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Members of exclusive golf courses often spend most of the golf season playing at their home courses. After all, when you pay so much money for your annual green fees, it makes sense to get value for your money.
However, Thousand Greens is a membership scheme that invites members of prestigious golf clubs to connect with like-minded members in different parts of the world in order to broaden their golfing horizons.
Here, we explain everything you need to know about this membership and help you decide if signing up for this exclusive and prestigious community is attractive to you.
Take a look at this promo video explaining how Thousand Greens works:
What is Thousand Greens?
Thousand Greens is a global community of golfers at private golf clubs from different parts of the world who are keen to share and play golf with like-minded individuals. The platform was launched in 2017 as a way to connect golfers from different courses in various parts of the world.
Presently, there are more than 9,000 members, which includes people from more than 3,100 clubs in forty different countries.* Any person who is a member of a golf club can join Thousand Greens before being placed in one of four tiers (more on this shortly).
Overall, Thousand Greens is an excellent networking opportunity for private club golfers from different parts of the world and brings a whole new social dimension to the game. It also lets members of exclusive clubs play at other desirable tracks in different parts of the US and further afield.
Read on to find out more about how Thousand Greens works and whether a membership is a good option for you this season.
How Much Does Thousand Greens Cost?
Although membership of Thousand Greens was free initially, there is now a cost to join the platform. However, Thousand Greens does not disclose how much it costs, instead describing the joining fee as ‘nominal,’ explaining that it costs less than losing a Pro-V1 golf ball.
The nominal fee is charged to cover the core costs of running and maintaining the app. In addition to this initial membership fee, you will be required to pay green fees, caddy fees, and other costs associated with your game of golf at a partner course.
Every golf course charges differently for member-invited guests, so it’s important to realize that the costs of a game of golf will vary depending on where you play and who you play with.
But given that membership of Thousand Greens is available for a nominal cost, it’s a worthwhile investment if you’re a member of a prestigious club, as you can access an extensive network of fellow players who you can get to know via the network.
What Courses are Part of Thousand Greens?
Thousands Green doesn’t disclose which courses are part of the membership scheme. However, to have your membership application approved, you need to be a member of a ‘highly regarded’ golf club, which is a problematically subjective term.
The founder of Thousand Greens, Manish Goel, practically confirmed that ‘highly regarded’ refers to clubs that can be found on a Top 100 list.** But given that not all courses are created equally, it necessitated the creation of the Thousand Greens tier system, which is a way of leveling the playing field.
Essentially, members are able to play golf courses that have a similar level of exclusivity and prestige as their home course, which is how the entire Thousand Greens membership scheme works.
Therefore, you can expect to find the very best courses in cities, states, and countries from different parts of the world as part of the Thousand Greens network, but you need to be a member of such a course to be invited to join the platform.
What are the Benefits of Membership?
Primarily, the main advantage of joining Thousand Greens is the fact that you have the opportunity to connect with like-minded golfers and increase the social element of the game. Membership enables members of exclusive clubs to play different courses from around the world.
Given that golfers pay thousands of dollars a year for exclusive golf club memberships, it presents an enviable opportunity to play golf at other venues that have a similar standing. This means that golfers can essentially broaden their playing options and access prestigious courses that may previously have been off-limits.
Fundamentally, the app gives you the opportunity to host other members of the Thousand Greens network as an invited guest to your course, and the guest is then responsible for paying the cost of their green fees, caddy fees, and any other costs associated with the round.
Overall, for members of prestigious, private golf clubs, membership of Thousand Greens is advantageous and is a great way to broaden your horizons if you’re looking to play exciting courses in different parts of the world.
Is there a Thousand Greens App?
Yes, you can download the Thousand Greens app on iOS and Android.*** By downloading the app to your smartphone, you can instantly tap into an extensive network of like-minded golfers who may provide you with the opportunity to play at a prestigious golf course.
The app is perhaps the best way to use Thousand Greens, but you can also log in to your account via your desktop computer, which is a viable option if you need to make any changes to your account.
If you don’t want to clutter your phone with too many apps, the desktop version of Thousand Greens works perfectly well, and you can keep up to date with the community by subscribing to newsletter updates. Either way, it’s a great way to stay connected to your golfing peers.
In terms of reviews, the app is highly regarded by members on both iOS and Android, highlighting the fact that it’s a worthwhile addition to your smartphone if you’re a member of the Thousand Greens community.
How Do the Tier Levels Work?
There are four tier levels for members of Thousand Greens:
- Best in world
- Best in country
- Best in state
- Best in city
The rule for members is that when seeking access to another club within the Thousand Greens network, you must stay within your tier or lower. This essentially protects players who play at courses regarded as ‘best in the world’ – Augusta National, for instance – being flooded by requests from members of inferior courses.
While it might come across as elitist, the Thousand Greens tier system is designed to enable players of prestigious golf courses to play with members of golf courses that are at a similar level.
For those with exclusive golf club memberships, the Thousand Greens membership is undoubtedly an attractive proposition, and it widens the net significantly in terms of where you can play golf.
How Do I Log in to Thousand Greens?
You can log in to Thousand Greens on your smartphone via the app or by accessing the desktop version of the platform. As soon as you have created an account and been approved as a member, you can personalize your login details for ease of login in the future.
When you’ve logged in, you can submit playing requests to fellow members, and you will also be able to receive requests from the community. You’re not required to accept any connection requests that are not convenient for you.
If you download the Thousand Greens app to your smartphone, it makes sense to stay logged in so you can easily see and respond to connection requests from other members.
Should you have any problems logging in or accessing your account, you should contact tech support. But generally speaking, Thousand Greens is an excellent platform and app, providing you with a whole host of opportunities to connect with like-minded golfers.
Are There Any Good Alternatives to Thousand Greens?
Thousand Greens is very much one of a kind. It was founded in 2017 because there was a lack of connection between members of the most prestigious golf courses in the world, and it certainly offers a unique solution to that specific problem.
However, Thousand Greens isn’t the only app to connect golfers, and there are lots of apps that you can turn to in order to improve the social side of the game. One such app is All Square Golf, which enables golfers to connect with other players around the world. ****
The main difference between All Square Golf and Thousand Greens is that the former is not exclusive to members of prestigious golf courses and is open to everyone.
You can also connect with other golfers on sites like MeetUp and even Facebook, depending on how you use your social networks. Thanks to the internet, there are so many opportunities to connect with golfers in different parts of the world!
Conclusion
If you’re a member of a prestigious golf course, then Thousand Greens is for you. It is designed to bring members from the very best golf courses in the world together, offering golfers the opportunity to play an impressive collection of courses.
You can join Thousand Greens for a nominal fee and broaden your network right away, enabling you to identify opportunities to play golf at different courses this season.
So, if you’re looking for a way of playing golf with different people at different courses, Thousand Greens is an exclusive community that’s worth joining.
Sources:
- https://thousandgreens.com *
- https://golf.com/news/thousand-greens-gains-access-exclusive-courses/ **
- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/thousand-greens/id1536422684 – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.thousandgreens&hl=en&gl=US ***
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.allsquaregolf.rnapp&hl=en&gl=US ****