Country Clubs, Private Schools & Nannies are the reason the upper income feel and claim to be middle class.

The middle class doesn't have money for any of these options.

If you are new to the area, like op, then why join? Are you sure you will still want the membership if you are no longer living in the dc area?

Ugh - this whole country club thing is so utterly unappealing to me! I went to what members on here call "a big 3" private and hardly any of my classmates were members at these places. Who is joining them? Likely VA and MD'ers. Sounds pretentious and awful.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:BCC and Kenwood are the easiest to join. Columbia takes longer and you need more letters. Since they put in the new pool, it seems very hot. All cement and not a lot of shade. The club food is probably the best but it's kind of a scene. Also contains a "men's grill." Chevy is easier to join than it used to be. Lower-key than Columbia but a lot of new money is coming in and it's obvious. There's a recent thread on Chevy costs. You could possibly get summer membership in a year or two, but you need to have good sponsors.

I am a legacy at Columbia and grew up there with the old pools that included an adult only. Let me just say that the new pool sucks. There are screaming children running rampant and its loud and crowded. The "awesome" lap pool that they put inside is never used and was a complete waste of the $11k extra fee assessmed on members for the new wonderful pool.

That being said I do like Columbia and the food is great! I got married there and it was a beautiful evening for a very reasonable price. If I could still get in on legacy member fees I would do it but I am not paying $60k to become a full member. Its also alot of new money and want to be pretentious younger couples with very ill-behaved children who seem oblivious to the world around them.

I totally agree about the new pretentious young couples. When I was growing up there, Columbia was known as the friendliest club, but the new wave is not at all friendly.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just reading this thread makes my skin crawl.

Me too. And the exclusionary tone of it all. I cannot imagine being a minority and wanting to join these places.

Because they don't allow members who don't have $100,000 to join?

I worked at a CC in college, as a waitress, and what you are thinking is probably right. It is exclusionary, and many of the other things mentioned. But it did pay well! I had one member yell at me on my first day because he ordered something not on the menu, and the kitchen staff didn't know what it was. That was somehow my fault. That pretty much sums it up.

if you have the money and really like to golf/play tennis/swim, then its ok. If you don't, then don't worry about it.

Anonymous wrote:BCC and Kenwood are the easiest to join. Columbia takes longer and you need more letters. Since they put in the new pool, it seems very hot. All cement and not a lot of shade. The club food is probably the best but it's kind of a scene. Also contains a "men's grill." Chevy is easier to join than it used to be. Lower-key than Columbia but a lot of new money is coming in and it's obvious. There's a recent thread on Chevy costs. You could possibly get summer membership in a year or two, but you need to have good sponsors.

I am a legacy at Columbia and grew up there with the old pools that included an adult only. Let me just say that the new pool sucks. There are screaming children running rampant and its loud and crowded. The "awesome" lap pool that they put inside is never used and was a complete waste of the $11k extra fee assessmed on members for the new wonderful pool.

That being said I do like Columbia and the food is great! I got married there and it was a beautiful evening for a very reasonable price. If I could still get in on legacy member fees I would do it but I am not paying $60k to become a full member. Its also alot of new money and want to be pretentious younger couples with very ill-behaved children who seem oblivious to the world around them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just reading this thread makes my skin crawl.

Me too. And the exclusionary tone of it all. I cannot imagine being a minority and wanting to join these places.

Because they don't allow members who don't have $100,000 to join?

Anonymous wrote:Just reading this thread makes my skin crawl.

Me too. And the exclusionary tone of it all. I cannot imagine being a minority and wanting to join these places.

Anonymous wrote:Is everyone white at these places?

For the most part, yes.

For whoever mentioned networking, my understanding that networking at CC in general is a huge no-no around here. I know at my CC it is frowned upon.

As for those who don't get the point of a CC, understand that the intiation fee buys no only you a life long membership, but your children a membership at a very reduced initiation fee. And if your children plan to stay near DC that is a huge bonus to them.

As for the monthly dues, if you add up the cost of golfing on a public course on a weekly basis, a gym membership, tennis membership, a swim membership, the monthly dues are a drop in the bucket. Plus food prices for dining at a CC are excellent and there is no tipping involved. The social events are fun and cheap and the summer camp options are excellent.

Anonymous wrote:BCC and Kenwood are the easiest to join. Columbia takes longer and you need more letters. Since they put in the new pool, it seems very hot. All cement and not a lot of shade. The club food is probably the best but it's kind of a scene. Also contains a "men's grill." Chevy is easier to join than it used to be. Lower-key than Columbia but a lot of new money is coming in and it's obvious. There's a recent thread on Chevy costs. You could possibly get summer membership in a year or two, but you need to have good sponsors.

Columbia hasn't had a men's grill for ages. They realized it wouldn't fly once women became full members.

Just reading this thread makes my skin crawl.

Is everyone white at these places?

BCC and Kenwood are the easiest to join. Columbia takes longer and you need more letters. Since they put in the new pool, it seems very hot. All cement and not a lot of shade. The club food is probably the best but it's kind of a scene. Also contains a "men's grill." Chevy is easier to join than it used to be. Lower-key than Columbia but a lot of new money is coming in and it's obvious. There's a recent thread on Chevy costs. You could possibly get summer membership in a year or two, but you need to have good sponsors.