If you are considering a home in University Park, membership is not just a nice extra to think about later. It is a key part of how ownership works for many buyers, and it can have a real impact on your monthly and annual housing costs. Understanding the options up front can help you choose with confidence, budget accurately, and match your purchase to the lifestyle you actually want. Let’s dive in.
Why membership matters in University Park
For buyers purchasing a home in University Park after January 1, 2008, the community association states that country club membership is mandatory. The club’s current materials also say all new homeowners must purchase and maintain a membership, with the purchase finalized at least two weeks before closing.
That makes membership an important part of your buying decision. Instead of treating it like an optional amenity, you should think of it as part of the total cost of ownership alongside home price, association fees, insurance, and taxes.
Membership options at a glance
University Park Country Club offers several paths depending on how you plan to use the club. The main categories are Full Membership, Racquets Membership, and Resident Social Membership, with summer and trial options also available in certain cases.
The biggest difference between these tiers comes down to your lifestyle. If you want regular golf, one option stands out. If you care more about tennis, pickleball, wellness, and social events, another may fit better. If you mainly want dining and resident social access, there is a more limited tier designed for that use.
Full Membership
What Full Membership includes
Full Membership is the club’s most comprehensive option. It includes year-round unlimited golf, use of all golf practice facilities, tee time requests up to 14 days in advance, access to golf associations, summer reciprocal golf privileges at more than 20 area clubs, and access to racquets, wellness, dining, social events, and croquet.
For buyers who expect golf to be a regular part of daily life, this is the broadest access level. It is designed for members who want the most flexibility across the club’s amenities.
Full Membership costs to expect
The 2026 price sheet lists a one-time initiation fee with two published price points, $25,000 and $50,000, plus a $150 application fee. Annual dues and capital dues are listed at $8,910 or $11,715, with monthly alternatives of $790 or $1,045, depending on membership status.
You should also plan for usage-based golf costs. Full members pay cart fees, and the club notes that trail fees are not available for non-residents. Resident members with private carts may have separate trail-fee options.
Racquets Membership
What Racquets Membership includes
Racquets Membership is designed for buyers who are more focused on tennis, pickleball, fitness, croquet, dining, and social activities than on golf. The club says it includes unlimited court access, wellness-center access, dining privileges, a full social calendar, and limited golf access at guest rates.
This can be a strong fit if you want an active club lifestyle without paying for year-round golf privileges. It gives you broad access to non-golf amenities while still allowing some golf use at published guest pricing.
Racquets Membership costs to expect
The 2026 fee sheet lists racquets initiation fees of $4,500 and $5,500, plus a $150 application fee. Annual dues and capital dues are listed at $3,785 or $5,050, with monthly alternatives of $335 or $445.
The racquets tier also includes optional add-ons that may matter for your budget. These include an annual fitness and wellness pass, annual driving range pass, locker rental, GHIN handicap fee, and racquets ball-machine rental.
Resident Social Membership
What Social Membership includes
Social Membership is available only to University Park residents. This tier includes dining, member events, weekly card and game groups, croquet, and limited golf at the open rate.
It is the most lifestyle-light option among the core memberships. The club notes that fitness classes are available for a fee, but Social Membership does not include full use of the cardio and weight room.
Social Membership costs to expect
The 2026 fee sheet lists a $3,500 social initiation fee, a $150 application fee, and annual dues and capital dues at $1,200 or $1,550. The brochure also notes that active non-resident social members from 2024 may renew under that same status.
For a resident who primarily wants dining and club events, this may be the most practical fit. Still, you should compare it carefully against your actual habits, especially if you expect to use racquets, wellness, or golf more often than you first assume.
Summer and trial options
Summer memberships
University Park also offers seasonal summer memberships. The current summer membership window runs from May 1 through September 30.
The 2026 summer flyer lists Summer Golf Membership at $1,700 plus tax for a single and $2,250 plus tax for a family. Summer Racquets and Wellness is listed at $700 plus tax for a single and $850 plus tax for a family.
Summer Golf includes unlimited golf with cart fees of $33 per person, tee times up to 5 days in advance, practice-facility access, limited MGA and LGA participation, and racquets and wellness access. Summer Racquets and Wellness includes tennis, pickleball, fitness center access, optional personal training and group classes, and croquet.
The flyer also states that summer memberships have no food and beverage minimum, include dining privileges and member-event invitations, and are non-refundable, non-transferable, and not prorated. Golf reciprocity is not included in summer memberships.
Trial memberships
The club also offers one-time Trial Memberships of 30, 60, or 90 days for residents and tenants. For buyers who want firsthand experience before making a long-term decision, that can be a helpful way to test how often you would actually use the club.
A trial period may be especially useful if you are relocating, purchasing a seasonal home, or comparing golf-focused living with a more social or racquets-focused routine.
How the fee structure works
Upfront charges
University Park’s fee structure includes several layers. Depending on the membership type, you may see an initiation fee, application fee, annual dues, capital dues, and usage-based charges such as cart or trail fees.
The club states that payment of the initiation fee, dues, capital dues, and the application fee is due at application for new memberships. The brochure also says annual dues, capital dues, and passes are prorated based on the calendar year, while dues, fees, and charges may change without notice.
Taxes and capital dues
The club states that initiation fees and capital dues are allocated to reserves for capital-improvement projects and are not taxable. Annual dues and passes are subject to 7% state sales tax.
That distinction matters when you estimate your true cost. Two membership options may look similar at first glance, but taxes, optional passes, and usage fees can change the real number you pay.
Food and beverage minimums
A food and beverage minimum applies to all membership categories. The current brochure lists that minimum at $450 annually for a single membership and $900 for a family membership or for those with a spouse or partner and accompanying Social Access Pass.
Qualifying purchases include dining, alcoholic beverages, beverage-cart charges, takeout, and member events, excluding tax and gratuity. If you expect to dine at the club regularly, this may be easy to satisfy. If not, it is worth factoring into your annual budget.
Annual terms and changes
Memberships are annual even if billed monthly. The brochure says memberships may be upgraded at any time, but they cannot be downgraded or suspended mid-year.
That makes it important to choose carefully from the start. If you are deciding between two tiers, think about your realistic usage over the full year rather than your best-case plans for a busy season.
How to choose the right membership
Choose based on how you live
The right membership is less about prestige and more about patterns. If you plan to play golf often and want advance tee times and practice access, Full Membership is the obvious place to start.
If you are more interested in tennis, pickleball, wellness, and social events, Racquets Membership may line up better with how you will actually spend your time. If your focus is mostly dining and resident events, Social Membership may be enough.
Confirm single versus family status
Before you decide, confirm whether your household will be billed as single or family. The brochure defines family membership as the member plus a spouse, partner, or significant other living in the same residence, plus children under 23 who are at home, in school, or in the military.
Single dues are intended for unmarried individuals living alone. This classification can affect dues, minimums, and the total ownership cost tied to your membership.
Review optional add-ons
The club offers optional passes and extras that can change the numbers. Depending on the tier, these may include a social access pass for a spouse or partner, fitness and wellness passes, pickleball passes, twilight tennis, driving range access, locker rental, bag storage, GHIN, and ball-machine rental.
These are easy to overlook when you first compare membership categories. If you want a realistic budget, add in the extras you are likely to use rather than looking only at base dues.
Ask practical questions before closing
Before you move forward, verify the exact initiation fee, dues, and any capital-dues amount for your specific membership status. The club publishes multiple price points based on residency and membership type, so the exact quote matters.
You should also confirm how monthly dues are billed, whether your food and beverage minimum is likely to match your normal habits, and whether a private cart or trail-fee arrangement is available if that matters to you. For buyers purchasing in University Park, this is part of smart due diligence.
A smart way to evaluate University Park living
University Park is not a one-size-fits-all club community. It offers golf-first, racquets-first, and social-first pathways, along with summer and trial options that can help some buyers test the lifestyle.
That flexibility is a real advantage, but only if you understand what each option includes and what it costs. When you match the membership tier to your actual routine, you can make a more confident purchase and avoid surprises after closing.
If you are weighing a home purchase in University Park, I can help you look at the full ownership picture so you can compare homes, fees, and lifestyle fit with clarity. To start the conversation, connect with Fernando Viteri.
FAQs
Is club membership mandatory for homebuyers in University Park?
- For owners purchasing a home in University Park after January 1, 2008, the community association states that country club membership is mandatory, and the club says new homeowners must purchase and maintain a membership.
What does Full Membership at University Park include?
- Full Membership includes year-round unlimited golf, practice facilities, tee time requests up to 14 days in advance, golf association access, summer reciprocal golf at more than 20 area clubs, plus racquets, wellness, dining, social events, and croquet.
Who can choose Social Membership at University Park?
- Social Membership is for University Park residents only and includes dining, member events, weekly card and game groups, croquet, and limited golf at the open rate.
Are there summer membership options at University Park?
- Yes. The club offers seasonal summer memberships from May 1 through September 30, including Summer Golf and Summer Racquets and Wellness options.
Can you downgrade a University Park membership during the year?
- No. The club states that memberships are annual and may be upgraded at any time, but they cannot be downgraded or suspended mid-year.
Does every University Park membership have a food and beverage minimum?
- Yes. The current brochure says all membership categories have an annual food and beverage minimum, with separate amounts for single and family memberships.
