Pod
Don't know the full answer to your question but I can't afford my own plane or the committment to a group plane. Thus for my few hours of annual SE I have to use club craft. I have found their check requirements far exceed any strictly legal requirements. I more-or-less have to do a PPL GFT every time I want to fly. I suspect this is partly insurance. I quite enjoy it - I always learn a little something from an instructor. But it is bloody expensive...