Joining a club-any benefits for a high handicapper?

Having played at both members clubs and at pay and play clubs I would be interested to hear of the benefits of joining a club for someone like me who is a high handcapper.Am I likely for example to encounter many players with handicaps in the late twenties?

Playing at pay and play courses seems to have changed in recent years and the courses in my area are now in excellent condition and have relatively low fees and generally not overcrowded on week days.  

Other than the cost and the condition of the course, are there  other benefits I have overlooked?

Ian M.

the one thing i like about being a member is that once i have paid that's it, i don't have to worry about finding the money and if i'm not busy installing satellite systems and wot-not then i can play 4-5 times a week

I regularly hit around the 100 mark on a Par 69, so consider myself very high in the handicap stakes!

I've joined my local course. My friend plays there and I'm going to enter the comps with him most weekends. In at the deep end is my mentality. 

Also as previously mentioned, once its paid, you're not hunting for twenty/thirty quid every time you want to go out.

When i started playing properly this time last year i was shooting scores of 115-130 playing municiple courses. I became a member at my local club in December, my aim was to play to a 28 handicap by the end of this year. I remember that my first couple of cards were awful due to the pressure of putting a card in for handicap. I have since played regularly with a new group of friends and also learnt to play competitively not only for a few quid socially but also in matchplay competitions and medal play. I have managed to get to the Q/Finals of our higher handicap knock out and have come in the top 10 best nett scores in the last 4 medal rounds. I am now playing off 21 and my aim now is to be off 18 by the year end, although time is running out on that front. Granted a series of lessons has helped but you cant beat the regular games/matches and experience of competitive golf to bring out your best. Playing against and with others who are better than you will help too. One of the guys i play with regularly has also dropped from his handicap of 27 to 24 from the constant egging on and wanting to better each other.

I would say we have a fairly equal split of low and higher handicappers at our club but you will find with regular golf that your scores will tumble you wont be on 28 for long. I am now shooting 87-93 regularly on a par 69 course and i can feel a low 80's in me if only i wasn't so sloppy on and around the green.

Join a club you wont regret it!

Ian.  I'm not a member of a club, just a golf tart, but it does mean I get to play a lot of different courses.  All I can say is don't assume that just because you join a club that it will automatically be in better condition than a pay and play.  In the last couple of months I've played at private clubs, corporates, quality pay and plays and council municipals and I'm afraid to say that the one in the worst condition was private (in Essex as it happens).  Now I'm not saying that this is always the case, far from it, but you don't always get what you hope you'd get when you pay up for membership.  Living up here in Derbyshire some of the more exclusive clubs are effectively closed for 4 months over the winter (well temporary greens, tees and fairway mats) or simply flooded - consequently I see no reason to waste money paying for membership and for excursions to courses that are much better managed (one of which is exclusively pay and play).  Having said that, there are so many courses up here getting out for a round is always easy.

Fortunately, the society (CGL) I play a lot with does pick some cracking courses suitable for the season, someone is always up for a game and together with quite a few mates I've met through Golfshake am rarely short of someone to have a knock with. 

Ian,

If you already play with a regular bunch of players & are not interested in strokeplay / medal comps etc then as Tim says there are plenty of good quality pay & plays out there you can play. Although if your playing more than once a week you might end up paying more in the long run.

If however your looking for a regular group of players to meet up with & want to enter comps etc then I would recommend joining a private course. There are some cracking deals around at the minute with the current financial climate. I think you would also learn a lot more about the game, rules, etiqutte from this avenue as there are always plenty of like minded golfers willing to help out.

John.

chances are that work permitting you will play more golf when you don't have to pay each time

Thanks for the responses.Last week I played at a P&P and a members' club.Thinking about the above comments it seems to me that the P&P provides for pairs and fours usually who while friendly, seem locked into their playing group/partner.There seems to be fewer competitions at theP&Ps so less opportunity to meet other players.

By contrast one thing I noticed at my pal's club was the number of people he knew mostly he says through playing in competitons.

If members' clubs had a buddy system for new members I think I would probably join a club.I too would have to tough it out at first in competitions but it would be great to have a couple of buddies to get you started rather than rely on a pal.

Ian M.