Mount Juliet €5k Joining Fee...Celtic Tiger is baaack!

Beaulieu

Great course and by all accounts has greatly improved with a recent upgrade.
Payback time now follows..:eek::eek::(:(:mad:

http://www.kilkennypeople.ie/news/home/269822/kilkenny-exclusive-mount-juliet-golf-club-just-got-a-lot-dearer-to-join.html

Derek Zoolander

pretty good value for membership of one of the best parkland courses in ireland - considering what you pay for average courses in Dublin, Grange, Milltown, Castle and Elm Park all much more expensive in terms of joining fees...

Don't get why people are concerned that private institutions charge a fee to join - its their right...

Try joining a club in the states where you're forking out 6 figures to join a comparable course

valoren

Agreed. Perfectly reasonable price. It's a top quality course. To keep that quality it requires money hence the joining fee.

PokeHerKing

Thought the exact same with Adares fee. 5K sounds perfectly reasonable for a top course.

Loire

Very good value for what is an exceptional course.

Seve OB

havent been down in over a year now
was loads of work being done on clubhouse/hotel so dying to see the results
i love the course, only flaw was sometimes it did get a bit wet underfoot and not even restricted to winter months.
must be some serious work done on the golf academy €4.5m!!!!!

ligerdub

Derek Zoolander wrote:

pretty good value for membership of one of the best parkland courses in ireland - considering what you pay for average courses in Dublin, Grange, Milltown, Castle and Elm Park all much more expensive in terms of joining fees...

In the case of those courses it's not about the quality of the course it's more the closed nature of the membership and "quality circles". The golf is secondary to the networking benefits.

Derek Zoolander

ligerdub wrote: »

In the case of those courses it's not about the quality of the course it's more the closed nature of the membership and "quality circles". The golf is secondary to the networking benefits.

absolutely there are many factors that make it an investment that many people deem to be worthwhile - I'd argue that you would be able to generate networking benefits with a Mount Juliet membership also given the quality of the course and hotel there.

First Up

ligerdub wrote:

In the case of those courses it's not about the quality of the course it's more the closed nature of the membership and "quality circles". The golf is secondary to the networking benefits.

Of course its about the quality of the course. It takes money to present a top course in top condition. Some people can afford it, some can't. The members having common interests is no different to the members of a club whose members drive taxis and congregate on Hill 16 enjoying each others' company.

dball

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/golf/you-can-find-a-way-of-making-your-idiosyncratic-swing-work-if-you-understand-it-458819.html

The next step in Mount Juliet’s evolution has arrived, writes Kevin Markham.

Seve OB

MJ was getting the Irish Open a couple of years ago till a last minute change of plans. I suspect all the work that has been undergone in recent years was part of the reason.

I would be surprised if we don't see the Irish Open return there in the next few years, and if that is a success, I wouldn't be surprised to see them go for something like the WGC again.

ligerdub

First Up wrote:

Of course its about the quality of the course. It takes money to present a top course in top condition. Some people can afford it, some can't. The members having common interests is no different to the members of a club whose members drive taxis and congregate on Hill 16 enjoying each others' company.

With respect I disagree. I suspect that if you're joining Elm Park you're joining in the knowledge that it's not the best course in the world but that it's handy enough to get to and you might get benefit from the other members.

If you're merely a well off local (quite likely) and join for the convenient location then you're going to be happy enough to pay it for that reason. Some members will also be financial targets for other members, such as solicitors, real estate agents, financial brokers etc. I dare say quite a few would view it as a necessary investment for their business.

Mount Juliet on the other hand has a premium based on the quality of the track. The serious golfer will travel that bit further to get there and is more likely to attract corporate memberships for inviting clients out. Kilkenny is a nice spot and I'm sure has quite a few players, but it's not the per capita wealth of those courses in the south of Dublin.

First Up

ligerdub wrote:

With respect I disagree. I suspect that if you're joining Elm Park you're joining in the knowledge that it's not the best course in the world but that it's handy enough to get to and you might get benefit from the other members.

You are allowed join a club because it is convenient. You are also allowed join a club where your friends, colleagues or associates are. The hefty prices at Elm Park fund superb course maintenance. Anyway you won't get in unless some members sponsor you so you need to already have the contacts.

ligerdub wrote:

If you're merely a well off local (quite likely) and join for the convenient location then you're going to be happy enough to pay it for that reason. Some members will also be financial targets for other members, such as solicitors, real estate agents, financial brokers etc. I dare say quite a few would view it as a necessary investment for their business.

A bit of networking goes on in every bridge club too.

ligerdub wrote:

Mount Juliet on the other hand has a premium based on the quality of the track. The serious golfer will travel that bit further to get there and is more likely to attract corporate memberships for inviting clients out. Kilkenny is a nice spot and I'm sure has quite a few players, but it's not the per capita wealth of those courses in the south of Dublin.

Of course MJ is used for corporate stuff but its mostly non-members - bloodstock types from the UK etc. Its possible some join just for the connections but from what I've seen, they are keen golfers too.

neckedit

Druids Glen is 5k joinging fee too.
With annual few of €2800.... if I had it.... I would😊

fred funk }{

neckedit wrote: »

Druids Glen is 5k joinging fee too.
With annual few of €2800.... if I had it.... I would��

I'd imagine there's not much of a club atmosphere in the top clubs mentioned here. If Druids Glen was only €500 a year but was an awful club to play from I wouldn't go near it. A good club atmosphere is very importent to me.

First Up

fred funk }{ wrote: »

I'd image there's not much of a club atmosphere in the top clubs mentioned here. If Druids Glen was only €500 a year but was an awful club to play from I wouldn't go near it. A good club atmosphere is very importent to me.

Is that from personal experience or just your imagination?

fred funk }{

First Up wrote: »

Is that from personal experience or just your imagination?

Just my opinion. Those resort courses are different to most other clubs IMO.

First Up

fred funk }{ wrote:

Just my opinion. Those resort courses are different to most other clubs IMO.

Is that opinion based on personal experience?

fred funk }{

First Up wrote: »

Is that opinion based on personal experience?

From talking to members of said clubs.

First Up

fred funk }{ wrote:

From talking to members of said clubs.

And they told you there was a bad club atmosphere?

The members of MJ and DG that I know would have a different view.

davo10

I could pay the €5k, I just wouldn't though. I think DG is the top parklands in the country, I also really like MJ, (never played AM), and Carton House. But the principle of paying €5k hello money just doesn't sit well with me. I'd think how many open days or green fees I could pay for that, how many trips to Scotland/Spain/Portugal to play top courses. So no hello money from me.

First Up

I don't think there necessarily any connection between the cost of membership of a club and the club atmosphere or ethos. I play both MJ and DG a couple of times a year and find both of them excellent - a very high standard of play and very competitive. Same at K Club. You need to be pretty serious about your golf (or a masochist) to join any of them as your leisure activity.

The one "exclusive" club that I find disappointing from that angle is Powerscourt but its still a serious test.

First Up

davo10 wrote:

I could pay the €5k, I just wouldn't though. I think DG is the top parklands in the country, I also really like MJ, (never played AM), and Carton House. But the principle of paying €5k hello money just doesn't sit well with me. I'd think how many open days or green fees I could pay for that, how many trips to Scotland/Spain/Portugal to play top courses. So no hello money from me.

There was a time every club charged "hello" money. It was the price of a share in the place and recognition of the time and money the members had put in to make the club and course what it is. It also meant you were committed to the place.

I'd prefer that style of club (and member) to the type that measures everything in terms of how much they can squeeze out of everywhere they play.

davo10

First Up wrote: »

There was a time every club charged "hello" money. It was the price of a share in the place and recognition of the time and money the members had put in to make the club and course what it is. It also meant you were committed to the place.

I'd prefer that style of club (and member) to the type that measures everything in terms of how much they can squeeze out of everywhere they play.

This reads like you'd prefer the rich members rather than the ones who want to get value for their green fee. Clubs usually need a combination of both.

Seve OB

i really think it would be for the betterment of all clubs around the country if they all charged hello money
then you would commit to a club rather than jump ship and move around.
it builds a club.

5k is piddly money compared to what it used to be.
I think Greystones is 5k, and most other solid member clubs in the dublin area will be charging joint fees soon enough, if they aren't already, so for a posh exclusive resort with a course like MJ has, 5k is a steal

davo10

Seve OB wrote: »

i really think it would be for the betterment of all clubs around the country if they all charged hello money
then you would commit to a club rather than jump ship and move around.
it builds a club.

5k is piddly money compared to what it used to be.
I think Greystones is 5k, and most other solid member clubs in the dublin area will be charging joint fees soon enough, if they aren't already, so for a posh exclusive resort with a course like MJ has, 5k is a steal

Tiger is certainly back when you read s**te like this. Most golf clubs just about break even, it wasn't long ago when both DG and MJ were in deep trouble, along with AM.

Seve OB

davo10 wrote: »

Tiger is certainly back when you read s**te like this. Most golf clubs just about break even, it wasn't long ago when both DG and MJ were in deep trouble, along with AM.

i've said i before
there are probably still to many clubs in ireland
let a few go to the wall and it will make others stronger and better

Seve OB

davo10 wrote: »

Tiger is certainly back when you read s**te like this. Most golf clubs just about break even, it wasn't long ago when both DG and MJ were in deep trouble, along with AM.

by the way, most clubs just about break even for a reason
most clubs aren't run as profit making businesses
they are run as clubs, by the members, for the members,
of course they don't want to be running losses, but there is no need for huge profits to pay out dividends at the end of the year or to just roll forward in a bank account,

some clubs were acting stupid during the celtic tiger spending ridiculous money building fancy clubhouses etc, and these were clubs out the back arse of nowhere, not your well known high roller places.

Kayshee123

This is a ridiculous amount of money to pay just to play golf..

Seve OB

Kayshee123 wrote: »

This is a ridiculous amount of money to pay just to play golf..

in your opinion
and it is not just to play golf, it is a fee to join an exclusive club

Tilikum

Kayshee123 wrote: »

This is a ridiculous amount of money to pay just to play golf..

It been 10k in our place every yr since I can remember. It only came down to 5k this yr to attract younger members. 30's-45. Our age profile is ancient.

Year on year they get the numbers to join. If I hadn't got in as a junior, I would never have been able to join.