Here is a fun way to make two big numbers feel instantly understandable. Take the average house price in an English county and divide it by the average full golf membership fee. The result is the number of years of membership the average home sale could cover, at the county’s typical annual rate.
No one is suggesting you should actually do it. The point is that this simple ratio turns housing and membership costs into a single, relatable yardstick. It also helps us spot where golf looks surprisingly good value, and where it looks noticeably pricey, once you take local house prices into account.
This piece compares the average full membership price in each county in England with the average house price. A trend line on the chart shows the typical relationship between the two. Counties that sit below the line are labelled undervalued because their memberships are cheaper than you would expect for the local property market. Counties above the line are labelled overvalued because memberships are more expensive than the national pattern suggests.
What the chart shows
Each dot is a county in England. The x-axis shows average sold house price. The y-axis shows the average full adult annual membership fee. The line of best fit shows the typical relationship between the two across England.
*Counties below the line are labelled undervalued (fees lower than expected for local house prices). Counties above the line are labelled overvalued (fees higher than expected).*
How “undervalued” and “overvalued” works
Think of the trend line as the going rate for England. If a county sits right on the line, its membership pricing is broadly in line with what you would expect, given its house prices.
If a county falls below the line, memberships are cheaper than expected for that house price level, so we label it undervalued. If it sits above the line, memberships are dearer than expected, so we label it overvalued. This is not a judgement on the golf itself. It is simply a way to compare pricing across counties on a like for like basis.
The headline metric: how many years of membership could a home buy?
The “years of membership” figure is calculated as: average house price ÷ average annual membership fee. Higher numbers mean membership is cheap relative to house prices. Lower numbers mean membership is expensive relative to house prices.
These counties offer the most years of membership per average home sale.
- Berkshire: about 381 years of full membership
- Cornwall: about 345 years
- Herefordshire: about 337 years
These counties offer the fewest years of membership per average home sale.
- West Midlands: about 150 years of full membership
- Merseyside: about 165 years
- Lancashire: about 168 years
Why do some counties sit above or below the line?
House prices are a good proxy for local economics, but golf club pricing is also shaped by practical realities on the ground. A county can look undervalued or overvalued for several reasons.
More clubs in an area usually means more competition for members, which can keep fees in check. Where there are fewer courses, limited land, or long waiting lists, clubs often have more pricing power.
Labour markets, utilities, course maintenance inputs, and the cost of specialist equipment can vary by county. Some areas can have moderate house prices but high operating costs, which nudges membership fees upwards.
In some counties, house prices are lifted by commuters, second homes, or tourism, while golf clubs still price around local incomes. In others, a concentration of premium private clubs can push average fees higher than you would expect.
Counties differ in the mix of private members’ clubs, proprietary clubs, and flexible membership options. That mix can shift average prices, even when housing looks similar.
Golf membership fees often track local economics. Looking at them next to house prices gives a quick way to see where golf looks cheaper or dearer than expected. Use it to narrow the search, then compare clubs on the things that matter to you.