Interesting thread on the perceptions of a country clubs. My club membership has nothing to do with prestige and everything to so with the fact provides a ton of year-round entertainment for the entire family. Its great to tee off early, then take the golf cart over to meet the family at the resort pool where we can swim for a few hours with full pool-side food and beverage service. Throughout the year the club has a huge July 4th pool party with fireworks, Memorial Day pool party, annual crawfish boil, annual chili cook off, tennis and golf camps for kids, breakfast with Santa & Easter Bunny, monthly golf and tennis tournaments for both women and men (with childcare). Our "junior" membership (under Age 42) is also full, so it's not just a bunch of old people either.
I can see how a club is a tough sell for those without kids or in a city with a ton of stuff to do, but there's not a ton of stuff to do on the weekends in Houston. You can only go to the zoo, museums and movies so many times.