thread with real costs for golf club membership playing 3 times/week

[tgw]

maybe it could be interesting to have a thread like this.

the costs of playing golf with a membership are not clearly advertised by most golf clubs, many of which don't even a website.

 

Siam country club advertises memberships here: https://siamcountryclub.com/membership/

but they say nothing about the other costs, such as green fee for member (NO JOKE !!!), compulsory cart, compulsory caddie and the "voluntary" caddie tip.

green fee, cart and caddie add up to 1300 baht, and let's add a lowish 300 baht tip for the caddie, meaning a member still has to pay 1600 baht every time he plays, lol.

 

using the cheapest full year membership, playing 3 times a week, this would in the end cost: 75000 + 156 x 1600 = 324.600 baht, or a little more than 2000 baht a pop.

 

Siam Country Club Waterside + Rolling Hills = 324.000 THB, 2000 THB/round

 

let's look at Phoenix : https://www.phoenixgoldgolf.com/membership

60k annual fee + 200 thb green fee, free on mondays

still got to pay caddy fee (400), but cart is optional, so we walk (good for health!)

let's assume we play on mondays, and pay the same lowish 300 baht caddie tip:

cost = 60.000 + 104 x 200 + 156 x 400 + 156 x 300 = 190.000 THB, 1200 THB/round

 

it could be interesting to see how other clubs compare ?

 

[JAS21]

We have membership at Muang Ake1... it is a tradeable share and I see that you can buy them at 360,000THB.

 

Every two years there is an admin  fee of 500THB if I recall correctly.

 

We don't pay  a green fee when we play, but Caddie Fee is 350THB and we usually give the same as tip. A Buggy costs 600THB and only for one person ...we walk as the course is pretty flat. 

 

Fortunately we don't play three times a week very often .....It doesn't take many rounds to cover the loss of interest on the 360,000THB so if we ignore that it is 700THB a round. Of course that doesn't include fuel for travel, drink on course ... but I just freeze water in a bottle overnight. MrsJ usually has a coffee halfway. And we usually eat there and there is the tip for the Changing Room Guy.

 

I am pleased that my wife plays although that does double the price of golf. Before anyone asks Yes she normally beats me ..... 

 

 

 

 

[scubascuba3]

Golf in Thailand is expensive if you compare with annual golf in UK, Australia, others. A lot of people don't realise, they haven't done the sums. 

 

Often people will quote "all in" prices which don't include compulsory caddy tip 300+, multiply that annually, it's 47k+ and dismissed as unimportant, so 100k+ for a caddy many people don't want

 

 

Edited November 22, 2020 by scubascuba3

[bkk6060]

Should be interesting.

 

Summit Green Valley in Chiang Mai.

60,000 b a year.

Only fee is 400 for caddie.

Plus at least 300 tip.

 

So:

5,000 b a month membership

8400 b a month for caddie playing 12 times.

 

=1083 b a round.

 

They also have a 3 year at 140,000 b.

Or, 5 years at 210,000 b.

So, with these you would be under 1000 b. a round.

 

[JAS21]

9 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Golf in Thailand is expensive if you compare with annual golf in UK, Australia, others. A lot of people don't realise, they haven't done the sums. 

 

Often people will quote "all in" prices which don't include compulsory caddy tip 300+, multiply that annually, it's 47k+ and dismissed as unimportant

 

 

True ...when in the UK we had a joint 7-Day membership which at todays exchange rate would have been 64,000THB and no other playing fees. Of course that UK fee will have increased in thirteen years and at that time exchange rate was 70THB/1GBP

[tgw]

22 minutes ago, scubascuba3 said:

Golf in Thailand is expensive if you compare with annual golf in UK, Australia, others. A lot of people don't realise, they haven't done the sums. 

 

Often people will quote "all in" prices which don't include compulsory caddy tip 300+, multiply that annually, it's 47k+ and dismissed as unimportant, so 100k+ for a caddy many people don't want

 

yes... I feel the costs per round are relevant for comparing with no-membership green fee play.

 

for example, no way I would take a membership at Siam CC if the cost per round is still over 2000 baht, while I can play elsewhere for less.

 

maybe I was a tad optimistic with 3 times per week, I should probably include variants for 1 time/week and 2 times/week.

 

[scubascuba3]

9 minutes ago, tgw said:

 

yes... I feel the costs per round are relevant for comparing with no-membership green fee play.

 

for example, no way I would take a membership at Siam CC if the cost per round is still over 2000 baht, while I can play elsewhere for less.

 

maybe I was a tad optimistic with 3 times per week, I should probably include variants for 1 time/week and 2 times/week.

 

I used to play 3 times a week at circ 2,000 baht each time, then changed to 2 times but hard to play well playing twice only. In UK I could play unlimited, normally 5 times a week for £800 a year (32k baht all in). 

 

I gave up golf for 18 months, now playing twice a week at the Navy courses circ 270 baht all in, (no caddy thank Buddha) We still enjoy playing, just have to lower your standards slightly as they aren't "championship" courses. Playing off 4 handicap now

Edited November 22, 2020 by scubascuba3

[topt]

41 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Should be interesting.

 

Summit Green Valley in Chiang Mai.

60,000 b a year.

Only fee is 400 for caddie.

Plus at least 300 tip.

 

So:

5,000 b a month membership

8400 b a month for caddie playing 12 times.

 

=1083 b a round.

 

They also have a 3 year at 140,000 b.

Or, 5 years at 210,000 b.

So, with these you would be under 1000 b. a round.

 

No idea what the course is like but if someone is happy to play there all the time then that sounds like a pretty unbeatable deal - presuming it is not packed solid all the time or takes more than an hour to get there?

[JAS21]

2 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

I used to play 3 times a week at circ 2,000 baht each time, then changed to 2 times but hard to play well playing twice only. In UK I could play unlimited, normally 5 times a week for £800 a year (32k baht all in). 

 

I gave up golf for 18 months, now playing twice a week at the Navy courses circ 270 baht all in, (no caddy thank Buddha) We still enjoy playing, just have to lower your standards slightly as they aren't "championship" courses. Playing off 4 handicap now

I find that I need a caddie... frequently after I have hit the ball I tend to say 'did anyone see that' or '<deleted> did that go' ????

[kuzie57]

Mae Jo 30k p.a. 450bt.(350 caddy 100green fee). Plus tip minimum 300. Works out to about 950 baht per round if playing 3 times a week. 

[natway09]

forget about Australia because you cannot compare.

Tf  a member at a really good club in Oz the memberships are very expensive  & the add on extras get you in adifferent way.,

No caddies of course.unless it has changed,

Most courses here do "overcharge" the old fellas though so when I get old (I am 70 now) 

may have to cough up

[Griffo63]

Summit Windmill is 330k for a 5 yr membership with no additional green or service fees. 
 

So, 66k p.a. = 440 per round (66k/150) + 400 caddie fee and 400 caddie tip = 1240 = £31 per round. Pretty good. Using a cart though @ 900 per time does crank things up. 

[TigerandDog]

It's a complete waste of money paying for golf club memberships at any golf course in Thailand as you don't really receive any benefit for being a member. Membership ideally should mean free green fees, no caddy fee and at least 2 members competitions per week for which a comp fee of 500 baht should be paid. Clubs do not provide these services to their members. For Thais it's nothing more than a status thing to be able to say they are a member of a golf club. 

Edited November 23, 2020 by TigerandDog

[aussieinphuket]

playing golf in phuket is expensive. but in current climate and situation it has become extremely much cheaper not just for us thais who we now see flocking to so called members clubs only where they are getting far more benefits then actual members who paid large sums to join.

 

at Blue Canyon guys paid upto 1.3 million thb for memberships for 2 courses which are now worthless the last ones selling for around thb 300,000 for life time and the club takes 250,000 of this as transfer fee ??? yes stop laughing ... so those that paid this ridiculous joining fee are in fact just preparing for green fees now it’s the only way you can look at it. we paid no green fees and buggy and caddie booking is 850 and caddie tip standard 500. so we don’t pay green fees but if i average my membership cost at 3 times a week and over 10 years i probably average now 500 thb a round and the longer i live snd play it will gradually become cheaper. we recently travelling to hua hin and bangkok and courses now are cheap members courses like alpine and amata and royal gems can still get away with charging around 3000 all in.

 

the problem at our course is they now allow thais and anyone to play 5 ball at an average of 1400 each so deduct caddie fee and buggy which members pay they only paying green fee 650... whereas prior covid green fee was around 2400/2600.. 

 

obviously we benefit also at other courses here in phuket with cheaper rates. 

 

but as i mentioned in the beginning of this message our memberships are now worthless so do the numbers yourself to see if it’s worth just pay as you play or waste money on a membership good luck ..

[scubascuba3]

2 hours ago, Griffo63 said:

Summit Windmill is 330k for a 5 yr membership with no additional green or service fees. 
 

So, 66k p.a. = 440 per round (66k/150) + 400 caddie fee and 400 caddie tip = 1240 = £31 per round. Pretty good. Using a cart though @ 900 per time does crank things up. 

So assuming a cart is optional and you play three times a week that's about £5,000, how much for annual membership in the UK where you lived? 

[Griffo63]

Replying to Scubascuba3  I thought the topic was about comparing the cost of courses across Thailand not comparing them with another country. 1250 baht for a round of golf here is pretty good in my opinion. 

 

If I lived in the UK I'd be using additional matrix e.g. How many times could I reasonably play during the long, cold, dark, wet October - February period (certainly not 3 times a week on average); what about the additional cost of weather/water proof clothing; what sort of additional pressure would I be putting on my body pulling my own cart or carrying a bag and several more, like the cost of fuel to travel to the course; the availability of good showers; and the attitude of the retired bank managers, civil servants and colonels (also called the committee) with their old fashioned ideas about dress code on the course and in the club house.  

 

So, in answering the original post I've restricted my feedback on the original question ("it could be interesting to see how other clubs compare " ) and offered my opinion on whether I find it comparatively good or not 

Edited November 24, 2020 by Griffo63
additional text

[scubascuba3]

44 minutes ago, Griffo63 said:

Replying to Scubascuba3  I thought the topic was about comparing the cost of courses across Thailand not comparing them with another country. 1250 baht for a round of golf here is pretty good in my opinion. 

 

If I lived in the UK I'd be using additional matrix e.g. How many times could I reasonably play during the long, cold, dark, wet October - February period (certainly not 3 times a week on average); what about the additional cost of weather/water proof clothing; what sort of additional pressure would I be putting on my body pulling my own cart or carrying a bag and several more, like the cost of fuel to travel to the course; the availability of good showers; and the attitude of the retired bank managers, civil servants and colonels (also called the committee) with their old fashioned ideas about dress code on the course and in the club house.  

 

So, in answering the original post I've restricted my feedback on the original question ("it could be interesting to see how other clubs compare " ) and offered my opinion on whether I find it comparatively good or not 

A simple question, I'll answer for you, around £1,000 UK vs £5,000 Thailand using your example

[onthedarkside]

Let's try to keep the focus of posts here on Thailand...

[DJ54]

Look into local Golf Societies in your area... good savings ...

[smylee52]

On 11/23/2020 at 5:35 AM, TigerandDog said:

It's a complete waste of money paying for golf club memberships at any golf course in Thailand as you don't really receive any benefit for being a member. Membership ideally should mean free green fees, no caddy fee and at least 2 members competitions per week for which a comp fee of 500 baht should be paid. Clubs do not provide these services to their members. For Thais it's nothing more than a status thing to be able to say they are a member of a golf club. 

 

Played Springfield in Hua Hin a few years back and we were joined by a member . Soon found out he spends 4 months in Hua Hin and golfs 3 times a week at Springfield but usually plays alone . I asked why he didn't participate in member events and found out that none were offerred . He was very happy to play with us that day as it made the round more pleasant . Played the following week and joined by another member and same story . So much for benefits of membership .  They club can't be arsed to even put a weekly comp together .

Joining a club in Thailand is a matter of prestige or convenience , It is not an economically driven decision . 

BTW people who calculate playing 3 times a week must have unbeleivable constitutions to play in the 44C heat of April and May followed by the monsoon season .

[topt]

16 hours ago, smylee52 said:

BTW people who calculate playing 3 times a week must have unbeleivable constitutions to play in the 44C heat of April and May followed by the monsoon season .

The group I generally play with has a couple of guys who do that and they are all over 60.......