Interesting you should post this, I might soon be joining one for the first time in my life..
What advantages are there?
They're allowed to choose who becomes a member! You often need several existing members to vouch for your person.
Historically, many country clubs were "restricted" and refused to admit members of specific racial, ethnic or religious groups such as Jews, African Americans and Catholics.
source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Country_club
Given that you wrote this a little while back -
I'm racist but...it's ok.
You'll probably fit in perfectly! I feel the same way but don't usually say so overtly, but if pressured I will say
it's not racist if it's true.
Is there a lot of snobbery in country clubs or do people tend to be down to earth?
I was invited by a member to play tennis at the one I may join. I was not seeing snobbery but was seeing aged membership, grey hair and perhaps pompousness. It's probably not going to be down to earth.
It is a lot of money, at least more than a standard tennis club and I actually don't know yet if it is me or if I will be able to socialise with those people. If it's not me though and after a year or so I am not benefiting more than just the tennis I may quit again.
There is also a gym at the one I may join, weights and cardio. So if it is good I will not renew the gym where I currently am which is soon up for renewal. Actually, I'm getting a bit tired of some of the characters there, just ghosting around the changeroom, thots in lyra, people of both genders now with cameras and tripods (!) So if the country club formality, rules and dress code brings some measure of decorum to the gym there and the equipment (weights and cardio) are also good that will be an extra benefit. You need a dress code and I hope it's strict where I might be going. I think though only some of them enforce
whites for tennis (white clothing clothing)
I know the country club does tennis tournaments, social events and has a restaurant so it is beyond ordinary tennis clubs I've been in in the past.
But seriously :
What advantages are there?
I don't know and although I can play golf a tiny bit I don't really like it or aspire to do it better or more than twice a decade but get the impression that in places like America and Japan there is some kind of social culture around that sport. For me the jury's out on if a country club is a good idea or not, may post again one day if I succeed in becoming a member with how it is going.
Actually I was invited to a golfers one, just for a meeting in the bar. The couches were great - ottoman style leather with those buttons.