You've toured the house. The kitchen faces the eighteenth fairway, the dock has room for a center console, and the number on the listing sheet feels, for Skidaway Island, almost reasonable. Then your agent mentions two more costs to consider, and the math you did in the car on the way home needs another look.
The listing price is not the whole cost of ownership. The Landings Association assessment applies to every lot, while Golf & Athletic Club membership is optional. Buyers who ask about both before writing an offer can work out what each would add to their expenses.
Two Bills, One Home
The Landings has two separate cost structures to consider: the Association assessment and Golf & Athletic Club membership.
| Landings Association Assessment | Golf & Athletic Club Membership | |
|---|---|---|
| Required for every lot | Yes | No, though many buyers assume it |
| Current cost | $2,518 per lot, due March 1 | $35,000 to $80,000 initiation, depending on category |
| Annual dues | Set in three-year cycles | Not published; call the membership office |
| Who administers it | The Landings Association | The Landings Golf & Athletic Club |
The first is the Property Owners Association assessment, and it applies to every lot on the island whether or not you ever pick up a golf club. The second is membership in the private club that runs the golf courses, tennis courts, dining rooms, and fitness center, and it is a separate legal entity with its own fee schedule that the club does not publish in full.
The Assessment You Can't Opt Out Of
The Landings Association sets its annual dues in three-year blocks, and the assessment was set at $2,518 per lot for property owners, payable in full by March 1 or spread across quarterly or monthly ACH payments with interest built in. That money funds the pieces of island life that aren't club-adjacent: security, road maintenance, the two deepwater marinas, the dog park, the nature trail, and the recycle center.
Here's the part that matters if you're closing this year rather than next. That $2,518 figure was set for the middle year of the current three-year cycle, which runs 2024 through 2026, and the Association has spent this year running Community Conversations and Annual Dues Town Halls to walk residents through the next vote. In other words, the number you're quoted at closing sits at the tail end of a cycle that's already being renegotiated. Anyone buying in the back half of 2026 should ask where that conversation stands before assuming the assessment holds steady into the next three-year term.
Golf & Athletic Club Membership Is Optional
Membership in the Landings Golf & Athletic Club is not tied to the deed. You can own a home in The Landings and never join. But the club's own leadership has been candid about the goal. In his report on the club for Len Ziehm on Golf, golf writer Len Ziehm quoted the club's executive director, Steven Freund, saying: "We want our club to be indispensable in our members' lives."
That shows up in the numbers. The report pegged full golf initiation at $80,000, with associate golf starting at $50,000, national golf at $35,000, and athletic membership at $40,000. Those are one-time initiation figures. Annual dues and food and beverage minimums sit on top, and the club does not post those numbers publicly. You call the membership office to get the current sheet.
It's easy to see the pull. Ten dining venues span four clubhouses, including Palmer's Steakhouse and Arnie's Tavern, plus The Deck at Franklin Creek with its pool and water slides for visiting grandchildren. Two deepwater marinas, Landings Harbor and Delegal Creek, put Intracoastal boating within a short golf cart ride of most homes. And the club's newer sports have grown fast: pickleball went from around 80 players in 2017 to more than 750 active players today, with 15 courts now and seven more planned. None of that is required. Most buyers who move here decide it's worth having anyway, which is exactly why the fee schedule matters before you close, not after.
The One Question That Moves the Needle
If there's a single question worth asking before you fall for a specific house, it's what optional club membership would add to your costs if you choose to join.
For buyers who choose to join, that means an initiation fee somewhere between $35,000 and $80,000, separate from the listing price, plus annual dues. Contact the membership office for current fee information.
How the Portal Median Relates to Ownership Costs
As of April 2026, homes listed for sale in The Landings carried a median price of $862,000, or roughly $301 per square foot, according to portal data pulled that month. That figure is a reasonable starting point for comparing one listing to another. It is not a reasonable stand-in for what ownership actually costs, because it reflects none of the Association assessment and none of the club's initiation or dues structure.
Put the three numbers next to each other and the shape of the real decision comes into focus. The purchase price gets you the deed. The $2,518 assessment, current through the tail of this cycle, gets you security, road maintenance, and marina access regardless of club status. And the club, if you choose it, is a second transaction entirely, with its own fee sheet and a conversation with the membership office about the current fee schedule.
A Timing Wrinkle for Buyers Near Deer Creek
One more detail worth knowing if you're looking at a home near the golf courses specifically. Deer Creek, the Tom Fazio design and host course for the Korn Ferry Tour's Club Car Championship each spring, is next in the club's renovation queue, with Davis Love III's name attached as of mid-2026. A course renovation typically means a closed course for a season. If the home you're considering backs up to Deer Creek or you were counting on that specific course as part of your golf routine, it's worth confirming the renovation timeline with the club before you buy nearby, not after.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is club membership required to buy a home in The Landings? No. The Property Owners Association assessment applies to every lot, but Golf & Athletic Club membership is a separate, optional decision. Some properties have owners who never join.
How often does the Association assessment change? It's set in three-year cycles. The current cycle runs through 2026, and the Association has been holding town halls this year on the terms for the next cycle.
Where do I get the actual club membership fee sheet? The club does not publish full pricing, including annual dues, on its public site. Call the membership office directly to request current figures before making an offer.
If you're weighing a specific Landings property and want the real math, not the portal shorthand, that's the conversation we have every day. The Landings Home Team lives here and can walk you through the Association assessment and optional club costs before you ever write an offer. Let's Start a Conversation.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your situation.
