Country club membership update

[Anonymous]

Would you please update me on initiation and dues for Chevy Chase, Columbia, Congressional, and Bethesda? Also, what are the waitlists like?

DH is looking for full membership at each. He has talked me into joining fairly late into our family life. Two middle school kids and one graduating. I wasn't particularly interested in having another commitment outside of my work, child-rearing, and volunteer roles, but he has worn me down.

I'm sure that DH will play golf often with one of the kids and with clients, but can I get away with having dinner at the club twice a month? Or will this put me on the outs with the other women at the club? I prefer hiking to tennis or golf, so I just don't think I'll use the facilities much.

Thank you for your advice.

[Anonymous]

I have no idea about the dues at these clubs but why do you care if you are on the outs with the women if you are joining for your dh? I live in another city and we joined a club solely bc my dh loves golf. I don’t golf. I play tennis poorly but our club only has paddle and the women are very serious players and I don’t play any sport that seriously. I go to the pool occasionally in the summer and eat there a few times a year but the food is so so. Dh golfs constantly in the good weather. The club is his place - not mine. I could care less whether other women in the community know if I’m a member. I have a job and other obligations and I’m not going to hang out at the club for face time.

[Anonymous]

No one cares if you go or don’t go. Most clubs require a current member to recommend you. Congressional usually has a 10+ year waitlist. Your husband should contact the clubs he is interested in and get information.

[Anonymous]

This question is so tone deaf.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one cares if you go or don’t go. Most clubs require a current member to recommend you. Congressional usually has a 10+ year waitlist. Your husband should contact the clubs he is interested in and get information.

Thanks, we have friends at all these clubs and will make inquiries. I'm just trying to get a sense of the overall scene right now. I've heard that the pandemic impacted the clubs in varying ways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This question is so tone deaf.

OP here. How so?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have no idea about the dues at these clubs but why do you care if you are on the outs with the women if you are joining for your dh? I live in another city and we joined a club solely bc my dh loves golf. I don’t golf. I play tennis poorly but our club only has paddle and the women are very serious players and I don’t play any sport that seriously. I go to the pool occasionally in the summer and eat there a few times a year but the food is so so. Dh golfs constantly in the good weather. The club is his place - not mine. I could care less whether other women in the community know if I’m a member. I have a job and other obligations and I’m not going to hang out at the club for face time.

Good to know! I was under the impression from some friends that the clubs really do care if the entire family participates in club life. I like to understand the expectations going in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one cares if you go or don’t go. Most clubs require a current member to recommend you. Congressional usually has a 10+ year waitlist. Your husband should contact the clubs he is interested in and get information.

Whoa. That would take Congressional off the list, certainly. Yes, he'll gather all the info. I'm just using DCUM for what we all use it for. To get advice from peers and gather some inside scoop.

[Anonymous]

Why would you spend the money for initiation and dues for all three? (Assuming you could even bypass the wait list) How many times a week is your H possibly going to play golf or have lunch out with a client?

Pick one club. Three is a total waste.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why would you spend the money for initiation and dues for all three? (Assuming you could even bypass the wait list) How many times a week is your H possibly going to play golf or have lunch out with a client?

Pick one club. Three is a total waste.

I think OP meant they are looking at all the clubs to figure out which one to join and, whichever club they settled on, they would be interested in a full membership vs only golf etc.

[Anonymous]

During the application process, each of those clubs is likely to inquire how each of the family members would likely use the club. That said, at each of those clubs there are members where only one family member uses it and others use it little to none.

Each of the clubs has a slightly different feel. And a different path and suite of membership options. Join the one that he will actually use -- whether that is based on the course, the location, the speed to getting a membership that lets him golf.

The initiation fees and dues are different -- probably range from 60k - 120k. Some of these clubs have monthly dues plus a monthly minimum. Some don't have monthly minimums.

[Anonymous]

I literally can’t imagine thinking that I might get sideways with the hundreds of female members at a country club in a huge metropolitan area by not hanging out enough. This is not a social club in Savannah in 1965. They just want your money and to make sure you aren’t a hot mess.

[Anonymous]

I think Kenwood is taking members now. If you think you will use it, it's fine but if you don't go you still need to pay the monthly fees.

[Anonymous]

Is there any reason you even have to do dinners at the club? We were members at a club like this and the social scene just didn't appeal to me. Like you, I'd rather be doing something active like hiking, and although I play tennis I don't really like doubles. I don't golf and am not interested in learning. And I don't care about bringing the whole family to dinner. I grew up doing all this stuff and only realized as an adult that it's optional, haha!

If your DH wants you to go out to dinner w/him occasionally that doesn't seem like too much of a burden. Gotta use those chits somehow.

[Anonymous]

Chevy might actually appeal to you. Beautiful grounds with a great trail for walking/running. No monthly minimum spend.