Hey Guys,

I am currently in the market for a club membership, and I think it will come down to either Southern, Woodlands or Spring Valley. I am leaning towards Woodlands, but am wondering if you could give me advice about all three clubs.

Cost is not an issue for me at the moment.

Also, Sandhurst is an option, does anyone have membership details of that course?

Cheers.

QUOTE: aussiebronco9 @ May 21 2007, 07:47 PM

Hey Guys,

I am currently in the market for a club membership, and I think it will come down to either Southern, Woodlands or Spring Valley. I am leaning towards Woodlands, but am wondering if you could give me advice about all three clubs.

Cost is not an issue for me at the moment.

Also, Sandhurst is an option, does anyone have membership details of that course?

Cheers.

Have a look here, I went through the same 3 options last year.

QUOTE: andigold @ May 21 2007, 08:24 PM

Have a look here, I went through the same 3 options last year.

Which did you end up choosing?

QUOTE: aussiebronco9 @ May 21 2007, 08:59 PM

Which did you end up choosing?

Spring Valley, have a look at the last page for my reasons.

As much as I know some lovely people at Spring Valley, and their course is on the improve, and their clubhouse is great, I can't see how someone could choose there over Woodlands.

The argument that Woodlands is World Top 100 course isn't that hard to mount.

MM

There is another good thread here as well

QUOTE: andigold @ May 21 2007, 09:06 PM

Spring Valley, have a look at the last page for my reasons.

Yeah I just got there. I have a friend who was (maybe still is) a member there. He is a very good player - Matt Foulds.

My girlfriend's grandparents have been members at Metopolitan for a couple of decades. I should ask them to nominate me, however the waiting list would be too long.

How is Spring Valley at the moment? That summary was a while ago.

QUOTE: MatthewM @ May 21 2007, 09:11 PM

As much as I know some lovely people at Spring Valley, and their course is on the improve, and their clubhouse is great, I can't see how someone could choose there over Woodlands.

The argument that Woodlands is World Top 100 course isn't that hard to mount.

MM

I loved Woodlands but at my level of golfing ability I found the small, hard, fast, elevated greens just too difficult for week in, week out play.

So whilst this reason won't apply to you it was a very big factor in my eventual decision.

QUOTE: aussiebronco9 @ May 21 2007, 09:13 PM

Yeah I just got there. I have a friend who was (maybe still is) a member there. He is a very good player - Matt Foulds.

My girlfriend's grandparents have been members at Metopolitan for a couple of decades. I should ask them to nominate me, however the waiting list would be too long.

How is Spring Valley at the moment? That summary was a while ago.

The conditioning is fantastic and there are small improvements happening all the time. Call the GM, John Stamp and he will arrange for you to come down and have a hit.

Don't get me wrong, Woodlands is the best course of the 3 you mention (and by a fair distance to) SV is about the same distance in front of Southern. I love it there, it suits me beautifully.

QUOTE: andigold @ May 21 2007, 09:21 PM

The conditioning is fantastic and there are small improvements happening all the time. Call the GM, John Stamp and he will arrange for you to come down and have a hit.

Don't get me wrong, Woodlands is the best course of the 3 you mention (and by a fair distance to) SV is about the same distance in front of Southern. I love it there, it suits me beautifully.

You are a really great ad for Woodlands, Andigold.
I think the books are/were closed ATM, ( don't quote me though, they change like the wind.)
Jon...

ps: Andigold, the harder the test the more inclined you are to better your game.

QUOTE: golfguy33 @ May 21 2007, 10:19 PM

ps: Andigold, the harder the test the more inclined you are to better your game.

Not if you swing a bat like a spazzy octopus

QUOTE: Fyirippu @ May 22 2007, 07:59 AM

Not if you swing a bat like a spazzy octopus

A bit harsh on yourself there Frip.

Re: Sandhurst.

They have recently had a promotion whereby 400 lifetime memberships were offered for $Nil.
Normally they are $8,800 and a share is around $21,000.

They filled the 400 quota very quickly and they were knocking people back.

ATM, you would probably class Sandhurst between SV and Southerm - not as good as Woodlands.
Sandhurst should ultimately be judged on the Champions course which will open in September. It will be far better than the current North course.

And for those that like the 36 hole clubs with modern facilities, Sandhurst is worth considering.

For those that took up the $0 lifetime membership, I think it is great value. I know they picked up members from courses such as Paterson River, Southern, Beaconhills and probably many others.

Annual subs very similar to SV and Woodlands.

I have said before, if one club was prepared to offer a $0 joining fee, members would come running.
Sandhurst have done it, probably by necessity, but have increased their annual revenue by $1 million in the process.

The trick now, is to keep all those members who haven't paid the "hurt money". Will be interesting to see how many are still there in 2 years time.

QUOTE: beancounter @ May 22 2007, 09:06 AM

A bit harsh on yourself there Frip.

The spazzy octopus is Andi - I'm the mortally wounded helicopter.

QUOTE: golfguy33 @ May 21 2007, 10:19 PM

You are a really great ad for Woodlands, Andigold.
I think the books are/were closed ATM, ( don't quote me though, they change like the wind.)
Jon...

ps: Andigold, the harder the test the more inclined you are to better your game.

Woodlands is it's own best advertisement Jon.

I do try to better my game, but I'm a realist, I have neither the time nor desire to devote hours of practice to golf, I would like to enjoy a round (or 2) a week with a practice session once a week either at the range or in front of the mirror. I'm off 22 for all sorts of reasons, swing flaws, (though spazzy octopus seems harsh even to me ) concentration errors & poor course management among them.

I made a judgement, despite the obvious benefits of Woodlands, to join Spring Valley as I knew that I would enjoy my golf there on a regular basis more than at Woodlands. It was an informed decision.

Thanks for the hep so far.

What type of people at each?

Are they welcoming?

Woodlands has a reputation of being a bit older and perhaps, a bit resistant to change.
Spring Valley members I have met have been friendly and from all reports, membership base is welcoming.
Sandhurst is a new club, so membership is generally younger than other clubs. Once again, those I have met have been very friendly.

Enough has been said on these boards about Southern members. Some call it "the animal farm".

In any club, there will be the odd d#@!head and you will learn to avoid them. You will generally gravitate to those members with things in common.

You will find both in all of the clubs mentioned.

How is Spring Valley at the moment? That summary was a while ago.

Don’t EVER choose a club based on this silly question.

Conditioning can change day to day, let alone season to season. Choose a course for what it is everyday, not just with all its best makeup on.

Hi aussiebronco9

Just wondering how you are going with decision on which club to join? I went through the same decision at the end of last year when i moved to melbourne. I also had a look at Kingswood as well, and ended up deciding to join Spring Valley. My reasons for this where, Southern didn’t let me play with other members so i ended up playing there on a friday afternoon by myself which gave me no feel for the club and members, also the course was substandard compared with Woodland and Spring Valley and about the same fees to join and play. Kingswood was the same as southern in course quality and with houses on every boarder you can imagine in 10 years it could be the next housing estate in the area. Between Woodland and Spring Valley i thought the courses where very comparable in quality and maintance the differnce for me was the members. Played both on a saturday in the comp and after playing at Woodlands sat inside to have a drink with the guys i played with and that was it no other members came up and asked how we went or said anything to our group, which didn’t give the place a very friendly feel. When i played at Spring Valley it was the total opposite i had about 40 members come up and introduce themselves and ask if i was a new member and also meet the president and captain that day. At the end of the day i was joining a golf club not a golf course and this is what made me join Spring Valley. I am very happy with my decision and haven’t played with a group where i didn’t enjoy my day.

So you know i am 23yrs and most of the members are older than me but there are more younger members joining and i have been playing with a regular group of guys around my age.

Hope this info has helped you in some way.

Hi aussiebronco9

When i played at Spring Valley it was the total opposite i had about 40 members come up and introduce themselves and ask if i was a new member and also meet the president and captain that day. At the end of the day i was joining a golf club not a golf course and this is what made me join Spring Valley. I am very happy with my decision and haven’t played with a group where i didn’t enjoy my day.

I also found this. I was invited onto the course by a member to play during the Saturday comp – that wouldn’t happen too often anywhere these days.

We played with his regular partner and one other, but in the clubhouse there was same quality, createive banter and sledging – both among our own group and other locals as they passed our table. Really good atmosphere – and the chicken schnitzel burger was also classy!

Hi aussiebronco9

When i played at Spring Valley it was the total opposite i had about 40 members come up and introduce themselves and ask if i was a new member and also meet the president and captain that day. At the end of the day i was joining a golf club not a golf course and this is what made me join Spring Valley. I am very happy with my decision and haven’t played with a group where i didn’t enjoy my day.

I also found this. I was invited onto the course by a member to play during the Saturday comp – that wouldn’t happen too often anywhere these days.

We played with his regular partner and one other, but in the clubhouse there was same quality, createive banter and sledging – both among our own group and other locals as they passed our table. Really good atmosphere – and the chicken schnitzel burger was also classy!

Trust you to bring the discussion around to food.

I didn’t try their Jim Beam and coke. I don’t think they serve it – it keeps the Queenslanders away.

How is Spring Valley at the moment? That summary was a while ago.

Don’t EVER choose a club based on this silly question.

Conditioning can change day to day, let alone season to season. Choose a course for what it is everyday, not just with all its best makeup on.

TT, is it still the case you have no home course? If so, when the day comes, will you ask to inspect the wine cellar as part of your overall deliberations

I would through in Keysborough for comparision as well. Easy join and no water issues.

TT, is it still the case you have no home course? If so, when the day comes, will you ask to inspect the wine cellar as part of your overall deliberations

I’ll probably join the family club. If I joined anywhere else, it would perhaps be at a particular club closer to me on the south eastern fringes of town. At either, I would have a jug of beer on tap between us and a steak sandwich/burger and/or fries. I don’t go to a winery to play golf, so I won’t go to a golf course to significantly indulge in wines :)

Hi aussiebronco9

Just wondering how you are going with decision on which club to join? I went through the same decision at the end of last year when i moved to melbourne. I also had a look at Kingswood as well, and ended up deciding to join Spring Valley. My reasons for this where, Southern didn’t let me play with other members so i ended up playing there on a friday afternoon by myself which gave me no feel for the club and members, also the course was substandard compared with Woodland and Spring Valley and about the same fees to join and play. Kingswood was the same as southern in course quality and with houses on every boarder you can imagine in 10 years it could be the next housing estate in the area. Between Woodland and Spring Valley i thought the courses where very comparable in quality and maintance the differnce for me was the members. Played both on a saturday in the comp and after playing at Woodlands sat inside to have a drink with the guys i played with and that was it no other members came up and asked how we went or said anything to our group, which didn’t give the place a very friendly feel. When i played at Spring Valley it was the total opposite i had about 40 members come up and introduce themselves and ask if i was a new member and also meet the president and captain that day. At the end of the day i was joining a golf club not a golf course and this is what made me join Spring Valley. I am very happy with my decision and haven’t played with a group where i didn’t enjoy my day.

So you know i am 23yrs and most of the members are older than me but there are more younger members joining and i have been playing with a regular group of guys around my age.

Hope this info has helped you in some way.

Hey Brake1110,

It is all on hold at the moment unfortunately. I am in the middle of exams and have an essay due so I haven’t really been able to give it much thought. I do get my new clubs tomorrow though, which I am pretty excited about!

Having said that, I think I have been narrowing the field. I definately don’t want to join Kingswood, and am not sure about Southern either (although one of my friends is a member there). Woodlands and Sandhurst look really great, and I have recieved a PM inviting me for a round at Woodlands which sounds good. Spring Valley seems like it may be a good fit also, considering how many people such as yourself comment on how much of a great club it is.

I am obviously still pretty unsure, as I said earlier, it is not about money, and simply revolves around me constantly improving in a place where I can have a chat and have a good time. I am 21 next month, but I think I can get along with people at any age, so average age is not really a consideration either.