[ugotme]

Priority membership for 1 person - all courses is $740/year.

Do you feel it is worth becoming a priority member?

If so - WHY?

If not - WHY NOT?

[mulligan]

It depends totally on the number of times you intend to play. If you are a frequent player, say 3 or 4 times a week or more, it would not take long to use up $740, especially in the winter.

[rubicon]

i can only speak for myself but I found after 6 years of priority I was wasting my money. Stop and think of how many rounds of golf you could play with an additional $4800.

Priority is good if you play at least 66 times a year. Priority is good if other members of your group are also priority members but it mean little if your the only one holding priority.

Priority operates as

priority-priority
priority-guests
priority-resident
resident-guests.

In retrospect it was a poor economic decision by me, for me.

Most of my friends golf off campus most of the time. Many rsidents I know do not play the championship courses in the winter because of competitive rates.

[NECHFalcon68]

It all depends on how much you play. For us it was a good decision. My wife is also priority, the difference in cost between a single and a couple was about $200...and if she wasn't priority it would have still cost $106 for trail fees for her on the Exec courses.

I was putting aside the difference in greens fees between priority and non-priority each time we play. Since we both play at least 2x per week, we pretty much saved the whole $900 in the 8 months we have had it.

The added plus is tee times during the busy season.

Off site courses tend to be cheaper, since many add lunch or breakfast to get the business. But you have to get there by car.

[Roaddog53]

I too looked at the expense vs. benefits and could not come close to a payoff. Maybe it's just the "prestige" of having it. Remember it doesn't give you any other privileges like their pools, tennis, etc. That too is extra. Maybe someone could enlighten me too on why it should be purchased even for ONE course!

[JSR22]

Originally Posted by Roaddog53

I too looked at the expense vs. benefits and could not come close to a payoff. Maybe it's just the "prestige" of having it. Remember it doesn't give you any other privileges like their pools, tennis, etc. That too is extra. Maybe someone could enlighten me too on why it should be purchased even for ONE course!

We have the priority membership. It includes all the Country Club pools and trail fees on the exec courses. It is well worth it for my husband because he plays the championship courses 3 times a week year round and he gets good tee times on the courses he wants to play. He plays with a group of 12 and everyone has priority membership.

[ajbrown]

Being a priority member was a no brainer for us. I knew my wife and I both wanted to play golf on champisonship courses and we would also play on executives. This is not a discussion about whether being a priority is better than playing off campus. This about playing in TV and is priority worth it?

To clear one item up, this membership does include access to country club pools. One of our favorites is Mallory. Here is MY math, maybe flawed, if so I am sure I will hear it....

My wife and I both play championship courses.

Cost for priority, all clubs: $925, this costs includes trail fee which we would buy for $141.25. We would buy the trail fee regardless....

So actual cost for priority is: $784 (rounded).

It is a savings of $15 per round during high season from 1/1 - 4/30.
There are about 17 weeks during this high season.

How many rounds do I need to break even during this time?
$784 / 15 = 52 rounds.

How many rounds per week is that during high season?
52 / 17 = 3.

My wife and each play twice a week. I have already more than justified my priority membership and am only looking at high season. We play all fall also....

And I get pools with happy hour and I get preferred tee times and I get mens day and I get tournaments......

I think that is right, hope it helps...

[Roaddog53]

Originally Posted by JSR22

We have the priority membership. It includes all the Country Club pools and trail fees on the exec courses. It is well worth it for my husband because he plays the championship courses 3 times a week year round and he gets good tee times on the courses he wants to play. He plays with a group of 12 and everyone has priority membership.

OK. So you paid $925 per year for a couple? Or $820 for a single with pool privileges?
At $5.00 less per round summer rates and I THINK $10 winter rates, plus you have better tee times, maybe it's worth it if you play that much golf with others that have the same membership on all courses. Usually not the case though.
78 rounds at $5 off = $390 saved
78 rounds at $10 off = $780 saved
Savings is $1170 less $925, or $245 plus better tee times! That's good

[golf2140]

Originally Posted by Roaddog53

OK. So you paid $925 per year for a couple? Or $820 for a single with pool privileges?
At $5.00 less per round summer rates and I THINK $10 winter rates, plus you have better tee times, maybe it's worth it if you play that much golf with others that have the same membership on all courses. Usually not the case though.
78 rounds at $5 off = $390 saved
78 rounds at $10 off = $780 saved
Savings is $1170 less $925, or $245 plus better tee times! That's good

It's $5.00, $10.00 and $15.00

[johnboy]

Originally Posted by Roaddog53

I too looked at the expense vs. benefits and could not come close to a payoff. Maybe it's just the "prestige" of having it. Remember it doesn't give you any other privileges like their pools, tennis, etc. That too is extra. Maybe someone could enlighten me too on why it should be purchased even for ONE course!

I do believe that priority membership does give you access to the pools like Orange Blossom, Hacienda, Nancy Lopez etc. Without priority membership you are not able to go or take your guests to these pools.

[Roaddog53]

Originally Posted by johnboy

I do believe that priority membership does give you access to the pools like Orange Blossom, Hacienda, Nancy Lopez etc. Without priority membership you are not able to go or take your guests to these pools.

Yes that's true. IF you have a couples membership. Based on the fee schedules if you have a singles it is $80 more per year. I am not sure how that works with guests.

[ncr2482]

A couple of other benefits for priority membership. It allows you to play mens/ladies day on championship courses and you can sign up for tournaments before non-priority members. Not a big deal, but also provides a discount for your GHIN membership.

[ajbrown]

Originally Posted by Roaddog53

Yes that's true. IF you have a couples membership. Based on the fee schedules if you have a singles it is $80 more per year. I am not sure how that works with guests.

My guests are priority, they are priority guests which allows them to use CC pools.

One thing that surprised me when I first came here is that a priority GUEST will get a tee time at a championship course BEFORE a resident. Since I am a priority member, it seems fair now

[jimmy D]

Being a Priority member is not the Issue. The question was it worth the money. Are here to penny pinch or have fun. If it is a question of money you retired to the wrong place. Real Estate is higher here than anywhere else, but you get everything. Most of us are here to play and have a good time doing what we want and spending money helps us enjoy it. So the math does not matter. Baloney or filet mignon

[ugotme]

All good comments - thank you!

I did learn something. I didn't realize the trail fees were included in the cost of the priority membership! Gotta learn to read the fine print.

For a single this brings the cost down to about $600.

In my book, that sounds like a great deal - for me, of course.

Thanks for the input.