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(UPDATED: April, 2025.)
One of the best ways to get on an exclusive private club is to bid on a round there via a charity auction. Golfers being generous sorts, several of these opportunities crop up each year, and one of the very best of them - in terms of the courses offered - is happening right now.
Rounds 4 Research is an annual auction organized to benefit the foundation arm of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA). As the leading trade organization for the hard-working people who care for the golf courses we enjoy, it is a major driver of investment and research into new methods of golf course maintenance.
Supporting research into topics from grass types to equipment to continuing education opportunities for its members, the GCSAA Foundation dates back to 1955, and has raised millions of dollars over decades. The smooth greens and pristine fairways you enjoy at your favorite courses can trace their roots - literally - to the work of superintendents supported by programs like the Rounds 4 Research auction.
As is the case every year, the 2025 auction features an incredible slate of top-shelf golf experiences you can bid on, including rounds at prestigious private clubs. More than 1,500 items are up for bid, with something that should appeal to every golfer and price range.
As usual, the two items with the highest value are two annual memberships to the Dormie Network, a group of destination private clubs that include the Dormie Club near Pinehurst, N.C.; Ballyhack Golf Club in Roanoke, Va; Victoria National Golf Club in Newburgh, Ind.; and others.
The auction begins on April 21 and ends at 10:00 pm ET on Sunday, April 27, so you have a few days to round up your golf buddies and go in on one or more of these potentially once-in-a-lifetime golf experiences, all for a great cause within the game.
10 great private golf clubs offering rounds through the 2025 Rounds 4 Research auction
Blue Mound Golf & Country Club - Wauwatosa, Wisc.
Includes: Golf for 3 (accompanied by member) at this Seth Raynor gem in suburban Milwaukee that is known for having one of America's most interesting sets of greens.
Starting bid: $300
Lake Merced Golf Club - San Francisco, Calif.
Includes: Golf for four at this Alister MacKenzie course restored by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner.
Starting bid: $467
Ohoopee Match Club - Cobbtown, Ga.
Includes: Golf for 4, plus lunch, at this Gil Hanse & Jim Wagner gem designed exclusively for match play with an alternative routing called the Whiskey Loop.
Starting bid: $1,000
Old Memorial Golf Club - Tampa, Fla.
Includes: Golf for 4 at this Steve Smyers gem inspired by the world-class golf courses of the Melbourne Sandbelt in Australia.
Starting bid: $533
Snake River Sporting Club - Jackson, Wyo.
Includes: Golf for 4 at this acclaimed mountain course laid out by the late Tom Weiskopf.
Starting bid: $390
Somerset Hills Country Club - Bernardsville, N.J.
Includes: Golf for 4 at one of A.W. Tillinghast's greatest designs, often ranked among New Jersey's top courses.
Starting bid: $466
The Tree Farm - Batesburg-Leesville, S.C.
Includes: Golf and lunch for 4 at this course developed by PGA Tour player Zac Blair, laid out by Tom Doak and built by Kye Goalby.
Starting bid: $2,000
Wade Hampton Golf Club - Cashiers, N.C.
Includes: Golf for three (host will be the fourth), plus food at the turn, at this mountain masterpiece by Tom Fazio.
Starting bid: $285
Waverley Country Club - Portland, Ore.
Includes: Golf for 4 at this riverside classic renovated by Gil Hanse, which hosted the 2023 U.S. Senior Women's Open.
Starting bid: $400
Whispering Pines Golf Club - Trinity, Texas
Includes: 27 holes of golf - at the 18-hole Championship and 9-hole Needler short course - for four at this Chet Williams design, a perennial top-rated course in the Lone Star State.
There are more than 1,500 items up for bid in this year's GCSAA Rounds 4 Research auction. Click here to see the full list. Happy bidding.
Comments (1)
Need to remove this article. 99.9% of these bids are closed!