Me and its awesome unless after you joined you got hired, can only golf at most once a week now and still pay all the quarterly dues, monthly fees, bag storage, cart fees. In that case (my case) you just hope the remainder of the year goes by as quickly as possible so I can quit paying so much damn money for 2-3 rounds a month!!
Was, but quit about a year ago. New ownership group ruined it, couldn't justify the $650/mo price tag for bad service, empty water coolers on course, no tees or balls on range, one cart girl working that you would see once or twice in 18 holes. Straw that broke the camels back for me was getting paired up with a couple guys that were staying at a La Quinta up the highway.
For you guys that are going to let yours run out, did y'all have to pay an initiation fee? How does that work exactly? I hear the 3 prestigious country clubs where I live have initiation fees anywhere from $25k to $80k. Or are y'all's country clubs more of a semi-private monthly type deal?
I'm assuming your course does not require you to be a member to play there? I other words is it semi-private? So membership at something like that around here gets you preferred tee times, range balls, cart fee only, discounts in pro shop etc....is that how your deal works......btw, this is the only kind of deal I would ever consider for me. One reason I don't have $80k sitting around to join Colonial and another reason I like playing different courses
Mine was nowhere near that.
Mine was only $750
My one and only year runs out in May.
Just not something I needed.
It ties you down to one place when there are times you want to play somewhere else.
Its a ball and chain.
It almost feels like you are paying double when you play somewhere besides where you are a member.
My GF has only been 4 times.
They dont have a lot of outside golf activities that we enjoy.
Plus they force you into spending $150 a month in the pro shop.
Still have to pay for cart.
It was not what I envisioned.
Got ya, I was just curious how it works. I can't imagine forking over big bucks to join and then discovering you don't really like it and can't get your initiation money back. The course I play at most often charges $180 a month and I think that covers everything golfwise. I thought about doing it but they have so many advertisements on golfnow.com that it would be stupid for me to enter into a contract
These places are what I'm talking about
COLONIAL COUNTRY CLUB
The course: Par 70, 7,204 yards from back tees
Who plays it? Members and their guests. Or a big-time celebrity who happens to be in DFW. Simple as that. Initiation fee is reportedly $40,000, plus $450 a month.
Why play it? Colonial, established in 1936 by famed Fort Worthian Marvin Leonard, to this day remains a true shotmaker's course, requiring players to shape the ball off the tee and demanding precision on most every shot. In addition to hosting the 65th edition of its annual PGA Tour event this week, Colonial has hosted the U.S. Open in 1941, Tournament Players Championship in 1975 and the 1991 U.S. Women's Open. The treacherous "Horrible Horseshoe," holes 3-5, has often been compared to Amen Corner at Augusta National. Past Colonial champions include Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Phil Mickelson, Lee Trevino and Tom Watson.
Local knowledge: Colonial was the first golf course in Texas with bent-grass greens.
Details: 3735 Country Club Circle, Fort Worth. 817-927-4200
SHADY OAKS COUNTRY CLUB
The course: Par 71, 6,453 yards
Who plays it? Golfers who can shell out the $60K initiation fee and more than $400 in monthly dues to belong to one of the nicest courses in Texas.
Why play it? Home of the legendary Hogan, and built by Leonard, Shady Oaks is an exclusive club often mentioned in the same breath as nearby Colonial. Robert Trent Jones designed the course for the average golfer, and the signature feature is the large bent-grass greens that can be unbelievably fast. Distance isn't the overwhelming factor here, but two par 3s play around 230 yards from the back tees, and the par-5 eighth hole goes 618 yards! We are partial to the scenic No. 5, the 192-yard par 3.
Local knowledge: Nike golf club manufacturer Tom Stites, a Fort Worth resident and Shady Oaks member, has handcrafted clubs for Tiger Woods and David Duval. Tiger has been spotted on the range trying out some of Stites' creations.
Details: 320 Roaring Springs Road, Fort Worth. 817-732-1271; www.shadyoaksclub.com.
DALLAS NATIONAL GOLF CLUB
The course: Par 72, 7,326 yards from the Texas Tees
Who plays it? The richest of the rich golf hacks, as well as serious golfers who want to be pushed to their wits' end by the difficulty of this beautiful monster of a golf course. Initiation is a whopping $200K, plus $950 per month. Members include Dallas Cowboys Hall of Fame quarterbacks Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Mavs point guard Jason Kidd and nationally syndicated DJ Kidd Kraddick.
Why play it? The $30-plus million golf enclave in South Dallas is a Tom Fazio design that was built with hopes of attracting the next major championship to Dallas -- something that hasn't happened since the 1963 PGA at Dallas Athletic Club. The course features elevation changes of more than 170 feet.
Local knowledge: Eight huge wooden bridges connect the deep canyons to their respective plateaus, making you feel as if you are in Austin -- with a view of downtown Dallas in the background.
Details: 1515 Knoxville, Dallas. 214-331-4195; www.dallasnationalgolfclub.com.
VAQUERO CLUB
The course: Par 71, 7,064 yards from the back tees
Who plays it? More like, who is filthy rich enough to play Vaquero? The initiation is said to be $175,000, plus about $1,000 a month -- and you must own a lot in the ultra-exclusive gated community in Westlake. Lots start at around $1 million. Members include The Players Championship winner K.J. Choi, Tiger Woods' former swing coach Hank Haney, Brant Jobe, Harrison Frazar and Justin Leonard.
Why play it? Tom Fazio's design features narrow fairways lined by thick, high coastal Bermuda rough. The pro-style bent-grass greens can be slick. The Vaquero Club also includes Titleist Pro V1 driving-range balls and caddies. First class, all the way.
Local knowledge: Neighborhood residents include the Jonas Brothers, former Texas Rangers CEO Chuck Greenberg and New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton.
Details: 2300 Vaquero Club Drive, Westlake. 817-746-6000; vaqueroclub.com.
COLONIAL COUNTRY CLUB
The course: Par 70, 7,204 yards from back tees
Who plays it? Members and their guests. Or a big-time celebrity who happens to be in DFW. Simple as that. Initiation fee is reportedly $40,000, plus $450 a month.
Why play it? Colonial, established in 1936 by famed Fort Worthian Marvin Leonard, to this day remains a true shotmaker's course, requiring players to shape the ball off the tee and demanding precision on most every shot. In addition to hosting the 65th edition of its annual PGA Tour event this week, Colonial has hosted the U.S. Open in 1941, Tournament Players Championship in 1975 and the 1991 U.S. Women's Open. The treacherous "Horrible Horseshoe," holes 3-5, has often been compared to Amen Corner at Augusta National. Past Colonial champions include Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Phil Mickelson, Lee Trevino and Tom Watson.
Local knowledge: Colonial was the first golf course in Texas with bent-grass greens.
Details: 3735 Country Club Circle, Fort Worth. 817-927-4200
SHADY OAKS COUNTRY CLUB
The course: Par 71, 6,453 yards
Who plays it? Golfers who can shell out the $60K initiation fee and more than $400 in monthly dues to belong to one of the nicest courses in Texas.
Why play it? Home of the legendary Hogan, and built by Leonard, Shady Oaks is an exclusive club often mentioned in the same breath as nearby Colonial. Robert Trent Jones designed the course for the average golfer, and the signature feature is the large bent-grass greens that can be unbelievably fast. Distance isn't the overwhelming factor here, but two par 3s play around 230 yards from the back tees, and the par-5 eighth hole goes 618 yards! We are partial to the scenic No. 5, the 192-yard par 3.
Local knowledge: Nike golf club manufacturer Tom Stites, a Fort Worth resident and Shady Oaks member, has handcrafted clubs for Tiger Woods and David Duval. Tiger has been spotted on the range trying out some of Stites' creations.
Details: 320 Roaring Springs Road, Fort Worth. 817-732-1271; www.shadyoaksclub.com.
DALLAS NATIONAL GOLF CLUB
The course: Par 72, 7,326 yards from the Texas Tees
Who plays it? The richest of the rich golf hacks, as well as serious golfers who want to be pushed to their wits' end by the difficulty of this beautiful monster of a golf course. Initiation is a whopping $200K, plus $950 per month. Members include Dallas Cowboys Hall of Fame quarterbacks Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Mavs point guard Jason Kidd and nationally syndicated DJ Kidd Kraddick.
Why play it? The $30-plus million golf enclave in South Dallas is a Tom Fazio design that was built with hopes of attracting the next major championship to Dallas -- something that hasn't happened since the 1963 PGA at Dallas Athletic Club. The course features elevation changes of more than 170 feet.
Local knowledge: Eight huge wooden bridges connect the deep canyons to their respective plateaus, making you feel as if you are in Austin -- with a view of downtown Dallas in the background.
Details: 1515 Knoxville, Dallas. 214-331-4195; www.dallasnationalgolfclub.com.
VAQUERO CLUB
The course: Par 71, 7,064 yards from the back tees
Who plays it? More like, who is filthy rich enough to play Vaquero? The initiation is said to be $175,000, plus about $1,000 a month -- and you must own a lot in the ultra-exclusive gated community in Westlake. Lots start at around $1 million. Members include The Players Championship winner K.J. Choi, Tiger Woods' former swing coach Hank Haney, Brant Jobe, Harrison Frazar and Justin Leonard.
Why play it? Tom Fazio's design features narrow fairways lined by thick, high coastal Bermuda rough. The pro-style bent-grass greens can be slick. The Vaquero Club also includes Titleist Pro V1 driving-range balls and caddies. First class, all the way.
Local knowledge: Neighborhood residents include the Jonas Brothers, former Texas Rangers CEO Chuck Greenberg and New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton.
Details: 2300 Vaquero Club Drive, Westlake. 817-746-6000; vaqueroclub.com.
