Private, or not, member or casual??

[beefstuf]

Hi Everyone,

I know that this topic has been up a thousand times, but could we all work together and help me with a list of options. I want to join a club that is private (ideally). I am tired of 6 hour rounds, and would really like to play consistently under 4.5 hours.

Age, I am 27 and a student. I was considering Carelton T&GC, but does anyone have some advice? I have never had a golf membership, but would really like to hear the feedback?

I ask this because a lot of you play 100+ rounds a year. I was only able to play about 30 rounds this year, but really want to start playing 3 times a week again....also practice facilites are an added bonus.

p.s I do not have a pile of money, I do plan to one day thoough

Thank you all for you advice and insight..

Justin

[jvincent]

You can get a 7-day membership at Stonebridge for ~$2500. Not sure what the 2006 price will be. That will give you unlimited golf and there is no initiation fee.

Even during the busiest days of summer I have only had ONE round take longer than 4.5 hours. That one took 4:45 and it was on one of those crazy hot days where everyone was dragging their asses.

EDIT: Forgot to add that with the 7-day you get a bucket of range balls every time you play and they have a good practice setup.

[Big Johnny69]

A private club will not ensure short rounds. I have spoken with some golfers who have joined their friends at their private club many times and have complained about long rounds there as well. Ideally you want to join a club that has members of a high playing calibre. That could prove a little more difficult but ask around and see what you come up with. Or you'd have to look for a club that has a relatively low amount of members to limit how busy the course would get.

[Nat Williams]

as far as I know, Carleton has a waiting list...

same deal for most of the more affordable private clubs...

GreyHawk might be an option... especially since u are under 30, they have discounted annual fees until you are 30. also, the initiation is spread over 10 years so that it doesn't sting too badly. Overall i think it's like 3K or around there...the clublink guys on this forum should be able to shed more light

[NoBack]

If you want to play 4 hours rounds, get up earlier.

[Kilroy]

as far as I know, Carleton has a waiting list...

Careleton is now actively advertising for new members for 2006.

[Colby]

Clublinkk has an intermediate plus membership. Discounted annual dues until 30 and yes 10 years interest free for initiation. Greyhawk's initiation is higher, but if you are close enough, Hautes Plaines has a much lower initiation and has fewer members. Reciprocal play at Greyhawk is free for Hautes Plaines members.

[dbleber]

If you want to play 4 hours rounds, get up earlier.

That is the only way you will have short rounds, I play at a private club and if you tee off before 8:30-9:00 you can play in 3-4 hours. As soon as you miss that magic timing you are in for a 4.5-5.5 hour round. A lot of times I play 9 holes in just under 3 hours! I just walk off after that. If you like to sleep in at all then no short rounds for you, wake up early and I find I play like crap until the back nine when I start to wake up.

[el tigre]

If you want to play 4 hours rounds, get up earlier.

Yep. I play about 15-20 different public courses each year, and the only time I have a 5-hour round is when I tee off after 9:00 am.

OTOH if you're serious about playing 3 times a week, then that's about 150 - 200 rounds a year. Financially, it might make sense to join a club then. For a starving student, maybe the OttawaGolf Club Platinum membership would fit the bill:

http://www.ottawagolf.com/club/index.htm

If short rounds are the major consideration, with OGC you would be guaranteed to get an early tee time somewhere.

[dH]

Membership won't mean shorter rounds as mentinoed above it's all dependent on tee time and weather. Ottawa and surrounding region has so many great courses it's almost a shame to get a membership UNLESS you really 100% are going to go and play 125+ rounds in a year and than it not only becomes feasible but a necessity. Just think about it all before rushing in to a private club as you may get bored of the course considering how many amazing ones are around the region.

[dH]

The Platinum package that el_tigre posted looks pretty good though.

It's ~1350 with tax; if you play 150 rounds it will only cost you ~9$ a round. Now that's affordable.

EDIT: Being a student with flexible course times; I'd go platinum and reverse my sleep patterns so everyday started at ~6AM.

[oneputt]

Here's what Greyhawk will cost you over the next four years.

27 - $3280 (1530 dues, 1250 initiation, 500 F&B)
28 - $3530 (1780 dues, 1250 initiation, 500 F&B)
29 - $3790 (2040 dues, 1250 initiation, 500 F&B)
30 - $4040 (2290 dues, 1250 initiation, 500 F&B)

If you'll be playing lots of rounds (80-100) it would be worth it to you I would think. Not to mention you can play many other surrounding CL courses for free. If you joined Hautes Plaines you wouldn't get to play as many of those CL courses for free. Greyhawk is one level up from HP which means you can get more recipricol play.

Good luck.

[Colby]

Membership won't mean shorter rounds as mentinoed above it's all dependent on tee time and weather. Ottawa and surrounding region has so many great courses it's almost a shame to get a membership UNLESS you really 100% are going to go and play 125+ rounds in a year and than it not only becomes feasible but a necessity. Just think about it all before rushing in to a private club as you may get bored of the course considering how many amazing ones are around the region.

You don't need to play 125+ rounds to justify a membership. There are all kinds of benefits to a membership that go beyond the rounds of golf.

As for the money vs. # of rounds, let's take Greyhawk for example. Let's do a lot of rounding. Yearly dues of 2400, taxes, RCGA membership, etc., etc. Let's say the total is $3000 per year taxes in. Season goes from April 15 to November 15. 7 months, or 30 weeks, give or take. At 2 rounds per week, you get 60 rounds in or $50.00/round taxes in. I'm not counting food and beverage because at $650 a year, it goes pretty quickly.

$50/round is not a bad price given the quality of the courses. And I have the option of playing Kanata or Hautes Plaines if I want. I also play several rounds a year at Le Maitre, and I can play Fountainbleau and Val des Lacs in the Montreal area. I also got a chance to play 2 Muskoka courses this year, Rocky Crest and Grandview Mark O'Meara, all for no extra cost.

2 rounds a week is pretty simple. One night after work and one round on the weekend. So let's take it up a notch, 3 rounds a week. At 30 weeks, that's 90 rounds or $33.33 a round, taxes in. You won't do 90, let's go in between at 75. That's still $40.00 a round, taxes in. How much is Manderly? How much is Champlain, etc. It's no contest, and I get to play a variety of courses that are almost always in great shape.

Not quite the same as the platinum OGC membership, but if you can afford it, it works out great!

[beefstuf]

This is great stuff guys. The time it takes to play a round is a concern, but not the biggest concern. I also usually play at the crack as well. I would much rather play in the monring and then be home for lunch.

The practice facilities are also an added bonus. It is soo expensive to visit driving ranges a couple times a week.

This is great information guys...anyone want to adopt me so I can be your son. That way you can pay for me?

[jmr73]

Membership won't mean shorter rounds as mentinoed above it's all dependent on tee time and weather.

I can't disagree with that more. That might be the case if you are a member at a semi-private course. But a totally private course is going to have a faster pace of play.

I also don't think it has to be a course with a 'higher playing calibre' as I have seen scratch golfers out there slowing down play by taking a 1 minute setup on each shot or studying a putt from every angle.

The main factor is that most members play multiple times a week and they don't want to be on the course an extra 15-30 minutes.

Sure there will be the odd slow round (if you have slow guests or a tournament). But it is really the exception as opposed to semi-private courses where I have found this is to be expected on weekend afternoons. I have played 80+ rounds this year at clublink courses and there may have been 5-6 slow rounds. Most were under 4 hours.

I have also played at various times throughout the day so it has not been a factor.

[jmr73]

One thing about the intermediate membership with Clublink. I am not sure if you get access to play courses other than your home course. Maybe you do with the Intermediate Plus (26-30) but not with the junior/intermediate (>25). I played with a younger member this year and he was not able to play other courses.

[Colby]

One thing about the intermediate membership with Clublink. I am not sure if you get access to play courses other than your home course. Maybe you do with the Intermediate Plus (26-30) but not with the junior/intermediate (>25). I played with a younger member this year and he was not able to play other courses.

Intermediate Plus is a full membership since an initiation is paid. A normal junior membership is just yearly dues. I have a friend who bought a full membership for his son, and they can play every where.

[dbleber]

[QUOTE=jmr73]I can't disagree with that more. That might be the case if you are a member at a semi-private course. But a totally private course is going to have a faster pace of play.[QUOTE]

I would have to disagree, being a member at a private course where you can only play as a memeber or a guest of a member, the rounds are still very slow 4.5-5.5 hrs if you miss that 9 am mark.

[challengegolf]

Sorry DLeber but I don't want to start a war with you but I am a member at the same club as you and have never played it in more than 4 1/2 hours except for the tourny which seem to take forever as they look forever for their lost balls. I play early birds and also at different times of the day and never had any problem. Most of the time the slower player in front of my group will let us through if we are pushing them too much. I don't want to start a war with you it is just my experience at Hylands for the last 3 years.
Thanks
Claude

[Colby]

I think Hylands is a bit of an anomoly. The yearly rates are much less than most other private courses. How many members are there at the club?

[challengegolf]

Way too many LOL, about 1700 but a lot of them are retired so yes they do play in the prime times of between 0900 and 1030 but anytime after that is ok for quick rounds.
Claude

[dbleber]

We have a lot of members but it is not as if just anyone can get a membership and enjoy the low costs. Those that can are on average in their 60's and do play slow. If you are playing early bird then I have no doubt that you don't agree with me, try going there on a Saturday at 1000 or 1400, its brutal! Even during the week, by 1000 there are line ups at both tees of people waiting to hit the ball 100 yrds, then another 100yrds, then.....you get the point. Not to mention the old farts that still play the blues when they should be playing the reds, but can't let the "good old days" go. Just go talk to the starters they have had more than enough complaints this year about slow play. Like I said if you are apart of that boys club who sits by the phone at 2100 every night and get the best tee times everyday or go out to early bird then long 5 hour plus rounds are not something you deal with. For the rest of us who show up as a single or can't plan out there golfing weeks in advance have to put up with some pretty crapy rounds.

[Michael]

Way too many LOL, about 1700 but a lot of them are retired so yes they do play in the prime times of between 0900 and 1030 but anytime after that is ok for quick rounds.
Claude

I am a member a Hylands as well and play mostly Early Bird, my experience with the rounds other than that is that it is slow. Either early in the morning or later in the day is the best there I believe. I have been a member there since 99.

[Colby]

Way too many LOL, about 1700 but a lot of them are retired so yes they do play in the prime times of between 0900 and 1030 but anytime after that is ok for quick rounds.
Claude

As I mentioned Hylands is an anomoly. 1700 members for 36 holes, and a lot of them retired. To me that spells tough access to tee times, especially good ones, because you can only cram so many golfers on a course in any given day. Speed may also be an issue given dbleber's post. I won't go into that though.

Greyhawk is the only 36 hole private facility that I am familiar with in the Ottawa area, there may be others I just don't have experience with them, and in comparison we've got just under 1000 members. Getting a reasonable tee time even on the weekends is not too difficult. My worst rounds there are 5 hours at the most, and that is very uncommon. Usually they are between 4:15 and 4:30, and that's starting in the afternoon. Morning rounds are very quick, usually 3.5-4 hours.

[class1947]

My experience (LOTS)with private clubs have not convinced me that these members play any faster.Slow play is a problem everywhere, perhaps Stonebridge is an exception but I for one am not a big fan.Early morning rounds I am afraid are the only answer,and hopefully you do not get behind any geezers.

The best value for $$$ has to be OG Platinum for anyone planning to play a LOT of local golf with on line booking you can pick you opening.

If you want a fast activity take up car racing.

[dbleber]

But with the OG Platinum, how does work out for a singlesjust walking on or last minute golfing? I was actually thinking of paying a bit more and having these other courses at my disposal, if it means faster rounds and more golf. The big problem for me personally is, I usually play in the afternoon during the week and I usually know last minute.

[zoic]

I usually play in the afternoon during the week and I usually know last minute.

Yes, me too. That is how I get 3 -3-1/2 hour rounds in. Take the sunset time, subtract 3.5 hours and that is roughly when I start. Usually there is almost no one else on the course for the back 9.

[Golfbum]

Wow I read about all the slow rounds up around Ottawa and shake my head! I belong to a course that has approx 225 members. Not all of those are unlimited like I have. However on any given Sat/Sun morning we can tee off before 9AM and play in under 4 hours on most days.
Members tend to find it is green fee players that slow us down. Now the nice thing about my course is we can book tee times online 7 days in advance. So we basically get the tee times we want, usually book 3 times in a row. Other members fill in the early tee times so we rarely have green fee players mixed in.
I also play a lot of rounds during the week. Same thing applies, 4 hours or less for a 4some, at any time of the day. Sure there are a few slower seniors, but most of our old dudes get around in good time. One group will always refuse to let anyone through them no matter how slow they are, that is the only pain in the butt group out there though. (One old guy thinks he owns the course )
Other than that rounds go rather quickly. In fact most of the courses around here that I have played rounds rarely last more than 4 hours.
So there must be something in the water up Ottawa way that causes that dreaded slow play
As for membership, man I would not be without one. I played my 133rd round this morning. Imagine shelling out green fee money for that many rounds? OU CH. Since 1985 there was only one summer I did not have a membership, the summer after the local course was sold to make room for a Walmart. I paid green fees that summer, and I sure did not play as many rounds. I would never be without a membership, I just can't afford to pay that much in green fees. Taking into consideration that some of my 133 rounds were at other courses, my home course is now costing me $9.90 per round, and dropping every time I tee it up out there. Can't beat that.