Thanks for this. Any thoughts on RB course vs SW courses?

JFYI for any lurkers. Just found out Braeburn is going to $75k from $55k on August 1st. They are also on a waitlist.

Is that true for under 34 group? Curious what initiation/dues are like for 28 y/o

Not sure for Braeburn for junior membership.

Westwood is $15k and $535/mo for 35 and under. Their full membership is $50k, so o assume Braeburn would be comparable before the announced increase

I think Braeburn young exec is closer to $30k

Not sure I can justify it…Just moved back to houston after an officer contract in the navy and don't think I could spend that kind of money without feeling incredibly guilty. Got a goal now though!

Golf Club of Houston Junior is $20k. Riverbend is $3k until 34. Sweet water is probably about $5-$6 for a Junior.

I'm a Westwood member and can confirm that these prices are accurate.

Enhancements to the club are nearing completion, which will add a new training center and on-course bathroom station.

The course works well for me and I have no complaints. I office in Sugar Land and live ITL, which allows me the ability to leave the office around 4:30 and play 18 on a weekday.

Finding a club where you can leave work a bit early and get in 18 on a weekday is the best

Med device sales and wife decided to go back work in pharma sales after staying home with the kids.

Work pays for our cars, gas, and cell phones

MAROON said:

---

Thanks for this. Any thoughts on RB course vs SW courses?

JFYI for any lurkers. Just found out Braeburn is going to $75k from $55k on August 1st. They are also on a waitlist.

---

My bad, just saw this - I like the course at RB much more than SW. RB has a classic golf course feel, kind of like you're stepping back in time a little bit. A number of the greens are elevated, and it is overall a fun course to me.

SW unfortunately imo feel like common residential courses. Nothing about them make me say I had a lot of fun playing or that I just have to play them again. If it wasn't for playing with my friend there I wouldn't care at all - in fact if I played with the same group of guys at Quail Valley or Sienna Plantation, it wouldn't feel much different from a round there. No disrespect to anyone here thats a member, but thats just my opinion of the courses.

Ditto

GIF Reactor said:

---

I need to quit reading this thread; it is so depressing. I consider us to be doing okay financially but there is no way I could even fathom dropping $20k or more plus $500+ monthly dues. I'm obviously doing something wrong if everyone is making the kind of money where that is reasonable. Just for curiosity sake, what do you folks do for a living, and are you hiring? Or can I be your illegitimate child?

---

Mines pretty simple. Thirty-five years of investing consistently, and a 20 plus year period of raising kids that resulted in almost zero golf being played. Now both kids are out of the house and doing very well financially. With retirement in the near future it's time to join a club and start practicing and playing consistently again. My entire friend group have basically reached this same time in our lives - I'm the last to join a club out of that group.

Didn't you know? Everyone on TexAgs is a millionaire!

I am having trouble justifying $750/month at Bay Oaks in Clear Lake. Apparently, a young executive does not get a break in monthly dues. Is this common now?

I don't think ClubCorp (or Invited Clubs or whatever they are calling themselves now) are giving much break on Jr. Memberships right now.

$750 is along the rate stated for Deerwood Club in Kingwood, which has access to the 4 other courses at KWCC - so I'd personally find it quite a bit high for just Bay Oaks.

There's no more Young Exec at Clubcorp/Invited. COVID killed that because they found out they didn't need to offer reduced rates. They've been raising my dues 10+% the last few years to where I'm about $10 short of full dues and at the next increase I'm sure I'll be paying full dues.

I've heard a lot of other clubs have done/are doing the same.

I've been researching clubs for a bit and while I'm not young, they sometimes share that pricing in their membership data. It seems from the clubs I've looked at that the juniors get a slight discount on monthly dues at the clubs I've been researching. Something like $100/$200 month.

Ezra Brooks said:

---

I don't think ClubCorp (or Invited Clubs or whatever they are calling themselves now) are giving much break on Jr. Memberships right now.

$750 is along the rate stated for Deerwood Club in Kingwood, which has access to the 4 other courses at KWCC - so I'd personally find it quite a bit high for just Bay Oaks.

---

kingwood and deerwood are unicorns for family memberships.

The courses are not perfect, but you can always get on, the pool, and a huge membership. i like the huge membership b/c anytime i am at the club i see different people. Major contrast from my friend's clubs where they meet the exact same 4 people each time they go.

Thanks- played Riverbend yesterday and love the course. It's exactly as you described. Even though they had just vericutt the greens they still rolled true. Course was in great condition - tees, fairways, bunkers, greens. Loved the layout - just an old school golf course design that rewards good shots.

I'm going to go have a tour of Riverbend soon. The monthly dues may be hard to justify. Wonder if there's any allowance for young executives without a spouse or for veterans. Just seems too pricey for solely myself, but also seems like one of those "if you have to ask, you can't afford it" questions. I'm primarily interested in the golf course over the other amenities.

Riverbend: Junior (21-34 years old)
Initiation Fee: $3,000 + tax

Dues: $310.80 + $35 (service charge) + $100 (capital fund) + $30 (range plan) = $475.80 month plus tax.

of course, other fees on top of that - cart, locker, etc.

I got that email information from their membership director too, but I'm sure everyone else will appreciate the information as well. $25 per person for a cart also seems steep on top of the membership. They offer a cart membership for $2,420 but you'd have to play 97 rounds for that to pay for itself which doesn't seem economical.

Golf Club of Houston is $24 for a cart. Sweetwater is $21. So its ballpark.

Yes the cart annual fee only really works if you, your wife and your kids are all playing golf. If you had a high school kid who was playing 3-4 times a week in the summer that annual program would make sense very shortly.

Good to hear you enjoyed it. Did you get a chance to hang out in the locker room after the round? I haven't had their wings in a while and I've been thinking about getting over there and having some.

For those who aren't junior exec, based on the last conversation I had with the membership director, the monthly dues for an active golf membership were at $685/month.

Yes, their locker room is better than any of the clubs I've visited nearby. It's a fantastic mens locker room, on par with the super high end clubs in Houston. Better than some of the high end clubs.

Monthly all in with fees for full member is $100 higher than the amount you posted.

I've put my name up for membership so, hopefully in a few weeks I can try those wings you mentioned!

Just went and toured it today!

MAROON said:

---

Golf Club of Houston Junior is $20k. Riverbend is $3k until 34. Sweet water is probably about $5-$6 for a Junior.

---

Updating to keep data accurate since I think a lot of folks on this site are interested in junior memberships.

Swee****er is $8500 and $610 a month for a junior

MAROON said:

---

Yes, their locker room is better than any of the clubs I've visited nearby. It's a fantastic mens locker room, on par with the super high end clubs in Houston. Better than some of the high end clubs.

Monthly all in with fees for full member is $100 higher than the amount you posted.

I've put my name up for membership so, hopefully in a few weeks I can try those wings you mentioned!

---

Makes sense - that was a while ago when I talked to her so in addition to going up on the initiation I'm not surprised the monthly went up as well.

As far as the the previous questions others had on affordability and country clubs, I consider our household middle class but its just my wife an I. A kid would probably add anywhere from 300K to 600K in costs for raising them to the point they're out of the house. Thats a significant surplus.

Of course, if I had kids the country club justification would probably be activities for them to participate in.

Got an invite to go play a Northgate this weekend with a buddy and a client of his.

Anything to know about the place or the course?

Ag_07 said:

---

Got an invite to go play a Northgate this weekend with a buddy and a client of his.

Anything to know about the place or the course?

---

Haven't been out there in years, so I don't know about the condition. It comes and goes, I think.

Main tip at Northgate: Keep it in play off the tee. It's the definition of target golf.

Poot said:

---

It's the definition of target golf.

---

This is fairly accurate for the back 9 but not the front.

First time playing, it'll probably feel a bit tight. Opens up when you learn how and where to play. Can hit driver a lot on the front and not at all on the back except for 18.

They did just aerate Monday/Tuesday though.

Well damn

Seems a couple months late for aeriation isn't it?

Sorry, I don't run the joint, just another member…

Shame, being your first time. Greens have been rolling very well IMO. I'll check it out this evening. Report back if I remember.