Last Updated on February 2, 2023 by Britt Olizarowicz
There are dozens of reasons to join a country club. These reasons range from great golf course conditions to swimming pool access to pickleball. However, many people want to know if a country club is a way to make friends.
As a former membership director and PGA professional, I’ve seen many people join country clubs to make friends, and I can tell you that it doesn’t always work out. Here is what you should know about whether or not you will make friends, how to go about it, and ultimately how to enjoy country club life.
Is A Country Club A Way To Make Friends
A country club can be a great way to make friends if you are joining a club that is in your community with like-minded people. I have seen that when people join clubs where they already have a friend or two, adjusting to the country club life can be considerably easier.
Here are some of the reasons why a country club can be a great way to make friends.
Similar Interests
If you listed the top ten reasons why you joined a country club, five of them would be similar to the person sitting next to you.
People who join country clubs have similar interests.
These interests could be sports, but they are sometimes business or even political interests. Being around people that have similar interests to you makes it much easier to make lifelong friends.
Live In The Same Community
Most country clubs are filled with people from the same general community. Let’s face it; if you drive more than 30 or 40 minutes to get to the country club, you won’t use it enough.
The neighborhoods that directly surround the country club are usually packed with country club members.
If you live in the same community as these members, you may already have some mutual friends or business relationships.
Social Events
Country clubs offer the opportunity for social events. These social events are a great way to meet people.
You can play in a nine and dine golf event with another couple and be paired with someone randomly. Furthermore, you may go to a dinner dance and be seated next to people you have never met.
Although not every acquittance you have at the club will become a lifelong friend, many of the people you meet are going to be a chance for you to make friends and to enjoy your time spent together.
Don’t be afraid to talk to people at these social events. It’s a great chance to make new connections.
Sports Events With Socialization
Some sports are not very social.
However, at a country club, that is not the case. Let’s take golf, for instance. You may get paired in a foursome, and by the end of the round, you will have three new friends.
Pickleball is only just becoming more popular at country clubs, but people love it for the way that it can be so social. Pickleball is a smaller court, and you can still have conversations with the other team, which is a little easier than tennis.
One of the most social sports of all is bocce.
The bottom line is that the activities you can access at the country club will lead to more potential friends.
Larger Network of People
Once you meet the other members of the country club, you are also going to potentially be introduced to their friends and acquaintances.
In the end, you will find your core group of friends and know the best for you and your social life. Country clubs can have clicks or groups of people that spend quite a bit of time together. However, these are constantly changing and evolving to accommodate new friends.
How Do You Make Friends At A Country Club?
Now that you know, making friends at a country club is possible. Here are some of our best strategies for making friends at a country club.
Ask For Help
When you join the club, make sure to let the membership staff know that you are looking to make friends. Believe it or not, this is part of their job.
Membership to a country club is not just about joining; it’s about staying.
If a membership director gets you involved with the right people from the start of your membership, you will have a much better time and enjoy yourself much more. Make sure you let people know you are looking to meet new people, and they will help guide you.
Sign Up For Events
Country clubs offer a large number of events throughout the course of the year. It’s really important to sign up for these and to find the ones that you are most interested in.
Some of the events are going to surround a certain theme. If you love music, sign up for the music-centered events, and you may even meet some people who enjoy music.
Join A Club
Within a country club, there are often more clubs that you can join. There could be clubs centered around playing cards, crafting, or even nature-related clubs.
If you want to be involved with smaller groups of people that have similar interests, see what clubs and activities the country club offers.
Spend Time During Peak Hours
One of the things I like about the country club where we belong is that there are times when the club can be quiet, almost empty. If you want to get out there and enjoy some time without people around, you can.
However, if you are looking to make friends, this is the worst time to go. Head to your country club on Friday afternoons or Saturday mornings, and chances are there will be plenty of new people to meet.
Is Golf Good For Making Friends?
Golf can be great for making friends, but you must be playing with people that have similar goals as you. If you are playing with a person trying to break par, chances are they won’t be nearly as social as a 20 handicap out there to have a good time.
Sometimes it is easiest to make friends when you play golf with people that are relatively close to you as far as handicap ranking is concerned.
How Do You Meet People At A Golf Club?
One of the best ways to meet people at a golf club is to talk to the golf staff about your desire to meet people. After spending more than 15 years in the golf industry, I can tell you that the staff has a very good understanding of the personalities, likes, and dislikes of all the people at the club.
If you want to meet people at a club, consider telling the staff and seeing if they can recommend a game for you to get involved in.
Are golf clubs good for networking?
Golf clubs are great for networking in addition to helping people make friends. It isn’t easy to find a reason to spend four hours in someone’s office, but if you can play a round of golf together, you can mix business with pleasure and accomplish a lot.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, your answer to “is a country club a way to make friends” has been thoroughly covered. The bottom line is that if you are receptive to making friends and interested in attending social type events, you can make lots of friends at a country club.
