Country Club Questions

[Anonymous]

Is Columbia hard to get into? The new facilities look great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Without a doubt Chevy is the top of the heap. Within the "country club set" it is the most prestigious and selective. Congressional is also very prestigious. Columbia not as much. Kenwood is easy to get into (minimal waitlist) so it doesn't have the prestige, but its a friendly and fun club with lots of really nice members. Truly, when you speak of the most prestgious in terms of country clubs, its mostly about how hard it is to get in and WHO gets in. Of course many of them restrict membership to certain types of people, that is pretty much the point of "country clubs" which are private and can admit and reject whom they choose. The in town clubs (Metropolitan, Cosmos, University, Sulgrave) are equally exclusive and restrictive of membership but in regards to different criteria. It is the world of private clubs, like it or not, and how they operate. Washington Golf and Country Club is for Arlingtonians and has little to no presence in Washington-proper's social scene but is THE big deal in Arlington. Bellhaven is the big one for those in Alexandria and that part of Virginia. Woodmont is mostly Jewish and for the Potomac crowd. Burning Tree is one of the few clubs left that does not admit women. Its for serious male golfers and is getting rather geriatric I hear (heh heh).

You really do not need to worry about this just because your child is in private school but that's the general and frank scoop on Washington's clubs.

Totally disagree! Congressional is by far the most prestigious and old money. Chevy Chase is known more for new money types. Washington's biggest players are at Congressional.

[Anonymous]

Can you identify who "Washington's biggest players" at Congressional are? And as far as I have heard, Chevy Chase is the most exclusive/"old money" place. Any comparison of notable names at the different clubs?

[Anonymous]

gambling is illegal at bushwood sir

[Anonymous]

My understanding is Columbia has a younger membership than Chevy Chase. Congressional's a great club, but it's a hike from Chevy Chase. Plus, Columbia's course cannot be beat.

[Anonymous]

Enjoy the Columbia course while you can. Soon you will hear the Purple Line Metro horn blaring in your backswing as it cuts right through the course.

Columbia is not drawing many new members due to the uncertainity surrounding the Metro line.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:gambling is illegal at bushwood sir

Bushwood is the ONLY club I would consider joining.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Enjoy the Columbia course while you can. Soon you will hear the Purple Line Metro horn blaring in your backswing as it cuts right through the course.

Columbia is not drawing many new members due to the uncertainity surrounding the Metro line.

Not happening anytime soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Enjoy the Columbia course while you can. Soon you will hear the Purple Line Metro horn blaring in your backswing as it cuts right through the course.

Columbia is not drawing many new members due to the uncertainity surrounding the Metro line.

Really? Are you on the membership committee at Columbia? Are you even a member? Last I heard, there is a substantial waiting list.

[Anonymous]

I'm wondering why (some) people on this blog have so much against country clubs? What's wrong with wanting a private facility to play golf/swim/tennis if one wants? Isn't that why freedom of choice is so great? If you don't want to join, then don't. These are not the country clubs of the past.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:gambling is illegal at bushwood sir

EL OH EL

[Anonymous]

In light of all the recent trouble with Metro, is it likely that federal funds will be withheld from any purple line construction?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm wondering why (some) people on this blog have so much against country clubs? What's wrong with wanting a private facility to play golf/swim/tennis if one wants? Isn't that why freedom of choice is so great? If you don't want to join, then don't. These are not the country clubs of the past.

Because of their exclusivity, I'm guessing. I would love to be a member of Congressional, for example. But I can't exactly call up their main number and ask to be put on their waiting list.

Unless you know the right people, you don't have a chance. And how can you meet the right people in the first place? So, it's not about having a love of golf, it's about being well=connected. There is no freedom of choice when it comes to country clubs. Either you're in the in group or you're not. And I think the idea of something being inaccessible and unattainable to the average citizen bothers a lot of people on this forum.

[Anonymous]

It doesn't bother me that some folks want to have their own self-perceived elitist group where they can socialize with other people just like themselves (it's a little pathetic actually). What bothers me is that they're doing it with the aid of a significant taxpayer subsidy.

[Anonymous]

There's a lot of stuff that's unattainable by a lot of people. Are people really bothered/surprised by this?