Massimo - I completely understand your situation as I have been there myself many years ago and now once again just recently. I was a member at a semiprivate club and joined a brand new private course 23 years ago. Despite leaving some good friends behind, I never regretted the move. I quickly made new friends and found the golf experience was different given how close all the members became. Then a couple of years ago our private course hooked in with a larger company that manages golf courses and has memberships across Canada. We essentially became a semiprivate course and we all noticed a distinct change in attitudes amongst the staff as well as the members. A number of the long time members left searching for a new home. I too was put in a position like you where the cost of the private club is higher, but over all I feel that it is a great opportunity to get back that feeling I had many years ago when I first made the move to a private club. Of course - every club is different, but it is up to the members to make it special. If you get involved in club events and make a concerted effort to try and play with as many different members you can through the year, it will likely be a decision you will not regret ! Hope that helps...
PS: Another benefit of being in a private club is that the members take pride in membership and typically try much harder to look after the facility. ie: raking bunkers, replacing divots, and focussing on golfing not partying...

I got 3 mini memberships this year. You have to work out how much rounds you play vs the cost of the membership. I don't play enough with work and kids getting in the way to justify the cost of a full membership. Most full membership places also have a food and beverage minimum so thats an additional cost.

Another thing is, I cant give up my golf trips!!!!!!

Hey Massimo, for me I like playing semi-private clubs. I like getting out to different clubs. The different challenges of each course, but like Darius said with a private club you have members who care.

I had been a member of a city owned golf course for 20 years, it got to the point of having so many members that either you can’t get a tee time on a weekend or it takes 5-6 hours to play.

A friend of mine was a member of a country club 40 miles away, beautiful, manicured golf course with many bunkers, water and lots of trees, but can still find your ball, since the rough is mowed down like the second cut of the fairway. But, it’s still pretty much a penalty because of all the trees, a lot of punch outs.

Two years ago, they offered an out of county membership for half the price on initiation fee and memberships on a 2 year contract. We jumped on it since my son is 12 and plays in junior tournaments. We still get the discount for being regional members and is twice as much as the city owned course, but we play three times as much, and the course is 5 times nicer than the city owned. There is no one on the course on weekends after 3:00, we play 18 holes in 3.5 hours and either he goes swimming or he will play another 9 or practice with me. The members are great there and my wife and I love the prime rib weekends there to satisfy our monthly food and drink spending. I wouldn’t go back to a public course again. Seems like after Covid, public courses got really busy. Semi private or country clubs are worth the money for serious golfers that love the game.

If I could do it I would join private course in a heart beat. My work schedule has me all over the place ,so at this time its semiprivate and green fee the odd courses. I have friends at private courses and I have played as a guest big difference in quality, pace of play and overall amenities. Tough call but it all depends on what your heart says good luck