Membership Ideas in SE London/ North Kent

Evening chaps,

I'm desperate to build on a recent improvement in my game and join a club to get a 'proper' handicap and play somewhere I can call home. Unfortunately like a lot of people who work full time and have small children I just can't play enough (or will be allowed) to justify the £1000 fees and extra joining fees. 

Can anyone on here suggest any good membership schemes whether they are called associate, temporary or whatever that enables to be a member, have a handicap, play comps and have full access to the club even if it means having to pay the green fees on top? My nearest members courses are Royal Blackheath, Shooters Hill and Sundridge Park. 

I'm unlikely to play much more than 15-20 times a season on a home course although will probably manage another half dozen rounds with golf days and one weekend a year away with the boys.

Thanks in advance  

very distant memories eh santo 

Chris, may I suggest a cracking little course near you and relatively cheap for London.

http://www.glendale-golf.com/course-7-beckenham-place-fees.aspx

Yes I know Beckenham very well and I do like it as a nice little course but being a London Muni its a bit scruffy and suffers a bit with poor tees, terrible bunkers and inconsistent greens. A few yardage markers wouldn't go amiss either.

I hate to sound snobby but I wouldn't want to be a member somewhere that lets you play in jeans and tracksuits?

Best option I've found so far is Pedham Place in Swanley which is a good course, decent length, interesting holes and drains well. They do an Silver Membership for £99 which gets you a handicap and access to some comps and then you pay the green fees on top.

Downsides are the slightly longer than ideal distance to drive, the overhead pylons buzzing over the car park, no natural break in the course if you don't fancy playing 18 and a yet to be constructed clubhouse.

Problem is I'm looking for the perfect solution and it probably isn't out there.