I've been looking to join a club recently and am trying to make a decision within the next month. Currently 24 so I qualify for the jr membership and I have the above 3 as my finalists. If you recommend any more please throw them in here. I was also interested in Braeburn but they had a wait list so not looking there at the moment. I also live in midtown and work in the galleria area. Also, not really looking to drive more than 30 min if I can avoid it. Is anyone able to provide their thoughts on the above courses?

Riverbend over Westwood

Not sure what golfcrest is

Golfcrest is in Pearland.

I'm a member at Golfcrest. Never played the other two so nothing I can compare it to but the course is always in great shape. The fairways were redone last year and the grass is much better than what we had. Driving range is better now too. Greens are always fast. Nice mix of older guys and younger but not sure anyone would be your age and a member. I don't eat at the club often but the food is good if you're in to that. If you want to know anything more specific just ask.

Riverbend

My thoughts...

Course: WW > RB > GC
Price: RB&GC > WW
Members/Atmosphere: RB > GC > WW

Personally, I'd drive the extra distance to Riverbend. And if it's not working out, initiation fee is pretty light if you decide to walk away. Westwood is an interesting place. Has the potential to be really cool and has a nice clubhouse, but it's just sort of an odd group of guys, IMO. My opinion is based on a trial membership I did there about 5 years ago, right when they built the new clubhouse, so maybe things have changed somewhat. I'd definitely go check them all out and play them all.

I was a member at Riverbend for a little bit after I graduated and I'm a huge fan of the place. The course is always in good shape, it's a fairly challenging layout, and it get's tough in the summer when they let the rough grow a bit. The two sided range and short game area are nice too. It's definitely not a huge club, they don't have nearly as many members as a place like sweetwater, so it's a much friendlier community. The pros are very nice, and get you know you by your name within a couple weeks, and the members are extremely welcoming as well. A but of an older crowd, but still fun the play with. I could go out after work and easily play 18 before it got dark.

I have a feeling they may be looking for additional members right now, cause I got an email form them about rejoining, and this is over two years after I left. So you may be able to squeeze a few extra things out of them

The deal they offered me was to not pay dues until May, $100 pro shop credit or month of carts and 4 guest passes. The initiation fee was only a few hundred I think.

Do you think the club is hurting for members in a bad way as in they are losing a lot of members for some reason?

Club is healthy for the most part, the amount of members lost and members gained is usually a wash.

The last two months they have added quite a bit of members, and by quite I usually mean 7-8 which is the norm.

The course itself is in great shape, I have about the same commute as I live closer to the loop, quite frankly for the amount of money you will be spending at 24 its worth it....I think that age group is $250 if that.

And your in that group until 29 or so....

$235 so not a bad deal by any means. Just checked the initiation fee and it's $500, which isn't too much but went up $100 from last July.

235 is great when you compare the the 435 I am paying in the (35-39) range....one way to think about the initiation, essentially your not paying any dues for a month..so initiation is just a little over half.

Riverbend is a great course. It's an old crowd with a small group of sub 35.
Westwood is quite a bit more expensive if you want to move to full membership someday. It's also much closer drive for you though which means you are likely to use it more. Both arent great drives from Galleria in the afternoon though.

Where in your opinion do the majority of people under 35 go? Or do they just play the public courses

Most young guys are not joining CC, for the most part most of the clubs are older folks. Can't think of one that is over run with sub 35 crowds.....with that being said RB and I am sure Westwood, Sugar Creek as long as you have some type of personality, can communicate, and play quickly you can fit in anywhere. And the network you develop because of the older crowd being farther along in careers is a plus.

I live is sugar land
I was a member of RBCC for 7 years up until last year.
IMO it's the best deal / place in Houston for someone who is GOLF (and locker room) ONLY.
I personally would put Pine Forest a close second.

I just switched to Sweetwater because its great for kids. But I miss playing RBCC. It's an addicting golf course

I have no problem playing with an older crowd and I'm only looking for the golf aspect anyway since I don't have a family, so the additional stuff are things I doubt I would use anyway. I'll probably pull the trigger and go for it.

Also, the main reason I'm joining a cc over just playing at the public courses is because my company covers a good amount towards "fitness" memberships but won't cover daily fee type programs. Already have a gym where I live so I thought I might as well use it towards golf since I was spending the money anyway at the public courses and it would be cheaper to join a cc with the reimbursement.

You'll enjoy it then. I miss that place a lot

I'd probably do Westwood just because it's closer. It's also more expensive when you're older so get in on it now.

I do know there is a wait list for under 35 at BraeBurn... picked up the member info while I was there for a function. I'll hit 35 before I make it off the list. So perhaps they tend to have a younger crowd, everybody I know there is under 42.

I can tell you there is a push to get younger, in fact just left a committee meeting to add a playground to the country club. If board approves and all goes well, there are future projects in the talks with perhaps adding a slide to the pool in the future. RB is starting to understand the value of making genuine efforts to get younger.

Add into the mix Sugar Creek. Any thoughts?

Been a member at rbcc for a couple of years now. Highly recommend.

I've been a member at Golfcrest for nearly 5 years. I joined as a junior member, and I didn't know a single person when I did. A number of long time members immediately embraced me and welcomed me in, and now I know numerous people there. Most of the members are an older crowd (50+), but everyone there is cool for the most part. The greens are typically in great condition, and the doglegs and character of the course make it so it never gets old. This has been my first countrt club experience, and I definitely think I joined the right place.

That being said, while our fairways were being renovated we had playing privileges at Riverbend, and I love that place as well. If anything ever went sideways at Golfcrest or I ever moved further west towards Sugarland, I would immediately apply to be a member at Riverbend. Thier course is an older layout but still has much character, and I found it fun to play. Their staff was highly accommodating and provided great, attentive service even though I wasn't a member. And I have to admit their lockeroom blows ours out of the water. Its the kind of lockeroom that I could see myself just hanging out in as a lounge type place. Like I said, I love my club - but you also can't go wrong with Riverbend.

The last one you mentioned - Westwood, is one I personally can't recommend at all. If this is the club I'm thinking of, its over near 59 that you have to drive through a seedy area to get through - but that isn't why I give it a thumbs down. When I was checking out clubs my wife and I stopped in. We were coming from a function, and I had a sports coat and slacks on, and my wife was in a dress. Yet for some folks I guess I still look like I "dont belong here." I say that because when I walked in the lockeroom, some members who were playing cards literally stopped and stared at me with a look that could imply that I wasn't wanted there. Even some of the staff kind of had a slightly surprised tone when I inquired about membership. I'm not one of those folks that is sensitive to every single stupid and ignorant action thrown my way, but Ill just happliy take my money and time elsewhere. Maybe others had a good experience with this place, and maybe all of the membership isnt like that, but unfortunately it wasn't a great moment for me. As a humorous side note, one of the card players had a sip hat on.

I know I posted a lot but I hope you find the best club for you. My club is one of my recreation refuges that assists in relieving stress. I can't recommend a good private club enough.

Great post. I decided to turn down Westwood and my final decision came down to Riverbend or Sugar Creek. Only reason I didn't choose Golfcrest was due to me working in the Galleria area and would like to go to the driving range or play a few holes after work. Checked traffic this past Friday afternoon and Google Maps said it would take 1 hr to get to golfcrest vs 30 min to Riverbend.

After touring Sugar Creek, I just felt an older, family vibe with kids running around. Not a bad thing at all, but I'm more interested in the golf and not the other amenities. SC had good amenities overall and would be ideal for families, but the RB golf course seemed a little better overall. I did see that SC is almost done with their ~$3M golf course renovation though and was told they were planning an additional 1M or so. I'll probably submit my application to RB sometime this week.

if you do decide to join, welcome and enjoy!

Was a member and on the board at Golfcrest (also known at the time as Green Tees) Golfcrest is an old line, Southside Houston Club that had to move to Pearland to make room for a school on it's former property. I really enjoyed my membership and playing the golf course. Not sure what it is like today but cannot imagine it being anything but OK. Several things I would suggest you look at in addition to your up front and monthly dues are: What is travel time from your work place and home to the Golf facitlity ,? 2) What is the safety of the drive? And what are guest fees, weekdays and weekends (at your age you perhaps will want to golf with friends from time to time) that are not members of the Club .

Westwood just sent an email for no initiation 6 month trial. I'm tempted.

I really just want to be a member of a club for 6-9 months a year. The time change in fall/winter just wrecks after work golf.