Golf in Calgary
Oct 17th 2008, 6:54 pm
#17
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,710
Re: Golf in Calgary
I cannot get over how much golf costs here. Have had the conversation why with a number of different people at work. I think it may be the short season, coupled with NO winter season.
Gryph
Oct 17th 2008, 10:57 pm
#18
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 288
Re: Golf in Calgary
I stick to the city courses, but I'm still a relative beginner. I'm happy enough playing the public courses and could never spend the thousands it can cost to get a membership somewhere else. It's all about Shaganappi for me.
Oct 18th 2008, 1:21 pm
#19
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Posts: 50
Re: Golf in Calgary
Both. Most courses seem to have league nights for pay as you go players. Not sure how the handicaping would work as I havent been able to justify the time to join a local league with two small kids at home. I did play in a work based league in the past, and played on a few corporate away day teams too. Nothing too serious.
Regarding the cost of membership, it sort of depends on the status of the course, a top course in the UK will set you back tens of thousands too. Clublink courses with privileges elsewhere will be expensive, for example the Nicklaus course out in Banff will be expensive, so if you want to do the membership thing then shop around, but pay as you play is a practical option, especially while you are still figuring out what each local course has to offer.
One advantage of membership might be free range priveledges if you practice a lot.
Regarding the cost of membership, it sort of depends on the status of the course, a top course in the UK will set you back tens of thousands too. Clublink courses with privileges elsewhere will be expensive, for example the Nicklaus course out in Banff will be expensive, so if you want to do the membership thing then shop around, but pay as you play is a practical option, especially while you are still figuring out what each local course has to offer.
One advantage of membership might be free range priveledges if you practice a lot.
The pay as you play leagues sound like the answer then. I enjoy playing weekly in the summer months but when the bad weather comes I seem to forget all about the game.
I disagree re courses here. I have 3 courses within a 20 mile radius that have held PGA events and all can be joined for less than £1000. I now understand why Canada produces so few proffesional golfers, must be a very elitist setting in Canadian GC!!
Oct 18th 2008, 2:57 pm
#20
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Joined: Aug 2006
Location: Calgary
Posts: 74
Re: Golf in Calgary
In North America, including Calgary, you have a mixture of private, public and public/private courses that as you would imagine run the full gamut in terms of cost and quality.
Although Calgary and surrounding areas have some expensive private clubs it also has a couple of public and public/private courses which are quite good, namely Heritage Point, GlenEagles and Country Hills. If you want to go a little far afield I would also recommend Kananaskis and Stewart Creek.
Although Calgary and surrounding areas have some expensive private clubs it also has a couple of public and public/private courses which are quite good, namely Heritage Point, GlenEagles and Country Hills. If you want to go a little far afield I would also recommend Kananaskis and Stewart Creek.
Oct 18th 2008, 3:56 pm
#21
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Joined: Jun 2005
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Re: Golf in Calgary
I'd disagree with this - golf here is far less elitist in my experience. Families play together, dress codes are very relaxed, beer and refreshments are served on course, the smell of weed hangs in the air, and there's less snobbery about playing generally.
Oct 20th 2008, 12:52 pm
#22
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Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Upstate South Carolina
Posts: 30,768
Re: Golf in Calgary
The pay as you play leagues sound like the answer then. I enjoy playing weekly in the summer months but when the bad weather comes I seem to forget all about the game.
I disagree re courses here. I have 3 courses within a 20 mile radius that have held PGA events and all can be joined for less than £1000. I now understand why Canada produces so few proffesional golfers, must be a very elitist setting in Canadian GC!!
I disagree re courses here. I have 3 courses within a 20 mile radius that have held PGA events and all can be joined for less than £1000. I now understand why Canada produces so few proffesional golfers, must be a very elitist setting in Canadian GC!!
Oct 20th 2008, 1:35 pm
#23
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Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Calgary, Canada
Posts: 475
Re: Golf in Calgary
I think the big difference was mentioned earlier in that over here you have to purchase a stake in the course which depending on the course and time you buy is a one-off fee that is much rarer in Scotland. However that debenture/share purchase can increase in value most of which you would recognise if you ever decide to sell up and move on. I know at Country Hills in the North that some people got in early with shares at less than $10k now they are worth in the region of $40k I think. I've even heard of them being attached to house purchases in the area.
If you can find a course that's just new and developing you should be able to get in the door for a lot less, though the location may not be great. One course my friends talked about joining was Delacour - it's North East of the city and looks like you can just pay the membership dues of $2200 without the debenture. I think the share is "fairly" affordable from what I heard.
The economics still work out that you have to at play at least once a week if not more at most places to make back the annual fees. (not including the share or any minimum spend in the clubhouse) I would think that's close to prices in Scotland, though the last time I was a member there I was a junior.
As others have said just book times and play, you can fairly easily get on most public & private courses and this way you'll get a variety of courses under your belt.
Not sure about medal competitions, I know courses hold mens (and ladies) nights which you would have to be a member to access which I guess would be similair. Some courses though I think you can get into these without being a debenture member and some public courses probably have them, I know Harvest Hills in the North does, though it's full right now.
If you can find a course that's just new and developing you should be able to get in the door for a lot less, though the location may not be great. One course my friends talked about joining was Delacour - it's North East of the city and looks like you can just pay the membership dues of $2200 without the debenture. I think the share is "fairly" affordable from what I heard.
The economics still work out that you have to at play at least once a week if not more at most places to make back the annual fees. (not including the share or any minimum spend in the clubhouse) I would think that's close to prices in Scotland, though the last time I was a member there I was a junior.
As others have said just book times and play, you can fairly easily get on most public & private courses and this way you'll get a variety of courses under your belt.
Not sure about medal competitions, I know courses hold mens (and ladies) nights which you would have to be a member to access which I guess would be similair. Some courses though I think you can get into these without being a debenture member and some public courses probably have them, I know Harvest Hills in the North does, though it's full right now.
