Golf can be an expensive game, especially if you enjoy playing courses other than your home layout. Green fees are often scandalously expensive these days.
But if you are a golf club member, there is a solution and, quite frankly, it is a complete no-brainer. Get yourself a County Card.
I live in Norfolk where a County Card will get me up to 50% of the cost of a daily green fee at 24 courses in the county, some of which are among the best in the country - these include Royal Norwich, Eaton, Thetford, Swaffham, Bawburgh, Great Yarmouth & Caister and Middleton.
What is a County Card And Should You Get One?
But how do you go about getting one? This is what applies in Norfolk, according to the County Golf Union.
"A holder of a Norfolk County Card is entitled to one day’s golf in the calendar year at each of the participating clubs in Norfolk on payment to the club of up to 50% discount of the current day fee, and on any day with the exception of Bank Holidays and any other days when restrictions apply.
"Due to other club commitments, the course may not be available at all times and intending visitors must telephone in advance of their visit to ascertain if the course is available for play under the County Card Scheme.
"Visitors should also check the cost of their green fee. Some clubs only allow up to a 50% reduction on the Day Rate Green Fee whether playing one round or for all day. Others allow a 50% reduction on the Single Round Rate when playing only one round.
"These applications of the Green Fee rates have for many years been at the discretion of the county's clubs. While many have allowed a reduction on the single round rate when visitors wish to play just the one round, usually after lunch, others have chosen to apply the reduction to the day rate only.
"The original intention of the County Card Scheme was for clubs to allow the reduced green fee against the DAY Rate for a DAY's golf.
"Any reduction applied to a single round rate is a privilege accorded by some clubs to their visitors and is not a right that can be demanded."
To access your free County Card, just download the 'ig County' App from the App Store or Google Play, click on the County Card icon on the bottom right of the Home Page and follow the instructions from there.
Here in Norfolk it links with the Golf Genius app, which the County Golf Union has further explained.
"You first need to register online with Golf Genius to add your name to the Norfolk player database. If you are already registered and have a login, you can skip this step. Next, go to the App Store and download the Golf Genius APP. You will need your CDH number and the email address and password you have used to register.
"Once activated, the Golf Genius app will provide your club and handicap details for identification and a tab for the County Card. You should show this information on your smartphone when visiting a club using the county card. The app is also useful as it shows any Norfolk events you have entered including start times, and you’ll also get results etc. It also has a very handy course handicap calculator."
The good news is that if you have a County Card you are not restricted to using it in the area where you live - nationwide, more than 1,300 courses subscribe to the scheme and if you have a card then you can use it for any of them.
It's one effective way to play great golf courses for less.
X / Twitter
Instagram
