Golf: Belle Haven vs Army Navy Country Club
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Anonymous
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My husband is an avid golfer and wants to join a country club. We are curious about Belle Haven and Army Navy. Welcome any input on the facilities, waiting list length, fees, and members. Also open to other ideas nearby!
My husband's priority is golf. Mine is more sense of community. And I wouldn't mind a nice pool, exercise classes, and kids camps. We are not a military family, but apparently I can join Army Navy as a national security federal employee. Will we be the odd ones out as a non-military family? |
Anonymous
| We belong to ANCC, you will not feel out of place being non military. The Arlington pools were just rebuilt and are very nice. There is a swim team, kids tennis and golf teams and lessons and events for Halloween, Easter, the 4th etc. it’s a big club so I don’t know how much you will be making friends there, but they offer a lot of community oriented activities as I mentioned above. I have no idea about waitlists or costs. I find the fact that it’s military refreshing. People there are much nicer than say Washington Golf. I’ve had a few experiences where I found the people there insufferable. I don’t know what vibe Belle Haven has. I’m guessing closer to Washington Golf, but I don’t know. |
Anonymous
Thank you! Glad to hear the people are nice! We will check it out. |
Anonymous
Belle Haven has a real housewives feel about it. Very pretentious and very overrated, if you don’t live in Belle Haven or Alexandria, I’d look elsewhere - full of cliques |
Anonymous
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I've been a member of Belle Haven for nearly 25 years. It's overrated. My kids berate (OK, maybe that's harsh) us all of the time for not joining ANCC way back then.
Golf is good, but crowded. Tee times can be difficult to come by unless your husband will be up on ForeTees at the right moment each morning. The pool is small and crowded, and when the swim team practices they close the entire pool down. It's really frustrating, especially considering the swim team is not exactly a powerhouse. The fitness center is good and generally not very crowded. Food is inconsistent at best. They/we are about to embark on another renovation project. Many members who just forked out $90K+ think the facilities should look like the Ritz. So they complain, focus groups are convened, and then we end up committing to a huge project that will result in cost overruns and large increases to the monthly fees. The setting is quite nice, however. |
Anonymous
| Any idea on cost to join and annual fees at Army Navy? |
Anonymous
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We love Army Navy as civilian members. The kids golf, tennis and swim program is terrific. We like that there's a broad range of members and enjoy the military component. I don't know the details but recall when we joined that the initiation fees were less than the other private clubs, and depending on the type of national security background, they may be even less for your family. Regular dues are in the 600 range, I think? We are heavy users of the golf, swim, racquet facilities in the summer so our bills can be quite high when you add all the food!
We have friends at Belle Haven - I personally think the course is better than the ANCC courses, but ANCC does have 3 courses so there are more options to get on and play. I think the instructors at ANCC are terrific. |
Anonymous
| In re golf, Army Navy in Arlington is meh at best but the Fairfax courses are just plain excellent. I love them and I am a member at a number of supposedly “high end” country clubs. Belle Haven is decent but it gets a lot of play and there are at least a few pita members. Army Navy Arlington club house is really nice as well. |
Anonymous
| We love ANCC! We ended up moving out of the area and joined a different club where we moved. It was older, more established, etc. and we hated it compared to ANCC and ended up resigning. The staff and the other members at ANCC are so nice and courteous. It's not snooty at all (our other club was cliquish and all the members seemed to be children of members and everything had to be done how it had been done forever. Members would get very drunk and berate staff. We saw none of that kind of behavior at ANCC. |
Anonymous
Also an ANCC member, non-military but from a military family, and I agree with this. I love it. It's a much more down-to-earth and family-friendly club than others in the DMV - love how many younger families and couples there are. Belle Haven is old Virginia money, from what I know of it. I've golfed there and it's good, but I like ANCC's course variety and terrain better, more of a challenge. |
Anonymous
| What does ANCC cost to join? 50-100k for civilian? Do you need to get “invited” or is there a waiting list. I believe this is the case for Wash Golf CC. |
Anonymous
| Thanks for the info on ANCC. My husband and I are looking to join but saw they ask for two “sponsors”…anyone have advice on finding them? Thanks! |
Anonymous
| WGCC only one that matters. |
Anonymous
And the people at Maryland clubs think Al of the va clubs are a joke. |