Over the past few months, I have built a comprehensive database of membership pricing from more than 800 golf clubs across 48 English counties. Using this dataset, I have identified the ten counties where a Full Adult membership is, on average, the most expensive. As with my analysis of the cheapest counties, I use the median (50th percentile) price in each county as a measure of the “typical” club, helping to reduce the impact of unusually high or low outliers. Note: I only inlude clubs where the membership prices are publically available on the club’s website. The averages of some of these counties is likely to be higher given the strong correlation between exclusivity and non-disclosure of pricing.
The table below lists the ten English counties with the highest median Full Adult membership price, alongside the number of clubs contributing data to each county’s median:
| # | County | Average Full Adult membership | Clubs counted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greater London | £1,780 | 43 clubs |
| 2 | Surrey | £1,689 | 30 clubs |
| 3 | Hertfordshire | £1,580 | 23 clubs |
| 4 | West Midlands | £1,535 | 17 clubs |
| 5 | Buckinghamshire | £1,475 | 19 clubs |
| 6 | Worcestershire | £1,457 | 12 clubs |
| 7 | Essex | £1,425 | 22 clubs |
| 8 | Warwickshire | £1,395 | 13 clubs |
| 9 | West Sussex | £1,388 | 16 clubs |
| 10 | East Sussex | £1,380 | 14 clubs |
Figure 1 below shows a choropleth map of England shaded by the median annual cost of Full Adult membership in each county. On this view, a clear pattern emerges: the highest prices cluster around Greater London and its commuter belt, with a second band of relatively expensive golf in parts of the Midlands and the South East.
At the top of the list sits Greater London, where the median cost of a Full Adult membership is £1,780 per year across 43 clubs. Just behind are Surrey and Hertfordshire, both long-established strongholds of premium private golf. Even counties slightly further from the capital, such as Buckinghamshire, West Sussex and East Sussex, command median prices comfortably above £1,350.
Greater London: England’s most expensive county for golf membership
London’s position at the top of the rankings will raise few eyebrows. High demand for private golf, intense competition for land and strong corporate membership markets all contribute to elevated pricing. Many London clubs combine historic prestige with tight access and waiting lists, creating an environment where headline annual fees and joining costs can be significantly higher than in the rest of the country.
The 43 clubs included in the London sample span a broad range of course styles and membership models, but the data point is clear: for golfers who want to keep their home club inside the M25, a four-figure annual fee is the norm rather than the exception.
Surrey and Hertfordshire: premium golf in the commuter belt
Surrey and Hertfordshire, with median Full Adult memberships of £1,689 and £1,580 respectively, illustrate how London’s influence extends well beyond its administrative boundary. Both counties are home to clusters of highly rated parkland and heathland courses, many with long waiting lists and strong reputations for conditioning and practice facilities.
For many members, the appeal of these clubs lies in the combination of convenient access to London, high-quality golf and strong club cultures. However, that mix comes at a price: median fees in Surrey and Hertfordshire are more than double those in the cheapest counties in the north of England.
The Midlands and beyond: rising prices away from London
While the South East dominates the top of the table, the data also show that high golf membership prices are not exclusive to London’s orbit. The West Midlands and Warwickshire both feature among the ten most expensive counties, with median Full Adult memberships of £1,535 and £1,395 respectively.
These counties benefit from large urban populations, strong local economies and a concentration of well-regarded clubs. Worcestershire and Essex also appear in the top ten, reflecting their proximity to major transport routes and, in Essex’s case, spillover demand from East London and the wider South East.
Conclusion
Taken together, the table and the map in Figure 1 highlight a clear geographical divide in golf membership pricing. Greater London, Surrey and Hertfordshire set the pace at the premium end of the market, with much of the South East and parts of the Midlands not far behind. For golfers prioritising convenience and prestige, these counties offer no shortage of options – but those benefits come with some of the highest annual fees in the country.
For players who are willing to travel further afield, the contrast with the cheapest counties in the north of England is striking. The same budget that secures a mid-range membership in the London area can often fund access to championship-quality golf elsewhere. Ultimately, golfers wishing to play at the best clubs in the south of the country must be prepared to pay a premium for the privilege.