Country Club Questions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You would live under a rock if you have not heard of Chevy Chase Club.

If you live in DC and are into golf /clubs maybe.

As a test I asked friends last night who are members at The Country Club of Brookline, The Philadelphia Cricket Club and Oakmont. Sorry to disappoint you but Congo is the only club in the area they have ever heard of and they all travel to DC semi-regularly. Interestingly two did know of Kinloch; but not exactly "in the area". Highly rated courses that hold majors trump perceived exclusivity in a local area all day, every day for anyone and everyone into golf.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You would live under a rock if you have not heard of Chevy Chase Club.

If you live in DC and are into golf /clubs maybe.

As a test I asked friends last night who are members at The Country Club of Brookline, The Philadelphia Cricket Club and Oakmont. Sorry to disappoint you but Congo is the only club in the area they have ever heard of and they all travel to DC semi-regularly. Interestingly two did know of Kinloch; but not exactly "in the area". Highly rated courses that hold majors trump perceived exclusivity in a local area all day, every day for anyone and everyone into golf.

This is not entirely true.

I play 100 rounds a year and exclusivity is the thing that most people want. You want to play the place that is hard to get on. For instance, most golfers would rather play Burning Tree than Congressional because it is more difficult to play BT - There are a thousand golfing members at Congressional. Chevy is great but doesn't really have a national reputation.

If somebody were coming in from outside the area, they would probably want to play Burning Tree, Congressional, Caves Valley or Kinloch given the choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You would live under a rock if you have not heard of Chevy Chase Club.

If you live in DC and are into golf /clubs maybe.

As a test I asked friends last night who are members at The Country Club of Brookline, The Philadelphia Cricket Club and Oakmont. Sorry to disappoint you but Congo is the only club in the area they have ever heard of and they all travel to DC semi-regularly. Interestingly two did know of Kinloch; but not exactly "in the area". Highly rated courses that hold majors trump perceived exclusivity in a local area all day, every day for anyone and everyone into golf.

This is not entirely true.

I play 100 rounds a year and exclusivity is the thing that most people want. You want to play the place that is hard to get on. For instance, most golfers would rather play Burning Tree than Congressional because it is more difficult to play BT - There are a thousand golfing members at Congressional. Chevy is great but doesn't really have a national reputation.

If somebody were coming in from outside the area, they would probably want to play Burning Tree, Congressional, Caves Valley or Kinloch given the choice.

Oh hogwash on Burning Tree. I'm a member at one of the C clubs and also golf at least 100 rounds a year and find the course at Burning Tree to be, well, average. I am always reminded of this line from an old article about Burning Tree (which also refers to the club as a day care center for decrepit old men) : "It is said the action at the cribbage table is sometimes more lively than on the course itself, which is neither long nor a particularly challenging par-71." I'll take a great course over perceived exclusivity any day. In addition, BT, Caves (which is really in Baltimore and if I'm going there I prefer Baltimore CC East) and Kinloch (which is in Richmond) are really just golf clubs and are not really "country clubs" which typically go beyond just golf with tennis, pools etc. and the thread is called "Country Club Questions". Of course to some this is a plus. To each there own.

[Anonymous]

I used to work at The Country Club (brookline, MA) - the one referenced above. It is the oldest country club in the United States and is steeped in history. Think Mayflower descendants. It's old school and exclusive and they have hosted a few golf tournaments there but hate to do it because it brings in outsiders and ruins the course. The people that work in the administration there consider them the best/finest/pick your word club in the entire country. They regularly network with other clubs and the only club, in the entire country, that they consider to be remotely on their level, is Chevy Chase. I am not a member of any of these, obviously, but as someone from the DC area, I thought that was interesting.

[Anonymous]

Here is something to consider that may be more objective than any of the above. Country clubs in this country are periodically ranked by "Platinum Clubs of America" - a nationally, indeed internationally recognized group. The rankings are obtained by a vote of the general managers and presidents of previously ranked clubs. The criteria for the rankings are: universal recognition, excellence of amenities and facilities, caliber os staff, quality of membership, governance and management, adapting to changing times, and overall experience. The 2014 rankings, the most recent I could find, rank the top 10 country clubs in the US as: 1. Congressional, 2. Boca west, 3. Cherokee, 4. Ocean Reef, 5. Los Angeles, 6. Vintage Club, 7. John's Island, 8. River Oaks, 9. Addison reserve, 10. Chevy Chase. (The Country Club in Brookline mentioned above barely missed the top ten coming in at number 11. Chevy Chase has recently - since 2014 -done a $28 million dollar renovation to its informal Winter Center dining area and its fitness center and has replaced all of its golf greens. That might raise it on the list today.

[Anonymous]

(12:06 message continued). The Platinum list contains 125 country clubs in total. Local area clubs that make the list are: 1. Congressional, 10. Chevy Chase, 26. Country Club of Virginia (in Richmond), 32. Farmington (in Charlottesville), 35. Baltimore Country Club, 63. Columbia, 109. Woodmont, and 111. Belle Haven.
Personally, I would not put Congressional in the top 10, much less number 1, despite their great golf courses and top tier facilities. I would rank Chevy Chase higher than 10, and I would rank Columbia higher than 63 - maybe. They have a fabulous golf course and a good long term reputation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used to work at The Country Club (brookline, MA) - the one referenced above. It is the oldest country club in the United States and is steeped in history. Think Mayflower descendants. It's old school and exclusive and they have hosted a few golf tournaments there but hate to do it because it brings in outsiders and ruins the course. The people that work in the administration there consider them the best/finest/pick your word club in the entire country. They regularly network with other clubs and the only club, in the entire country, that they consider to be remotely on their level, is Chevy Chase. I am not a member of any of these, obviously, but as someone from the DC area, I thought that was interesting.

Not surprising in the least. You should hear by old WASPy mom, who grew up in New York attending Westchester, speak on Congo. To her it was the equivalent of going to a public mall

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is something to consider that may be more objective than any of the above. Country clubs in this country are periodically ranked by "Platinum Clubs of America" - a nationally, indeed internationally recognized group. The rankings are obtained by a vote of the general managers and presidents of previously ranked clubs. The criteria for the rankings are: universal recognition, excellence of amenities and facilities, caliber os staff, quality of membership, governance and management, adapting to changing times, and overall experience. The 2014 rankings, the most recent I could find, rank the top 10 country clubs in the US as: 1. Congressional, 2. Boca west, 3. Cherokee, 4. Ocean Reef, 5. Los Angeles, 6. Vintage Club, 7. John's Island, 8. River Oaks, 9. Addison reserve, 10. Chevy Chase. (The Country Club in Brookline mentioned above barely missed the top ten coming in at number 11. Chevy Chase has recently - since 2014 -done a $28 million dollar renovation to its informal Winter Center dining area and its fitness center and has replaced all of its golf greens. That might raise it on the list today.

Eh, this appears to be a place where you pay for consideration. I wouldnt take it too seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to work at The Country Club (brookline, MA) - the one referenced above. It is the oldest country club in the United States and is steeped in history. Think Mayflower descendants. It's old school and exclusive and they have hosted a few golf tournaments there but hate to do it because it brings in outsiders and ruins the course. The people that work in the administration there consider them the best/finest/pick your word club in the entire country. They regularly network with other clubs and the only club, in the entire country, that they consider to be remotely on their level, is Chevy Chase. I am not a member of any of these, obviously, but as someone from the DC area, I thought that was interesting.

Not surprising in the least. You should hear by old WASPy mom, who grew up in New York attending Westchester, speak on Congo. To her it was the equivalent of going to a public mall

Do you mean Westchester CC? The club desperate to open its doors to a regularly scheduled PGA tournament only to have its contract broken by the PGA due to low attendance and TV ratings, (which is no small feat in greater New York City). There's a little club Mamaroneck that makes Westchester look like a muni dog track. PS - the real WASPs are across the border at the Round Hill Club (or at WFGC), not at Westchester; they are just pretenders.

[Anonymous]

I can't believe adults are this pathetic....adults with money and choices. *No one* outside of these clubs gives a *(&#$ who you are or where you play golf. No one. Your "status" is entirely imaginary and a fiction perpetuated by your own little circle, to what end I can't fathom. I wasn't this petty and lame when I was 15 years old. Jesus.

[Anonymous]

Millenial here -- do people really still golf and spend lots of money to do so? I thought golf clubs were hurting for membership in most areas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe adults are this pathetic....adults with money and choices. *No one* outside of these clubs gives a *(&#$ who you are or where you play golf. No one. Your "status" is entirely imaginary and a fiction perpetuated by your own little circle, to what end I can't fathom. I wasn't this petty and lame when I was 15 years old. Jesus.

The sound of a nerve being hit!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Millenial here -- do people really still golf and spend lots of money to do so? I thought golf clubs were hurting for membership in most areas.

p


Not sure about most areas, but not in the DC area.

Believe it or not, people DO, ACTUALLY play golf and spend money to do it. Golf, swimming and other activities too.


It is our alternative to taking pictures of our food and posting it online

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Millenial here -- do people really still golf and spend lots of money to do so? I thought golf clubs were hurting for membership in most areas.

p


Not sure about most areas, but not in the DC area.

Believe it or not, people DO, ACTUALLY play golf and spend money to do it. Golf, swimming and other activities too.


It is our alternative to taking pictures of our food and posting it online

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe adults are this pathetic....adults with money and choices. *No one* outside of these clubs gives a *(&#$ who you are or where you play golf. No one. Your "status" is entirely imaginary and a fiction perpetuated by your own little circle, to what end I can't fathom. I wasn't this petty and lame when I was 15 years old. Jesus.

The sound of a nerve being hit!

I guess, if the nerve is called "embarrassed to be a white person."