Golf!!!2!

[psyang]

Originally Posted by dirk diggler

Played Water Valley last year for the 1st time in many years. really enjoyed it. This year we are looking to go back and perhaps do a 36 hole day and also play Tooth of the Dog Pound. Is it worth playing?

I like Tooth of the Dog. It looks tame, even boring, when you first arrive. Hole 1 looks like someone put a tee box and a flag in the middle of a farmer's field. But suddenly you drop down into the valley and the holes become very tricky.

Also, I like that if you only want to play 9 holes, they'll let you play 12 (as 12 leads back to the clubhouse) for the same price.

[Senator Clay Davis]

^^I like Sundre, but you better be accurate off the tee or it's gonna be a miserable round. One of the tightest courses around, not many big fairways and all but a few holes are tree lined. Great layout though.

[Northendzone]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

But there are other benefits that also need to be considered beyond 'breakeven'.

1) social aspect
2) practice facilities
3) club storage
4) better tee times and more availability (typically)
5) tournaments and events
6) league

don't disagree with these above noted "intangibles" - but I am looking at serenity - it is an easy drive for me from the deep SE but at this moment i don't believe they have club storage and to date i have never really had an issue getting tee times when i wanted them as i have one of their cards, so i can book a week in advance.

i do think for practice, that i can use the range at blue devil - but i need to confirm. i also think getting to BD is a bit of a pain for me right now due to the (seemingly never ending) construction on Stoney. so i usually just go to the range at mackenzie.

i'd really like to be at one of carmoney, cottonwood or sirroco but i am not not willing to buy a share and or fork out a few thousand more

[Winsor_Pilates]

How much are memberships in Calgary?

I've looked into Point Grey here in Vancouver and would run me 37k to buy a share based on my age of 37. Goes up substantially if you're over 40.
Is this similar to Calgary or are we crazy expensive like everything else here.

[Senator Clay Davis]

I know Canyon Meadows, which hosts the geezer event here, has it's initiation at around $35,000. But there are some lower entrance fees, my buddy's dad works at Willow Park and it's initiation is $25,000.

[Tron_fdc]

Cottonwood is around $7500 for initiation (I think) and $5k a year. My family used to be members at canyon meadows and it’s not 5x better than cottonwood. $35k is not good value right now in my opinion.

[DoubleK]

Silver Springs has equity shares available through the club. People have been walking away due to low demand

[Samonadreau]

Holy Frack you guys, early bird is under 1500/year for a membership at my local course. Decent course too.

[Rutuu]

Originally Posted by Samonadreau

Holy Frack you guys, early bird is under 1500k/year for a membership at my local course. Decent course too.

Same here...$2k dues...initiation is $500. Most expensive in the city (2million+ pop) is $11k initiation and $4k dues. You can golf every day for 12 months too.

Calgary golf course economics makes no sense...

[Slava]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

Cottonwood is around $7500 for initiation (I think) and $5k a year. My family used to be members at canyon meadows and it’s not 5x better than cottonwood. $35k is not good value right now in my opinion.

To me, I’d also look at the booking privileges and rules around that. Some courses have things like “no women on weekends before 11am” or whatever. That’s awesome for some people, but it would never fly in my household.

To me, golf is an amazing game that can be played with the whole family. That’s one of its charms. But rules like that are exactly why it gets tarred with the “game for old white men” designation. I also think that our children will ask a lot of questions that we didn’t think about at all.

Anyway, I don’t really want to derail this into some political correctness discussion, but I would just make sure that you know what you’re getting into that way before you take the plunge.

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by Rutuu

Same here...$2k dues...initiation is $500. Most expensive in the city (2million+ pop) is $11k initiation and $4k dues. You can golf every day for 12 months too.

Calgary golf course economics makes no sense...

I forget how crazy Calgary golf is. We joined a decent private course recently that has an after 1pm golf membership for $200/month for the family and they waived initiation with a 15 month commitment. We can pretty much walk on after 2 or 3 most days, and play 3-3.5 hour rounds. My kids are out there at least 5 days a week and our courses are open year round. Plus it includes the pool and tennis.

[Senator Clay Davis]

In general Calgary golf prices are wildly out of whack. Not just private either, on a weekend it's pretty tough to play anywhere with a cart for under $100 (excluding twilight times). And yet good luck finding times anywhere even at those prices. And as bad as initiation fees appear to be now, consider what they were in the boom times. I know some of the privates had initiation fees north of $40,000.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by Tron_fdc

Well it would appear the sim2 Max with a reg shaft doesn't work for me. Big, balloon slice (likely because the head can't catch up) or a snap hook when I go to a strong grip.

If I slow my swing down it's generally straight, but I can't go longer than 250. No point in that seeing my 3W M6 is 250.....I need a big club for 275ish!!

Gonna try the stiff shaft here. The contact is definitely there and I like the feel, just gotta get it dialed.

Any recommendations on shafts? I've never really shopped for them before.

I got a Sim Max 10.5 stiff shaft today and just took it for a spin at the range.
Really eliminated my balloon slice I had with my m6 12 regular shaft.
I'm still hitting a fade but it's a manageable, controllable fade which I actually like playing.
I definitely recommend making the change if you think you're having the same issue.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

I know Canyon Meadows, which hosts the geezer event here, has it's initiation at around $35,000. But there are some lower entrance fees, my buddy's dad works at Willow Park and it's initiation is $25,000.

I thought Willow Park was $35000, then they halved it to around $17000 for a year when they were bleeding members, sold out, then put it back to $35k?

Or maybe they permanently picked a number in the middle at $25k, going forward.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Yeah they settled at $25,000 for now. They have a very old membership compared to a lot of other clubs so I think they just decided they need a competitive price point going forward, they are now probably the most affordable of the private clubs in Calgary proper.

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

And as bad as initiation fees appear to be now, consider what they were in the boom times. I know some of the privates had initiation fees north of $40,000.

A couple (the Glencoe and Calgary GCC) are still $50K and above. I think Earl Grey is $40K.

[DoubleK]

Originally Posted by Roughneck

A couple (the Glencoe and Calgary GCC) are still $50K and above. I think Earl Grey is $40K.

Can you even get into Calgary if you had $50k?

[Manhattanboy]

Originally Posted by DoubleK

Can you even get into Calgary if you had $50k?

I think their wait list for full playing may be close to 10 years.

[bossy22]

I priced out the Glencoe because we live near it. No wait list, but you have to purchase a Glencoe club or social membership, and then that allows you to buy the Glencoe golf course membership of $50k, and then you pay your yearly fees which was about $8k for the three of us, and then on top of that you have to pay your green fees everytime you golf which is about $135 per person.

[Slava]

What are the $8k in dues if you pay green fees every time?