Membership Advice

[Craig_Syd]

Guys,
Looking for some advice on membership as I have just got my renewal. Over the past 12 months I have averaged 2 comp games a month. Handicap has been blowing out and I am not 100% enjoying it, love being out for the walk but going from avg. in the high 70’s to high 80’s is not really exciting. Adding in comp fees it essentially has worked out at $118 a round. Now during summer Idid get some practice games in, maybe one afternoon a week for a few holes and chipping/utting once a week.
To be honest I think that from a cost point of view this sounds really expensive and I am toying with the idea of just keeping membership social for $25 which means I can use the practice facilities and then just play with the local social club comps when I feel like it. Kids are getting older and taking up more and more time. I never wanted to be the guy that stands on the tee 50 years old and tells me he is just getting back into golf after stopping while his kids grew up but I feel like that is where I am heading….
Was thinking about getting the Shell Harbour Links deal butpeople seem to be poo pooing it lately…
Thoughts?

[Captain Nemo]

What about the Howlong one?

[3oneday]

Can you use the practice facilities as a social member? I thought it only entitled you to the clubhouse.

[wazandnic]

Howlong does get poo pooed a bit also, but it does give you the option of maintaining a handicap and then being able to play in the odd comp here or there. Couple of my mates have done this and it works well for them. they may only play max 6 times a year, but it is possibly 6 more times then they would if they didn't have the Howlong handicap.

Where are you located though?

If South South West... Hurstville GC has just opened the full 18 again after some significant reno's. Not saying it is a great course or anything but it is very playable and the reno's help. For around $300 for a full membership it is pretty handy. Although with their membership you still have to play to play socially also, no free practice rounds as the golf club and course operate separately. But they do have Tue, Thur, Fri, Sat and Sun comps I believe with Thur, Fri and Sun comps you can just play at anytime during the day i.e. no set comp times.

[Craig_Syd]

What about the Howlong one?Has anyone been getting grief playing open comps with it? $99 looks good...

[KristianJ]

Has anyone been getting grief playing open comps with it? $99 looks good... Yes...ranging from some courses prohibiting Howlong members altogether to charging 2, maybe 3 times the usual visitors' comp fee.

[Craig_Syd]

Howlong does get poo pooed a bit also, but it does give you the option of maintaining a handicap and then being able to play in the odd comp here or there. Couple of my mates have done this and it works well for them. they may only play max 6 times a year, but it is possibly 6 more times then they would if they didn't have the Howlong handicap.

Where are you located though?

If South South West... Hurstville GC has just opened the full 18 again after some significant reno's. Not saying it is a great course or anything but it is very playable and the reno's help. For around $300 for a full membership it is pretty handy. Although with their membership you still have to play to play socially also, no free practice rounds as the golf club and course operate separately. But they do have Tue, Thur, Fri, Sat and Sun comps I believe with Thur, Fri and Sun comps you can just play at anytime during the day i.e. no set comp times.On the North side so a bit far... Couple of mates just moved to Hurstville...

[Craig_Syd]

Can you use the practice facilities as a social member? I thought it only entitled you to the clubhouse.It say's bar and facilities.... I assume that means practice but I will double check on the weekend.

[wazandnic]

On the North side so a bit far... Couple of mates just moved to Hurstville...

Yeah prob a bit far. Any of the small clubs on the north side have cheap membership? Lanecove?

[Craig_Syd]

Yeah prob a bit far. Any of the small clubs on the north side have cheap membership? Lanecove?Cheers, I'll take a look.

[Waggle]

Yes...ranging from some courses prohibiting Howlong members altogether to charging 2, maybe 3 times the usual visitors' comp fee.

Name and shame!

[KristianJ]

http://www.ozgolf.net/showthread.php/39401-Discussion-Courses-restricting-country-members?goto=newpost

Plus a thread I spotted on ISG last night...

[Hatchman]

It say's bar and facilities.... I assume that means practice but I will double check on the weekend.

Facilities is what ever the club house has e.g. bar, kitchen, pool tables, toliets, tab, pokies.
Not anything to do with golf course e.g. practice fairway, putting green, course.

[markTHEblake]

Yes...ranging from some courses prohibiting Howlong members altogether to charging 2, maybe 3 times the usual visitors' comp fee.Wouldn't it be they are charging the normal green fee, rather than the concessional rate for other visitors.

[WBennett]

Wouldn't it be they are charging the normal green fee, rather than the concessional rate for other visitors. Which to me is entirely fair enough.

[WBennett]

Unless of course you are a members guest.

[3oneday]

Many courses have restricted membership options, ie mon to fri or sunday to Friday wih no saturday. Cheaper rates but no saturday rights.
Some also have restricted where you just pay more when you do play, but membership is cheaper.

[Steve]

I think some people get confused between visitors ( guest of a member) and visitors ( a member of another club playing an open event) I know we have different prices for each.

[sms316]

Name and shame! There is no shame in charging people who aren't proper members a higher price than those who are.

[WBennett]

What about charging 5 day members more than 7 day members?

[sms316]

What about charging 5 day members more than 7 day members? Difficult to enforce, but I would say to people if they don't have rights at their own course on a certain day then they shouldn't have access in comps anywhere else. Easy to enforce at clubs that require a letter of introduction, but near impossible to enforce elsewhere.

[Craig_Syd]

I certainly don't mind paying full fare for any open comp I would play in but the thought of being frowned upon for being a dodgy member doesn't really sit right.

[Grunt]

Yes...ranging from some courses prohibiting Howlong members altogether to charging 2, maybe 3 times the usual visitors' comp fee.
Never had a problem anywhere.

[matty]

I could have written post #1. I'm in the Hawkesbury and will be taking up the Riverside Oaks 'golflink' membership, as I call it. $250 or $300 which includes three games at the course. Can still play wherever in a comp if I want.

[mrbluu]

I could have written post #1. I'm in the Hawkesbury and will be taking up the Riverside Oaks 'golflink' membership, as I call it. $250 or $300 which includes three games at the course. Can still play wherever in a comp if I want.

Will you even get 3 games in a year ;-)

[Captain Nemo]

What about charging 5 day members more than 7 day members?
I think if your a 5 day member at "said" course you would only be able to play midweek comps elswhere?
Pretty sure it would be inbed into your golflink no.
Our 6 day members save around $500/year and cant play sat's, and arnt able to play sat's at other courses etc..

[markTHEblake]

I think if your a 5 day member at "said" course you would only be able to play midweek comps elswhere?
Pretty sure it would be inbed into your golflink no.
.

I don't think golf link shows member status, I imagine clubs should be asking for proof of membership, but I think what's happening us just the blacklisting of certan clubs, like Howlong and Robina Woods.

Having a valid golf link no. does not prove membership anyway( but it should). There is over 100,000 active Golflink handicaps, for which Golf Australia has not received payment for. This means many clubs are not changing the Golflink status when members don't Pay. And GA and Golflink are unable to do data matching to figure out who.

[WBennett]

I don't think golf link shows member status, I imagine clubs should be asking for proof of membership, but I think what's happening us just the blacklisting of certan clubs, like Howlong and Robina Woods.

Having a valid golf link no. does not prove membership anyway( but it should). There is over 100,000 active Golflink handicaps, for which Golf Australia has not received payment for. This means many clubs are not changing the Golflink status when members don't Pay. And GA and Golflink are unable to do data matching to figure out who.

Which suggests the Golflink database is rubbish.

Surely there is someone out there who could work that out with a few half decent big data reporting tools.

[Captain Nemo]

Yeh, good point, maybe it should?
I know on our actual club card, if they are swiped wherever they show what member status you are 5/6/7 day members etc?
Maybe Golflink should incorporate this?

[Webster]

Golflink has no interest in anything other than flogging mass advertising on their increasingly shiteful website.

[3oneday]

Golflink has no interest in anything other than flogging mass advertising on their increasingly shiteful website.true, you can't even see your handicap without saying you want to see your handicap :)

[markTHEblake]

Which suggests the Golflink database is rubbish.Not really.When the clubs pay their annual lump sum for golf link it is included with affiliation fees and sent to District, who sends to state, who sends to GA, who sends to GL.Only the money is sent, not a list of names.As the amount of money sent relates to a date maybe even 6 months earlier by the time golf link gets paid a clubs membership numbers have changed significantly. So it is quite difficult for anyone to reconcile. Particularly golf link is apparently unable to produce data club by club to demonstrate the shortfalls. They are only complaining that the total payments recievd is not enough.One thing that is been reported back down the lines is there will be serious repercussions when they find out which clubs are being slack, or which golf management software is the culprit

[Grunt]

I cant see a problem as I only want to play Open days. If clubs are going to say what members can and cant play they are not "Open days" just dont advertise as an "open day" if it is an invitational day! Why should it matter what someone spends on their membership?
Bet there are public courses in Sydney with fees not that much more than Howlong when you take into account green fees and games played. Just seems like clubs want an elitist status that others are not spending as much money as they think they should. The elite clubs don't offer open days and I respect that.

[Craig_Syd]

I think if your a 5 day member at "said" course you would only be able to play midweek comps elswhere?
Pretty sure it would be inbed into your golflink no.
Our 6 day members save around $500/year and cant play sat's, and arnt able to play sat's at other courses etc..It's 2.1 instead of 2.6 not really a good option....

[markTHEblake]

Why should it matter what someone spends on their membership? Of course it matters. Why would say Royal Melbourne reciprocate with Howlong and Royal Sydney identically.The big issue here is that members owned golf clubs choose to reciprocate with other clubs, it's a fringe benefit associated with being a member. Those that take up social/country memberships to get the same benefits that the rest of us pay full price for, should not be complaining and be paying Full Green fees instead

[3Puttpete]

Of course it matters. Why would say Royal Melbourne reciprocate with Howlong and Royal Sydney identically.The big issue here is that members owned golf clubs choose to reciprocate with other clubs, it's a fringe benefit associated with being a member. Those that take up social/country memberships to get the same benefits that the rest of us pay full price for, should not be complaining and be paying Full Green fees instead

That's what you took from his post?

I took it as a post about access to open comps, not price.

[markTHEblake]

I took it as a post about access to open comps, not price.Yep and I explained access to open comps is a privelege to those who are full members elsewhere. Yes I know everyone is a full member at Howlong. But those Sydney clubs are obviously recognising the intent by those members.

[Talart]

Robe Golf Club in Sth Oz has a remote membership $120 for golfers who live 200 km or more. Get to transfer Handicap, or get your first one, 20% discount on Green Fees. Not eligible for Club Champs.

[Sydney Hacker]

Mullumbimby has a remote membership for $100 also, a little closer to home for the queenslanders. Might make it a little more believable...