Looking For Affordable City In Warm Climate With Affordable Practice Facility

Hello,

This is my first time posting here, long timer reader. I will be taking a sabbatical from work and living on savings for a while to focus on golf full time.

I am wondering if any of you could provide insight into where I could find a great practice facility that is affordable and in an affordable city/town in a warm state that allows for year-round golf?

This is ideally what I am looking for:The facility:

An unlimited range pass that allows for hitting 1,000+ balls a day on top of putting and chipping practice.

I need a place where I can spend upwards of 12 hours a day without being a problem for the staff and other patrons.

Affordable unlimited golf membership with cart included.

Total Cost < $5,000 / year at the top end of the range. Ideally, perhaps in the $2,000 - $3,000 range.The city/town:

Be able to rent a studio or 1-bedroom apartment for around $500/month or rent a room at that same rate.

Close to lots of other golfers and golf courses (if possible) so I can make new friends and connections.The state:

Ideally I think Florida, in a minimally impacted hurricane zone, although areas close to other golfers and courses make the costs go up so trying to find some happy medium.

Perhaps Arizona, Georgia, other gulf coast states could work well for this? Perhaps even Oklahoma?Andrew Carnegie worked his tail off his entire life and at the end of a monumental career in business that virtually changed the world, he decided to retire and focus on golf and philanthropy.

The way I see it, why not just start with the golf if that is my true passion, with enough income to support that and nothing more.

Here are some options I have found so far, but I have not been to any of these places so wondering if anyone who was can shed light on the quality of them or offer better suggestions?Orange County National, Orlando Florida Area: $5,000 / year Unlimited Range and unlimited 9-hole course with 2 other courses available for $20 cart fee.South Bridge Golf Club, Outside of Savannah, Georgia: ~200/month ($2,400/year), Unlimited Range and Green Fees.

Thanks so much for making GOLF WRX a supportive community of golfers!

Go to ABQ, this deal is hard to beat! Lots of other affordable options and lodging cheaper, and when it gets chilly, az is a 40 min flight

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OCN is a great facility - 360° range - PGA show demo day was just there. The Tooth is a nice little 9-hole and both the Panther Lake/Crooked Cat courses have held various stages of both the PGA & Korn Ferry qualifying tournaments. Near the range are a couple of short game areas, one with multiple bunkers. There's also a large putting green next to the parking lot by the lodge.

As for a $500 studio, that might be tough although you could do $500 if you do the roommate thing. Check Winter Garden, the west side of Windermere - as you move toward Dr Phillips, it gets more expensive although there's way more to do.

Plenty of other golf on that side of town as well.

You may already know, but Orlando is very hot and humid from May thru September and 12 hours a day on the range ain't happening. Savannah's climate would be similar x/c a little shorter season on the heat/humidity. I don't think OCN has indoor bays but I could be wrong.

Okay, this looks like a great deal, I will look into this area! Thanks for sharing. Do you know if this heat is more "doable" then Florida/Georgia heat/humidity during the summer season?

Yes, that's a good point. I think I might be looking at just renting a room from someone then.

In terms of the heat, I was just sort of assuming I would suck it up and go practice with plenty of water when it gets that hot and humid out. I did a lot of long range sessions in Minnesota over the summer and was just assuming that the heat/humidity was comparable. Is it really unbearable in Florida during the summer? Does nobody golf then or what?

Thanks for your input, much appreciated!

Yes, OCN looks so promising, thanks for weighing in on your experience of it. I feel like it has everything a golfer would ever need to practice playing full rounds, short 9 hole rounds, most types of short game shots and putting greens along with ginormous range. The price of the pass is a little on the high end but it seems like you get a lot for your money.

Yes, I think I might be looking at a roommate thing. I have toyed with the idea of buying an RV but not sure if I really want to commit to that lifestyle and the biggest hindrance with that idea is there would not be enough room to work on my swing in front of mirrors at night.

Okay, so I was assuming I would just tough it out with the Florida heat. Maybe I am way off on this. I guess my logic was that most golf professionals live there and I am guessing they practice 8 hours a day year round? Are they doing something different? Is it cooler where they live in Jupiter? Do they live elsewhere in the summer?

Is there a location somewhere in the US that offers year round golf? Not looking for complete comfort, but if it is "unbearable" somewhere, then that sounds like it might not actually work for what I am planning on doing.

Thanks so much for your input, I really appreciate it and it helps make this process so much easier!

Orlando is brutally hot in the summer despite the occasional afternoon thundershower. Most golfers like to get off at first light to be done by 11 or so. Jupiter is on the coast so it would be slightly cooler with the ocean nearby. Most of the tour pros are on the move week to week so they don't deal with the constant heat/humidity.

You could try SoCal, but I doubt you'd find an affordable range membership.

Birmingham,AL.

Ballantrae or Timberline golf courses (semi private)offer memberships.

If you're thinking about bangin' that many balls, make sure you are at a grass facility. You'll kill your hands and have to have a loft/lie adjustment every two months.

Minnesota in the summer is nowhere near as unbearable as Orlando. Upward of 108 degrees with 95 percent t humidity you’re good to last an hour in the range.

albequerque heat is way more tolerable because there’s zero humidity. I grew up in Phoenix and the heat is insane but bearable because it’s dry. 95 degrees with humidity is way worse here in nyc than phx. Plus you can just play early or late afternoon when it a little cooler

Check out South Hampton in St Augustine Florida. $790/yr for unlimited practice, superb practice facilities and Iteach onsite if you need lessons. Unbeatable. Oh and SA is a really cool place.

The ABQ heat isn’t bad at all, gets a little windy though

OP, you really don't know Florida is hot and humid in the summer? Like a lot of the south?

Pretty easy to find year round golf - all along the west coast states, Texas, AZ, NM (I'm finding NM very much under the radar and looks more intriguing all the time), southern states.

The quick jump to the roommate idea is odd. Tells me you aren't thinking enough about your basics - especially housing if you think you are only spending $500 a month on a decent place to live. If you can afford to just go buy an RV you can find a nice place to live so if this is a real thing then I'd spend a lot more time focusing on your real living costs and available funds for that. The 1000 balls and 12 hours a day sounds good, but not very realistic either.

Looks like you are getting some good ideas, but there are probably a few hundred spots you could locate, play a nice course and have access to a grass range if you aren't planning on having a job. Sounds like fun, but you have a lot of research to do.

This thread has potential. OP, I hope you'll consider regular updates as you embark on this journey.

Good luck OP

A mate and I love being in the US, he is thinking about a place in Bend, Oregon. I always have a look at these threads and see where all you guys live and play, for me it's either too cold, too hot/humid or like San Diego, too expensive. Hard to get the right balance for a year round golfer over there.

ABQ is over a mile in altitude and is basically in a desert. Low humidity, summers are hot, but not unbearable. Some winter weather, but you will need a break from time to time. Depending on your age, also lots of coeds. $500 is doable, but it's going to be a very small apt.

I wonder if any club will put up with someone not named Moe Norman hitting 1000 balls a day on the range? That's a lot of wear and tear on the range, and for some clubs would be extra range picking. Although maybe OP could get a discount on membership by being a range picker or something very part time.

I think for a compromise year round climate and much more affordable than southern CA, look somewhere in the mile high zone in the western mountains. Albuquerque as mentioned, or northern AZ or many places in Colorado. Sure there will be some snow days, but many winter afternoons will be sunny in the 50s. Make no mistake, the winter mornings will be pretty chilly, like 20s to 30s at 9 AM. There are cheaper housing options almost everywhere in flyover country. Rent a single or double wide trailer on the edge of town, or a student apartment. If you could find a way to earn $500 a month and put it towards rent, your options would become better.

Orange County National is a great facility with a first class range. They are also used to aspiring tour players spending many hours there.

I do think your $500 housing budget is pretty light though. The RV route may be the way to go, or check out renting a mobile home in one of the many “trailer parks” in the area. But that route might be more like a grand. Orlando is a different type of urban area than you might be used to. People renting out rooms is not common, at least in areas you’d want to live.

Someone wrote that Orlando temperatures hit 108 in the summer. That is an exaggeration But it is 95 with humidity to match from May through September. 1000 ball range sessions might be tough on days like that. Maybe hit the range around 7 AM and pack it in around 11.

Jupiter weather may be a couple of degrees cooler than Orlando but I don’t think you’ll notice the difference between 93 and 95. And that area is high rent both in terms of housing and golf.

people do play golf here in the summer. I’m one of them. But there are a lot fewer of us in the summertime.

Less hurricane prone areas? I’ve lived here 30 years and I don’t know where they are. The panhandle seems to have gotten the worst in recent years though.

I’ve also lived in the Atlanta area and although you can play golf year round you can’t always play on the day you want. It might turn out to be 40 degrees and raining that day. And summers are similar in terms of heat and humidity, just a bit shorter than Florida.

Good luck on your quest. Keep us posted.

You're going to have some real difficulty meeting all of your requirements to a satisfactory level. The $500/month studio budget is the biggest obstacle. Your best places for that are likely in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina. Even in Georgia you may have a difficult time swinging a $500/month studio in a safe neighborhood. And the issue then becomes if you can find a quality golf course. Even golf courses that fit your budget usually don't have $500/month studio apartments nearby. And chances are if those requirements are met, you're likely in the middle of nowhere and there won't be many golfers, particularly good golfers, around that often.

In Florida, these days the aspiring Tour players mostly hang out in Palm Beach. They usually only get seasonal memberships that do meet your budget. Bear Lakes is a popular choice as it has a great practice area and 36 holes. However, you're not going to get a $500/mon studio apt. in a safe neighborhood. And year round golf at a private club will not fit your budget.

Orlando is still a popular hangout for aspiring Tour players. But the only players that hang out at OCN are Foley Academy students (teenagers). Plus, OCN is usually packed in terms of tee times. The range and practice areas are great and you might be able to swing a $500/mo apartment in Winter Garden or some area nearby. But, I don't think you're going to play as much golf there as you would like.

Orange Tree would likely be a better bet. Far more aspiring Tour players there. $315/mo for dues with a $800/year range and $1k/year F&B minimum. However, there's a $3K one time initiation fee. And you would need to pay for a cart every time you want to use a car (you can walk for free). Tuscawilla is another option. I'm pretty sure it's a $1K initiation with slightly cheaper monthly. It's a decent course, but a step below Orange Tree.

Duran GC in Viera offers a $600/year stand-alone range membership. It's a lighted range so it's open from sun up to 8:30pm. The course is okay...I just find it boring. Some players hang out over there, but more of them hang out at Suntree nearby. Suntree is about $3k initiation, but otherwise meets your budget. It has 36 holes, too. And you could probably find a $500/month studio or close to it in Cocoa or Rockledge. That area is about 45 minutes from Orange Tree and Tuscawilla. I'm a member of Duran's range and practice there during the week and I'm also a member at Orange Tree and play and practice there during the weekends. The only issue with thtat setup is that it puts a lot of miles on your car.

I think Ocala is the hidden gem of golf in Florida. Not a lot of players that way though. Juliette Falls is tremendous. You could probably find a $500/month studio there as well

Many of hte courses in Florida are walkable, but the heat can make it not feasible to do so at times. You will get used to the heat after 3 or 4 years. I hate cold weather (I grew up near Syracuse), so heat works for me. And usually it's gotten down to where the only month I find terrible is August because the humidity cranks up to about 80%. However, there have been years that I have kept track of and found that if I was willing to drive 3-hours I could have played golf every single day of the year because the weather in some part of the state would have permitted me to do so. I don't think any other state outside of Hawaii would allow for that.

Anyway, good luck in your search

RH

I'm not from the US so I can't recommend many places but if you are worried about the heat, why not do a split-live scenario? There's 1000s of Championship quality courses in the US and you could split your time between somewhere warm but managable in the summer and then in the autumn and winter go down South or to the Western US where it might be a bit chilly and rainy most days, but you can golf year round usually without issue. There won't be the hurricane problem you are talking about. My sister and her husband just moved to Sacramento from New York and find the weather lovely. My sister grew up near Toronto, and has lived in Montreal, Berlin, and NYC in both the summer and winter and finds the weather there perfect. A quick glance at the average temperatures over the year seems to show an average of about no less than mid 40s and it rarely creeps up above the mid-80s, except in the dead of summer. I'm sure there's some decent courses and ranges, even if you have to do a split kinda thing where you have a range membership + a course membership.

Oklahoma and Texas would also make sense. The Southern and Western U.S. are some of the largest golf capitals in the world, I'm sure no matter where you go you could end up with something good. I second and third what a lot of people are saying about playing in the summer in Florda. I played TPC Sawgrass in July and we were off at 8:30 am, and I probably lost 2 kilos in sweat, the humidity and stickiness of the air is oppressive. I'm not a big guy and am used to humidity in Southern Ontario but I was struggling hard.

As for the 108°, the poster probably meant heat index but it usually hovers between 100-105 in the hottest part of the day in the summer.

I played afternoon rounds in the summer for many years in Orlando with a few restaurant/bar buds that worked til early morning. It's doable if you hydrate and dress appropriately and OCN was nearly empty during those times.

If OCN is a consideration, OP might consider a roommate situation with someone that works at Disney. Lot of those folks live out 535 toward the Lakeside section of Windermere. Only a few miles to OCN from there.

No offense Richie, but I think Orange Tree might a little out of the OP's price range. Great track, range is so-so unless they've improved it since I last played there.

I can attest that ABQ is pretty cool. I was there for 3 months in my late-20s during which I was a massive golf-enthusiast. I was working at SNL (right next to Kirtland AFB) as a grad student intern.

Pros:

WEATHER- as much as I can tell, ABQ weather is perfect for what you want: bright, sunny, warm, dry, etc.

COST - I spent 3 months living in a Value Place which had an average cost of ~$350/mo. Lots of "better" options can be found if you want to sub-lease a room from someone but w/o question, ABQ is one of the cheaper cities.

COURSE CONDITIONS - You get a lot for your money in ABQ (and NM in general). I recall pretty much every course I played during the summer had beautiful, lush turf.

Cons:

LONESOME - maybe this is the grad student talking, but ABQ is a lonely town surrounded on all sides by wide-open desert. You may enjoy that. I did find the desert beautiful. But it's also distinctly lonely if you're on your own.

ELEVATION - in ABQ you'll be a mile-up and that affects your game in several weird ways. The elevation makes the ball go noticeably higher and fly much, much straighter than it normally would at sea level. So you don't just hit it 10% farther, you hit what are objectively better-looking golf shots. Essentially everything you hit is going to look like it was struck by Rory McIlroy, LOL. That was my experience. This had the effect of convincing me the best option was usually to "muscle up." It's sort of like bowling with the bumpers on. I have a few memories from playing the UNM course down by the airport. I recall hitting an 8-iron to a 185-yd Par-3. I also remember a 420-yd hole that I reached with back-to-back 6-irons. I remember hitting my 5w off the tee all summer knowing it would go an easy 250-yds. As cool as all that is, it's not normal and feeling like Thor can have some weird effects on how you play. Not sure I'd recommend that if you were looking to go ALL-IN somewhere for a year.

Please post pics of hands after you start hitting 1000 balls a day 12 hours a day.

I'll say Alabama/northwest florida coast might have lower housing prices than south Florida.

I agree about playing golf in the summer heat of Florida. As you say be sure to hydrate, use sunscreen, and accept that your going to sweat your a$$ off. It’s daily hours long range sessions I couldn’t handle. That’s why I suggested hitting balls early in the morning before the sun gets too high and the temperature soars. On the other hand Florida is the place to be a golfer from October through April, as long as you don’t mind the snow birds.

I think its one thing to say youre going to hit 1000 balls and be at the course for 12 straight hours everyday but that seems like a lot and would burn anyone out pretty quickly. I dont think anyone all the way up to tour players is putting in anywhere close to that amount of time for an extended period.

That being said an option would be to volunteer or work part time as a marshall/starter/greenskeeper which will generally come with the perks of being able to use facilities at little to no cost. Plus it gives you something to do for a few hours a coupel times a week

as others mentioned, if it were me i would approach this not as looking for somewhere to golf year round but rather somewhere to golf in the winter months and just come back to minnesota or go somewhere else in the summer months when florida/the south is miserable

Having lived for a very short time in Albuquerque, the only problem with Albuquerque is that it's, uh, Albuquerque. Six months felt like a prison sentence.

You may want to check out Perdido Key, Pensacola, Destin, Fort Walton Beach area on the Gulf coast of Florida.

Usually in the hottest part of summer, it gets to about 92-94 with 60% humidity and the index, like you mentioned is about 100-105. August it dips to 90* with 80% humidity. But, you do get used to it after a while.

Sunscreen, water, the occasional gatorade, stay in the shade, take breaks, etc.

OCN's 9-hole course is an exec course. The other 36 holes...not easy to get on due to the booked tee sheet there. And I don't think their range is all that convenient either. Duran's is much more convenient and it's lighted, so you can hit balls for 12 hours if you are crazy enough to do so.

Orange Tree is only slightly more expensive than the deal OCN is offering. But you can play much more often, the range is more convenient (although OCN's range is much better). The greens are far better than OCN's and the scratch game is undoubtedly helpful in making a better tournament golfer and meeting people.

But the other issue is getting a $500/mo studio in the area.

Duran is probably more what he's looking for. $600/yr range that is lighted and open until 8:30pm every day. $660 gets him on the range and unlimited use of the short course. I can't remember what the course membership costs, but it's right around that price. However, he could go play Rockledge CC and be a Duran range member and get the range he wants and the private golf he wants. Or he could be a member at Duran and then just play public golf when he wants to play and not have the commitment. He could probably find a $500/month apartment in Cocoa or Rockledge. It won't be anything to brag about, but probably safe and sufficient for what he wants.

The only other place to possibly check out is Myrtle Beach. It's been 20 years since I lived there, but apartments weren't too expensive. In fact, my friends and I used to joke that we would be better off renting an apartment for 6 months than visiting the area and getting a hotel for a week. Plenty of good golf and good golfers there as well. Weather wise it's pretty good. The coldest it ever got when I lived there is it spit snow, but didn't accumulate. and you can pretty much play golf there year-round.

RH

OP, listen to the OCN recommendation as well as what @RichieHunt typed out in his two posts.
This is the best info and recommendations you'll receive anywhere on the internet in regards to your list.