Jordan Spieth is a member of Royal Birkdale.
But he had to win the 2017 Open Championship to earn that honor.
Which begs the question, now that the Open is back at Royal Birkdale: for those of us who’ll never hoist the Claret Jug, what does it take to join the club?
Given its tournament pedigree and regal designation, you might expect Royal Birkdale to charge a king’s ransom. But this is England, not the United States, where initiation fees at marquee clubs routinely climb into six figures. Like many top clubs across the UK and Ireland, Royal Birkdale keeps membership relatively affordable while drawing significant revenue from outside play. Green fees range from £450 to £495 (roughly $610 to $670), depending on the season, and golfers are clearly willing to pay them. According to the club’s website, visitor times at Royal Birkdale are effectively sold out.
Compare that to the cost of joining. Several sources with close ties to Royal Birkdale told GOLF.com that the club’s initiation fee is £6,600 (about $9,000). After that, annual dues are £2,200, or around $3,000.
By championship-golf standards, that’s a bargain.
There’s a catch, of course. Membership is full, and openings don’t crop up very often. There’s no waiting list, either. Instead, prospective members need an existing member to propose them and another to second the nomination, along with as many additional supporters as they can muster.
Then comes the vetting process. Prospective members play multiple rounds with current members, who aren’t simply evaluating their golf. They also want to know whether you’d make for a good clubmate. Are you pleasant company? Can you get around the course at a reasonable pace? In short, are you someone they’d actually enjoy spending 18 holes with, plus time at the bar?
Winning the Claret Jug remains the fastest route to membership. For everyone else, patience—and the right playing partners—will have to do.
