Joining a Golf Club (ClubLinks)

[Mingo]

Well, spring is just around the corner and golf season is about to begin, but looking outside it sure doesn't look like it.
Anyway, I have now been in Canada now for three years and I think it's time for me to join a golf club.
I have looked at a few clubs and I'm very interested in ClubLinks, as I have the advantage to play several courses!
Is there any ClubLinks members out there who can give me their opion of the company, are you happy as a mamber of ClubLinks?
Thanks
Mingo

 

[Larry_Fyne]

One of my golf buddies was a member of Clublink. The key word is "was".

When he joined, he joined the Caledon Woods club when they announced it originally. Because it was under construction, he could pick another course as his "home" course. The original buy-in was $7500 I think (plus the annual dues $3500). Only he joined Clublink because the other guys thought it was too expensive for what you get - remember this is not an equity membership. You own nothing.

After two complete seasons, he found that he was spending more $ on golf because he could not get a tee-time on the weekends so he had to play at other courses.

I met another Clublink member last year and I complained to him that you can't get a teetime on the weekend. He said that this is what he does. First thing Monday morning, he calls the reservation line and books a tee-time at his home course (Diamondback I think). Then he calls back and books another tee-time at another course. He does this for every course that he has reciprocals on. By the time he is done, he has tee-times booked at 6 or seven different courses for the same time. On the Friday before his tee times, he decides which one he wants to play and cancels the others. The Clublink reservation system is screwy to allow a member to book multiple tee-times at the same time at different courses.

They do not want to make their members happy they are only interested in buying excellant public courses and rebuilding them as private courses and then over-selling memberships so that no one can use them.

It is sad that they now have National Pines in Barrie. At close to $100 it was a pricey but excellent public course. Prior to Clublink, you could by a limited annual membership there for $3500.

I do not know of many Clublink members that are happy. I am sure there are some but read the small print very carefully. As a member, you have very limited control of your life.

 

[Larry_Fyne]

Jimmy,

You are on the hook for the initiation fee. When you joined and Clublink let you amortize it over ten years, they did the same thing as Leons or The Brick does. They farmed out the financing to another firm and you end up paying them. Clublink got their money when you joined. Of course, if it was an equity membership, you could sell it to someone. But you don't own anything.

There were no questions asked when he quit. They did not ask why? or What can we do to make you want to stay? They said "thank you" and that was it.

 

[antaeus]

A good old fashioned slagging... I do not like Clublink.

Was a regular for years at firefighter courses Woodbine / Warden north.
Buddies and I would play twighlight fee mid-week, 1-2 times per week.
Excellent courses, a steal in extended GTA.

Offseason Clublink bought all the ff courses, doubled fees, no twighlight fee,
either nature had been harsh or Clublink fired groundskeepers, marketing
survey personnel at hole 1 and 9!!! and course marshall persistently riding
around telling us to hurry up (and we are all pretty good golfers, 70's - 80's).
In club house we overheard others complaining about all the same as us.
Less often we kept going Clublink year 1 but only because golfers abandoned
the ex-ff courses and we could play anytime, then in capitulation Clublink
dropped fee but not as low as it had been. In short, corporate cashflow
ruled over delivering quality product.

In fairness to CL, that was 5-6 years ago, maybe things improved but don't
know. But like an SP bad experience, there's so much more to try why
bother going back.

 

[Larry_Fyne]

Antaeus, nothing much has changed there except the old FF course on Woodbine (previously Gormley Greens now Station Creek) is now a Silver CL course and is private. The ripped out holes 1 and 2 of what used to be the Creek course and replaced them with new holes. Same with 8 and 9. Also replaced Creek's 10, 11, 16 & 18. Some of the changes were good, some not. The courses there are still heavy tournament venues. So, if you are a member and they have a tournament booked, you have to go to Diamondback or Emerald Hills (to stay in the area). Yes they also made a real clubhouse but that is meant more for the tournament/banquet crowds than the members. A lot of members at Station Creek are the overflow of Asian golfers (not that there is anything wrong with them - so don't start writing!) from Westview or Mandaran.

The FF course on Warden (Rolling Hills) has not changed much and is still public. I heard they are making changes there too.

Rolling Hills is now the only public ClubLink course (except for Glen Abby) in their portfolio. The last one to go down was Aurora East - now called Highgate. They destroyed the clubhouse a few years ago and are now rebuilding a new one after using a garden shed since it was destroyed.

 

[Mingo]

ClubLinks

Thanks guys a lot of things I didn't know and things I have to look into.
Strange you mentioned National Pines, I played there many times in the last three years, but one thing I noticed was the service changed last year.
The smiles was gone from the faces of many of the staff and service was different.
I noticed that also at many ClubLinks courses, that the service is not very good!
You think that when you put down $40, 000, you expect service and to get tee times when you want.
I did hear as you mentioned about the tournements, seems to be a lot of tournements on the ClubLinks clubs!.
I have to take a much closer look!
Thanks again!
Mingo

 

[Larry_Fyne]

Larry,

I've been told that people have gotten away with paying only part of the entrance fee if they left in 3rd or 4th year of the 10 yr plan.

It would be worth a try I guess Jimmy.

Mingo,
If you are looking for a membership type of thing, I just received an email the other day advertising a deal with Angus Glen, The Club at Bond Head and Taboo. No initiation and no minimums. $5000 for the year. They are going to be at the Golf Show next week. Take a look.

 

[JohnC]

I think you are better joining a single private cub and finding some regular guys to play with. One of the problems with Clublink is getting a regular game. In addition the social side is poor and the beer is expensive!!!

Where do you live?/ A lot of private courses have some good deals at the moment.

 

[shack]

What examples of private courses with good deals in the north GTA area?

There's an add in today's Star for Mandarin.

 

[marcus aurellis]

Mandarin Golf

I was a Non-equity member there a few years ago and I believe the fees were $3500 per year plus $250 a month bar tab.

The course is probably one the the top 20 in the GTA and it is a reasonable drive from downtown. It also hosted the Canadian GPGA championship a couple of times. All in all, a nice track.

Now, the downside.

The membership is 80-90% Oriental, with the vast majority being equity members. Anyone who has ever golfed in Toronto knows the frustration of playing behind a group of Aging Chinese women, none of whom can hit the ball 60 yards and will NOT let you play through! Expect 7 hour rounds on weekends.

Let the Racist comments begin.

Marcus Aurellis

 

[Mingo]

Marcus

I'm Korean and I know what you are talking about!
So I understand your comment!
Also how about Koreans playing for money, they will never give a putt.
So six hour rounds are expected, if you are behind them!
I live in Etobicoke and was looking at the new Glen Cairn in Milton ot National Pines, which is my favorit!

 

[Larry_Fyne]

I'm Korean and I know what you are talking about!
So I understand your comment!
Also how about Koreans playing for money, they will never give a putt.
So six hour rounds are expected, if you are behind them!
I live in Etobicoke and was looking at the new Glen Cairn in Milton ot National Pines, which is my favorit!

What about joining either Lionhead or Royal Ontario? They are both owned by Kaneff and you would have privleges at their other courses (Royal Niagara, Streetsville and one onther in Hamilton area I think). They are also close to Etobicoke.

 

[Mingo]

Larry Fyne

I looked at LionHead two years ago, I had a corp. membership.
But I didn't like it very much, first lots of times the course was closed due to tournements.
Second was I was often partnered up with people who could not play. I shoot in the mid 70's and my partners often times shoot over 100.
It was often a very long day.
Third was that there was never the feeling of being a member of a club, never got to know other members and after rounds never got to sit and talk about this or that!
But the staff at LionHead are great, best in the biz, imho.
Some people say that some ClubLinks course are like that also.
That's why I'm asking. sbout Clublinks

 

[teach]

good golf clubs

off topic but i'm looking to pick up the game again this year... used to pretty good years ago... about a 6 handicap... I've been out of touch with how equipment has progressed and i'm looking to pick up a new set of clubs... what are good drivers, woods, irons, putters etc? I want more "player" style clubs... I used to play with old Titleist forged blades 10 years ago and they were great... but I would want something a bit more forgiving now... any input from the golf sluts would be appreciated...

 

[Mingo]

teach

If you likes blades, take a look at the Tileist blades very nice clubs.
Also look at the Mizuno blades MP32's, great clubs. Also MP 30's not true blades, but very nice clubs! I still play with ten year old Mizuno MS clubs, I bought in Japan.
As for drivers, well there are four that I like, Tileist, Taylor Mades, Pings and Cleveland.
I play Cleveland, try it, it may not have the marketing hype like the other three, but I found it was the best for me and costs less!
Teach, do like I did, spend half a day at Golf Town, trying out different shafts and clubs.
Don't forget the shafts are very important, both on the irons and drivers, it the most important thing you can do!
Trying different shafts, will save you a lot of grief on the course!
Oh, stay away from Niki clubs, garbage!
Good luck
Mingo!

 

[teach]

Thanks Mingo, good advice, I'll do that...