What does it actually cost to live inside a golf community if you never plan to play golf?
That question comes up more than you'd expect for buyers looking at Woodmont Golf and Country Club in Canton. The name suggests a package deal: buy the house, get the club. The reality is two separate bills, two separate decisions, and a fee structure that was built this way on purpose. Understanding the difference matters whether you're touring homes there this fall or getting ready to list one.
Two Bills, Not One
Every home inside Woodmont carries a mandatory HOA fee. Based on current listings, that fee runs roughly $83 to $167 a month depending on the section of the neighborhood, and it covers the basics: trash service, common area upkeep, and maintenance of the swim and tennis facilities. Paying it is not optional. It comes with the deed.
Golf club membership is a different transaction entirely, handled directly with Woodmont Golf and Country Club itself, not the HOA. The club operates as a semi-private facility, which means both Woodmont residents and outside golfers can join, and neither group is required to. Membership is sold in tiers, Full Golf, Sports, Social, Junior Executive, Family, and Single, each with its own initiation fee and annual dues. Initiation costs run from roughly $2,500 to $10,000, and annual dues range from $0 to $5,000 depending on the tier and access level chosen.
Here's the side-by-side version:
| HOA Fee | Club Membership | |
|---|---|---|
| Required to own a home | Yes | No |
| Covers | Trash, common areas, pool, tennis maintenance | Golf privileges, dining, tiered amenities |
| Cost range | ~$83 to $167 per month | $2,501 to $10,000 initiation, $0 to $5,000 annual dues |
| Paid to | Homeowners association | Woodmont Golf and Country Club directly |
A buyer who assumes the HOA fee already includes golf access is budgeting for a different neighborhood than the one they're actually moving into.
Why the Club Keeps Membership Optional
It would be simpler, from the club's perspective, to fold membership into every homeowner's dues and call it done. Plenty of golf communities work that way, charging every resident a mandatory club fee whether they ever set foot on the course. Woodmont didn't build itself that way, and the reason is worth sitting with.
A mandatory bundled membership narrows the pool of people willing to buy in a neighborhood. Every non-golfing family, every retiree who wants tennis but not greens fees, every buyer stretching their budget on the house itself, gets priced out or talked out of the deal before they ever tour a floor plan. By keeping the golf club separate and semi-private, opening membership to outside players and residents alike, Woodmont widens who can comfortably buy a home there. The neighborhood's affordability doesn't hinge on golf demand, and the club's revenue doesn't hinge on every homeowner's participation either. Two separate businesses, each free to succeed or shrink on its own terms.
For a buyer, that structure is good news. You can own a home in Woodmont, use the pool and tennis courts through your HOA dues, and never write the club a check. For a seller, it means the house doesn't lose value just because the next buyer isn't a golfer. The two markets, real estate and golf membership, don't have to move together.
What This Means If You're Buying
A few things worth confirming before you write an offer:
- Ask which section of Woodmont the home sits in and get the exact current HOA fee in writing. The community was built in phases between 1998 and 2023, and fees can vary by section.
- Don't assume the listing agent's mention of "golf community" means membership is included. It almost never is.
- If you do want to golf, budget for initiation and dues as a separate line item from your mortgage and HOA payment, and reach out to Woodmont Golf and Country Club directly for current tier pricing, since rates are set by the club and not disclosed through MLS listings.
- Pool and tennis access runs through a card system tied to your HOA account, not your club membership. If your HOA dues aren't current, the access card simply won't work at the gate. New owners typically receive two cards free of charge through the clubhouse, and replacements run $25 each.
- HOA billing questions go to Sixes Property Management Group, not the golf club staff. The two organizations don't share billing systems, which is exactly why the fees stay separate on paper as well as in practice.
What This Means If You're Selling
If you're preparing to list a home in Woodmont, precision here protects you. Marketing copy that implies club access comes with the house creates expectations a buyer will bring to the closing table, and disappointed expectations after closing tend to surface as complaints, not compliments. Describe the neighborhood accurately: HOA-maintained pool and tennis, a semi-private club next door that anyone can join on their own terms.
As of late August 2026, active listings inside Woodmont showed list prices averaging just under $930,000, with homes ranging from roughly $595,000 to over $1.3 million depending on size and section. Square footage across the neighborhood spans from under 2,900 to nearly 7,900 feet, which is a wide enough range that pricing conversations benefit from knowing exactly which section and amenity package a given home carries. A buyer comparing your listing against a neighboring section with a lower HOA fee, or a different club tier structure entirely, needs that context to make an accurate comparison, and so do you when you set the price.
The Move-In Checklist
For anyone closing on a Woodmont home in the coming weeks, the practical sequence looks like this:
- Confirm your section's exact HOA fee and what it includes before closing, not after.
- Set up autopay or a reminder system for HOA dues, since a lapse deactivates pool access automatically.
- Pick up your two complimentary access cards from the clubhouse once you've moved in.
- If golf interests you, contact the club separately to discuss current membership tiers. This is not something your closing attorney or HOA paperwork will resolve for you.
- Keep the club's contact information separate from your HOA property management contact. You'll likely need both at different points in the year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to join the golf club if I buy a home in Woodmont? No. Club membership is entirely optional and separate from homeownership. Your HOA dues are mandatory and cover pool, tennis, trash, and common areas, not golf.
Can someone who doesn't live in Woodmont join the club? Yes. The club is semi-private, and membership is open to both residents and outside golfers, which is part of why the fee structure stays separate from the HOA.
Why do HOA fees vary across the neighborhood? Woodmont was built in phases from 1998 through 2023, and different sections carry different fee structures. Always confirm the specific figure tied to the home you're considering rather than relying on a neighborhood-wide average.
Understanding what's mandatory and what's optional at Woodmont isn't a small detail. It shapes your monthly budget, your resale conversation, and how you compare this neighborhood to others in Cherokee County with a different fee philosophy entirely. If you're weighing Woodmont against another North Metro community or trying to figure out what a specific listing's HOA fee actually buys, Angel Kennedy can walk through the numbers with you section by section. Let's Connect.
