Golf Club membership in Cork City

Flipper

I am looking to join a club in/near Cork City. I am OK with a one-off joining fee but €5-7k is the upper limit of what I will pay. Can anyone suggest some good options?

I understand that Fota and Cork Golf Club are both €7k ish joinng and €1,300 per year sub. I have also heard that Douglas is €15k joining and €1,350 per year sub. Can anyone confirm these figures?

Anyone know how much Lee Valley is? Any other options?

U.P.O.

Lee Valley was only €300 joining fee last year, think its free this year. Annual sub is about €1200 - 1300 then (€25 per week).

Blarney is free too with just a €1200 annual fee as far as i know

Flipper

Thanks for the info. Anyone know about Muskerry?

bailey99

I contacted all the clubs in Cork to see about membership. Hello money and annual subs are below.

Bandon: No hello money & sub €1069 includes €50 bar credit
Bantry Bay: No hello money & sub €670
Blarney: No hello money & sub €1,200 includes €240 bar credit & membership of leisure centre
Castlemartyr: €2,500 entrance fee & annual sub of €1,000
Charleville: No hello money & sub €485 includes €50 bar credit
Cobh: No hello money & sub €790
Doneraile: €500 hello money & sub €350
Douglas: €14,000 hello money & sub €1,318
Fermoy: No Response from club despite several enquiries
Fota Island: €5,000 hello money & sub €1,899
Kinsale: No hello money & sub €1,200
Lee Valley: No hello money & sub €1,200
Macroom: No hello money & sub €795 includes €100 bar credit
Mahon: Closed for membership
Mallow: €1,000 hello money & sub €924 includes €50 bar credit
Mitchelstown: No hello money & sub €680
Monkstown: €2,980 hello money, €1,000 refundable loan to the club & sub €1,490
Muskerry: €1,050 hello money & sub €1,310
Raffeen Creek: No hello money & sub €594 includes membership of Pfizer Sports Club
Youghal: No hello money & sub €790 includes €50 bar credit

Flipper

Really helpful Bailey, thanks for doing this.

big_drive

With the money you have availible you have a lot of options. Which side of the city would suit you most?

bailey99

there's a real shortage of good courses at affordable prices round Cork City in fairness. Douglas, fota and Monkstown all asking sizeable hello money.

elberry

Cork Golf Club isn't on your list Bailey, whats there entry charges. Looking at that list Douglas figures are way out of line with reality. Kinsale looks like reasonably decent value, even though I hear they are up to their eyes in debt. Whats the course in Cobh like and are they managing their costs for the new 18?

elberry

bailey99 wrote: »

there's a real shortage of good courses at affordable prices round Cork City in fairness. Douglas, fota and Monkstown all asking sizeable hello money.

I wouldn't include Monsktown in the category of good courses, and Douglas is a pleasant track but nothing special, its location is whats going for it. Cork has a shortage of good courses at any price.

bailey99

cork golf club was 12k hello money if my memory is correct and the sub was around the 1300euro a year mark.

Monkstown, Douglas, Cork (bar a couple of holes) all very average I agreed but given location and the lack of good quality alternatives except Fota, they are the best in Cork City and suburbs by some distance!

big_drive

I see in the Examiner this week that Lee Valley is now €92 per month. Pretty good value I think. Was talking to a member few months ago and he said it can be hard to get a decent time on the timesheet.

ssbob

big_drive wrote: »

I see in the Examiner this week that Lee Valley is now €92 per month. Pretty good value I think. Was talking to a member few months ago and he said it can be hard to get a decent time on the timesheet.

What's included for the €92, do you get anything for the bar? That's €1,104 a month.

Currently I am paying €100 a month for Blarney including Gym and Pool and get €20 a month back towards the bar/restaraunt so really it works out at €960 for the year and have a gym and pool.

Like the Lee Valley course though.

Reganovski

Any word on Castlemartyr? I emailed them and got details on 2012. I subsequently emailed the club pro and got no response.

big_drive

Castlemartyr €1,000 sub + €5,000 entrance

Can also be done as follows to spread entrance fee:

€1,000 sub + €2,500 in year 1
€1,000 sub + €2,500 in year 2

staker

ssbob wrote: »

What's included for the €92, do you get anything for the bar? That's €1,104 a month.

Currently I am paying €100 a month for Blarney including Gym and Pool and get €20 a month back towards the bar/restaraunt so really it works out at €960 for the year and have a gym and pool.

Like the Lee Valley course though.

In fairness that's a good deal!
Fermoy haven't published their subs yet for next year but it was 599 for first time members this year and 860 for existing members. War over it amongst the locals there

Reganovski

big_drive wrote: »

Castlemartyr €1,000 sub + €5,000 entrance

Can also be done as follows to spread entrance fee:

€1,000 sub + €2,500 in year 1
€1,000 sub + €2,500 in year 2

That's the official version....I've heard different from a member

big_drive

Ok. That's what I got when I emailed about it. Were members saying a better deal could be had?

Reganovski

big_drive wrote: »

Ok. That's what I got when I emailed about it. Were members saying a better deal could be had?

So a while back I heard directly from the Pro that the entrance would be halved if proposed by 2 members.
I then played with a member one day and he said they also had the option to pay just the sub year 1 & 2 and then in year 3 you'd have to pay the entrance fee. Not sure whether this is the case though but I had no reason not to believe him.

big_drive

I guess if they just charge the sub it's a guaranteed €1,000 for the accounts and that's all that matters these days

wilfitz

I'm moving to Fermoy soon and looking to join a golf club. Don't want to travel too far for my golf so it's either Fermoy or Mitchelstown! I'll prob play both but any advice here would be appreciated. No hello money is good seen as I paid it in my current club. thanks

murphdogg11

Cobh is excellent value now. A very good course with quality greens.

big_drive

Something like €800 now in cobh is it?

paulos53

Yes, €790 for Cobh. The joining fee was removed last month

Reganovski

big_drive wrote: »

Something like €800 now in cobh is it?

€790 for Cobh now and no signing on fee. You can also pay €70 a month if you wish.
I'm seriously thinking of joining as I like the course. Just waiting to hear to final version of membership for Castlemartyr.

big_drive

€70 a month is decent value in fairness. One thing I've heard about Cobh is that scoring can be crazy there. Often standard scratch can be 38 points so makes it difficult to get cut

juansheet

70 euro a month for Cobh is v reasonable. Played there today and found the greens v sandy ? Are they like this all year round?

big_drive

Lots of clubs were sandy on the greens over the past few weeks doing hollow tining, etc. most getting right at this stage though.

Played Cobh about 3 weeks ago. It would be good value for €70. I find it very exposed though, the wind the day we played was unreal.

ssbob

big_drive wrote: »

Lots of clubs were sandy on the greens over the past few weeks doing hollow tining, etc. most getting right at this stage though.

By now they should all be finished as this is peak season with inter-clubs etc happening!

Cobh is a real nice course I think but needs a bit of maturity!

normanbond

Any good deals in Cork or munster counties for annual membership?

U.P.O.

normanbond wrote: »

Any good deals in Cork or munster counties for annual membership?

Muskerry have a deal at the moment for new members who are under 35

Year 1 - €520
Year 2 - €700
Year 3 - €900

New members over 35 is €800 for Year one.

Think the annual sub is about €1300 normally but will come down if they get enough new members i think.

slingerz

About €450 in Macroom for the year

Domo1982

normanbond wrote: »

Any good deals in Cork or munster counties for annual membership?

Anyone know if there is still entrance or hello money in Killarney at the moment?

Hoof Hearted2

Domo1982 wrote: »

Anyone know if there is still entrance or hello money in Killarney at the moment?

Yes there is, it works out at about €800, but I'm can't confirm as I'm not privy to what the current members pay per year.
http://www.killarneygolfclub.ie/membership-2/

Ring of Kerry G.C. near Kenmare is only €250 per year, not that's serious value, information here

paulos53

I don't see anything about it on their website but I got an email recently from Cobh about an offer for new members. Here is some of the relevant sections of the email

Cobh Golf Club is now offering membership to new members at €420 until the end of the 2016 season. (Sept 30th 2016). This offer is open to all new members and past members who have left their membership lapse for more than 2 years. This offer is available on the basis that payment is made in advance at the time of joining.

The club has also entered into a “Reciprocal Golf” programme with four partnering golf clubs across Ireland. It is now possible for all members of Cobh Golf Club to play golf in the following clubs mid-week at no cost. The Clubs participating in the programme are Athlone Golf Club, Ballyneety Golf Club, Rush Golf Club & Waterford Golf Club. Please Contact our Pro Dave for full details.

normanbond

paulos53 wrote: »

I don't see anything about it on their website but I got an email recently from Cobh about an offer for new members. Here is some of the relevant sections of the email

Gosh that's a fab deal! Never heard of a reciprocal arrangement like that....

bailey99

normanbond wrote: »

Gosh that's a fab deal! Never heard of a reciprocal arrangement like that....

It's not really. That's the same rate as a regular member but they are giving you 7 months for the price of 6. Cobh is €70 a month if paying via direct or €65 if you pay your membership in full in one lump sum so to speak.

As you have to pay in full to avail of this offer, the cost is as stated 420 euro. Without the offer the cost until 30th September would be 460 euro. Hardly the greatest of offers with all due respect.

normanbond

bailey99 wrote: »

It's not really. That's the same rate as a regular member but they are giving you 7 months for the price of 6. Cobh is €70 a month if paying via direct or €65 if you pay your membership in full in one lump sum so to speak.

As you have to pay in full to avail of this offer, the cost is as stated 420 euro. Without the offer the cost until 30th September would be 460 euro. Hardly the greatest of offers with all due respect.

Great offer with the reciprocal arrangement!
Agree with u that it's not a great savings on sub fee...

normanbond

Any other clubs got a reciprocal golf arrangement?

Mac_Lad71

Was recently quoted 424e for membership of Fermoy till end of year.

valoren

Youghal is €399 introductory membership.

Ronney

normanbond wrote: »

Any other clubs got a reciprocal golf arrangement?

Powerscourt have the following which is quite decent especially the guest part

Reciprocal Agreements with other clubs
A Member can play for €25 and his/her guest can play at reciprocal club’s member guest rate

Carton House
The Heritage
Mount Juliet
Mount Wolseley
Waterford Castle
Lough Erne – a Member can play for STG £35


Castle have it two with a number of other Colt designed courses (mostly abroad) http://www.castlegc.ie/members-section/reciprocal-clubs-.10101.ht

A lot of the "Royal" clubs have some reciprocal agreement too, again mostly international. I remember a friend from Royal Dublin getting out and playing Royal Melbourne.