Looking at CC memberships and would like to know what people think about both. I've heard a pretty mixed bag.
Lakewood has a better location, is closer knit, better for business relationships/connections, etc.

DAC has two courses, better overall facilities, better programming for young families, blah blah.

My wife and I are in low 30's expecting children in the next 3-5 years or so. We live in Uptown but are building a house in West Dallas. Trying to decide if I pony up the money for the Young Exec membership now and locking it in vs. waiting until I'm older and potentially never going for it (I hear kids are a real money suck). Also - anyone have any idea on the cost for young exec membership at Lakewood? I got the membership info for DAC - but can't get the lady at Lakewood to return my calls/emails.

Wouldn't bother me because I'm right next to Trinity Groves area. 15 mins take Ross with no traffic.

That is not as bad, just something to keep in mind when you consider how often you will get over there.

Watching this thread. In the same boat but live in lake highlands.

I would look at Royal Oaks if you are in Lake Highlands.

We live at royal and Abrams. Looking into royal oaks. Any feedback would be appreciated.

I would also consider looking into Bent Tree Country Club. Might be a right time at the right place opportunity. PM me if interested.

I've heard Lakewood has a waiting list.

powerbelly said:

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I would never join a club that would require me to drive across town. Both would be ~45 minute drives from Midway Hollow for example. YMMV

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This is really worth considering. I know that distance is going to be a roadblock into using the club as much as you may tell yourself it won't.

Want to go have dinner and drinks after work? Cool, but be prepared to drive a considerable distance home while possibly being over the legal limit

Want to go squeeze in a quick 9? You'll have do leave work at 3:30 to battle traffic and get there in time.


I say this from experience. After 2 years at a club that I loved I ended up resigning because I just wasn't able to get there as much to make it work. Distance is a heavy player when you consider joining

I have a buddy who is a member at Lakewood. They normally have a waiting list that's pretty sizable I've heard but he was sponsored or nominated or something by someone who swings a big D so he jumped the line. See if you can find someone like that if you want to join before you have kids.

I'm in the same boat. Younger 30s and live in M streets. I'll likely try to join one before I turn 35. I toured DAC 2 summers ago and loved the courses and facilities. Decided not to join at the time bc we go to the lake a lot in the summer. Haven't heard too much about Lakewood, but it would be closer. I've also heard the initiation is much higher than DAC.

tur***gie24 said:

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I would also consider looking into Bent Tree Country Club. Might be a right time at the right place opportunity. PM me if interested.

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Or Prestonwood.

I worked at Bent Tree in the summer of 1988. I liked it. Hope that helps

Deats said:

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powerbelly said:

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I would look at Royal Oaks if you are in Lake Highlands.

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ROCC is over priced, poorly run, and full of HP people who can't get into DCC.

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And the food sux and bourbon choices suck. I was there last night.

Not sure if still the case but Lakewood has/had phenomenal food. We ate there one night because my FIL had reciprocity with Rockport CC (a dump). At the time we ate there the chef was the original chef from Nana (restaurant once at the top of Anatole) - so we were told. Great dining experience.

They have social only memberships that used to be ~$9k per year because we looked into it once as a way to get in the door. Decided not to do it though. We didn't think we would use it.

Not a member at DAC but play out there atleast once a month.

I really like it and it will probably be the club I join if we don't move back to Aggieland, in the next year.

Having two courses is awesome, even when its really busy it doesn't feel like the course is just jam packed.

heard the pool gets hopping and social life is pretty good.

Lakewood, know a few members there and I'd say it's the up and coming club to be in for younger people. The wait list is years long now and initiation dues run about 70k.

We jumped on the wait list for Lakewood a couple years ago, and in the interim we went ahead and joined DAC. The cost of DAC is minimal in comparison to LCC. We have friends at both, and so we've used both facilities. We have three kids ages 6 and under, and from that standpoint I prefer DAC over LCC. I fully expect to be on the wait list for LCC for at least 4 years. I also expect that based on recent trends, LCC will be $90k by then to join at the golf level.

The benefit to DAC for the under 35 crowd is that you really only pay the reduced rate to join, whereas at LCC you pay a reduced rate, but then once you hit 35 you have to continue paying up to the full rate over the next 5 years. I hope that makes sense. My wife and I decided we'll enjoy the DAC for now, and then if our name is called off the LCC wait list, we'll make the decision then whether we want to join.

Also, I lived in East Dallas for 11 years and have never even heard of DAC until this thread. Not sure how that is possible but it definitely looks more reasonably priced than LCC.

What major utility do you all feel you get out of a CC membership? I would feel obligated to spend a lot of my free time there with how much some of these places cost. If I didn't spend 200 nights a year traveling I might feel differently.

Lakewood country club isn't worth $70K in initiation fees in my opinion. Royal Oaks is lol by the way. It's a lot of money for nothing great, and a long drive. One of my good friends is a DCC member so I just tag along with him when I feel like playing.

Ive been a guest at Bent Tree many, many times. I like it a lot and have met a bunch of people there.

Lakewood is awful. Too many members, course is boring, the range is literally dirt, and the members think they are top tier in Dallas. I was in the process of moving to Dallas a few years ago and looked at Lakewood and I'm a non resident at River Oaks in Houston and had a member tell me "Lakewood is the river oaks Cc of Dallas" I can tell you for a fact Lakewood is not the River oaks of Dallas.

I would go Royal Oaks bc it's the same price and the range actually has grass on it

None of the CC courses in Dallas are great except National, but that is not a true country club.

All of them have their warts. All are going to have snooty members. Just don't join one that is far away or you will never use it.

Is northwood hard to get into? Of the local CC I've played I liked it the best.

Yes, difficult to get into Northwood

culdeus said:

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Is northwood hard to get into? Of the local CC I've played I liked it the best.

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Wait list is around 1.5 years, buy in is $150k

TxAG#2011 said:

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culdeus said:

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Is northwood hard to get into? Of the local CC I've played I liked it the best.

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Wait list is around 1.5 years, buy in is $150k

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Whoa, ok. Had no idea. I thought it was perhaps a step down from DAC on all those metrics.

I'm over in FW at Ridglea, but if I was in Dallas I'd probably look at Royal Oaks.

albatross said:

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I'm over in FW at Ridglea, but if I was in Dallas I'd probably look at Royal Oaks.

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Ridglea takes the prize for largest ratio of course quality vs. facility quality. Has the feel of a 60s orgy location. (likely happened).

They'll straight up tell you in new member orientation that it was a pretty good time back then and that Lucy and Desi stopped by often.

Royal Oaks is garbage. I'm a member and I can't even get a tee time it has so many members. The food has been below average for 10 years. It floods every year and they close the course for a month or two