $1500 of the dues is actually a club credit to use on lodging (they have very nice cottages), food, guest fees and even pro shop credit. Its remote with just a few houses.
This is their National membership and must live outside of 75 miles.
I think the over 40 is only about a $1000 more.
Are you saying Dalhousie is harder or easier than Victoria? What is the backstory on the building of this course/club? It's not exactly the Crossroads of America.
Not sure exactly Nigel, I think it was a family that owned all the land and wanted to turn it into a high end club and housing development for the area but the bust ended that. I believe now most of the membership is national, many from st. Louis and memphis.
And it is easier than Victoria, though a stout test
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But as you know, you cannot show up and play those clubs whenever you want - you are restricted on days/times.
Perhaps that works well for you, but I need to play in prime time, early on weekend mornings (as do many/most busy professionals). I also like to belong to a true "club" that has a culture and where you get to know people over a period of years, not just a course at which I can show up and play golf.
But - to each their own.
Cheers,
Kevin
Kevin,
I have been posting here for over 10 years, have hosted or played with a few hundred people here including many raters. You really think I am a one trick pony :)
Does the fact that you've been here 10 years mean I am not allowed to disagree with you, or point out when you are omitting important details about the access provided by recips from university or other non-golf clubs?
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I went back and looked at the GCA unofficial top 100 list from a few years ago. Based on anecdotal evidence (including in this thread), and assuming the club must be (a) private and (b) in the U.S., only the ones highlighted in green (in honor of Pat Mucci) seem reasonably easy to join--assuming, in some cases, you can make a very significant downstroke. Purple is for places that might be reasonably easy to join but I have no idea if that's the case:
You should change Franklin Hills CC from purple to yellow or whatever color is opposite to purple.
Does FHCC let in gentiles or is it still 100% Jewish? Place looks awesome from the road.
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I went back and looked at the GCA unofficial top 100 list from a few years ago. Based on anecdotal evidence (including in this thread), and assuming the club must be (a) private and (b) in the U.S., only the ones highlighted in green (in honor of Pat Mucci) seem reasonably easy to join--assuming, in some cases, you can make a very significant downstroke. Purple is for places that might be reasonably easy to join but I have no idea if that's the case:
You should change Franklin Hills CC from purple to yellow or whatever color is opposite to purple.
Does FHCC let in gentiles or is it still 100% Jewish? Place looks awesome from the road.
I"ve been a guest, if that counts ;D
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Wolf Run Golf Club in Zionsville, IN is a heck of a club with a great vibe in the clubhouse and a very fine course as has been discussed on this forum on a number of occasions. They are advertising initiation fees and dues on their website and I'd join as a national member (approx 3 hour drive for me) if my wife allowed. I've yet to broach the subject. Speaking of women, Wolf now allows female members. However, when I inquired about that, the asst. pro smirked and said "Yeah there's one woman out here, but we didn't build women's tees and don't plan to." I can report that the clubhouse smells of a manly yet pleasant combination of shoe polish, cigar smoke, popcorn and beer farts.
http://wolfrungc.com/membership.html
Indy has a few pretty good accessible private clubs
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Most everyone's assumption about Friar's Head being handily available to join is pure fallacy. Much, much more goes into it than simply showing up, asking or applying. Anyone who thinks otherwise is making a jackass of themselves. Same (squared) goes for the likes of Myopia Hunt or Plainfield or the "O" Club.
To the extent this is an attack on me for posting my take on the GCA Top 100, I'll bite. As my post made clear, some of my annotations were drawn from the information posted on here (like Bob Huntley's about MPCC, or some of the posts about Friar's Head). As my post also tried to make clear, I was attempting to highlight courses that were reasonably/relatively easy to join as compared to others on the list, many of which I didn't highlight. At almost all decent private courses--including ones not on the list I posted, including the non-top 100 club I belong to--one can't become a member by "simply showing up, asking, or applying," and my annotations certainly weren't meant to suggest otherwise. But it's also the case that it's a whole lot harder to become a member at many of the clubs on the list than others.
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Carl,
It was not an attack on you, per se.
What it was an indictment that anyone here, other than a particular club's member, has ANY worthwhile insight on what it takes to join a certain private club. Providing a list that suggests, insinuates, or even alludes to some judgement upon availability is speculative at best, and misleading at worst. It is, IMHO, exactly contributes to the dilution of respect for this site by those in the golf world outside the immediate sphere of architecture.
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Reflecting on this thread, it's amazing how much context can play into the sentiments of threads on this board.
Growing up the son of a superintendent of a small town semi-private club, I was fortunate to grow up around the game of golf. That said, growing up in a family that was reasonably below median income also meant an environment that was not versed in the nuance of certain situations, one of which is private club membership.
It never occurred to me that the OP's post could be perceived to lack couth by many long time club members. What also strikes me, is if the original request was "what are the best clubs known for national memberships", all the information he wanted would have likely surfaced, and the discussion would have naturally segmented into the Mucci elites and those where any golfer with means could likely at least get an appointment with a membership director. The inclusion of the word "joinable" seems to cause much of the venom.
I can only assume that he was speaking of clubs with vibrant national programs, because most people would be familiar with local clubs and the best protocol.
Now, another question, just to avoid violating protocol in the future. I know it is possible my family could be moving to one of a couple destinations in the south in the future. I've often thought if that happened, I'd reach out here for suggestions on clubs, because this site tends to be represented everywhere. Obviously, the preferred method is to try and be familiar with posters so it's easy to reach out to those in the area to gather information, but is there something inherently wrong with saying "I'm moving to city Y and looking for information on the clubs in that area"?
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Reflecting on this thread, it's amazing how much context can play into the sentiments of threads on this board.
Growing up the son of a superintendent of a small town semi-private club, I was fortunate to grow up around the game of golf. That said, growing up in a family that was reasonably below median income also meant an environment that was not versed in the nuance of certain situations, one of which is private club membership.
While it never occurred to me that the OP's post could be perceived to lack couth by many long time club members. What also strikes me, is if the original request was "what are the best clubs known for national memberships", all the information he wanted would have likely surfaced, and the discussion would have naturally segmented into the Mucci elites and those where any golfer with means could likely at least get an appointment with a membership director.
Andrew,
I assume that you have a job, what's your current occupation ?
I didn't inherit a dime from my folks and as such had to work to earn a living.
I also didn't win the lottery.
Did I work too hard ?
Did I sacrifice other facets of my life in pursuit of my work ?
Should I have been unprofessional and less successful to satisfy your envy ?
I can only assume that he was speaking of clubs with vibrant national programs, because most people would be familiar with local clubs and the best protocol.
That's your assumption, and not something gleened from reading his text.
Now, another question, just to avoid violating protocol in the future. I know it is possible my family could be moving to one of a couple destinations in the south in the future. I've often thought if that happened, I'd reach out here for suggestions on clubs, because this site tends to be represented everywhere. Obviously, the preferred method is to try and be familiar with posters so it's easy to reach out to those in the area to gather information, but is there something inherently wrong with saying "I'm moving to city Y and looking for information on the clubs in that area"?
Wouldn't that depend upon whether or not you're an elitist ?
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Wolf Run Golf Club in Zionsville, IN is a heck of a club with a great vibe in the clubhouse and a very fine course as has been discussed on this forum on a number of occasions. They are advertising initiation fees and dues on their website and I'd join as a national member (approx 3 hour drive for me) if my wife allowed. I've yet to broach the subject. Speaking of women, Wolf now allows female members. However, when I inquired about that, the asst. pro smirked and said "Yeah there's one woman out here, but we didn't build women's tees and don't plan to." I can report that the clubhouse smells of a manly yet pleasant combination of shoe polish, cigar smoke, popcorn and beer farts.
http://wolfrungc.com/membership.html
Wow, I loved Wolf Run (and it was the best bacon, egg and cheese sandwich of my life). For a national member, after the $1K initiation fee, it's only $1k a year in dues, and guest fees of $100. Knowing they have lodging on property, it would almost be a worthwhile venture to join for a simple 8 - 12 person 3 day golf trip a year. If you could get two three day getaway's from Chicago area, that's a great deal.
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Reflecting on this thread, it's amazing how much context can play into the sentiments of threads on this board.
Growing up the son of a superintendent of a small town semi-private club, I was fortunate to grow up around the game of golf. That said, growing up in a family that was reasonably below median income also meant an environment that was not versed in the nuance of certain situations, one of which is private club membership.
While it never occurred to me that the OP's post could be perceived to lack couth by many long time club members. What also strikes me, is if the original request was "what are the best clubs known for national memberships", all the information he wanted would have likely surfaced, and the discussion would have naturally segmented into the Mucci elites and those where any golfer with means could likely at least get an appointment with a membership director.
Andrew,
I assume that you have a job, what's your current occupation ?
I didn't inherit a dime from my folks and as such had to work to earn a living.
I also didn't win the lottery.
Did I work too hard ?
Did I sacrifice other facets of my life in pursuit of my work ?
Should I have been unprofessional and less successful to satisfy your envy ?
I can only assume that he was speaking of clubs with vibrant national programs, because most people would be familiar with local clubs and the best protocol.
That's your assumption, and not something gleened from reading his text.
Now, another question, just to avoid violating protocol in the future. I know it is possible my family could be moving to one of a couple destinations in the south in the future. I've often thought if that happened, I'd reach out here for suggestions on clubs, because this site tends to be represented everywhere. Obviously, the preferred method is to try and be familiar with posters so it's easy to reach out to those in the area to gather information, but is there something inherently wrong with saying "I'm moving to city Y and looking for information on the clubs in that area"?
Wouldn't that depend upon whether or not you're an elitist ?
Patrick,
The Mucci elites was not meant to be a reference to silver spoons or inheritance, but rather an acknowledgement that are a group of clubs that it takes more than a six figure initiation and desire to join. It is easy to see that you have access to a number of very prestigious venues, and it's my assumption that you have gained access by simply developing friendships and means over decades of work and involvement with the game.
Please don't mistake jealously with envy. I am jealous of your access to wonderful venues, but I view jealousy as a motivational emotion, not a negative one. It inspires me and I have many years to grow as a family man, professionally and within the game. I don't harbor the slightest bit of envy toward your access, nor do I assume anyone with such access or wealth hasn't earned it. I would not feel an ounce of joy to see you lose access.
I will likely make some tongue in cheek remarks about posts you make that I find amusing, or feel can be viewed through different perspectives, however you strike me as someone who can handle the occasional jab just fine.
As to my employment, I have been very fortunate in my professional career. I do feel I have a talent and work ethic that has allowed me to capitalize on good fortune, but fortunate circumstances played a role as well. I'm sure my professional and financial acumen pails to many, if not most on this fine site. That said, I'm content to be able to currently provide for my family in a way that exceeds what I would have anticipated in my formative years, and that allows future dreams to seem within reasonable reach.
As to the assumption on the original text, people are free to interpret anything as literally as they wish. Whether it be a post on a message board, a political or religious document or a statement at a pub. Personally, I find it helpful to try and determine what someone is trying to really ask, as opposed to being rigid with the words. This method certainly can lead to false assumptions at times, so I understand why thers may want to test the literal words with fire. There is a place for both, so carry on.
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Don't those who join clubs as a "national" member consider the "cost to travel and lodge" as an expense ?
Take Sand Hills for example.
Is the initiation and dues the only cost involved in playing there ?
Or do you have to fly in from New York, Los Angeles or Houston and stay a few days.
Isn't transportation, food and lodging considered a cost ?
If it doesn't cost anything to travel a great distance, reside and be fed for a few days, maybe I should join more clubs.
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As the discussion seems to have moved to National memberships, I would offer up mine as a candidate: Stonewall
2 Doak courses, each with their own distinct character
1 hour outside Philadelphia - a pretty convenient drive from NYC to DC - and yet far enough removed that it has more of a rural than suburban feel
VERY affordable
Courses get limited play (even for resident partners, it is a 2nd club for many/most) so you can get out almost any time, with liberal guest policies
Probably the friendliest staff I have encountered in my entire golfing life
There are some requirements (eg, must belong to another club and not reside within 75 miles) which are spelled out on the club's web site - which is why I am comfortable sharing the info here.
http://www.stonewalllinks.com/pages/partnership.html
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Carl,
It was not an attack on you, per se.
What it was an indictment that anyone here, other than a particular club's member, has ANY worthwhile insight on what it takes to join a certain private club. Providing a list that suggests, insinuates, or even alludes to some judgement upon availability is speculative at best, and misleading at worst. It is, IMHO, exactly contributes to the dilution of respect for this site by those in the golf world outside the immediate sphere of architecture.
Steve:
I understand and appreciate your opinion that it's not appropriate to discuss private club membership here. But do you really believe that the only club I have "ANY" insight into joining is the club to which I belong? My club is within a five-mile radius of six other clubs, where I've been lucky enough to play many times with good friends, and with whom a typical topic of conversation is membership, including the current waiting list and initiation fee, etc. One of those clubs (not mine) is a Golf Digest top 100 that's not a GCA favorite, and hence it's not on the unofficial GCA top 100 list. But I can assure you that my views about what it takes to join that club are neither "speculative" nor "misleading." I understand you might not think it appropriate for me to provide that information here--which, by the way, I haven't--but I don't think it's fair to claim that there is no basis for that information.
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Carl,
It was not an attack on you, per se.
What it was an indictment that anyone here, other than a particular club's member, has ANY worthwhile insight on what it takes to join a certain private club. Providing a list that suggests, insinuates, or even alludes to some judgement upon availability is speculative at best, and misleading at worst. It is, IMHO, exactly contributes to the dilution of respect for this site by those in the golf world outside the immediate sphere of architecture.
Steve:
I understand and appreciate your opinion that it's not appropriate to discuss private club membership here. But do you really believe that the only club I have "ANY" insight into joining is the club to which I belong? My club is within a five-mile radius of six other clubs, where I've been lucky enough to play many times with good friends, and with whom a typical topic of conversation is membership, including the current waiting list and initiation fee, etc. One of those clubs (not mine) is a Golf Digest top 100 that's not a GCA favorite, and hence it's not on the unofficial GCA top 100 list. But I can assure you that my views about what it takes to join that club are neither "speculative" nor "misleading." I understand you might not think it appropriate for me to provide that information here--which, by the way, I haven't--but I don't think it's fair to claim that there is no basis for that information.
Carl,
If you had limited your list and response to the 7 (or 8,12,14) clubs in your nearby neighborhood and identified and qualified the information(color-coding) to just those, you'd be neither speculative, nor misleading and assumptive. If you'd attributed whatever opinion about any of the others beside your own, it could be considered valid.......but you did neither.....instead ventured nothing more than conjecture and reiterating some misleading group-think (i.e. Friar Head). To boot, you added a further assumption about the potential costs and the guess of whether others "might" be available.
I live inside the NYC Metro area, own part of a private club that openly seeks more members and belong to others that do and don't, giving me plenty of good reasons to announce their availability. Yet, despite the desire to expand our membership roles, I DO NOT SEE GCA.com as the place to advertise, judge availability or unreasonably promote. I'm always happy to sponsor a GCA'er for play, but selling them on a membership is something I'm not trying to do. The experience(s) at each club should accomplish that.
I respect each and every private club's right to conduct their own business their own way and while there are plenty of places I'd never care to join, I'd vehemently defend their right to define their membership on their own terms....not the subjective allusion of what might be easy, easier, or hard according to colors.
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There are some requirements (eg, must belong to another club and not reside within 75 miles) which are spelled out on the club's web site - which is why I am comfortable sharing the info here.
http://www.stonewalllinks.com/pages/partnership.html
Kevin, what's the rationale behind requiring one to be a member at another club? Is it just because it's so close to New York that they don't want national members to use it more than national members might typically be expected to use a facility (say, roughly once a month or so)?
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There are some requirements (eg, must belong to another club and not reside within 75 miles) which are spelled out on the club's web site - which is why I am comfortable sharing the info here.
http://www.stonewalllinks.com/pages/partnership.html
Kevin, what's the rationale behind requiring one to be a member at another club? Is it just because it's so close to New York that they don't want national members to use it more than national members might typically be expected to use a facility (say, roughly once a month or so)?
Bill,
Good question. I'm not 100% sure, but that may be part of it (although the number of rounds allowed is pretty liberal - playing all weekend counts as one visit). I think that in part it outsources any vetting process - if someone belongs to another reputable club, odds are that they know how to conduct themselves on a golf course. But Stonewall is VERY relaxed, and I would add that since joining 2 years ago I have been treated as if I were a full fledged member (I wondered if I would be treated as a second class citizen being a national member - nothing could be further from the truth).
I forgot to add that the club is hosting the Mid-Am in 2016.
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Now, another question, just to avoid violating protocol in the future. I know it is possible my family could be moving to one of a couple destinations in the south in the future. I've often thought if that happened, I'd reach out here for suggestions on clubs, because this site tends to be represented everywhere. Obviously, the preferred method is to try and be familiar with posters so it's easy to reach out to those in the area to gather information, but is there something inherently wrong with saying "I'm moving to city Y and looking for information on the clubs in that area"?
Perfectly fine and acceptable. Here's a good recent example:
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,58169.0.html (http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,58169.0.html)
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Steve:
I used the clubs near me just as examples of clubs where my take is non-speculative, even though I'm not a member of them. But there are other clubs, including several that I highlighted (or didn't) on the list, where my take would be similarly non-speculative. I will candidly admit, however, that that's not true of every course I made a judgment about on the list -- especially many that I assumed are very difficult to join but don't have any direct knowledge about, such as ANGC.
As for the "might" category, I was trying only to highlight, out of the universe of all the Unofficial GCA Top 100 (which includes many public and/or international courses), those (a) private clubs (b) in the United States that, as I said, (c) "might be reasonably easy to join but I have no idea if that's the case." I wasn't trying to suggest that I believed they were easy to join, only that I had no information either way. The underlined language was specifically designed to make that clear, although I can see how it got lost.
More generally, we will have to disagree about the level of discourse about membership that's appropriate here. This thread struck me as a very general discussion about whether some club is hard to get into or not, and that seems pretty harmless to me; I doubt Carmargo cares a whole lot that we are discussing the fact that it's a hard club to join, even if that might not be the impression it wants to give off.
(Note that on a thread earlier this year regarding how difficult it can be to find out specific membership information about certain clubs, my reaction was that, if a prospective member was really serious about a club, s/he easily could find that information out -- either by talking to someone, calling the club, or otherwise doing something other than just going on the internet. I still feel that way, but primarily because such information is easy to get for someone who's serious about joining a place -- not because there's something wrong with talking generally about whether a club is hard to get into or not.)
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The reputation of Friars Head has been greatly damaged by this thread. I could care less to go out of my way to play a course that anyone can join. Before I had understood there was a wait list just to play.
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The reputation of Friars Head has been greatly damaged by this thread. I could care less to go out of my way to play a course that anyone can join. Before I had understood there was a wait list just to play.
Maybe its because I live in Indiana, but I really know nothing about Friar's Head other than who designed it. I am not sure I really know anything now either. I am not sure there has been all that much revealed in the thread that we don't already know. There are very few modern clubs that are doing so well that they can keep people on a wait list for 10 years. Once you get into the old money clubs then the game changes......
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Carl,
It was not an attack on you, per se.
What it was an indictment that anyone here, other than a particular club's member, has ANY worthwhile insight on what it takes to join a certain private club. Providing a list that suggests, insinuates, or even alludes to some judgement upon availability is speculative at best, and misleading at worst. It is, IMHO, exactly contributes to the dilution of respect for this site by those in the golf world outside the immediate sphere of architecture.
Steve:
I understand and appreciate your opinion that it's not appropriate to discuss private club membership here. But do you really believe that the only club I have "ANY" insight into joining is the club to which I belong? My club is within a five-mile radius of six other clubs, where I've been lucky enough to play many times with good friends, and with whom a typical topic of conversation is membership, including the current waiting list and initiation fee, etc. One of those clubs (not mine) is a Golf Digest top 100 that's not a GCA favorite, and hence it's not on the unofficial GCA top 100 list. But I can assure you that my views about what it takes to join that club are neither "speculative" nor "misleading." I understand you might not think it appropriate for me to provide that information here--which, by the way, I haven't--but I don't think it's fair to claim that there is no basis for that information.
Carl,
If you had limited your list and response to the 7 (or 8,12,14) clubs in your nearby neighborhood and identified and qualified the information(color-coding) to just those, you'd be neither speculative, nor misleading and assumptive. If you'd attributed whatever opinion about any of the others beside your own, it could be considered valid.......but you did neither.....instead ventured nothing more than conjecture and reiterating some misleading group-think (i.e. Friar Head). To boot, you added a further assumption about the potential costs and the guess of whether others "might" be available.
I live inside the NYC Metro area, own part of a private club that openly seeks more members and belong to others that do and don't, giving me plenty of good reasons to announce their availability. Yet, despite the desire to expand our membership roles, I DO NOT SEE GCA.com as the place to advertise, judge availability or unreasonably promote. I'm always happy to sponsor a GCA'er for play, but selling them on a membership is something I'm not trying to do. The experience(s) at each club should accomplish that.
I respect each and every private club's right to conduct their own business their own way and while there are plenty of places I'd never care to join, I'd vehemently defend their right to define their membership on their own terms....not the subjective allusion of what might be easy, easier, or hard according to colors.
Steve,
Thanks for not only defending a club's right to conduct it's business as it sees fit, and in private if they so desire, but also for your discretion in not using GCA to proselytize for the club you're involved with. Frankly it makes the club that much more attractive to those of us who still value such things. Now if others would only show as much restraint...
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The reputation of Friars Head has been greatly damaged by this thread. I could care less to go out of my way to play a course that anyone can join. Before I had understood there was a wait list just to play.
So which course do you care less to go out of your way to play than Friar's Head? I'm curious which course that would be that you actually care less to plat, because you have indicated that it is indeed possible for you to actually care less.
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The reputation of Friars Head has been greatly damaged by this thread. I could care less to go out of my way to play a course that anyone can join. Before I had understood there was a wait list just to play.
Since when do you take all that you read here as gospel?
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People gotta lighten up. Golf is game no matter if its played at a holy shrine of the sport or on the streets. The thread was harmless enough despite JakaB's typical laments. If mistakes were made so be it - what does it really matter? Be like the Dutch, live and let live.
Ciao
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Riviera?
Valley Club?
MPCC?
Eugene?
Waverley?
Palmetto?
AugustaCC?
Clear Creek?
Palmetto--no problem. Valley Club--you are dreaming. No clue about the others.
it would be fun to live on Long Island, no doubt
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The reputation of Friars Head has been greatly damaged by this thread. I could care less to go out of my way to play a course that anyone can join. Before I had understood there was a wait list just to play.
So which course do you care less to go out of your way to play than Friar's Head? I'm curious which course that would be that you actually care less to plat, because you have indicated that it is indeed possible for you to actually care less.
After reading this thread I would put Friars Head on par with Sage Valley just a notch below The Alotian. Before this thread I had it equal to Oakmont. I'm sorry but internet rumors hurt reputations.
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The reputation of Friars Head has been greatly damaged by this thread. I could care less to go out of my way to play a course that anyone can join. Before I had understood there was a wait list just to play.
So which course do you care less to go out of your way to play than Friar's Head? I'm curious which course that would be that you actually care less to plat, because you have indicated that it is indeed possible for you to actually care less.
After reading this thread I would put Friars Head on par with Sage Valley just a notch below The Alotian. Before this thread I had it equal to Oakmont. I'm sorry but internet rumors hurt reputations.
I'm going to go on record and say that I'll happily take your place if and when you are supposed to play Oakmont. I'd hate to make you suffer, so I'll jump on that grenade for you!
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People gotta lighten up. Golf is game no matter if its played at a holy shrine of the sport or on the streets. The thread was harmless enough despite JakaB's typical laments. If mistakes were made so be it - what does it really matter? Be like the Dutch, live and let live.
Ciao
+1 I take my golf seriously, but try not to take myself, or where I choose to golf too seriously.
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After reading this thread I would put Friars Head on par with Sage Valley just a notch below The Alotian. Before this thread I had it equal to Oakmont. I'm sorry but internet rumors hurt reputations.
John,
Can you list your Top 10 courses played east of the Ohio River not located in Florida. Europe can count too.
Thanks
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After reading this thread I would put Friars Head on par with Sage Valley just a notch below The Alotian. Before this thread I had it equal to Oakmont. I'm sorry but internet rumors hurt reputations.
John,
Can you list your Top 10 courses played east of the Ohio River not located in Florida. Europe can count too.
Thanks
Questions the man who spends all of his time in New York City, New England or Disney World.
We midwesterners all know that you northeast elite view your part of the world to be so superior to ours.
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Brian,
I'm sorry you misunderstood me. I'd go out of my way to play Oakmont. I don't have a problem with the OP's original question. It's the answers that bother me.
As a matter of fact I'm sure that Friars Head is not easy to join. Anyone familiar with the history of the club and the integrity of the ownership knows better. I'm just illustrating that when people spread rumors about clubs the negative affect can be far reaching. I was probably all ready blackballed anyway given my ongoing feud with their GCA gatekeeper.
Mike,
That would be no courses. I have zero interest in playing golf in that region of the country. Once I get to New York I never want to leave the city, but you knew that.
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Brian,
I'm sorry you misunderstood me. I'd go out of my way to play Oakmont. I don't have a problem with the OP's original question. It's the answers that bother me.
My mistake. But you'll still take me to Oakmont, right?
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We midwesterners all know that you northeast elite view your part of the world to be so superior to ours.
Someday, I might even introduce you to my surf dudes:
(https://scontent-a-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/t1.0-9/298622_10151033740721548_529547808_n.jpg)
If I can't bring these guys to my club, no need for me to apply. ;D
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No. I really don't understand the point of the question.
Damn, I forgot about when I drove my daughter's car back from Cornell. I have played some courses out east but don't feel like doing the research required to remember their names. We played a series of courses along the shores of Lake Ontario. Even stopped along the route at a public course just long enough to watch Tom Watson blow the Open. Great trip, great people.
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The word private should mean something, otherwise we're just a society of places like Radrick Farms.
Ok, please define private in the modern golf world.
Not public.
JC,
go call Radrick and see if you can get on. Don't have your HP call for you. Just because the place doesn't have stock and initiation doesn't mean it isn't private! It is accessible, not exclusive. When your course has a waiting list, then come back and post your 2 cents! Any place that takes you in, isn't private IMNSHFO!
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Groucho Marx was a member of Hillcrest, even though he once famously proclaimed that he would not want to be a member of any club willing to have him as a member. When one club offered to waive its no-Jews rule for Groucho, provided he abstained from using the swimming pool, he remarked, "My daughter's only half Jewish, can she wade in up to her knees?" Groucho once noted: "As you may recall, the Hillcrest is the only country club in all of Greater Los Angeles that will accept Talmudic scholars such as myself as members."