Private Golf Club Improvements…and Who Pays for Them
By: Jason Becker – CEO of Golf Life Navigators
June 18, 2025
When you’re trying to find a golf club community that matches your lifestyle…
Ask this question to club officials:
“What improvement projects were conducted in the last few years…and what is planned for the next few years?”
It’s a great question for a variety of reasons, and it opens the door to an equally important question, namely…
“Who pays for these improvements?”
If you’re a member of a club (either equity or non-equity), the answer may be, “you” — via fees that fully or partially cover the cost of the projects.
These types of fees can include:
A “capital contribution” as part of your initiation fee…
One or more “assessments” down the road…
Smaller but recurring “capital improvement fees.”
To be fair, improvements often increase (or maintain) the value of an equity member’s ownership stake in the club, but it’s nice to get the scoop on any “surprise” charges that may happen soon after you join.
If you’re a member of a corporately (or singularly) owned club, renovations and improvements are usually paid for by the owner(s) of the club.
That said, read this section of the membership agreement carefully.
You will want to know what your exposure is in case there is a capital call.
(To get a list of your best-matched equity and non-equity golf club communities, complete the ProGuide³ .)
Nobody likes assessments, but they are not all bad.
Clubs committed to keeping up with the trends and desires of existing and future members help ensure it’s competitive and sustainable long into the future.
In fact, if a club has not invested into its assets in the past several years — and has no plans to – I would be concerned about the long-term strategy of the club to remain financially healthy.
If you do encounter this, it’s probably best to meet with the finance chairperson before proceeding any further.
And don’t be shy: you are making an investment, so it’s completely acceptable to ask questions to gain clarity and avoid surprises.
Surprisingly, finance chairs love these conversations because the more members are in the know, the less likely for conflict when a capital event occurs.
Oh, and one final thing for those of you also seeking a golf home:
Assessments to the club and its amenities have been proven to positively affect your home value.
This should be highly considered especially if you join a club with a non-refundable initiation.
The higher sale price of your home may help you recoup the cost of the initiation fee if you leave the club years later.
As always, if you want to find the golf club communities where you’ll be happiest, complete the ProGuide³ and we’ll send you a list of your best matches.
