It is one of the first questions I hear from buyers looking at golf communities in North Scottsdale, and it makes sense. You are looking at a home on the fourteenth fairway, there is a clubhouse at the end of the street, and it feels like the two should come as a set.
In most of Scottsdale, they do not. Buying the home and joining the club are separate decisions, with separate costs and sometimes separate waiting lists. Knowing how a community handles it before you fall in love with a house can save you a lot of disappointment, or a lot of money.
The three ways it usually works
- Membership is separate and optional. You can buy a home and never join. You still live inside the gates, but the golf, dining and clubhouse amenities belong to members.
- Membership is separate and selective. The club decides who joins, often by sponsorship or invitation, and owning a home in the community does not move you up the list.
- There is no membership at all. The course is public or daily-fee, and anyone can book a tee time.
A few communities sit in between, with a social membership tied to owning a home or a mandatory membership written into the community documents. That is why it is worth confirming the current rules for any specific home before you write an offer.
How it works in a few well-known communities
Desert Mountain: you do not have to be a member to live there. Without a membership, though, the clubhouses, dining, golf and pools are off the table, and for most buyers those are a big part of the reason to be there.
Whisper Rock: membership is by sponsorship and invitation, and it is not tied to owning a home in Whisper Rock Estates. Buying a home does not come with a place in the club.
The Boulders: golf membership is open whether or not you own a home there, while the social and clubhouse memberships are reserved for Boulders homeowners.
Ancala: membership at Ancala Country Club is applied for separately and does not come with the home. The club offers golf, sports and social categories, plus a young professional option.
Legend Trail: the course is public, so there is no membership to worry about. You live near the golf and book a tee time like anyone else.
What to ask before you buy
- Is membership required, optional or by invitation?
- If I want to join, is there a waitlist, and how long is it right now?
- What does joining cost up front, and what are the monthly dues and minimums?
- Can a membership transfer with the home, and does the seller have one to sell?
- What can I use without a membership: trails, pools, fitness, dining?
Quick answers
Does buying a home in a Scottsdale golf community include club membership?
Usually not. In most Scottsdale golf communities, buying the home and joining the club are separate decisions with separate costs, and some clubs have waiting lists.
Can I live in a golf community without joining the club?
In many communities, yes. You live inside the community, but the golf, dining and clubhouse amenities are for members. A few communities require membership or tie a social membership to owning a home, so confirm the rules for each home.
Can a club membership transfer with the home?
Sometimes. Some clubs allow a seller to transfer or sell a membership with the home, and others do not. Ask the club and the seller before you write an offer.
Membership options, fees and waitlists change often, sometimes several times a year, so I do not publish figures. If you are weighing two or three communities, tell me how you like to play and live and I will get you the current picture for each before we tour.
If you are just starting to look, the golf community guides cover each club, the current market and how membership works, community by community.
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