Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People still belong to country clubs? Wow.

Is this a serious question?

country clubs are a dying breed and most have serious financial issues.

You don't get out much do you? If you did, you would see area clubs packed with families and children, especially during the summer.
As to financial issues, clubs suffered the same fate as many businesses during the economic downturn. Even in this lackluster "recovery", our is back to a waiting list.

ours is full and there is a waitlist. But yes, poster it is "dying"

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the rationale for not including alcoholic drinks in the minimum? Seems like those are high margin (so high profit) to the club, so why not encourage it?

They figure that if you eat, you will drink. Alcohol is an easy money maker. Also- they need to sell food to offer food. Given how bad the food can be, they need to justify having a restaurant onsite by forcing members to buy food with minimums (forcing "demand"). They need restaurants onsite to be considered a country club- it's all circular.

Got it. Sounds like it's to force you to make use of the restaurant, so they can justify keeping it open.

I've been a guest at a CC a few times and the food was indeed unremarkable. I'd rather just be invited to one of the many "normal" restaurants nearby.

Anonymous wrote:What is the rationale for not including alcoholic drinks in the minimum? Seems like those are high margin (so high profit) to the club, so why not encourage it?

Because if it isn't included in the minimum they can still charge you the whole fee no matter how much you drink.

Anonymous wrote:What is the rationale for not including alcoholic drinks in the minimum? Seems like those are high margin (so high profit) to the club, so why not encourage it?

They figure that if you eat, you will drink. Alcohol is an easy money maker. Also- they need to sell food to offer food. Given how bad the food can be, they need to justify having a restaurant onsite by forcing members to buy food with minimums (forcing "demand"). They need restaurants onsite to be considered a country club- it's all circular.

What is the rationale for not including alcoholic drinks in the minimum? Seems like those are high margin (so high profit) to the club, so why not encourage it?

Chartwell Golf and Country Club is between DC and Baltimore in Anne Arundel. pretty affordable, family friendly and full service with pool, golf, tennis, etc. we love it

close-in moco club....$1200/year F&B minimum--alcohol included

DCLyons wrote:Norbeck Country Club is a good one in Montgomery County. Reasonable fee's (there is a $250 quarterly food minimum, which does include drinks), good food, pool is rarely crowded in summer, very laid back and low key.....

+1 Very family friendly. Great for kids!

Anonymous wrote:Chevy Chase Club- no minimum

really? someone told me it was $300/month at CCC...

Actually at my club, the food is good. But we always eat in the grill and not the formal dining room.

Anonymous wrote:I'm 14:06- I have also gone to these country clubs as guests for events (parties, auctions) and the food is still so bad.. my son's preschool has an auction gala every year and we learned to eat dinner before (even though we paid for it/included in gala fee) since it's so terrible.

This is why I didn't get married at my parents "club" and they understood. The food is just SO outdated and gross.

I'm 14:06- I have also gone to these country clubs as guests for events (parties, auctions) and the food is still so bad.. my son's preschool has an auction gala every year and we learned to eat dinner before (even though we paid for it/included in gala fee) since it's so terrible.

the food at a coutnry club is on par with hotel food. Of course members will say it is great becuase who wants to pay all that money and then say the food stinks?

We belong to a very "nice" club and I am really surprised how awful the food is. My spouses company pays for the membership but we pay for the food/drink (250 a quarter) and 8/10 times we just pay it because we never want to eat out there.

Our local country club's F&B was $250 per quarter, alcohol not included. When we went to tour and dine there, we could have financially pulled it off but it would have limited our ability to do other things (so clearly, we should not have and did not join). The F&B was a killer though- especially since the food was not good. We toured another more reasonable club as well- same thing about the food. I could see us doing a dinners there regularly to use up the F&B and been miserable thinking how we could have gone out to eat somewhere good. We also couldn't imagine bringing friends there to pay $$ for mediocre food. These are two top clubs (but not the super golf meca ones in the area).