Why Join?
Why join a country club? Aren’t country clubs stuffy? Aren’t the initiation fees exorbitant? Isn’t it hard to get a tee time? Don’t I have to know somebody to join? Is it really worth the money?
These are all great questions and you’re in the right place to get the answers. We’ve collected some thoughts on this page that should answer just what you might be thinking. And if you’d like to know more, let us know and we can send you more information.
If this sounds like the kind of place you’ve been looking for, start a no-obligation conversation with us about membership opportunities. We will send you some additional materials via email. We can also set up a phone call with a current member or facilitate a visit to the club.
If you’re not ready yet, scroll down to learn the eight myths about country clubs that are not true at Kennett Square Golf & Country Club.
Seven myths about country clubs that are not true at KSGCC:
- On weekends, the first tee at country clubs is just as crowded as it is at public courses. Not true at KSGCC. While on some weekends a short queue forms occasionally, most of the time no wait exists at all.
- Finding golf partners can be difficult for a new member. False at KSGCC. On weekends, our Pro Shop helps new members find games; it also manages tournaments where players are matched randomly in competing foursomes, taking handicaps into account.
- Country clubs are stuffy—making friends is hard. While that could be true at some clubs, KSGCC is known for its family-friendly environment, and new members who are open to new relationships will find many.
- You need to “know” someone to be admitted to a country club. Not at KSGCC. We want to meet you, and you should meet us to ensure we are a good fit. No access to an “old-boy network” is required.
- You have to go through hoops to get a good tee-time at a private club. Not at KSGCC—we don’t have tee-times. Foursomes generally tee off at the time of their choosing and usually play in about 4 hours.
- Country club golfers are better players with lower handicaps than public course golfers. Really false. As shown in the graph below, the distribution of handicap indexes at KSGCC is nearly a perfect match with the nationwide distribution of all handicap indexes tabulated by the USGA, which includes data from public and private golf courses.
Maybe these answers have surprised you. If you’d like to learn more about what makes KSGCC different from other country clubs, get in touch and we can send you more information.
If you’re not ready yet, scroll down to learn about the advantages of a golf country club over a public course.
How can I justify paying more for golf at a country club than I pay at a public course?
That’s a frequent question, and a reasonable one, too.
The answer is simple: the product a public course offers is one-dimensional: 18 holes of golf on a given day at a specific time. However, the country club offering is golf, tennis, pool, dining—all whenever you want it in unlimited quantities. More than that, it is a fulfilling social network that goes far beyond 18 holes of golf or a tennis match. Putting a dollar value on that experience is nearly impossible.
Here’s why:
As you consider how to justify a country club’s dues, which are, indeed, somewhat higher than the annual cost of playing a public course, ask yourself this question: What value do I place on the relationship I have with my best friend? It’s not a far-fetched question. And if considered honestly, the answer is likely to be priceless.
The point here is that paying country club dues buys a member much more than a neighborhood pool membership, periodic 2-hour blocks of time in a tennis bubble, or a round of golf at a discounted fee. Most club members and their families form deep and lasting relationships with other club members and their families. They become involved in club life. And by serving on committees, helping to organize charity tournaments, celebrating their kids’ swim team successes, and sharing with close friends many of life’s highs and lows, their lives are forever enriched.
In short, dues at a private club like Kennett Square Golf and Country Club are an investment in your family’s quality of life, like owning a home. Public facility fees, on the other hand, are like rent—they offer few lasting benefits.
If you can see how the value of a country club membership goes well beyond a typical public golf course or pool membership, get in touch so we can send you more information, set up a call with a current member or arrange a time for you to stop by the club.
We are looking forward to including you in the unique club experiences KSGCC has to offer. Take the next step, with no obligation to join, and request more information about membership opportunities at KSGCC.