Heather Hoke Archives - Helen Brown Group

October 3, 2019 By Helen Brown Leave a Comment

A Peek Into Exclusive Golf Club Memberships

Sometimes when you’re in the middle of researching someone, you never know what piece of information is going to provide you with insight into their wealth. This week my colleague Heather Hoke wrote a treat of an article on exclusive golf clubs and how much a person would need to spend (or earn) to belong. Enjoy! ~Helen

We frequently associate private golf clubs with wealth and privilege. What comes to mind is perfectly manicured grounds, beautiful scenery, a massive clubhouse, parking valets, and members sipping cocktails in a room with an abundance of dark paneling. There is a high price to membership for such clubs with elite rosters, with initiation fees that can reach seven figures, and wait lists that can be years long.

The most exclusive golf clubs are quite secretive about the cost of membership and the process to become a member. Most are by invitation only and require that an existing member (or two or three) refer someone for membership. Then the Board often evaluates each candidate as well.

Among the costs to join a club are an initiation fee, annual dues, and a monthly minimum spend for food and drink. Some clubs also divide up the cost of grounds maintenance among its members.

How do you find out if someone is a member of an exclusive golf club?

I use GHIN (Golf Handicap and Information Network) which is a handicapping service provided by the U.S. Golf Association. There are more than 14,000 participating clubs and more than 2 million golfers using GHIN, and usage has expanded outside the U.S., too. It’s a great resource to check if an individual is a golfer and what clubs they are members of, and it is also a way to find possible connections to your organization. Here are some of the priciest clubs:

Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, GA

Initiation fee: $250,000-$500,000; Annual dues: $10,000+
Home to the prestigious Masters tournament and voted the #1 Platinum Club of the World, Golf & Country Clubs for 2018-19, membership is strictly invitation only. In fact, making it known that you are interested in being a member is a sure way not to be invited! The club’s 300 members are not allowed to speak publicly about club policy.

The Bridge in Bridgehampton, NY

Initiation fee: $1 million
It has only about 150 members and is not a traditional club. It has a contemporary clubhouse with a relaxed atmosphere where wearing jeans or a cap are encouraged.

Cherokee Town and Country Club in Atlanta, GA

Initiation fee: $200,000; Annual dues: $7,500
To be considered for membership, a recommendation must be made by at least four members.

The Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, IL

Fees: Unknown
One of the five founding clubs of the U.S. Golf Association in 1894, this club limits its members to about 100.

Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, MD

Initiation fee: $150,000
Founded in 1924, members of Congress and U.S. Presidents are among the membership. There is a 10-year wait list.

The Country Club in Brookline, MA

Fees: Unknown
This was the first country club in the U.S., starting as an equestrian and social club in 1882 (golf being introduced in 1893). It is surrounded by fence and has a guard house with a “guard” that is a mannequin named “Woody.” It has been selected to host the 2022 U.S. Open.

Cypress Point Club in Pebble Beach, CA

The fees are determined by yearly running costs which are divided between members regardless of how often they use the club. It has 200-250 members and on average, only 30 golfers play a day.

East Hampton Golf Club in East Hampton, NY

Initiation fee: $400,000
Members must either have a net worth of $1 million+ (excluding homes and cars) or earn more than $200,000 a year.

Fishers Island Club in Fishers Island, NY

Fees: Unknown
It is only accessible by ferry or private plane.

Friar’s Head in Riverhead, NY

Initiation fee: $250,000+
Described by some as feeling like a new-age luxury hotel, it has its own helicopter approach and landing pad.

Hillcrest Country Club in Los Angeles, CA

Initiation fee: $185,000-$275,000
A home visit and tax returns are requirements for membership.

Liberty National Golf Course in Jersey City, NJ

Initiation fee: $450,000-$500,000; Annual dues: $29,000
Across from Manhattan, it has a marina and private vessel for its 200 members. It cost $250 million to build, making it the most expensive golf course ever built.

The Los Angeles Country Club in Los Angeles, CA

Fees: Unknown
It’s considered ultra-exclusive and has a strict no ‘movie-star’ policy. It will be the location for the 2023 U.S. Open.

Nanea Golf Club in Kailua-Kona, HI

Fees: Unknown
Since its creation in 2003, it has become one of the most exclusive, secluded and secretive clubs in the world. Membership is by invitation only and it is even difficult to find by GPS.

National Golf Links of America in Southampton, NY

Initiation fee: $150,000+; Annual dues: $10,000
Opened in 1909 by a group of Wall Street executives, it has earned the nickname “America’s Snootiest Golf Course.”

Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, PA

Initiation fee: $75,000+
Apart from Augusta National, Oakmont has hosted more major Championships than any other course in the U.S. and is considered one of the toughest courses in the world.

Pine Valley Golf Club in Pine Valley, NJ

Fees: Unknown
The member list is a closely guarded secret of the Board, who are the only ones allowed to extend invitations to potential members. The membership is male-only, with women allowed to play on Sundays.

Sebonack Golf Club in Southampton, NY

Initiation fee: $650,000-$1 million
Membership is capped at 200 at this club on 300-acres of waterfront.

Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, FL

Fees: Unknown
With only 300 members, it is so exclusive it even turned down golf pro Jack Nicklaus. Members get to take part in an annual tournament where members are paired with pro golfers.

Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, CA

Initiation fee: $160,000-$200,000; Annual dues: $7,300
It has around 475 members, including many Hollywood stars.

Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, NY

Fees: Unknown
Host of the 2018 U.S. Open, it is the #3 Platinum Club of the World, Golf & Country Clubs 2018-19. Members can invite guests, but guest tee times usually fill up months in advance and there is a $350 green fee.

Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, NY

Initiation fee: $200,000+
It will host the 2020 U.S. Open.

This is just a glimpse into some of the priciest golf clubs. Do you have any to add to the list? What exclusive clubs are near you?

October 4, 2018 By Helen Brown Leave a Comment

This is a game-changer!

Is there anything more fun in fundraising intelligence than sharing resources with others? My colleague Heather Hoke shares a glimpse into one of those moments of shared excitement that sparked this article where she shares a ton of her favorite resources. ~Helen

In August, I had the opportunity to attend the APRA conference in Pittsburgh where I sat in on some informative sessions and met development researchers with years of experience and those just starting out in the profession. I also had some great conversations with other attendees, one of which led to my idea for this article. [Read more…]

July 6, 2017 By Helen Brown Leave a Comment

No Budget For Paid Research Resources? This is for you!

This week we welcome HBG Senior Researcher Heather Hoke to share her knowledge on the blog. Every year, nearly a third of attendees at our professional association conference are brand new to our field. The Apra conference in July is one of the best places for new researchers to find in-depth training and unparalleled opportunities to network, test-drive critical resources, and learn from experienced colleagues. If you don’t have the budget this year but still need information to get you started, Heather’s article will help launch you with lots of advice and resources.

I have been a development researcher for more than 15 years and have had the opportunity to meet many new researchers starting out in our profession who need to learn the basics. It’s an exciting time for them, but our field can be a bit overwhelming.

I have met folks just starting out in a non-profit or educational institution with no prior experience or training on how to do prospect research to advance fundraising. And sometimes, to make things more difficult, there may be no researcher on staff to guide them. [Read more…]

December 29, 2016 By Helen Brown 1 Comment

The most popular articles of 2016 from The Intelligent Edge

I’m going to get to the top posts of 2016 in just a second, but as we bid goodbye to 2016 – a rollercoaster year if ever there was one – we at The Helen Brown Group wanted to take a moment to say thank you.

To our clients, thank you for making 2016 our best year yet. Your missions – and your personal dedication to them – inspire us to do our best work for you. Our appreciation also goes out to the kind folks who point others in our direction – grateful thanks for your referrals.

To our 1,200+ Intelligent Edge subscribers and to the readers who drop by, thanks for signing up, for reading, and for your comments, both on and offline. Two years ago, our mailing list comprised 65 hearty souls! We couldn’t be prouder of the way our readership has grown or thank our wonderful guest bloggers enough. Thank you.

We also really appreciate our vendor partners, who make the great tools we use and who share our commitment to using quality information to make the world a better place.

And to our colleagues in the prospect development community – thank you so much for your support and for the part you play in building and growing this wonderful profession.

And now, to our top five… [Read more…]

June 2, 2016 By Helen Brown 8 Comments

Why Virtual Workers Are a Real Asset

This month we welcome HBG Research Associate Heather Hoke to the blog. Even before she joined HBG, Heather had years of experience with the benefits of being a remote worker. In this week’s post, Heather shares her knowledge and some of the latest research on why virtual workers may make sense for your organization.

Are you looking to hire or retain a superstar fundraising researcher? Consider implementing flexible work arrangements, including work-from-home (WFH) policies. There are benefits to both employers and employees.

Based on what I see on Prspct-L and APRA’s Career Center, many nonprofits are hiring new staff in prospect development. There are some 5,300 colleges and universities and more than 1.5 million nonprofits in the US, and there are about 2,000 APRA members worldwide. As you can see, the potential pool of development researchers to be employed at these institutions is quite small. If you are not looking to hire now, you likely will be in the future. A survey released by CareerBuilder found that more than one in five employees are planning to leave their current place of employment during 2016, a 5% increase since last year. Why not do something that will keep your best employees and expand your hiring pool to include people that live in other states? [Read more…]