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


SixtySomePing

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Geez this is the first time Ive looked at it like this...played jr golf and was a member at my course from the time I was 3 but dad paid dues and all jr tournament stuff so I will go over the last dozen years or so since I have been out of college.

 

Between club fees, equipment, golf carts, tournaments/travel/food and all that prob around $50-$75K. Ha looking at this and now wondering if there isnt anything better I could be doing with that money instead of hitting a golf ball.

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40 years.

 

Coulda had a space shuttle...

 

Yeah, but you’ve probably won enough for the space station!

 

Yeah, that's a good point. many plus cappers are shrewd about golf and win far more than they lose. I was that kind of player all through my 30's and into the beginning of my 40's Definitely made lots of $$$ during a ten year stretch or so in skins games, with bets, at invitationals, etc.

 

There was a nice run of years at my former club when I rarely had to pay my club bill because I was winning plenty from bets and the like.

 

Nowadays I'm just not consistent enough to be a true winning player of any consequence. Too many good players at my club and I'm no longer that good. Still notch my fair share of wins and nice finishes in invitationals, but not like I used to.

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40 years.

 

Coulda had a space shuttle...

 

Yeah, but you’ve probably won enough for the space station!

 

Yeah, that's a good point. many plus cappers are shrewd about golf and win far more than they lose. I was that kind of player all through my 30's and into the beginning of my 40's Definitely made lots of $$$ during a ten year stretch or so in skins games, with bets, at invitationals, etc.

 

There was a nice run of years at my former club when I rarely had to pay my club bill because I was winning plenty from bets and the like.

 

Nowadays I'm just not consistent enough to be a true winning player of any consequence. Too many good players at my club and I'm no longer that good. Still notch my fair share of wins and nice finishes in invitationals, but not like I used to.

 

We have a group at our club. Several professional people in this group. Their handicaps range from 8 to about 16. Most of them are older and really aren’t going to play to their cap very often. I think there is a bit of “vanity” involved in some of them. . Then they add in one other guy during the summer. He’s a teacher. But prior to being a teacher, he was a mini tour pro. He’s reinstated now. He made some money too. Obviously not enough to make a career of it, but he’s a good stick.

 

His dad told me he comes over to his place after the rounds occasionally. Empties his pockets to the tune of four or five hundred dollars. Pretty nice supplemental summer income! I refrain from joining this group. Too much money on the line for my shaky stroke.


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I refuse to answer this......

The wife may be watching.

[b]Driver: [/b][i]TBD[/i]
[b]Fairway:[/b] Taylormade Superfast 16.5*/Even Flow Blue
[b]Hybrid:[/b] Titleist 913H/Rogue Black
[b]Irons:[/b] Mizuno MP 59s
[b]Wedges:[/b] Titleist SM4 52/56/60
[b]Putter:[/b] [i]This area intentionally left blank [/i]

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Ha this topic actually made me conduct a spreadsheet and my mouth dropped.

 

Put it this way, with the buying, selling, trading of equipment I've committed around $1,800ish. But, as far as actually doing my hobby, paying for membership fees, scga/ghin, & miles driven for away tournaments + fees I've probably invested nearly $12k over 2 years. The addiction hit real hard for me with 0% chance of rehab happening.

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I come out on the inexpensive side, but bet most have under-estimated their spend. Even when I was getting the call to play from a VP Ops at a 36 hole facility after a tournament left, which made up 60%+ of my games, it is not cheap. Wear/Tear on car + gas, clubs, balls, charity tournaments, rounds at other courses......

 

Now I joined a club (no initiation + an assessment) and the dues up here are not cheap. Again add taxes and F&B Minimum & guests and that quickly multiplies.

 

Don't forget trips (and I don't do guy's trips) where you play a few rounds if you can sneak out.

 

The dollars add up way faster than you think.

 

On another site I laughed when a similar topic came up and the regulars, all of whom seem to play a minimum of 50 rounds, travel without thinking twice an hour plus to play, guys weekends or 5 day trips, equipment, balls, outerwear.... and then claiming a total of $2,000 for the year......

 

Sure if it makes them sleep well at night..... :taunt:

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This will be my 4th year and In the time I have played including equipment, clothes, green fees, range and lessons I have to say it's close to about 18K. I guess I could have bought a pool table, but that's not the cheapest hobby either since a decent table will run close to 4K. All in all I would say money well spent. I've had really great times on the course and I've gotten to hangout with friends and family more while complaining about this stupid game.

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Wow...what a question - I've been playing since I was 12 (40 years +) - break it down like this:

 

Age 12-17 - not much, and not my money anyway - Parents. My 1st set of clubs was a "cut down" set from my grandfather...then I distinctly remember my first purchased set - from Austad! I can clearly remember going thru that catalog - pretty sure they were RAM - Gene Littler. Can remember at the start I had just 2 woods + 5,7,9, PW & Putter - 7 pc set. And then saving my money to add the 6i & 8i...used those clubs all thru HS. Maybe the set cost $200? Played 90% of my golf at the Univ of Md golf course for maybe $5 a round? (my mom was a university employee)

 

Maybe ave of $100/yr = $500

 

Age 18-22 - college years - as i recall I could get a summer membership at Univ of Md (unlimited weekend golf Mem Day thru Labor Day) for ~$100? And $25 for a locker? I kept me clubs there and rode my bike to the course (no car)...would play 18/36 holes 2-3 times a week - by then my brother was in the golf biz (working at Manor CC) - so got new clubs "at cost"

Golf was secondary - I was on the men's volleyball team and played indoor & outdoor volleyball pretty much all year round.

 

Ave= $250/yr = $1,000

 

Age 22-28 - Young Adult years - didnt play nearly as much. Working my a** off...travelling. Playing volleyball...maybe after 5 years of work started to get back into golf with some co-workers playing.

1st set of "tour" clubs - Tiltleist Box Blades I think - still hitting Wilson Staff persimmon woods

 

Ave $400/yr = $2,400

 

Age 28-36 - "serious golf" - not married yet...out of volleyball. Joined a club (Mont Village) - that was $5k initiation + ~$300+/mo so easily $4,000/yr

Got handicap down to 1.6. Playing lots of State/local tournaments - trying to qualify (unsuccessfully :( ) for national events

Advent of "metal" woods...Irons were Tm Tour Preferred...1st "travel" golf - played in Hawaii, went to AP golf Academy @ Innisbrook for a 3-day school

 

Easily ave $6k/yr = $36,000

 

Age 36-46...married...quit club (boo hoo)...2 kids...back to playing 10-20x / yr...shoulder surgery (old volleyball injury) kept my out 14 months in 1 span

DCI Irons - played for 12+ years. I do go thru drivers - at least 6

 

Ave $1,500/yr = $15,000

 

Age 46-present (53)...kids growing up...son plays....still no club member, but playing 20-25x per year. At least 1-2 golf trips/year 0- including overseas. Paid most I ever have for rounds of golf - $250+ to play RCD, RSG

 

$2,500/yr (includes buying junior gear, etc) = $25,000

 

So that's a total of $80,000

 

Probably low estimate...although I'm not a big spender on gadgets, etc.

For example, in 40 years I've basically only used 4 putters (A wilson 8812, and since then 3 version of Ping Ansers)...and 5 sets of irons? But have gone thru minimum 15-20 drivers...and lots of wedges

TM R1
TM Rbz Stage2 3w (15) & 3 hyb (19)
Mizuno MP-64 4-Pw
Mizuno MP-T5 50-7
Titleist Vokey SM-4 54-8 & 58-12
Ping TR 1966 Anser2

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  • 2 weeks later...

I got into golf in 1997 at age 6 when I saw Tiger win the Masters. He's been my idol ever since (see my username). I started watching the golf channel and practicing my swing at home based on his. I've obviously never gotten as good, but I can't complain. I think I really started playing around age 8-9, though.

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Playing 7 seasons not years (in Canada eh). I have a young family so I work at a Golf course 12 hours a week for free playing privileges.

 

Id say I spend. A $1000 a year. All in. Including balls. Tees. Playing at other courses, etc. I play 2 rounds a week (on avg) for 7 months. Driving range once or twice a year.

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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?

 

Been playing 40 years and have spent tens of thousands on equipment alone.


Location:  Colorado Springs, CO
Handicap:  3

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If I guessed at how much money Ive spent on golf, I would probably be way off, so I'll just say I dont know. Ive been playing golf for 45 years. When I started, the local green feed was 5.00 and a top notch set of irons was 125. Obvously things have changed!

 

I have almost 8000.00 of clubs which are not my gamers just sitting my garage and every one of them was acquired within the last 3 years. And for the last 20 odd years, I would say that my regularity of equipment purchase have been fairly steady. So..... whatever wild guess I would come up with would be a lot.

 

Golf is expensive

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Started in summer of 1996 when my dad introduced me to the game. I played from 96 - 2000. Then on and off from there. I really got into it in 2011 to the present. From 2011 to present, I am pretty sure I have spent $15,000 on equipment and green fees and golf stuff. Another $5000 when I got a launch monitor.

 

I'd say it's worth all that money but IF I would do it again, I won't ho clubs that much. lol

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I refuse to answer this......

The wife may be watching.

 

Ditto

Old stuff:
1962 Tommy Armour AT2W Driver   1953 Macgregor M65W EOM 3 wood   1978 H&B PowerBilt Citation 4 wood
1984 Ben Hogan Apex PC 2-E   1968 Wilson Dual Wedge
1964 Acushnet O-SET M6S Bullseye Putter


New stuff
Cobra ZL 10.5 driver (Matrix HD6 s-flex)  Titleist TSR2 18* fairway wood (Matrix Code-8 s-flex)   Adams A2P 20* hybrid (Rombax 8D07HB s-flex)
Titleist 716 MB irons 4-PW (Apex 4 soft-stepped)    Callaway Mack Daddy wedges 52, 56, 60 (DG S200)
Odyssey ProType 9 putter

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I waited till late page three to get into this one. I have been very afraid that my wife stole someones identity and started this and it was just one of her better plans to ensure she can buy what she wants for the rest of her life.

 

In thinking about this I started from present:

2017 - 6 sets of irons (traded some in for credit towards others), 8 wedges, 2 woods, 2 drivers, 8 dozen ProV (on sale), practice membership at a nice facility, minimum 50 buckets of balls at a second range, 2 pairs of shoes, 72 rounds of golf between $25 and $135, booked and paid for 3 nights at Spanish Bay for the coming summer ( booked but have not paid for rounds at Pebble and Spyglass), a few lessons, and probably forgetting some things like gas to the course, etc..

 

2017 - $10k to 15k

 

I think I will stop there but obviously golf is not cheap. If I would have never had hobbies (raced boats, competition German Shepherds, motorcycles, martial arts, shooting) and instead invested all of those funds....who knows? I might have been long the market when it crashed and then short the market when it recovered and had nothing at this point. Or, I could have timed every trade perfectly and have more than I could ever hope to spend? I probably could have given those funds to those in need? I guess I am too selfish for that. My plan has always been to try to work harder and longer than average, never spend what I think my family might need for a nice home and food, teach my son to fish for himself, invest enough to live a decent life after work, and then have some fun!

Has golf been a mistake? This answer will once again be easy the first 2018 spring morning when I walk onto the first tee, I see the fresh cut grass and dew under my feet, stick that tee in the ground, set my ball on it and make it shoot down number one.

 

It has been worth every penny :-)

Driver- Titleist TsR2 with Graphite Design Tour AD

4w - Titleist Tsi2 with Tensei Raw Blue shaft

19 Hy - Titleist 818 H1 with Atmos Tour Spec

23 Hy - Titleist 818 with Graphite Design Tour AD-DI shaft

5i-PW - Bridgestone J15 CB with Recoil F4 110 shafts

50,54,and 58 Wilson Staff wedges with SF shafts

Ping Prime Tyne 4 PSD

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  • 2 weeks later...

Playing for 28 years now. In a thread a while back I was able to list every club I’ve ever owned, it was a fairly short list. I’ve drifted in and out of the golf business since I was 14 and still have friends in the industry so I probably didn’t pay greens fees for a good 20 years and now pay about 2/3 of my rounds. My estimate: $10k.

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9 years now this spring (Seems like yesterday). I am very frugal when it comes to golf. All my clubs have been used, I use used or discounted balls, play twilight hours often as I can, clearance golf shirts, etc.

 

My biggest expense is the range. I pay $60/mo for a range pass for 6-8 months weather permitting. Then also throw in some visits to other ranges like night ones, etc throughout the year. So range time lets say is $300-500 a year.

 

Then I play maybe 1-2x a month during good weather as well. I probably average $45/rd prices. So lets say another 4-500/yr .

 

Then balls/tees/gloves, some random golf shirts, new shoes or spikes. What not. Maybe another $200. So all-in-all between $800 - $1300 year.

 

I am also a tinkerer and enjoy trying clubs and am also very handy so do all my own club work like replacing shafts/grips. Have owned probably 20+ irons sets by now. Many for only a week, others long term in my bag for a year+. This doesn't cost me though as I will most time I take them back to store or resell them on Craigslist. Sometimes just a new set of grips on a set can turn a small profit even.

Taylormade R11 9° Diamana™ S 62
Sub 70 639-CB 4-PW, KBS Tour 120 S
Wilson FG PMP wedges 52° & 56°, DG S400

Star Sidewinder Black grips - standard + 2 wraps
Tommy Armour Impact #3 Putter 34"
Callaway Chrome Soft golf balls

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This will be my twelfth season. I quit smoking the year I started to play, so my budget was a pack-a-day habit, so-to-speak. I've never tried to figure out how much I've spent, but I think I'm safe that I have come in under my budget. I played 60 rounds last year, but the bulk of that was free as I work at a course. Equipment wise, I generally buy used and often times vintage, so that's a fairly cheap spend most years. I bought a couple of new wedges this year and those are the first "new" clubs I've bought since 2014. My biggest golf related expense might just be gas a I live almost 30 miles from the course where I work and I can be up there 3-5 days a week mid season. Retirement has its benefits. :)

My problem is LOFT -- Lack of friggin' talent

________________________________________________

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Adams Tight Lies 2.0 3W/7W

Ping G30 4h/5h

Ping G 6-UW

Cleveland CBX Zipcore 56° SW

Cleveland CBX Fullface 60° LW

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