Country Club Members, Is It Worth It?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This region is chock full of free public pools and awesome public golf courses. There is a cheap driving range at Haines Point, and the good public courses are 30-60 mins outside of DC.

I cannot in my wildest nightmares understand why someone would want to waste their time and money being chained to a single course with that financial commitment.

Who the heck wants to drive AN HOUR to play golf when I can drive 5 minutes and play at a much nicer course..you people are nuts if you can't see the value in that. Plus the amazing pracitce facilites. Also the public courses are normally littered with bad players who slow a round down to 5+ hours. I just played 9 holes at my club in 70 minutes walking..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Country clubs are for the socially insecure (don’t have and can’t make friends) or status conscious people.

+1. Not a popular but very accurate statement. It’s a social club - but you pay to enter.

You're paying for facilities that are not otherwise available, regardless of your willingness to pay.

They are available.

There are public and private pools.
There are public and private golf courses.
There are restaurants and skating rinks the public can access.

What you are paying for is access to consistent facilities when you want to access it (within reason of available tee times)

It wouldn't be for me and I don't understand why people do it, but to each their own.

It's not for me, either, but the "facilities" are not identical. I play a lot of golf on the public courses around the region, and I've been a guest at many of the top CCs, and they are simply not the same thing. You don't join a CC because you want "a" pool, but because you want the impeccably maintained pool where you'll know most of the people, can leave stuff there in your locker, and let your kids run around because the place feels like home.

Like I said, it's not for me, but I do understand why some people do it. They find the impeccable and exclusive golf course and the pool-filled-with-friends to be worth it.

This is EVERY community pool in the region.

People rarely join a club solely because of the pool but because in addition to that beautifully clean pool, they also get a golf course, gym, racquet and holiday events. It's part of an overall facilities and social package.

[Anonymous]

If you join for just the pool you are an idiot or just have too much money. For what you spent on the membership you could get a day pass at the Rosewood hotel pool in Georgetown every weekend..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Country clubs are for the socially insecure (don’t have and can’t make friends) or status conscious people.

+1. Not a popular but very accurate statement. It’s a social club - but you pay to enter.

You're paying for facilities that are not otherwise available, regardless of your willingness to pay.

They are available.

There are public and private pools.
There are public and private golf courses.
There are restaurants and skating rinks the public can access.

What you are paying for is access to consistent facilities when you want to access it (within reason of available tee times)

The pubic courses suck anywhere near the beltway. Sure, drive 90 minutes to Raspberry Falls or WHiskey Creek at rush hour. What a luxury!!

It wouldn't be for me and I don't understand why people do it, but to each their own.

[Anonymous]

If you just played 9 in 70 minutes and walked, you don’t enjoy life. I have a good game but enjoying playing at a private club where friendship is part of my round. Public golf does not equal a high handicap player. Perhaps the person that plays public golf is fiscally responsible. Please tell me what club you belong to so when I play inter club I can avoid playing at your club.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you just played 9 in 70 minutes and walked, you don’t enjoy life. I have a good game but enjoying playing at a private club where friendship is part of my round. Public golf does not equal a high handicap player. Perhaps the person that plays public golf is fiscally responsible. Please tell me what club you belong to so when I play inter club I can avoid playing at your club.

HUH? Not sure how this is a bad thing..

I teed off at 6, had a beer and was off the course by 7:10; home for dinner. I played solo. It was the most enjoyable hour of my day..how is that not enjoying life?? I usually play with people but every so often it's amazing to just hop out and play a quick nine solo. It's therapeutic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you join for just the pool you are an idiot or just have too much money. For what you spent on the membership you could get a day pass at the Rosewood hotel pool in Georgetown every weekend..

There are many people here from around the country, former DC-ers. We joined back before COVID and our buy in was waived. Our club costs us about $2k a year. It isn’t expensive. We used to have a pool and maintenance was more. Plus some of that is our required F&B so we get quite a few meals included in that price. Doesn’t seem extreme to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you join for just the pool you are an idiot or just have too much money. For what you spent on the membership you could get a day pass at the Rosewood hotel pool in Georgetown every weekend..

There are many people here from around the country, former DC-ers. We joined back before COVID and our buy in was waived. Our club costs us about $2k a year. It isn’t expensive. We used to have a pool and maintenance was more. Plus some of that is our required F&B so we get quite a few meals included in that price. Doesn’t seem extreme to me.

Lol what club is this?

Obviously 2k is a no brainer but I just don’t know of any clubs remotely near dc that charge that. Our pool/tennis membership fee is 35k and my club is definitely not on the high end..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you join for just the pool you are an idiot or just have too much money. For what you spent on the membership you could get a day pass at the Rosewood hotel pool in Georgetown every weekend..

There are many people here from around the country, former DC-ers. We joined back before COVID and our buy in was waived. Our club costs us about $2k a year. It isn’t expensive. We used to have a pool and maintenance was more. Plus some of that is our required F&B so we get quite a few meals included in that price. Doesn’t seem extreme to me.

Lol what club is this?

Obviously 2k is a no brainer but I just don’t know of any clubs remotely near dc that charge that. Our pool/tennis membership fee is 35k and my club is definitely not on the high end..

Like I said, not near DC. This is life in the Midwestern city! We have an amazing pool and decent food, too. There are many clubs like this around the country, just not in urban coastal areas. But when people post they join just for the pool, it *can* be a rational decision in many areas. Just not yours!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you join for just the pool you are an idiot or just have too much money. For what you spent on the membership you could get a day pass at the Rosewood hotel pool in Georgetown every weekend..

There are many people here from around the country, former DC-ers. We joined back before COVID and our buy in was waived. Our club costs us about $2k a year. It isn’t expensive. We used to have a pool and maintenance was more. Plus some of that is our required F&B so we get quite a few meals included in that price. Doesn’t seem extreme to me.

Lol what club is this?

Obviously 2k is a no brainer but I just don’t know of any clubs remotely near dc that charge that. Our pool/tennis membership fee is 35k and my club is definitely not on the high end..

Like I said, not near DC. This is life in the Midwestern city! We have an amazing pool and decent food, too. There are many clubs like this around the country, just not in urban coastal areas. But when people post they join just for the pool, it *can* be a rational decision in many areas. Just not yours!

Jokes on us! I’m jealous

Wish our area wasn’t so darn expensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you join for just the pool you are an idiot or just have too much money. For what you spent on the membership you could get a day pass at the Rosewood hotel pool in Georgetown every weekend..

There are many people here from around the country, former DC-ers. We joined back before COVID and our buy in was waived. Our club costs us about $2k a year. It isn’t expensive. We used to have a pool and maintenance was more. Plus some of that is our required F&B so we get quite a few meals included in that price. Doesn’t seem extreme to me.

Lol what club is this?

Obviously 2k is a no brainer but I just don’t know of any clubs remotely near dc that charge that. Our pool/tennis membership fee is 35k and my club is definitely not on the high end..

Like I said, not near DC. This is life in the Midwestern city! We have an amazing pool and decent food, too. There are many clubs like this around the country, just not in urban coastal areas. But when people post they join just for the pool, it *can* be a rational decision in many areas. Just not yours!

Jokes on us! I’m jealous

Wish our area wasn’t so darn expensive.

Agreed, $35k would be outrageous. I think it is also why our club is quite diverse. You don’t have to be super rich to join, just solid MC. We have a lot of families with those kinds of jobs (teachers, nurses, etc.).

[Anonymous]

Yes, I too play 9 by myself namely to work on elements of my game. Even I belong to a private club, I guess that I didn’t like the comment about people those that play public. I despise elitist and those that are not financially responsible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you join for just the pool you are an idiot or just have too much money. For what you spent on the membership you could get a day pass at the Rosewood hotel pool in Georgetown every weekend..

There are many people here from around the country, former DC-ers. We joined back before COVID and our buy in was waived. Our club costs us about $2k a year. It isn’t expensive. We used to have a pool and maintenance was more. Plus some of that is our required F&B so we get quite a few meals included in that price. Doesn’t seem extreme to me.

Lol what club is this?

Obviously 2k is a no brainer but I just don’t know of any clubs remotely near dc that charge that. Our pool/tennis membership fee is 35k and my club is definitely not on the high end..

Like I said, not near DC. This is life in the Midwestern city! We have an amazing pool and decent food, too. There are many clubs like this around the country, just not in urban coastal areas. But when people post they join just for the pool, it *can* be a rational decision in many areas. Just not yours!

Jokes on us! I’m jealous

Wish our area wasn’t so darn expensive.

Agreed, $35k would be outrageous. I think it is also why our club is quite diverse. You don’t have to be super rich to join, just solid MC. We have a lot of families with those kinds of jobs (teachers, nurses, etc.).

There are lots of types of clubs. Some are cheaper, some are more MC or lower UMC. No knock on those. The higher end clubs people are talking about are expensive and for UMC but the higher end. It is a collection of people who may or may not interact in the business world, whose kids might go to different schools but quite often privates, who have and make a lot of money so have similar issues -- private school, taxes, second homes, expensive vacations, etc. Some people want those connections.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you join for just the pool you are an idiot or just have too much money. For what you spent on the membership you could get a day pass at the Rosewood hotel pool in Georgetown every weekend..

There are many people here from around the country, former DC-ers. We joined back before COVID and our buy in was waived. Our club costs us about $2k a year. It isn’t expensive. We used to have a pool and maintenance was more. Plus some of that is our required F&B so we get quite a few meals included in that price. Doesn’t seem extreme to me.

Lol what club is this?

Obviously 2k is a no brainer but I just don’t know of any clubs remotely near dc that charge that. Our pool/tennis membership fee is 35k and my club is definitely not on the high end..

Like I said, not near DC. This is life in the Midwestern city! We have an amazing pool and decent food, too. There are many clubs like this around the country, just not in urban coastal areas. But when people post they join just for the pool, it *can* be a rational decision in many areas. Just not yours!

Jokes on us! I’m jealous

Wish our area wasn’t so darn expensive.

Yep - my ILs who live in a much lower cost of living city joined their "club" because of the pool. We ate brunch there the last time we went to visit them. The most expensive option at my hometown's country club is $4995 for the family. That is for active full membership. A family social membership is $1200. If I lived in my hometown, I could definitely see joining a country club.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you join for just the pool you are an idiot or just have too much money. For what you spent on the membership you could get a day pass at the Rosewood hotel pool in Georgetown every weekend..

There are many people here from around the country, former DC-ers. We joined back before COVID and our buy in was waived. Our club costs us about $2k a year. It isn’t expensive. We used to have a pool and maintenance was more. Plus some of that is our required F&B so we get quite a few meals included in that price. Doesn’t seem extreme to me.

Lol what club is this?

Obviously 2k is a no brainer but I just don’t know of any clubs remotely near dc that charge that. Our pool/tennis membership fee is 35k and my club is definitely not on the high end..

Like I said, not near DC. This is life in the Midwestern city! We have an amazing pool and decent food, too. There are many clubs like this around the country, just not in urban coastal areas. But when people post they join just for the pool, it *can* be a rational decision in many areas. Just not yours!

Jokes on us! I’m jealous

Wish our area wasn’t so darn expensive.

Yep - my ILs who live in a much lower cost of living city joined their "club" because of the pool. We ate brunch there the last time we went to visit them. The most expensive option at my hometown's country club is $4995 for the family. That is for active full membership. A family social membership is $1200. If I lived in my hometown, I could definitely see joining a country club.

All true but cost in major cities is the same as DC. Boston, LA, SF, NY Atlanta