Sagamore Golf Club is one of the most prestigious memberships in the world. The private club and its courses have hosted some of the biggest names in golf including Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Gary Player. A full members’ package at Sagamore will set you back by far more than you’d expected – a fact that probably won’t surprise you given the exclusive nature of the club. The good news is that the dues are significantly reduced if you are a rookie golfer and even more so if you are a junior. In this article, we’ll explore the costs associated with joining this legendary club.
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Overall Costs For A New Member
No matter if you are a long-time golfer or a complete beginner, joining Sagamore Golf Club will set you back by far more than you’d anticipated. Although the membership fees are relatively low, the other associated costs are enough to keep you busy for the whole year. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll need to know:
Gym Memberships
One of the first things you’ll need to do if you’re joining a gym is to buy a gym membership. If you’re planning on going to the gym regularly, then you may want to look into buying a yearly membership rather than a monthly one. Having a membership will also allow you to use the gym any time you want, rather than having to make reservations or go at specific times. Many gyms offer a complementary sports massage therapy session with your workout, and some even offer yoga classes. If you go at least three times per week, this will add up quick – especially if you’re buying individual sessions rather than booking a full hour of exercise per day.
Health Insurance
Golf is a recreational sport, and although it’s not considered dangerous, it is rather demanding physically. If you’re planning on joining a gym and wanting to play golf regularly, then it’s important to have health insurance. The cost of health insurance depends on the plan you choose, but as a general rule, it’s going to add up to at least a few hundred dollars per month that you’re paying out of your own pocket. Without health insurance, you run the risk of getting sick or injured and not being able to play golf at all. If you become chronically ill or injured while on the course, your golf membership may be cancelled by the club since the main purpose of the sport is to get outside and stay active.
Driver
The first thing you’re going to need if you’re playing golf regularly is a golf driver. There are two types of golf drivers: a straight set of clubs and a putter-type set. The straight set usually costs more, but you don’t need a putter for every round. A putter-type set is going to be your cheapest option, but be careful not to damage your wrists trying to learn how to hold the ball properly. Another thing to watch out for is the grip. You’ll get better at finding the right grip for yourself as you go along, but if you’ve never tried it before, you may want to get a handle that’s a little easier to hold. When choosing a driver, it’s also important to look at how the head of the club feels in your hands. This is going to affect how much power the club has, and how well it drives. The distance that the ball travels is also important, so be sure to get a club that gets the job done. You don’t need to buy a super expensive club just to make a quick sale. When buying a new set of clubs, you’ll usually get a free club repairman’s service for the first year – something to look forward to.
Golf Clubs
Although golf clubs aren’t expensive individually, buying a set is still going to cost you money. The type of club you’ll need really depends on what type of golf you’re playing. If you’re playing on a course with rough obstacles, you’ll definitely want to buy a set of metal clubs – especially since you’re going to be hitting the ball a lot on the rough. A set of metal clubs is also ideal if you’re playing in a cold climate and the ball tends to be frozen on the course. Whatever the case, make sure you buy clubs that feel good in your hands and have the right balance of weight – too many clubs that are too light and you may have trouble hitting the ball hard enough; too many that are too heavy and you may hurt yourself when making a swing. When it comes to buying clubs, don’t expect to find anything good at all costs. There are many lies and deceitful practices that retailers and manufacturers get away with, but you’re better off being your own best customer and doing your own research.
Golf Bag
If you play golf frequently, you may want to invest in a good golf bag. The size of your bag will depend on how big a golf bag you can afford. If it’s the size of a small dog, then you may want to consider looking for used items or golf bags from an earlier era. Many golfers also like to organize their bag’s contents so it’s easy to find what they need when they need it. Some even use different colors for different types of clubs so they can easily identify which one is which.
Golf Shoes
Golf shoes are also going to be one of the biggest expenses if you’re playing the sport regularly. You’ll need a pair of shoes for every type of course you play, and depending on the conditions, you may want to upgrade your current pair of golf shoes or buy a new pair entirely. The good news is that shoes aren’t that expensive, and you can get quality pairs for a reasonable price if you know where to look. It’s also important to get a shoe that fits snugly and comfortably on your feet. When it comes to buying new shoes, it’s important to consider your feet and what size and shape they are. You don’t want to buy a shoe that’s too small or too large for you because it’ll hurt your feet and ruin your enjoyment of the sport.
Titleist Pro V1x
The last but not least item on our list is Titleist Pro V1X. This is the latest in a line of Titleist golf balls that are designed to replace the traditional golf ball. The good news is that this ball is completely waterproof and has a higher coefficient of restitution – which means it will travel straighter than most other types of balls. As a result, the ball will stay in play much longer before hitting the ground. This is going to make it much more difficult for the opposition to come back and retake the lead. If you’re looking for a golf ball that won’t break easily and stays in play longer, then this is the one for you. However, make sure you practice with this ball until you get used to it and can improve your game with it. As with all new balls, it takes some time for your muscles to get familiar with the feel of the ball in your hand. Once you do, you’ll instantly notice a difference in how the ball performs when compared to other types of balls.
As you can see above, all things considered, joining Sagamore Golf Club is going to cost you a pretty penny. Even with all of those expenses, however, you’ll still have plenty of money left over to enjoy your new found hobby. So it would be a great idea to sign up for a gym membership, get a good pair of golf clubs, and spend a few hundred dollars buying a good bag, golf shoes, and the Titleist Pro V1X golf ball. With that much money left over, you might consider buying a better pair of sunglasses to enjoy the game more.