My 2 cents: The Carolina Trail offers a ton of membership options across its 5 courses (The Divide, Charlotte Golf Links, Tradition, Waterford, Highland Creek). They run specials throughout the year. I get email specials on memberships once a month it seems. Unless you plan to play 1-2 times a week for sure, with some weekends, golf memberships, in my opinion, are too pricey.

For the semi-private courses around town, you pay $30-$45 on a weekday (with many discount options if you check the paper or links off this web site) and $45-$65 on weekends. At 1 or 2 rounds a week, you’re talking $150-$200 at any course you like, carts included. Typically, the membership dues are in the $175-$250 range and most don’t include cart fees. Don’t forget, too, that in the winter you may not play much at all, yet you’re still paying dues.

With those caveats, Carolina Trail is a decent option around town, since you can get a package deal that includes all 5 of their courses. If you’re interested, I can share the email deals that I’ve seen recently in case you need to negotiate.

What part of Charlotte do you live? Lots of options depending on location and your budget.