Buying a Country Club Home When Only One of You Plays Golf

Buying a country club home when only one partner plays golf can work well when both people enjoy the community. Couples considering Boca Raton or Delray Beach should evaluate activities beyond golf, opportunities to meet people, membership requirements, total costs, and the home itself before deciding.

One of you dreams about the first tee. The other would rather be almost anywhere else. Can you both love living in a country club? Absolutely—but the search needs to give both of you equal attention.

When buying a country club home, it’s easy for golf to dominate the conversation. Which course do you like? How often will you play? What does the practice facility offer?

Those are good questions. Here’s another: What will your partner’s day look like while you’re playing? That answer deserves just as much thought as the golf course.

Start with two wish lists

Before looking at homes, each of you should write down what you want your everyday life to include.

For the golfer, that might mean regular games, convenient practice time, and meeting people to play with. For the partner who doesn’t play, it could mean pickleball, tennis, fitness classes, swimming, cards, creative activities, or a welcoming group of friends. It might also mean easy access to the beach, restaurants, shopping, and interests outside the gates.

Then compare your lists. Where do they overlap? What would you enjoy together? You don’t need identical interests. You need a place where both of you feel at home.

Look beyond the amenities list

A fitness center, pool, and dining room can look wonderful in photographs. The next step is understanding how those spaces fit into your actual routine.

Ask to see the current activities calendar. Find out how new members get involved. If tennis or pickleball matters to you, ask how players find games and whether instruction is available for your level.

• Are there activities you would genuinely attend?
• Do the class times fit your schedule?
• How are new members introduced to groups and other members?
• Is the dining atmosphere somewhere you would enjoy spending time?
• What is available during the months you expect to live here?

Boca is year-round. Evaluate the community for the months you will actually be here, whether that means a seasonal stay or a full-time home.

Give both partners a proper club visit

If one of you plays golf, it’s natural to spend most of the visit discussing the course. Make room for everything else.

Arrange an authorized tour that includes the spaces important to the partner who doesn’t golf. Ask about dining, wellness, racquet sports, and social programming. Explore the surrounding neighborhood, too.

Then each of you should answer one simple question: “Could I picture enjoying a day here on my own?” If the answer is yes for both of you, that’s a promising start.

Understand exactly what the membership includes

When only one person plays golf, membership details deserve careful attention. Don’t assume that a household with one golfer pays less, or that every club offers a membership category that fits your situation.

Ask the membership office for current written information about:

• Available membership categories and any purchase requirements.
• Golf privileges for each person in the household.
• Access to dining, fitness, racquet sports, and other amenities.
• Initiation fees, annual dues, minimums, and additional charges.
• Any restrictions, waiting lists, or conditions for changing categories.

Ask what would happen if the partner who doesn’t play golf decided to take it up later. Also separate club expenses from association dues and other homeownership costs so you can evaluate the full commitment. Membership terms vary by club and can change; confirm the terms that would apply to your purchase directly with the club.

Find something that belongs to both of you

Having separate interests can be part of a wonderful routine. So can having something you look forward to together.

Maybe it’s dinner with friends, an evening walk, a workout, or Sunday by the pool. Perhaps you both want to learn pickleball—or simply enjoy a quiet lunch after the morning’s activities.

Picture an ordinary Tuesday, not just a special event. Does the community offer a daily rhythm you would both enjoy?

Choose the home with both lifestyles in mind

The club matters, but so does the home you return to. Think about the layout, outdoor space, room for visitors, maintenance responsibilities, and location within the community. Consider how each of you will get to the places you use most.

A golf-course view may appeal to both of you, even if only one plays. Or you may discover that another setting better suits your preferences. Give the home itself the same balanced attention you give the club.

Compare Boca Raton and Delray Beach communities

Start your research with our Boca West Country Club guide and Woodfield Country Club guide. Use each guide to build your questions, then verify current programs and membership terms with the club.

For the homebuying process, explore The Entel Group’s buyer’s guide. The right comparison is based on your interests, preferred home, budget, and actual access to the activities you want.

My advice: make this a shared decision from the beginning

As a Boca West resident and real estate broker, my advice is to think beyond the showing and picture your everyday lives. Put the same care into the non-golfer’s day as you put into evaluating the golf experience.

If one person leaves excited about the golf and the other leaves wondering what they would do all day, there’s more homework to do. The goal is for each of you to say, “I can see myself living here.”

Frequently asked questions

Can you live in a country club if you don’t play golf?

Yes. You do not have to play golf to enjoy country club living. Look at the community’s social activities, dining, fitness, racquet sports, and other offerings. Separately, confirm whether purchasing a home requires a particular membership, even if you do not use its golf privileges.

Do both spouses have to pay for golf membership?

There is no single rule across clubs. Ask whether membership and dues are assessed by household or individual, which privileges each spouse receives, and whether any category suits a household with only one golfer. Do not assume that having one golfer reduces the required fees.

What should a non-golfer look for in a country club?

Look for activities you will use regularly, opportunities to meet people, convenient schedules, and surroundings you enjoy. Ask how newcomers join groups, tour the facilities that matter to you, and consider nearby activities outside the club.

Can we change our membership if the second partner starts playing golf?

Ask the club directly. Category changes may depend on its rules, availability, waiting lists, and additional fees. Get the current policy in writing before relying on a future upgrade.

Find a home and community you both love

Thinking about buying in a Boca Raton or Delray Beach country club? Let’s talk about what each of you wants—and find a home and community that make sense for both.

About the author: Rich Entel is a real estate Broker Associate, Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES), founder of The Entel Group, and Boca West resident. His focus includes Boca Raton and Delray Beach country club communities. Meet Rich and The Entel Group.

Rich Entel | The Entel Group
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Cover image: AI-generated illustration of country club living; not a photograph of a specific community.