Membership advice needed!!

[Matt 3 Jab]

Seeking some advice from people who may have been in a similar position as me in regards to memberships and clubs!

Located here on the central coast, im onto my 3rd club in 3 years.

I first joined Gosford golf club as it was close to home.
Pro's were it as close to home, i could practice after work very easily and it was cheap! Downsides are the members are generally old (especially playing mid week as i tend to do), the course rates very easily (up to 4 under par regularly) and A grade goes from 0-18 midweek so ill never win a comp as you need 42+ points.

I then moved to Kooindah Waters. Pro's were it was a cracking track, knew a couple of people, and most people who play there love their golf. Cons were the track was too hard for week in week out golf, and it was a bit of a hike to travel to so practicing wasnt on the cards.

Im now at shelly beach. The pro's are the course is nice, it rates fair for handicapping. Cons are the members are 95% oldies, they all book in a week before and cancel the night before so booking in is a pain, and its a bit of travel from where i currently am so practice hasnt been on the cards.

So now as the financial year approaches, im now uncertain as to what to do with my membership.

Shelly Beach may be good as we are (hopefully) buying a house closer there, so practice may go up, but the members s**t me as 95% of the time they (and the rounds) are slow as hell, they fill the sheet up then cancel last minute and think if the ball goes in the air you are a great player.

Gosford could be an option again, only if i dedicated to practicing short game as its very close to work, regardless where i may buy a house. It actually has an ok putting green and pitching area. The course itself though isnt that great at all, and my handicap may go up due to the very low slope and rating each week (unless i started shooting -3 each week). Only positive is that i could put some real effort into practice, i know a few guys there from previous years, and can always play other open comps.

Kooindah is a no go back to due to the fact i couldnt enjoy my golf on a bad day, it smashed me way too hard. I am much happier playing there 3 or 4 times a year.

No real other courses are close (maybe the springs?) but it would be a fair drive from where we are most likly to buy a house. Otherwise a country membership may be an option, but may cost just as much as a cheaper course here.

Anyone have any massive insight or faced a similar situation where it seems you just cant find the right mix at a club??

Cheers!

[Captain Nemo]

I feel your pain Maxis, I'm in a similar boat as we go to 15 holes from next weekend and my subs end this month.
I'm pretty sure I've settled on a new track, fingers crossed!

[simmsy]

Shelley Beach needs a policy where members get a please explain if they continually drop out night before.
Everyone does every now and again but if someone does repeatedly they need to held accountable.

[Sydney Hacker]

I played the Springs on Saturday and it is in great nick, probably best I have seen it in. Membership is cheap $850 a year, but they only play comps on Saturday mornings I think and has a very small membership base so you might get sick of that pretty quick.

[Sydney Hacker]

Shelley Beach needs a policy where members get a please explain if they continually drop out night before. Everyone does every now and again but if someone does repeatedly they need to held accountable. Happens a lot in Sydney from what I have seen. When I was in the board at my old club I tried to bring in a non-refundable booking fee when you booked in, something minimal like $2 that went off your comp fee when you played but you lost it if you cancelled. Too many oldies though and it never got up.

[Matt 3 Jab]

Shelley Beach needs a policy where members get a please explain if they continually drop out night before.
Everyone does every now and again but if someone does repeatedly they need to held accountable.

I agree! 100%. The other thing that annoys me is the ballot at the club. Works for the oldies, not for people who have lives. I'm going to speak with the president and see what he says. But it's an ingrained behavior from what I have seen. The pro shop advised that if you want a game and can't book in, just rock up as their will always be drop outs.

[Matt 3 Jab]

I played the Springs on Saturday and it is in great nick, probably best I have seen it in. Membership is cheap $850 a year, but they only play comps on Saturday mornings I think and has a very small membership base so you might get sick of that pretty quick.

Yeah. It's a nice track. You can have the course to yourself most days. It's just in the wrong direction and without knowing the members (being a small group) it would be a big risk. Plus Saturday only comp doesn't work for me as I have a day off mid week to play golf and keep the weekend free

[Captain Nemo]

Shelley Beach needs a policy where members get a please explain if they continually drop out night before. Everyone does every now and again but if someone does repeatedly they need to held accountable. Bundy clock at 1/2 way and at the end. Works for us!

[live4golf]

Kooindah's not all that hard just playing once a week :P

Shelly is renowned for being a bit too packed. Gosford is OK if the main reason is to just practice. Wyong is an option and would suit your game, fairly long and wide...generally speaking a good bunch of guys there. Toukley is a bit the same as Shelly. Springs will be annoying, being such a small membership. Everglades may be an option as well?

[Matt 3 Jab]

Kooindah's not all that hard just playing once a week :P

Shelly is renowned for being a bit too packed. Gosford is OK if the main reason is to just practice. Wyong is an option and would suit your game, fairly long and wide...generally speaking a good bunch of guys there. Toukley is a bit the same as Shelly. Springs will be annoying, being such a small membership. Everglades may be an option as well?

My problem with kooindah is one or two shots can leave you +6 over. There were great rounds and then there were rounds where I could have walked off after 4 holes and 6 balls.

Plus travel was a bit of a factor.

Wyong would be the same with travel and was told the rounds are also slow and members a bit older. Not 100% but a member I know said that.

Everglades isn't an option with travel and the course.

[Matt 3 Jab]

Bundy clock at 1/2 way and at the end. Works for us!

Bundy for round times or actually turning up??

[Captain Nemo]

Bundy for round times or actually turning up??Both!I think if you don't scratch out morning of at our club they record it and 3 strikes your banned from a comp or some bullshit like that?

[Matt 3 Jab]

Oh the oldies cancel about 8pm the night before. They book in just in case they feel like playing.

[Captain Nemo]

Old blokes....****ers!

[Jazz18]

Magenta? Dearer than most, I know but I heard there's no joining fee at the moment. Might be worth checking out.

[Matt 3 Jab]

What price range is it even in? 2k 3k??

[Jazz18]

What price range is it even in? 2k 3k??

I think it's north of 3k but not 100% sure.

[FuzzyJuzzy]

I've been tossing up a similar, but mostly different, scenario M3J. Been at Liverpool (25mins from home) for four years, and have just joined Cabramatta (15mins from home) at the arse end of their membership season to test it out (had previously played there a bunch as a visitor). Both are near the train station I leave my car at to go work in the city, so practising before/after work is feasible either way.
Dues are similar (Livo about $100 more); comp fees $15 at Cabramatta; nil at Liverpool (but gotta buy mandatory $3 bar voucher). Cabra wins in terms of course conditioning; Livo wins in terms of quality of layout (in saying that, both layouts are very different to each other and each have their own virtues, with both being strong layouts in my opinion).
Livo's slope rating (139 from plates) is indicative of its toughness; Cabra's slope rating (127 from plates) isn't indicative of its toughness. Livo is funner to play (there's generally more options for recovery), whereas Cabra is more penal and a bit harder to get back in the game if you get a few behind early. This sounds similar to your vibes on Kooindah.
Cabra is a lot more financially healthy (hence the better course conditioning) but Livo is apparently starting to claw things back financially.
Livo is easier to book in at and get a nice early Saturday morning slot, but if you're on the ball (like I am) you can do the same at Cabra without too much trouble.
So, taking into account all these pros/cons, for me it's coming down to which course I'd enjoy playing more week in week out. And the difference in comp fees. And whether I want to preference course conditioning over course layout (in a scenario where both courses feature quality layouts and decent, or better than decent, conditioning). My Liverpool membership is up for renewal end of June, so will make my decision then.
Played Liverpool today for the first time in five weeks and jagged 38pts (including paring the front 9) and shot under 80 for the first time since January. Hmmm...

[mrbluu]

Played Liverpool today for the first time in five weeks and jagged 38pts (including paring the front 9) and shot under 80 for the first time since January. Hmmm...
Cabra members do Liverpool much easier to play ;)

[Coldtopper]

I rotate between 3 clubs as the dumb old farts generally forget about what I told them 3 weeks ago!

[wazandnic]

Played Liverpool today for the first time in five weeks and jagged 38pts (including paring the front 9) and shot under 80 for the first time since January. Hmmm...

The 910 must have done the trick FJ?? 8)

[PerryGroves]

You live on the Central Coast, used to be known as "newly wed or nearly dead". My guess is the demographic of CC golf courses or golf courses in general is not going to change.

You have to figure what's important (3 clubs in 3 years suggest you haven't) and either join the board and do something about the things you don't like or find a way to just accept them.

I know what's important to me at my club (my mates and proximity) and accept that the course is only OK, has a poor range and it's too expensive. Complaining about the latter will not change them.

[WBennett]

Matt, I was going thru a similar thing recently.

GLs condition had deteriorated immensely so I was looking elsewhere.

I then realised half of why I play is the people I play with every week. And proximity (whilst you don't have kids and ample spare time) means a lot.

Does Shelly Beach have an on line timesheet? Does it do a waitlist?

[FuzzyJuzzy]

The 910 must have done the trick FJ?? 8)

Ha - I did the two driver thing. Used 910D3 twice (one awesome drive, one not so), then reverted to the M1 for rest of round. Got a Blueboard coming tomorrow that should be a better fit for me in the 910...

[wazandnic]

Haha roger. Funny how sometimes just threatening one club with swapping to another makes it perform! ;)

[Matt 3 Jab]

You live on the Central Coast, used to be known as "newly wed or nearly dead". My guess is the demographic of CC golf courses or golf courses in general is not going to change.

You have to figure what's important (3 clubs in 3 years suggest you haven't) and either join the board and do something about the things you don't like or find a way to just accept them.

I know what's important to me at my club (my mates and proximity) and accept that the course is only OK, has a poor range and it's too expensive. Complaining about the latter will not change them.

Agree a lot mate

I originally joined Gosford to see if I wanted to play golf again. I did and wanted a better course

Kooindah made me realise hard courses aren't much fun. So wanted more enjoyment.

Shelly showed the good course is over shadowed by bad member practices

Back to Gosford it seems! Handicap will go up. Bag it at other courses for wins. Easy.

[Matt 3 Jab]

Matt, I was going thru a similar thing recently.

GLs condition had deteriorated immensely so I was looking elsewhere.

I then realised half of why I play is the people I play with every week. And proximity (whilst you don't have kids and ample spare time) means a lot.

Does Shelly Beach have an on line timesheet? Does it do a waitlist?

Yeah does online but it's only opened after the draw at the club on the night. No real wait list. You just check and book (for me that's usually the night before).

It's a pain with the amount of members there

[The Chopper]

smartest thing I have heard you say, chopper

Cabra members do Liverpool much easier to play ;)