Rankings
Six ways to sort the market. Every ranking is derived from sourced data rather than opinion, and the method behind each one is published on its page.
The most expensive clubs to join
Ranked by initiation fee, highest first. Every figure carries a source and a confidence score, and several of the best-known clubs publish nothing at all, so absence from this list is not evidence of a low fee.
The most affordable clubs to join
Ranked by initiation fee, lowest first. This is where most people can actually join something, and it is the half of the market nobody writes about.
The prestige ranking
A composite of what it costs to get in, the scale of the operation, the club's age, and whether the course carries a named architect. The formula is published in full, and clubs with no cost data are excluded rather than guessed at.
The biggest clubs by revenue
Total annual revenue from the club's most recent IRS Form 990. A measure of scale, not of quality.
Clubs currently taking members
Ranked by the year-over-year jump in initiation-fee revenue in the latest public filing. A sharp rise usually means a club admitted materially more people than the year before.
Clubs most likely to assess members
Ranked by net assets, weakest first, among clubs showing a financial flag. Negative net worth or spending beyond revenue often precedes a special assessment.
The best golf
Course pedigree, scored from national and state ranking lists, championships the club has hosted, the architect of record, and the size of the property. Clubs whose course we have not documented are left off rather than guessed at.
The best tennis
Scored from court count, surface, and indoor capacity. Grass and Har-Tru score above hard court; year-round indoor play counts for a lot in this climate.
The best platform tennis
Scored from the number of paddle courts. Winter is the paddle season here and court count is the binding constraint on how much you actually play.
The best clubs for families
Scored from junior programming, whether there is a pool, and whether the club runs family, junior or young-member categories. Weighted toward what a household with children actually uses.
The hardest clubs to get into
Sponsors and letters required, initiation fee, whether the club is currently closed to applications, and age. This measures difficulty of entry, not quality.
The clubs with the most going on
Ranked by breadth — the number of distinct sports and facilities the club runs. A useful counterweight to prestige if you want one membership to cover a whole family.