In a sense, this is very much a “how long is a piece of string?” debate and, ultimately, a pure maths equation if the other elements of membership beyond cost mean very little to you. Although those other elements to a golf club membership (e.g. competitions, camaraderie, the social side) might potentially add to the value of membership, we won’t be addressing them here as they are not part of any raw cost comparison.
Even so, there are a number of factors that each individual golfer needs to factor in when trying to work out whether or not it would be more cost-effective for them to be a member or a nomadic, pay-and-play golfer. There is no one-size-fits-all answer, but here are some of the most important factors you need to weigh up…
How often you play
This is the most critical factor as the more often you play, the more likely it is that a golf club membership will be your most cost-effective option, bearing in mind that golf is considerably cheaper in some parts of the UK than others. Play once a week on the weekend in most parts of the country and the cost per round is almost certainly going to be less than it would be to pay and play, especially at weekends.
Golf membership fees vary a lot across the UK&I, but say a full membership is £1,000pa, then the cost per round would be just over £19, probably considerably less than the green fees per round are likely to be in areas where membership is four figures, especially given the increases in green fee rates at many clubs post-Covid. Yes, membership fees have gone up too, but probably not as high a percentage increase as green fees.
How often you play is the most critical factor
(Image credit: Future)
The other thing to factor in here is the added flexibility that membership gives you. Say you suddenly have a couple of days spare, or fancy an evening knock after work, you can do all that for no additional cost if you’re a golf club member, while the additional cost might deter you if you’re not.
Flexible memberships
Even if you’re not a once-a-week or even 40-rounds-a-year golfer,…
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