How long have you been playing golf and $ spent estimate so far?

[SixtySomePing]

Curiosity question about how long you have been playing golf and the money spent so far total in your golf life total as it's going to be a guess, or how much do you spend per year on average?

 

Finally, what might you have bought with that money on instead, depending on how long you've been playing? A smartphone, a new car, a new house, your own island?

[Sean2]

I have been playing 12 years. I pay $195/mth for unlimited golf including range and pitching range balls, as well as gym.

 

No idea what I have spent in that time, though I used to buy and sell equipment all the time...don’t do that anymore.

 

What would I have spent the money on? Probably nothing in particular.

 

I don’t see golf in terms of what I spent/spend, but what I have gotten out of it...and that you can’t put a price tag on.

[Edaw68]

Playing since I was about 10 years old, but didn't really spend my own money until about 17, when I bought my first set of irons on my own, as opposed to hand me downs. My big expenses are equipment (duh), an annual pass at my home course, and occasional trips. A very rough estimate would be $25,000 or so. Probably higher, but no way I can add up clothes, balls, misc junk, etc.

 

I don't know what else I would have spent the money on that I enjoy more though.

[ChipDriver]

Curiosity question about how long you have been playing golf and the money spent so far total in your golf life total as it's going to be a guess, or how much do you spend per year on average?

 

Finally, what might you have bought with that money on instead, depending on how long you've been playing? A smartphone, a new car, a new house, your own island?

 

I've played almost 20 years...if you're asking about equipment? lessons too? range balls? clothes? or golf trips too? tournaments? bets? club membership(s)? It could range from a "little bit" to "a whole lot more than that"! :) But ALL well spent and happy I did it! :)

[BNGL]

Almost 23 years now, and geez I don't know now. When I actually was playing it was close to 85,000 (travel, lodging, meals, instruction, entry fees, memberships, social media manager, mental coach, etc). Now it's barely anything. I'll usually make one purchase a year, not including golf balls or apparel. So figure less than 2k. Because of my job I don't really pay for golf, except a cart fee if I don't walk.

 

Hmm probably a new car, although my car runs great and is paid off, but an M1 would be sweet!!!

[Justsomeguy]

3 years. Clubs plus greens fees plus a couple lessons plus incidentals, ballpark 10k. So 3k or so per year.

Bag has been mostly set for awhile now, so no more there. Bag trial and error, on 3rd iron set and 4th driver, 3rd fairway wood, third hybrid, 5th wedge setup, 4th putter. Almost all pre-owned, but the process has been about 2k over 3 years.

A ton of greens fees. First two years played almost daily at a cheaper muni and hit lots of balls. That's probably the bulk of it.

Haven't spent too badly on balls. Played used for awhile. Then hit a run of too good to pass up cheaper urethane balls. Up to about 6 doz stocked up, which is nothing on wrx (so I tell the wife).

More like 4k a yr. All worth it.

[larrybud]

I spent about 5k last year for everything golf related. 70 rounds of golf plus two golf leagues, and tournaments. Tournaments are more expensive. About 1k in tournaments.

 

I really don't buy much in the way of equipment. Nothing of note last year.

 

When I was a member of a university course, add about 2k to that total.

[nitram]

After almost 40 years in golf I could've bought and paid for a beach home in Myrtle and winter home in Tempe.

[davep043]

After almost 40 years in golf I could've bought and paid for a beach home in Myrtle and winter home in Tempe.

I'm in a similar spot. I've been playing close to 50 years. If I add up golf vacations along with "at-home" golf, I'd guess I'd be well into 6 figures, but not to 7. But if I hadn't spent all that, I wouldn't have the memories I do now.

[oyamtr]

Been playing somewhat seriously for about 20 years. Costs obviously varied over the years, but well into 5 figures. What would I have bought instead? One whole Bitcoin.

[Hawkeye77]

1. Since I was around 10 or so.

2. My wife may be looking in.

[RainShadow]

I've been playing seriously, actually practicing/ lessons, etc. for about 26 years.

I've lived in places with short golf seasons in my late 30's and early 40's and spent alot of time snowboarding in the winters.

Golf didn't become a primary recreational pursuit until maybe the past 10-12 years ( I'm 56 )

A guess at how much I've spent? Maybe 10k on equipment ( I have a thing for putters ). I budget about $250 per month for greens fee and minor equipment like gloves, balls etc.

I try to stay in that range for those Items.

I'm fortunate that my wife is understanding when it comes to the occasional over spend.

I'm pretty happy with my clubs as of now and may just spend my money on some lessons since I've had only one in 6-7 years. Need to do a series, but hard to find a really good teacher.

[EKELLY]

Playing for 30 years, easy $100K. Fun costs money!.....

[Santiago Golf]

16 years. Way too much

[GordonBombay]

Nope

[Greenie]

Playing for 30 years, easy $100K. Fun costs money!.....

 

I've played 30 years too. I'm guessing $75,000 because I'm a thrifty golfer.

[deadsolid...shank]

Seriously playing for about 35 years. And have been a huge equipment ho in the past (although I sold as much I purchased, but you never get it all back). I'm sure with equipment, fees, memberships, trips, apparel it's probably averaged $3,000 a year. So just over $100,000 as a guess. Wow!

[Soloman1]

I think for the average guy who couldn't break 90 if his life depended on it, it is something like this:

 

Clubs: $47,622

Balls: $5,840

Clothes,shoes: $7,250

Greens fees and carts: $32,560

Lessons: $2.75

[St Jimmy]

20 years playing, but only last 5 have been serious. I’ve spent probably a hundred times as much in that time as I did the first 15.

[JerseyBoy]

This was my first real season playing. If I tried to figure out how much I spent, I would get depressed and probably stop playing. Not gonna do it.

[Malvern]

40 years, golf is a discretionary spend, my guess with membership, "touring" expenses (3-4 trips per year) and equipment I would run up a $15,000 bill per annum. That said golf is my thing, I don't smoke, own a boat, don't snow ski, have a 7 yr old car etc

[dpb5031]

I've been playing for about 25 years and will be 50 in 2 months. I'm scared to think of an amount for all of those years, but recently I had our club's comptroller give me my total spent just for 2017 and it was $21k and change. Of course that doesn't include travel, away rounds, and equipment/attire purchased away from the club...yikes!!! Can't bring it with you though...?

[Quasimoto]

22 years and I would guess in the range of $100k.

I would only have put the money in retirement funds if not golf, but then what would i do with it?

[joker2]

2017 => about $6,000, primarily green fees, bag is pretty much set (I know!).

[elwhippy]

39 years. I dare to think what I have spent. A lot less in recent years but I could certainly have paid off a mortgage.

[boatrightgolf7]

Me paying last few years about 10,000 dollars Iv'e worked at a few golf courses so it's mostly been free.

[aliikane]

Been playing for 42 years since I was 5 and I don't want to even think of the money I spent on this crazy game. Haha.

[Ferguson]

20 years.

 

All of the money was spent well and all of the time was well spent.

[2putttom]

I started when Ford was president. By the time I was in college traveling and competing @ 400 a week. Now that's spent a month on green fees. My biggest cost is the desire to play in all fifty states before I die.

[deedolce]

omg. I've been played for 10 months, and it's around $3000. Good lord, what have I gotten myself into??