Are You Getting Value For Money From Your Golf Membership

EVERYBODY who plays golf is looking for value for money. This can be a very expensive sport - and some golf clubs charge an arm and a leg for membership.

I have recently joined a club for the first time in more than five years so feel that I am in a good position to talk about this.

I live in Norwich and when I decided that it was time to pick up my clubs again I decided to email every golf club within a 10-mile radius of my home. I sent a detailed email to each and every club and the first thing I have to tell you is that the response was pretty poor.

But there was one reply that stood out for me and it came from Dunston Hall Golf Club on the outskirts of Norwich. I was invited along for an informal chat with the head of golf and he made it perfectly clear to me that I would be welcomed with open arms.

I have been a member of many clubs over the years, purely and simply because my job meant that I moved around a great deal.

I have always looked for three things:

1 A decent golf course;

2 Value for money;

3 Camaraderie.

You can join the best golf club in the land but if you are not made to feel welcome then what is the point? And as somebody who did not know a single fellow member at Dunston I have to admit that I joined with some trepidation. I need not have been concerned. Within days of signing up I received a welcome email from the seniors captain, along with an invitation to join the seniors section, which cost me the princely sum of £15. He also went out of his way to ensure that when I played in my first seniors competition that I was paired with him.

He has introduced me to many people and I have now joined a group that plays every Thursday. I have also joined his Charity Day committee, which has been another way of getting to know people.

So, after just five months, I feel part of what I hope will be the last golf club I join.

The course is not overly long but there are a lot of trees and plenty of water. Finding the middle of the fairway is key to scoring well. And a dedicated team of greenkeepers have overcome the challenges thrown at them by the extreme weather we have experienced in 2024. The fairways are superb and the greens are among the best I have played this year - and I have played a lot of courses.

But what about value for money, I hear you ask? Funny you should ask.

I am paying around £780 per year. As far as Norfolk goes, Dunston is one of the cheapest courses when it comes to annual subscriptions. I have a friend who is paying £1,500 and is charged around £7.50 for a pint of beer with his members’ discount - and visitors to his club pay even more. Our bar charges members around £5.50 for a pint and there is also a wide and varied food menu - at reasonable prices.

But let’s break down the cost of my golf, shall we?

I play at least twice a week. There are 52 weeks in a year and I would estimate that my wife and I have five weeks holiday a year, so that leaves 47 weeks of the year. Obviously there are going to be times when the weather either closes the course or is too wet for this golfer to brave the elements. But at the very least I will play 80 rounds of golf at my club. That equates to paying around £9.75 for every round of golf I play at my home course. That is NINE POUNDS SEVENTY-FIVE PENCE!

Does that represent value for money? I am no mathematician but even I know that the resounding answer to that question is “Yes, yes and yes!” On top of that, I have met a new circle of friends, I am playing a course that challenges me and is close to my home and I have the opportunity to play in a senior competition every Tuesday morning.

I understand that club membership is not for everybody but, for me at least, it is an absolute no-brainer.

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