It is one thing for private golf communities to tout their family orientation, but it is quite another for them to put their membership plans where their marketing is. With a unique, recently announced expansion of its golf plan, The Reserve at Lake Keowee in South Carolina has done just that.
In a trailblazing move, The Reserve has expanded its golf membership
Everyone in the member's "vertical" family line -- from grandparents to grandchildren -- now have full member privileges at The Reserve.
plan to include the grandparents, parents, children and grandchildren of members -– even adult children –- on a member couple’s plan. These family members enjoy all the privileges of membership without any additional fees or dues. The refundable deposit for full-family membership at The Reserve is $60,000 with dues of $455 per month, which includes all golf, access to the lakeside marinas (docking of boats and the use of canoes and kayaks), pools, tennis, fitness center and croquet.
“This plan was an extension of our philosophy of families gathering at the lake to create memories and legacies that go beyond one's own lifetime,” founding member Buddy Thompson told me. “And it was an attempt to provide even more value to our Non-Resident members in advance of their building a home here as we build-out our community.”
As the golf industry bemoans the falloff in interest by the younger generations, The Reserve has developed a plan that is likely to be copied by others. It seems shortsighted that private golf clubs begin charging fees and dues to a member’s child when he/she reaches age 23. Few are the 20-somethings who start their post-graduate careers with a stream of income that makes private club fees affordable. Why not let them remain on their parents plan at least until age 30 -– a program that The Reserve itself initiated a few years ago -- and reap the benefits of the money they will spend on golf carts, food in the clubhouse and guest fees on the golf course?
The 3,900-acre Reserve at Lake Keowee, which celebrated its 10th anniversary last year, features a well-reviewed Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course, a marina and Village Center by the lake’s shore, a large pool complex, a guesthouse and miles of nature trails. It is located in Sunset, SC, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, about an hour from Greenville/Spartanburg International Airport and a half hour from Clemson University.
If you would like more information about The Reserve at Lake Keowee or to arrange an exploratory visit, please contact me.
in Hawley, PA, about 90 minutes from New York City. Organizers set up fir trees to line the boundaries of the fairways on the two nine-hole courses; the longest holes reach 130 yards and each competitor is provided with a colored ball. You are limited to two golf clubs plus your putter. Prizes are awarded for closest to the snowman and longest drive, as well as for less skill-oriented feats (e.g. wackiest hat). The awards ceremony is held at the waterfront restaurant that overlooks the course and features an “ice-carved bar.”
