Country Club Questions

[Anonymous]

Going back to the OP's concerns - the only CC with the kind of cult-like community you seem worried about is Chevy. Those folks do hang together. HOWEVER - I expect what you are seeing is that the folks from a particular club already know each other, and that is why they are standing out to you. It will be less obvious as everyone else gets a chance to meet each other.

[Anonymous]

This thread got me thinking about checking the veracity of the claim that someone was rejected for such and such reason, and here's what I found (hope you're sitting down!):

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VB8MAAAAIBAJ&sjid=e10DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5112,1608869&dq=chevy-chase-club

Obviously this article was written before many of us were born, but still...still!

[Anonymous]

I heard that back in the day most of the local country clubs excluded Jewish people with the exception of Indian Springs (which has been closed for a long time now). I went to private school in Kensington and many families from Chevy Chase View (conservative and Catholic) belonged to Columbia and Chevy Chase. The majority of country club families seem to be legacies -- sort of a family tradition -- plus some random local wealthy folks or people sponsored by their employers (ie: Ernst & Young). I would suspect that it would be tough to break into that community and that most would view you as an outsider. Doesn't appeal to me at all. And FWIW OP: you said you sent your kids to private school strictly for educational purposes -- as if you were trying to distinguish your motives from something along the lines of social climbing -- which is fine. But if you are contemplating joining a country club, then that pretty much goes out the window, right? I mean, call it "socializing" but it doesn't matter -- this is attempting to climb the social ladder, etc.

[Anonymous]

Written before many of you were born? In 1976? Oh, I feel old.

[Anonymous]

13:46 - that was likely real advice and probably a compliment. Congressional is mostly corporate memberships; Chevy is exclusive on a family level and the activities are more family-friendly. Lots of DC old money, very exclusive, definitely WASPy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:13:46 - that was likely real advice and probably a compliment. Congressional is mostly corporate memberships; Chevy is exclusive on a family level and the activities are more family-friendly. Lots of DC old money, very exclusive, definitely WASPy.

What a compliment! I'll be feeling extra special this weekend thinking about how an acquaintance might think I might be good enough to look into such a place!

[Anonymous]

Oh, good Lord. If the friend values this kind of experience and thinks you could get in to Chevy, then it that friend's mind she thinks you would fit in to that community which is, presumably to her, a good thing. Caveated and politically correct enough for you now, PP? Or are you just reading this thread so you can bash people who go to country clubs? BTW - I don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:13:46 - that was likely real advice and probably a compliment. Congressional is mostly corporate memberships; Chevy is exclusive on a family level and the activities are more family-friendly. Lots of DC old money, very exclusive, definitely WASPy.

The statement about Congressional is not correct. It doesn't have corporate memberships. It is very family friendly.

[Anonymous]

In this economic climate, are any clubs discounting their initiation fees to lure young families? We've had several people offer to sponsor us at clubs, including Chevy, Collumbia, and Kenwood. And it's not like we were asking about it. I was wondering if this is because they need more members?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In this economic climate, are any clubs discounting their initiation fees to lure young families? We've had several people offer to sponsor us at clubs, including Chevy, Collumbia, and Kenwood. And it's not like we were asking about it. I was wondering if this is because they need more members?

What do you do that you know so many people who are members of these clubs?

[Anonymous]

Sorry - clarifying earlier statement about Congressional - lots of companies give memberships there as perks. We know lots of people who belong there through their firms and do a lot of business functions there. I'm sure they could use it for family stuff, too, it's just not how I'm familiar with it.

[Anonymous]

If we could afford it we would join. SOunds nice to have golf, tennis, pool and restaurants in one place. Park once and spend the day there. How cool is that? Sure, everyone else there is rich but it's not like it'syour ENTIRE LIFE. Your kids still go to school, right? You still have a life outside of the CC....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I heard that back in the day most of the local country clubs excluded Jewish people with the exception of Indian Springs (which has been closed for a long time now). I went to private school in Kensington and many families from Chevy Chase View (conservative and Catholic) belonged to Columbia and Chevy Chase. The majority of country club families seem to be legacies -- sort of a family tradition -- plus some random local wealthy folks or people sponsored by their employers (ie: Ernst & Young). I would suspect that it would be tough to break into that community and that most would view you as an outsider. Doesn't appeal to me at all. And FWIW OP: you said you sent your kids to private school strictly for educational purposes -- as if you were trying to distinguish your motives from something along the lines of social climbing -- which is fine. But if you are contemplating joining a country club, then that pretty much goes out the window, right? I mean, call it "socializing" but it doesn't matter -- this is attempting to climb the social ladder, etc.

We are poor Jews, so we couldn't afford it. However, if they ever say anything to me directly or indirectly about not being able to join only because I'm Jewish, I'll stick their tennis racket up their ass.

[Anonymous]

I think country clubs are awesome and I'd love to join one. Criticize all you want, but how nice would it be to have that third place -- away from work and home -- where you can go relax, hit the pool, play tennis or golf and run into some familiar faces? The limiting step for me is that I'm not connected to the right people to get sponsorship to one of these exclusive clubs. And I don't have 100K just sitting in the bank! Oh well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In this economic climate, are any clubs discounting their initiation fees to lure young families? We've had several people offer to sponsor us at clubs, including Chevy, Collumbia, and Kenwood. And it's not like we were asking about it. I was wondering if this is because they need more members?

What do you do that you know so many people who are members of these clubs?

Nothing special. We've just lived here a long time. And DH plays golf.