N.Y. GOLF
OK, you want to join a private golf club but don’t know where to go. Call Country Club Advisor.
Yep, there’s a matchmaker out there pairing up lonesome golfers with member-starved country clubs. Based in Long Island, Country Club Advisor (866-267-4747) has been in business since February, working with private clubs in Westchester and Long Island. And the best part is the applicant pays no fee to CCA. If CCA finds a club for you, the club pays a finder’s fee.
“A lot of clubs know they must reach out to find the next generation of members,” says David Shaw, CCA president.
“It’s kind of a Catch-22. Some clubs don’t like to advertise, and it’s hard to find people. And there are people out there who have no idea how to join a club or have no time. They might have fear of rejection.
“We try to fill that gap.”
The process begins with a two-page application form that can be mailed or faxed to CCA (See Countryclubadvisor.com). A personal profile is then created for each applicant, whose personal identity remains protected.
Applicants are screened about employment and financial history and asked how much they might want to spend for initiation fee and dues.
Club initiation fees can vary widely, ranging between $10,000 and $50,000. Dues and other charges can range between $800 and $2,000 monthly. Some clubs offer introductory rates or are willing structure payments over five to 10 years based on a promissory note.
“We find the club that fits the profile,” Shaw says. “It’s like going to a co-op.”
So far, CCA has received nearly 200 applications and referred about 30 candidates to various clubs.
Applicants also can choose to have their profiles considered at the club of their choice. CCA will present that profile to a particular club and determine if there’s a willingness on the club’s part to meet with that candidate. Once both sides give the green light, a meeting is arranged.
“The doors open when you come up with right applicant,” Shaw says. “It’s not your father’s country club any more.”