A country club is a private club which offers a variety of recreational sports facilities to its members. Two of the most common types of facilities are tennis and golf clubs, although others sports such as polo exist as well. Country clubs usually provide dining facilities to their members and guests, and frequently host catered events like weddings.

Country club membership

Membership requirements vary greatly among different clubs, but generally a new member must be accepted or invited by current members, and pay a membership fee and monthly or yearly dues. At the most expensive U.S. clubs, membership fees can exceed $300,000.

The primary benefits of membership are:

• Access to private facilities (such as a golf course), which are usually better maintained and less crowded than public facilities.
• Inclusion in a social network of fellow members.

The United States

Country clubs can be exclusive organizations. In addition to the fees, some clubs have additional requirements to join. For example, membership can be limited to those who reside in a particular housing community. Prior to the late 20th century, some country clubs refused to admit members of minority racial groups, such as African American, Asian Americans, and Hispanic Americans, as well as members with specific faiths, such as Jewish or Catholic individuals. Later court challenges forced clubs to drop these policies, though clubs still exist that refuse membership to women. In addition, club membership is self-selective and people often choose to join clubs where they associate with people from similar socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.

In one example, in 1990 professional golfer Tom Watson resigned from the Kansas City Country Club in Mission Hills, Kansas, in protest after local businessman and civic leader Henry Bloch was denied membership. Watson believed the club denied Bloch because he was Jewish. Although Watson is not Jewish, his then-wife and children are. After Watson's nationally-publicized protest, Bloch was offered a membership, which he accepted. Watson rejoined the club in 1995.^[1]

The Augusta National Golf Club, where The Masters golf tournament is played, is one of the most well-known clubs that does not admit women.

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, most exclusive country clubs are simply golf clubs, and play a smaller role in their communities than American country clubs; gentlemen's clubs in Britain -- many of which admit women while remaining socially exclusive -- fill many roles of the country club in the United States. The issue of male-only clubs does, however, sometimes arouse controversy. On an episode of Room 101 in 1995, Jeremy Clarkson argued the case for the condemnation of golf clubs because of the mentality of those who frequent them.

Australia

Country clubs exist in multiple forms, including athletic based clubs and golf clubs. Notable examples are the Breakfast Point Country Club in Sydney, Castle Hill Country Club, The Gold Coast Polo & Country Club and the Sanctuary Cove's Country Club.

See also

• Gentlemen's club - a similarly exclusive club (often known as a city club), although usually without the concentration on outdoor activities
• List of American gentlemen's clubs

References