A country club is a privately owned club, often with a membership quota and admittance by invitation or sponsorship, that generally offers both a variety of recreational sports and facilities for dining and entertaining. Typical athletic offerings are golf, tennis, and swimming. Where golf is the principal or sole sporting activity, and especially outside of the United States and Canada, it is common for a country club to be referred to simply as a golf club. Many country clubs offer other new activities such as pickle ball, and platform tennis.
Waverley Country Club in Oregon, United States
Tennis being played at Real Golf Club de Zarauz, 1916
A beer garden at an Australian country club.
A club is an association of people united by a common interest or goal. A service club, for example, exists for voluntary or charitable activities. There are clubs devoted to hobbies and sports, social activities clubs, political and religious clubs, and so forth.
The bar at the Savile Club in London
Historical image of Pall Mall with the Carlton Club, describing itself as the "oldest, and most important of all Conservative clubs"
Coffeehouse in London, 17th century
Meeting of the Saimaan Kameraseura photoclub on January 28, 1946 in Lappeenranta, Finland