Jewish-Friendly Country Clubs (Pittsburgh, Penn Hills, Oakmont: university, young professionals, cost)

[ElijahAstin]

In addition to the historically Jewish clubs of Westmoreland and Green Oaks, are there any Pittsburgh-area country clubs that are Jewish friendly? I'm a college student at the University of Pittsburgh, a big golfer, and am considering settling here someday. I was wondering what my country club options would be.

[Pitt Chick]

Originally Posted by HeavenWood

In addition to the historically Jewish clubs of Westmoreland and Green Oaks, are there any Pittsburgh-area country clubs that are Jewish friendly?

Westmoreland??

Do you mean Lincoln Hills?

[ElijahAstin]

Lincoln Hills closed a couple years back. Westmoreland is a completely different club in Export.

[PeterRabbit]

I used to belong to Alcoma in Penn Hills but it's gone public. The membership varied and everyone got along fine whether you were Jewish, a Catholic priest or Presby. It cost about $1,400 a year plus $40 a month minimum. Brackenridge is a very nice course for being only 9 holes. They lost a lot of their older members and started taking almost anyone for $100 a year membership which I imagine is higher by now, but mayvbe not because of the recession. River Forest was membership at $20 a year. I think the owner died so I don't know the current status. I imagine your inexpensive country clubs would be accepting of anyone. I don't know of any others that are Jewish. I like Westmoreland a lot better than Green Oaks.

[Hopes]

I have never heard of an area country club not being accepting, friendly, and welcoming of Jewish members. Maybe 'Jewish-friendly' means something different to the OP.

[Copanut]

Just about every CC in this area is very friendly, as they are dying for new members. Treesdale alone has about 200 people trying to sell their memberships. As to Jewish only CCs, doesn't everyone want diversity?

[ddietrich]

Originally Posted by Copanut

Just about every CC in this area is very friendly, as they are dying for new members.

Aside from the most exclusive (which are probably Oakmont, Pittsburgh Field Club, Fox Chapel, St. Clair), this is absolutely right. My husband and I were looking at joining somewhere before we found out we had a baby on the way, and clubs are chomping at the bit for young professionals.

Pittsburgh has a lot of really excellent public golf courses as compared to other areas, so the "need" to join a country club to get on a good course isn't as strong. Also, the younger generation up here doesn't see joining a country club as as much of a social goal anymore. Membership in clubs is really aging, and they're thrilled for younger members. A good deal of country clubs in the area have gone public over the last decade or so.

I wouldn't say that being Jewish is a problem at all, especially since Pittsburgh has a pretty high Jewish population in general.

It's funny, I personally thing that being a female is more of an issue for some clubs than being a minority would be. My husband and I have a 7 year age difference, so if we were to join somewhere I would be the member and he would be the spouse (country clubs tend to have tiered levels of membership and dues for younger people, plus I have a job where I would use it more for client entertaining). At some of these clubs, despite being desperate for younger members, I, by virtue of being female, wouldn't be able to golf during "member" times, and I wouldn't be able to golf with my husband at certain times. (and I'm not talking one or two mornings during the week, I'm talking prime times- Friday mornings, Saturday mornings, etc.). One of the points of joining a club for me would be a) client entertainment and b) time to golf with my husband! But some of the old farts still running some (not all- some clubs are fabulous for women from what I hear) of the clubs still are happy to discriminate against the women - even though my golf game is much quicker than theirs (old farts who are too vain to golf from the senior tees even though they're 70+ and can't drive a ball more than 150 yards anymore).

Sorry for going a bit off topic, but in the bit of research we did, I found the whole country club dynamic in Western Pa really interesting.

[Pitt Chick]

Originally Posted by HeavenWood

Lincoln Hills closed a couple years back. Westmoreland is a completely different club in Export.

I knew Lincoln Hills was closed, but didn't know if that was the club you were referring to in Westmoreland County.
Just clarifying!

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by ddietrich

Pittsburgh has a lot of really excellent public golf courses as compared to other areas, so the "need" to join a country club to get on a good course isn't as strong. Also, the younger generation up here doesn't see joining a country club as as much of a social goal anymore.

Weren't there IRS changes in the early 90's prohibiting write offs for country clubs?

I think that's the main reason country clubs have lost younger members. Many people joined country clubs for business networking.

Originally Posted by ddietrich

It's funny, I personally thing that being a female is more of an issue for some clubs than being a minority would be.

I totally agree. I know the woman who was the first full (forget the terminology) woman member of Oakmont. She paid a fortune for that honor in the early 90s.

[ddietrich]

Originally Posted by Hopes

Weren't there IRS changes in the early 90's prohibiting write offs for country clubs?

I think that's the main reason country clubs have lost younger members. Many people joined country clubs for business networking.

That's true, I forgot about that since it was before my time!