Memberships

This will be my 4th year of golf this year and thinking of becoming a member some where. I live in coventry just wondered who plays where and how they spending I try and play 4 times month. So must be spending £100 plus a month any way.

If you play all year round then it really should be a no brainer ... Assuming the chosen course is open for most of the year (an important consideration with this winters climate). No where close to you so can't help with recommendations etc.

Hi Chris. I live in Kenilworth and am a member at Kenilworth GC. I don't know if you have played the course but you are welcome to come along as my guest and have a game.

The obvious choice for you would be Hearsall or Finham but we have lots of members who come from Coventry to join Kenilworth in preference. Over the years we have invested heavily in drainage work and are really seeing the benefit at the moment. Despite over 7" of rain having fallen during January the course has only been closed for 1 day. I don't think many clubs in the area can match that.

Hearsall is a lovely course during the summer months but it really suffers in the winter and has been closed for significant periods of time during the winter over recent years. Finham is considered to be the premier course in the area but is viewed, rightly or wrongly, as not such a friendly club and does suffer with the (sometimes) very unpleasant odour from the adjoining sewage farm.

Hi Chris. Membership of a club is certainly your next step. Have a look at Windmill Village. It is a lovely little course near Coventry. Not long, but enjoyable. I've played it a few times when staying at the hotel and the members seem a friendly bunch.

Thanks guys I will take a look Richard is your club handicap different to your GS one.

Kenilworth is the best value in the area, as mentioned above significant money spent on drainage has kept the course open whilst the majority of others have been closed.

Hearsall is in the region of £1k, Coventry (Finham) is circa £1200 plus joining fee.

If your on a budget then Whitefields is open every day regardless of the weather and will cost about £800.

When my course is open your more than welcome to come along for a game,

how much is Kenilworth looks a lot £780 for my age and then £500 joining fee too and £100 bar levy, also competions seem extra too im confused that well over 1k please help. I like oakridge thats £70 a month with no joining fee and only been closed for three days this year.

Hi Chris Not sure about costs but myself & my fella have played at Windmill today & was a really nice little course, has some tough holes which is needed given that it's a short course. There were a few temporary winter greens in play but the course was really well kept, personally prefer it to Whitefields which for me isn't a golf course till you get to hole 11 & from thereon in it's great. However membership at a hotel course may be a little cheaper at some but does come with drawbacks if only 18 holes, especially in the summer if the hotel is busy so if considering joining check out if members get priority tee times.

The windmill would be perfect less than 5 minutes from my house. I just don't like it weather it's the par 3,s at the start not sure I think I might go stonebridge 27 holes so a few different course set ups and offering a good deal I think.

Hi Chris. Have you enquired about Brandon? Obviously it suffers a lot from the rain but the lads are a good bunch over there. The Warwickshire? 2 x 18 hole courses, both cracking at about £100 a month. Stratford Oaks not too far away from you, £550 for the first year, no joining fee (as an introduced member and I could put you in touch with someone on this site) worth playing first for about £15 to see if you like it. Stoneleigh have an offer on too but not sure how much and Newbold are £350 this year for 7 days unlimited golf membership, drawback is of course that it is a bloody tough course to crack! If I had the money, and permission then Kenilworth. Paul

Chirs, Kenilworth GC is celebrating its' 125th anniversary this year and have just announced an offer which might interest you:

"For the first 10 golfers joining Kenilworth Golf Club - Joining Fee will be £125 plus Feb & March free"

Don't forget, as a private members' club you become a shareholder with an interest (on sale or liquidation) in 120 acres of prime land. When I was treasurer a few years back our 16th hole alone was valued at £7m as land for a potential housing development.

Thanks for advice guys going to give stonebridge a try

DONT TOUCH THE WARWICKSHIRE 6 hours rounds at week ends and societies every day of the week. Add to that course marshals that are absolutely useless. I rate Brandon very highly as a Municipal course usually in good condition.

Paul Newbold was the first course I broke 80 on, I was only in my 40's then.

Worth remembering that if you do join somewhere you will need to get known if you want some casual golf as well as competitions at week ends.

I will be about from the first week of April if you want to play any of them. The greens at Hearsall are top class but it's a very wet course.

Addition, Stratford Oaks is usually in good condition but is very busy due to being flat, it's built on an old air field, but I'm out of touch price wise.

Chris, if you thinking about Stonebridge I would look on the other side of the road and go for North Warwickshire GC.

It may only be 9 holes but it is a really high quality course and always in really good condition with a very friendly membership. The addition of a second set of tees a few years ago has, in the most part, worked well and added variation to the course.