Insert snarky caddyshack quote...

Four!!.... I shoulda yelled two!

Relatively speaking......there have been some great deals to join clubs around here the past 3-5 years. Apart from the economy, the high quality of daily fee courses that were built starting in the 90's around here has been a factor. Not that you could really justify joining a club solely on the $'s but it makes it even tougher to do so with really nice public courses available.

Fixed.
 

I joined an elite private club because the Robert Trent Jones semi-private golf course I had played most of my emergency golf rounds at was torn up for rebirth as a massive condo complex.  It was a criminal act, I tell you.

My only regret was not becoming an elitist sooner.

The commenters in that article are right.  Becoming an elitist makes no financial sense whatsoever. 

In fact, I've run the calculations and determined the only case in which it makes sense is if Blader Jr gets a full golf scholarship at Duke or Stanford, then breaks in quickly in professional golf's grandest stage, where with his first paychecks he compensates me for half of what he is costing me in keeping him in golf gear.  And also buys me a jet black Bentley.   If this happens, I probably come out close enough to all square.

So why do we do it?  Basically, because we are people who will pay any cost whatsoever just so we don't have to tee it up with riff raff like MFAWG and Aske and all the rest of you slovenly *fudge*ers who think we're better than you. 

BTW, let me cue you guys in on elitism slang.  For example, when we say we joined for "the quick 4 hr rounds" ...it actually is code that means, "not having to suffer through a round played with upper middle class and below slobs who cannot stop from yabbering incessantly about the relative merits of T. Rowe Price and Scottrade, only because they've noticed you are a member at an elitist golf club and figured you'd be into a discussion on investing strategy."

I'll show you what you know, Mr. Elight International Man Of Mystery:

3 years ago, I almost joined this place:

http://www.rainiergolfcc....&ssid=82943&vnf=1


when they had  a 'Golf Only' (IE, no locker, pool, or voting privileges).

It was $1200  a year plus $ 200.00 or $ 300.00 a month. You could play all you wanted weekdays, and weekends you had to pay a 'Path Fee' (IIRC, it 20 or 30 bucks) until 1:00 pm. You could pay $500.00 up front and the rest was prorated into your monthly. You also had to be recommended by a member (no issue there).

I don't recall what the food and beverage minimum was, but I'm thinking it was pretty negligible.

The ONLY reason I didn't do it was that for it to make economic sense, I needed to be able to play at least nine holes after 5:00pm every  week plus my regular (at the time) Tues/Sunday 18 during the summer, and I just couldn't fight the brutal traffic to get over there from where I live. A drive that takes maybe 15 minutes on the weekend took almost 45 to an hour from work the couple of times I tried a 'Dry Run'.

Well, that and the fact that it IS in the ghetto,

It was a pretty good deal, and I'm sorry I didn't do it.

I've also considered joining Glen Acres, which is still reasonably affordable:

http://www.glenacresgolf....mbers/membershipgolf.html

But the course is a piece of *feces*.

And what my fellow elitist said is still true - joining a private club almost never makes financial sense from a pure numbers standpoint (unless you're retired or work nights and can/do play almost everyday).  If you're looking for it to make financial sense - give up now.

That said, I am still very happy I joined.  I have been able to play more golf, play on a great course, make new golfing friends, play in more competitions, etc.  I even made the club team this year for our annual grudge match against another club - what a blast that was!  So for me - it is worth the money.  Loads less hassle, loads more fun - that's worth paying for (and I'm single and get to spend all my money on me - should that ever change....... well, tough decisions will be put off until then).

And of course, I get to look down my elitist nose at you pubbers    


BTW, just looked at Rainier - those (current) prices are comparable to what I pay for full membership.  But we're a golf-only club - don't even have a pool.