HoustonToDallas said:

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I have played Augusta on 5 separate occasions. Augusta is cool and has the ahhh factor. Honestly do not need to ever go back. Quite a few people from Texas are members.

I prefer Cypress Point over Augusta just a preference. I have played Pine Valley and it just ate me apart.

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I shot 102 at Pine Valley. And I was a 7 handicap at the time. I shot 89 at Augusta a year earlier, the morning after the Masters.

Jack Friedlander '41 and I played there in 1980 after I spoke at Muster. Whoop! Shot 85 from the backs. Proud of it. Jack was a member and owned several downtown Atlanta hotels. Also played there with Arthur French of French's Ice Cream. He and Johhny Moon with K&G Carpet and Furniture coached me on the All Army Fastpitch softball team while stationed at Ft McPherson in Atlanta. Whoop

jonj101 said:

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Reading some of these posts makes me question my life and career choices.

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You and me both. How do we become an elitist?

Never played Augusta but played CP a year ago. Probably headed back this spring/summer. The first time I was too consumed with "the match" to play well and didn't. I'll be more focused next time.

Unfortunately I'm only 36 so that would be quite awkward adopting you

He's a member he got in around 2000 and he's a member of cypress point too

Would t call Cypress a dump it's more modest and it has a smaller membership than ANGC by a little less than half. A good chunk of cypress members hail from San Fran.

ANGC is more of a ceo club too. Different crowds and vibe at both clubs. PVGC has a giant membership. There are about 30 - 40 who are members of all 3.

HoustonToDallas said:

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Unfortunately I'm only 36 so that would be quite awkward adopting you

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I'm good with it

HoustonToDallas said:

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Would t call Cypress a dump it's more modest and it has a smaller membership than ANGC by a little less than half. A good chunk of cypress members hail from San Fran.

ANGC is more of a ceo club too. Different crowds and vibe at both clubs. PVGC has a giant membership. There are about 30 - 40 who are members of all 3.

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Very Barnes like.

HoustonToDallas said:

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ANGC is more of a ceo club too.

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close but not exactly...

about 40% of the club is what you'd call CEO's or industry leaders...

and about 1/3 of the club is local...

remember that the members run the Masters. so AN needs local members to help run the tournament.

and then there's the locals that are part of how AN controls the city, press, real estate, etc.
as an example, AN needs to control the press, so the owner of the local augusta paper is a member. (and his son)
another - AN needs to control real estate around the property (and expands their footprint every year...), so the owner of the largest realtor in Augusta (Blanchard and Calhoun), is a member... his son isn't a member yet, but will be...

and the remainder are the sons... so each AN member hopes to keep the membership in the family. so you see a lot of sons become members. its no guarantee, but there's a lot of fathers and sons...

but its not like the local members get to play every week, or every month....

if they play too often, they get the infamous letter from Billy Payne (now Fred) that says, "....let me remind you that AN is a national club and we've been seeing a little too much of you lately...."

booradley said:

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but its not like the local members get to play every week, or every month....

if they play too often, they get the infamous letter from Billy Payne (now Fred) that says, "....let me remind you that AN is a national club and we've been seeing a little too much of you lately...."

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Still blows my mind.

You get an exclusive membership to not have membership privilege.

Sounds a lot like the letter I used to get from Texas National in Willis. RIP

What would be a reasonable number of times for a member to play in a year, 4? 6? 10?

A comment on Cypress Point membership. For most of its life, CP was a "golfers" club and it's members, while certainly wealthy, were very golf focused. In recent years, there has been apparently a move to more CEO/mover and shaker members who are not as much players as executive members. Kind of a culture change that has some of the older members upset.

The member I played with, by the way, gave me a mini interview (I didn't know until after) where he measured my appreciation of CPs history. I wouldn't have been invited if I didn't pass.

Quinn said:

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What would be a reasonable number of times for a member to play in a year, 4? 6? 10?

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4 or 5 trips to AN per season would be what's expected.

Note that AN opens for play in October and closes after the 2nd week in may. It's not open during the summer or in September

booradley said:

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Quinn said:

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What would be a reasonable number of times for a member to play in a year, 4? 6? 10?

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4 or 5 trips to AN per season would be what's expected.

Note that AN opens for play in October and closes after the 2nd week in may. It's not open during the summer or in September

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So I get you have to be beyond rich, famous, and invited. But what's the cost here? Do they not allow you in the clubhouse year round. Is there restrictions on dinner service or the locker room or the poker tournaments?

I understand I'll never truly need to worry about this, but it really seams your paying ridiculous money simply for a green jacket and minimal club privileges. I can't wrap my head around it. If you're that wealthy, popular, or famous does AN notoriety really matter at that point unless you live there? Hell, a private course could be cheaper and you'd actually get to play.

"I have the nicest course anywhere that everyone gets to play. Become a member, but you can't play a lot" WTH?!?

I think their intent is to make it such a privilege to play that it's even a privilege to the members.

And it's no big deal to those kinds of guys. It's like having a vacation home at Martha's Vineyard you only use once or twice a season. When you have that kinda money it's nice to have things that you don't use often but when you want to you can.

AgLA06 said:

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booradley said:

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Quinn said:

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What would be a reasonable number of times for a member to play in a year, 4? 6? 10?

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4 or 5 trips to AN per season would be what's expected.

Note that AN opens for play in October and closes after the 2nd week in may. It's not open during the summer or in September

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So I get you have to be beyond rich, famous, and invited. But what's the cost here? Do they not allow you in the clubhouse year round. Is there restrictions on dinner service or the locker room or the poker tournaments?

I understand I'll never truly need to worry about this, but it really seams your paying ridiculous money simply for a green jacket and minimal club privileges. I can't wrap my head around it. If you're that wealthy, popular, or famous does AN notoriety really matter at that point unless you live there? Hell, a private course could be cheaper and you'd actually get to play.

"I have the nicest course anywhere that everyone gets to play. Become a member, but you can't play a lot" WTH?!?

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I suspect that the cost of being a member may not be as expensive as many are assuming it is. AN generates a lot of revenue from the tournament (TV, ticket sales, etc) that covers a lot of its operating costs.

Yea. Augusta National is famously inexpensive. That's part of the shtick - costs nothing but impossible to get an invite.

CapCityAg89 said:

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A comment on Cypress Point membership. For most of its life, CP was a "golfers" club and it's members, while certainly wealthy, were very golf focused. In recent years, there has been apparently a move to more CEO/mover and shaker members who are not as much players as executive members. Kind of a culture change that has some of the older members upset.

The member I played with, by the way, gave me a mini interview (I didn't know until after) where he measured my appreciation of CPs history. I wouldn't have been invited if I didn't pass.

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I don't know if I would pass but I'd definitely do my best if in that situation - CP is my number one bucket list course and its not even close. I've read the match like 3 or 4 times, and spent more time than I'd like to admit viewing the holes using Google earth. I've even combed youtube looking at the few vids people posted of playing the course (I've wondered how often golfers have topped the tee shot on number 1 into the bushes).

Its funny how random some folks get on such amazing courses. I was playing in a tournament and this guy who I was matched with said he picked up the game in high school and played for some little college out there and they played it once. At the time he didn't get how big of a deal it was.

Also, personally I think the best clubs started as golf focused and not so much the country club/extravagant vibe. Nowhere near their level (obviously), but it makes sense how the older members could get annoyed with the place becoming less about appreciation of the game versus a prestige thing.

booradley said:

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Quinn said:

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What would be a reasonable number of times for a member to play in a year, 4? 6? 10?

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4 or 5 trips to AN per season would be what's expected.

Note that AN opens for play in October and closes after the 2nd week in may. It's not open during the summer or in September

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Yep, many of the locals are usually a member at the Augusta Country Club as well iirc.

You'd pass.

I pulled my opening drive a little left (you want to play almost over the trees in front of you which look in play but are not). It's nerve wracking as you're about 5 steps from the clubhouse door and all kinds of people are standing around there.

booradley said:

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Quinn said:

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What would be a reasonable number of times for a member to play in a year, 4? 6? 10?

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4 or 5 trips to AN per season would be what's expected.

Note that AN opens for play in October and closes after the 2nd week in may. It's not open during the summer or in September

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Yeah my understanding is the way most people use their memberships is they make a trip to the property and stay there for a few days (playing each day) and do that a few times a year. Not sure how the locals do it.

anyone who can get me + 1 on will get a 4 figure payday