I just signed up for this program as well. Although the deal sounds too good to be true, I think there are several factors at work here. First, ClubCorp has tried to impose a reasonable geographic limitation that most people probably won't figure out how to evade. As a result, ClubCorp may be assuming that many members won't use any benefits for a significant portion of the year--maybe as much as half the year.

Second, ClubCorp is probably banking on this program being used as an entertainment vehicle for traveling business people, with members bringing clients to the golf clubs or in-city clubs who will either pay full freight or have their costs picked up by the member who will write it off as a business expense. If they fill a foursome or get a table for four at one of their club restaurants, they're figuring it's a 4-for-3 deal.

Third, I suspect ClubCorp was trying to boost their membership numbers in anticipation of a sale of the business announced at the end of last week: https://www.dallasnews.com/business/...ant-11-billion.

I figured given the low monthly cost and my travel patterns, which take me to NY, DC, Myrtle Beach, Orlando, and Northern California on a regular basis, it was worth throwing $50 a month at this. For instance, there are two golf clubs in Myrtle Beach that are at the high end of the greens fee scale that I can play for probably no more than the cost of some of lower-end courses there. For a trip to Northern California in August, I'll play at Carmel Valley Ranch on the Monterey Peninsula. Combined with the Citi Prestige benefit, which I'll blow on rounds at Pasatiempo, Bayonet, and Black Horse courses, and my e-club membership through the Northern California Golf Association, which gets me rounds at Poppy Hills for about half the advertised rate, I'm going to get about $1000 worth of golf for about $125. I'd be scraping the bottom of the barrel to find courses that would cost me about $20 apiece in my home area.

And there are a lot of ways the benefits of membership could be lessened without making continuing membership worthless--maybe a harder cap on limits (instead of two rounds of golf or two meals per month per club, it could go down to six total anywhere in the country). Or obviously, they could raise the monthly dues. If the membership is made totally worthless or priced out of my budget, I figure there's little penalty in canceling after the first year.

But I suspect the best benefits from this program will come in the next year with a possible reevaluation by the new owners after that to determine if the status quo will be maintained.