Last Updated on August 18, 2023 by Britt Olizarowicz
Joining a country club is a big decision. Not only do you have to find a place that has all of the facilities you are looking for, but you have to also find what works for your financially. As a former membership director and golf professional, prospective members would continually ask how to find the best country club membership offers.
I’m going to show you some tricks and give you some insight to help you make the most informed decision about which country club membership is the best one for your needs.
Make a List of Your Needs and Wants
Before you can start looking for offers, you have to first decide the things your country must have and the things you would like for it to have. It’s hard to assess whether or not you are getting a good deal unless you know for sure that all of your needs are being met.
Let’s say you find a country club that has golf and tennis but no pickleball. If the deal to join this club is $5000 less, and you can live without the pickleball, you may have found yourself a great offer. Those with pickleball in the needs category will have to move on from this club.
Some of the needs and wants to consider are:
- Golf
- Tennis
- Pickleball
- Swimming
- Bocce
- Gym and Spa Facilities
- Dining Options
- Family Events
- Tournaments and Leagues
A Note on Proximity
I will tell you that you will always want to consider the country club that is closest to you as being the best possible option. The closer you are, the easier it is to use the club. You will pay monthly dues and fees regardless of your use of the club; it pays to have something close that you can enjoy.
Start to Do Your Research
Start by making a list of three or four golf clubs in your area that you are interested in joining. Ask your friends, business associates, and family members which clubs they like and why. Consider all that you have heard about the club through the years and your personal experience.
Contact each country club office and ask them to send you a membership package with all fees, dues, and additional charges. When you do contact the offices, make sure that you ask if they are running any current specials or incentives for new members.
How to Find the Best Country Club Membership Offers
Now that you have a bit of the research done and some of the numbers in front of you, it’s time to start to look into how to find the best offers. Here are the steps I would take to go about this.
Look Into Membership Package Offerings
Some country clubs have a golf membership, and that’s it! Others will have sports, social, junior, corporate, etc. Your first step in this process is to see the bare minimum membership package you will need to cover all of your wants.
There are clubs out there that offer a sports membership that is considerably less than a golf membership. Some sports memberships allow you to use the driving range or play golf once or twice a month.
Pull out that needs/wants list and see which one makes the most sense for you.
Consider the Time of the Year
Country clubs will offer a better deal on memberships at the end of the season. They know they are about to go into a period of not being able to use the club all that much, where people will likely not join.
If you live in an area where there is an off-season, sometimes you can work out a deal to get your first few months of dues covered, and you start paying in the new year.
In addition, in some areas where the summer may actually be the slow season, there could be options for summer memberships that will help you save some money during the slower season.
Can Sponsorship Help?
Always ask if there are incentives for members that have friends and family at the club. Sometimes if you have a connection at the club and they want to bring in more people, that will improve the social experience at their golf course; sponsorship can help.
What About More Than One Membership?
When I was a membership director, we had a group of four guys that played golf together at another club, and they were thinking of leaving the club. I was able to help them work out a deal that if all four joined at once, we could lower their initiation fees just a bit.
We didn’t cut too many deals, but when you are going to bring in larger groups, it becomes easier for the club to be lenient with some of the pricing.
If any of your friends are looking for a membership at the same time, consider going to one place together and how that could potentially help sweeten the deal.
Upgradable Memberships
Does the country club have any memberships that you can upgrade? Sometimes you can join a club as a social member or a 10 Play member (ten rounds of golf and privileges on that day are the limits of this membership), and eventually, you can upgrade to full golf.
Sometimes these upgrades are a better deal than if you come in as a new full golf member.
Country clubs love to promote from within and bring people up to higher membership levels.
See what options you may have for an upgradable membership. This process also allows you to preview the club and make sure it’s a fit.
Golf Courses Undergoing Renovation
Golf courses need to undergo renovations from time to time. If you have heard about a club that is about to shut down for a few months to do a renovation, go talk to them about the options that they have and which one could be best for you.
Sometimes there are incentives simply because your use will be limited for the first few months of your membership.
New Country Clubs
Finally, I always recommend checking out the new country club in town. You have nothing to lose, and if they are struggling to find new members, you can jump right in for a fair price. Also, if a new organization or management comes in, you may be able to work out a deal.
Negotiating Membership Terms
Now that you have some of my insider tips on how to find the best country club membership offers, here are a few tips for negotiating membership terms.
- The initiation fee is likely your best bet when it comes to negotiation; if they club won’t budge on the total, see if you can work on the terms of payment
- Dues are dues, they have to be paid, and everybody pays the same; however, if you are smart about this, you may be able to postpone the start of your dues for a few months.
- Is there something you can do for the club? If you think you may have some negotiating power here, go ahead and bring it up when you are working through your membership interviews
- Ask if there are additional perks. Can your kids stay until they turn 25? Do you get to bring your family out and pay half-priced guest fees? Is there a deal on cart fees if you pay upfront? It really depends on the type of club you are joining and how badly they
need a member.
You will be able to see pretty quickly whether deals are a thing at the club you are joining or if they do not entertain them at all. If they don’t entertain them, just drop it. Pushing on something like this will give the wrong impression about who you are as a member.
Final Steps
Once you have all of your information gathered and you have pushed a few buttons to see if you can negotiate your pricing, it’s time to make your final decision on the club. Regardless of the deal being offered, make sure the timing is right for you and not just for the country club you are joining. Country club membership offers will come up year after year; wait until the right one comes along.
