Golf can and should be affordable for everyone. The personal enjoyment and life lessons that golf provides often make it a transformative experience for those lucky enough to have the opportunity. It’s time to spend less on golf and open up that opportunity to a much broader group of people. In my first article, I’ll explore ways to do exactly that.
Here are 3 ways to bring the high cost of golf back to Earth.
1) Buy used equipment. Equipment is very important in golf, so if your budget is small, don’t go out and buy another brand of clubs just because they are shiny new. You are almost always sacrificing quality when you buy cheap new clubs. Trust me, your game will suffer for it. You’d be much better off waiting for the right deal on a used game. There are classic designs like the old Ping i2 irons that are sure to outperform the cheap new starter sets. Secondhand Golfsmith, Craigslist, eBay, and your local pro store are some good places to start when looking for affordable used clubs. I recommend going to a golfsmith or equivalent (TGW etc) so you can narrow your search by hitting clubs in person. They usually have good used deals, but you’ll usually get a better value in a non-retail setting like eBay, Craigslist, or your local golf course. When I started, I was using some grungy old blades from the 1970s (blades is a generous term), with an old-school red-checked bag that looked more like a quiver of arrows made out of a red kilt. At the time, I had no idea why I was getting so many comments and jokes from random people on the course; then again, I had no idea the difference between a 5-iron and a 9-iron. Luckily, I came across the PGA Golf Pro which helped me straighten out after having a bit of a laugh at my “gear”. He ended up being very helpful and it turned out that he had a $50 set of irons that he was selling for one of his clients. The client had recently upgraded and left his old clubs for the Pro to sell in the pro shop. This is not unusual; Kind of like a mechanic helping sell a customer’s car. So go out and find a great set of used golf clubs at your local course, golf retail stores, or on the internet. Golfsmith continues to be one of the best places to try out a variety of used clubs.
2) Visit thrift stores to save the money we attract. You may be surprised, but literally EVERY thrift store I’ve been to has $30-$80 golf tees for $3-$6. Think about it, a relatively high percentage of golfers have deep pockets. What do the rich do with their little used things? Donate to a charity. The good thing is that there is not a lot of competition in these places to attract golf. Golfers just don’t shop at thrift stores and non-golfers don’t know that some of these tees retail for $80. So this is what you do:
A. Go to your local thrift store
b. Hit the racks stocked with polo shirts and pants and browse one by one for the highest-quality materials and top brands. You’ll find a lot more backtracks than guardians, but there will be gems there if you can spot them.
against Be sure to wash the clothes well before wearing them.
d. Now is the time to hit the field looking like a million bucks. Remember, no one knows that it is second hand; they just know you have good taste when it comes to golf clothing.
Saturdays are often good days to shop for second-hand items and usually have great sales potential. Thrifting is all about having fun and looking for things that are underrated. Prepare to leave empty-handed; There are not always amazing finds. If you get scammed, don’t let that put you off, just check back after they get a couple new shipments. Trust me, you’ll save money, look great, and have fun doing it.
3) Be creative with your rounds and your practice – it doesn’t have to cost a lot of money each time. When you want to play the course, play twilight golf at night. Most golf courses charge significantly less per night. Many courses will also allow twighlighters to play until dark, so if you move quickly you can score extra holes. Cheaper rates for additional holes? Now that’s making your dollar stretch.
When it comes to practice, spend time going to the course to work on chipping and putting only. This is absolutely FREE and essential to becoming a better golfer. It will help you improve your scores, increase your enjoyment, and ultimately save you money. When you’re on the driving range, take your time and make each ball count because you’re paying about 5-10 cents each (usually $3-4 for a bucket of 30-50 balls depending on location). To get the most out of each ball, be sure to take several practice swings and visualize hitting the ball on each one. The goal is to get the same feedback from your practice swings that you get from hitting. Basically this can give you 2-3 times more impact from your practice, without spending more money. Practice smart to become a better golfer and save money doing it.
Until next time, stay thrifty my friends —
thrifty golfer
