Looking For Affordable City In Warm Climate With Affordable Practice Facility

[MelloYello]

I posted above about my experience in Albuquerque. I also lived for 1.5 years on the Florida/GA line just above Jacksonville. I don't know how old you are and in what shape you keep yourself but being about 30 and in reasonable shape, I did not find the Jacksonville climate (which is just above Orlando) to be that bad personally. Yeah, it's hot but once you start sweating that's just it. It's hot. So what? That was my experience.

 

But that being said, I think you might be under-estimating the cost(s) of all this.

 

You mentioned riding in a cart which makes me think maybe you're older? IDK, but if you're interested in playing good golf, it's not going to be found on the range beating balls. You need to be playing at least 18 every single day. And if you're riding in a cart every single day the costs are going to add up. If you play 300-rounds in a year then 300 x $20 = $6k right there before you get into membership fees or anything else.

 

Now if all you want to do is hit balls and you're in search of the best range then I don't really see the need to dedicate a year of your life to that and move 10 states away. I assume you want to get that handicap down as low as possible, no? Sorry, but something seems a little off here is all. Might be helpful if you present more of a picture...is this is thing where you live out your fantasy? Is this a retirement thing? Is this you simply having the funds to splurge and not give AF for a year? All of those probably lead down different paths is all.

[ChristopherMcDonald]

This has makings of a fantastic thread. Subbed/watching/I'm here.

[Ghost of Snead]

Hadn't though of Myrtle Beach but a good option as well if you can deal with a month or two of highs in the 40s. Duran and South Hampton also sound affordable but it would depend on what the OP wants for life off the course. I was a member at the Grand Cypress Golf Academy in Lake Buena Vista back in the 90s and remember it being around $2500/year for the range and 3 practice holes. Don't think it's still there as GP is going through some changes. I don't think playing as a single would be too tough at OCN - tee sheets are full usually Oct-April but if you get the know the staff, you can get out. Getting on in the summer is easy.

[dalehead]

Seems to me there is an element missing from the OP’s plan. Coaching. If you’re going to beat balls for hours every day it might be best to have someone keep an eye on your swing if you’re going to get the most out of it.

As The Ghost of Snead said the Grand Cypress Academy of Golf is a great facility, but the cost is now $6500 per year. It does get you on the course but at a discounted rate. It does however include a monthly lesson from one of the staff pros.

[farmer]

The question unasked is the purpose of the OP. Trying to be a TVPro? Wanting to get to scratch? Or wanting to take a break from some high stress job? He will need to follow Dale's advice.

[platgof]

Your shoulders will not last! Your body will never take that kind of punishment. Find a good course somewhere in the Georgia- North Carolina area, and see about the rent. Maybe somewhere near Macon. Your going to have to find something part time to supplement expenses, I suggest being a locksmith at night, or working at the golf course.

[duffer987]

Assuming you're not the next incarnation of WRX Legend JonesScott, here's a suggestion:https://dragonflygolfclub.com/driving-range/ $290/month for Mon-Fri unlimited play (including cart) and grass range

I'll assume you can get a cheap studio or granny flat and just make sure there are no meth labs nearby, as they can explode. On the weekends you can refresh with day trips to the Sierra Nevadas or the Pacific.

And you can additionally go play NCGA events or get into money games with seriously good sticks down in Monterey at quality tracks like Bayo & Blackhorse and Poppy Hills.

[ryan84]

In to follow as well. I would also suggest getting a part time job (hopefully at the course) to ease the financial burden as well as take a much needed break.

I totally understand the sentiment of wanting to grind 12 hours a day, however there are going to be periods of time where you just lose your swing or become so frustrated it will be a relief to be at work for a short time. Just my thoughts, good luck and hope you make it!

[ShallowbutDeadly]

You can probably get something in Dunedin FL for 2000-3000$ per year and rent for about $700/month.

It's hot in the summer but you get use to it. I play FL in July/August and people think I'm nuts, I'm out there at 7am, first tee time and home by 10.30.

Bangin 1000 balls a day... I hope you got graphite shaft, goo filled heads and Winn grips... not to mention elbows like a Gorilla!

[RichieHunt]

The biggest issue is the housing budget and the course demands. Your best bet is probably to find a roommate to share an apartment with. 

 

Mainly because golf clubs that provide the amenities and have ranges that are open 12-hours a day are usually not in neighborhoods with $500/mo apartments and vice versa. The places where you can get a $500/mo apartment in a safe neighborhood are usually out in the middle of nowhere and the golf courses nearby, even if they are a good private club, usually do not put much stock in their range. Just not economically feasible for them to inventory that many golf balls and build a range that big to carry it.  

 

 

 

 

RH

[GolferMW1234]

Thank you all for these wonderful lengthy and insightful responses. I was expecting a few responses but it has been overwhelming instead. This is great, I hope this information benefits a lot of people and not just myself. It is going to take me some time to respond to all of you.@Ghost of Snead
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.Okay, so this may not be the best option to move to Florida just yet, it sounds like I need to stay in Minnesota for the time being and focus on indoor training and then practice the full golf season here as well come May, then figure out Florida or a better option when winter comes again in October.
I had not thought about how the pros are mostly on the road, which also makes me wonder ... are they even practicing as much as they would like to?
Southern California definitely sounds like the best option out there weather-wise for year-round golf, but probably not going to be in range for me so long as I plan on not working for a while.
Thanks again for your input here, I appreciate it!@Bushwood Country Club
Birmingham,AL.Ballantrae or Timberline golf courses (semi private)offer memberships.Love your chat name. I am an oddball, but I think Rodney Dangerfield's character is my favorite thing to come out of both those movies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phagxOal7_ASecond would be Chevy Chase. Hits ball into maintenance shack, "mind if I play through". Then Carl takes him through his life story and makes him do a double Cannon Ball. "This is a hybrid. This is a cross, ah, of Bluegrass, Kentucky Bluegrass, Featherbed Bent, and Northern California Sensemilia. The amazing stuff about this is, that you can play 36 holes on it in the afternoon, take it home and just get stoned to the bejeezus-belt that night on this stuff."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrcgjMJmvNgBirmingham, AL, looks very affordable! And $155k median home price is definitely on the low end of what I am seeing for options.Ballantrae Golf Club: This one looks very promising. $600 app fee and then $162 per month + $300 range fee so right under $3k for the whole thing.Timberline Golf Club: This looks like a very nice course, I couldn't actually find the membership rates posted anywhere. I sent them a message asking for more information.
Thanks for the information!@MadGolfer76
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.I never would have thought of this in terms of the wear and tear on the clubs especially. I am definitely targeting a grass facility if I can logistically figure out a course that will let me do this. I think the hands will be okay because I will be building up to this large amount of balls over time, but we will see what happens.
I'll continue to respond to the rest of you as I have time.

[GolferMW1234]

@stingerfade
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.Albuquerque 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 coolerRight, it sounds like this is a general consensus for the weather there in the summer. I mean I am in great shape and can handle extreme temperatures, especially the freezing winters here, but if we are talking about being in range of getting a heat injury, then I may be way off on my ability to handle it down there.
I think Albuquerque sounds great but I do think that if I were to get good enough to start competing in tournaments, the difference in ball flight might be a big issue for me when I play in lower altitudes. I'll have to keep it in mind though. It also sounds like this is one of the lonelier places for a single 34 year old, but I'll just have to keep researching. Thanks for your input!@slalomdude
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.This place sounds amazing and what a deal for all you get with the unlimited range pass. $235/month fro the full membership is slightly higher for my budget but still seems like a very good deal and better than OCN which is what I was looking for. I will definitely have to think about this one seriously.
The pictures of St. Augustine look absolutely stunning. What a place to live! I would be completely content ending up here for the winter. How has it been living here in terms of hurricane effect?@Hawkeye77
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.I am admittedly not the most well traveled person, but I knew it was hot, just wasn't thinking in terms of getting a heat injury. I thought I could tough it out just like I have here in MN with the extreme cold winters and cold summers.
Yes, the west coast definitely has a lot of promise, CA is probably out of reach for a while, but Texas, AZ are definitely on my radar. Any courses for unlimited range passes you would recommend over there? NM seems like a great deal but just not sure about practicing at such a high altitude if I was targeting a place like Albuquerque.
I have a decent chunk of money in savings, but I am trying to get creative with how I spend money for this endeavor, especially on housing. I will be leaving my high paying job so I don't want to burn through all of my cash in the first year.
I do think the 1000+ balls is a very lofty aspiration but I really do want to see if I have what it takes to devote my entire focus to this sport. Logistically, watching Moe Norman's videos, he would hit a ball about every 15 seconds or so, which comes out to be about 4 hours to hit 1000. In theory, I could work my way up to this as I develop more and more "swing strength". Then my other time spent would be 4 hours putting and 4 hours short game for a practice only day and then most days would plan on getting in 18 holes as well and reducing the practice hours to more like 3 hours each.
I practiced/played as much as I could this past season, nearly every day for about 2-3 hours on average. I had several sessions over this past summer in MN where I practiced/played for 8-10 hours, but I was just trying to squeeze into my schedule as best I could. I want to be free from all optional obligations so I can do this daily for a year. I will take days off as needed but on average I would like to do it every day.
The biggest struggle I faced was honestly just having to eat food and drive to the golf course or drive to a place like Chipotle for lunch. Eating became the biggest nuisance I have ever known. I wanted to practice all day but my body needed food and I would push it but then eventually would get dizzy. It such a weird "spot" to be at but you start to realize how important some of these basic necessities are and at the same time don't want anything to do with them.
There were many times when I was very close to quitting the sport forever, especially after practicing that much and going out to play and not seeing the results I wanted, but I have been able to work through this frustration and have stayed persistent and committed so far despite these challenges. I am optimistic about the whole thing and it will be good to know I tried and gave it my all and reached whatever potential I have available to me.
I get it that it is unrealistic but I have no attachment to having to succeed at this. I will be happy I tried and especially as long as I did this without wiping out my savings, that is the part I am trying to be smart about and avoid. I know I can always fall back on my current career in IT after this is over as needed, but just want to do it in a way that is not stressful financially so I can put everything I have into this en-devour.
Thanks for insight! I will keep people updated on here with what ends up happening.@oikos1
This thread has potential. OP, I hope you'll consider regular updates as you embark on this journey.Thanks for your interest! I am really excited about this opportunity and really hope I can pull it off.@Malvern
Good luck OPA 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.Thanks Malvern! Yes it is turning out to be harder than one would think to enjoy this game year round in one spot. I suppose most sports are like this though anyway, so nothing new, golfers just happen to be the most addicted athletes to their given sport!
I'll look into Oregon as well. Thanks for sharing!@farmer
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.This one definitely sounds like a great place to play golf. I'll have to decide if the altitude is an issue or not for training (and then playing at lower altitudes). I am 34 years old and single so good to know about the coeds.
I am good with a small apartment as long as it is big enough to swing a lob wedge into my golf net. I live in a small one currently for $890, but for what I am getting seems like I can do better towards the $500 range somewhere. @Snowman9000
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.Right, this is the logistical nightmare of the whole thing and a major catch 22. To have a chance at playing golf at a level like Moe Norman I have to hit 1000+ balls a day, but a lot of places won't let you hit 1000+ balls a day unless you are already on the level of Moe Norman. This is definitely a major barrier to the whole thing. I have found a course here in MN that sounds like they are going to be on board with me hitting as many balls as I want to, and shockingly, their unlimited range pass is only $175.
That is a very solid idea being a range picker, I think that could work out well doing it 3-5 hours a week or so and get a deal on the memberships/passes.
Southern CA is definitely a great weather destination. My brother lives there with Fiance and they are in love with it. I would be close to family as well but it just seems too unaffordable for me if I am going to be taking a sabbatical from work. I'm going to continue researching to see if there are a couple of rare gem roommate or rural city opportunities close to an affordable range, but generally speaking I think CA is lower on my list.
That's a good idea about making $500/month extra as well. I think having time off will bring out my creativity for creating side hustles. I will still have "some" time left after practice to devote to meditation, tennis, people and small side hustles, so I'll see what happens.

[GolferMW1234]

@dalehead
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.This is great to know that OCN is used to aspiring tour players, so I won't be pushing their frustration levels hitting so many balls and hanging out there all day. I mean my personality is extremely nice so 90% of people I meet get along with me really well, but it definitely can be an issue for a lot of golf course staff and other patrons if I am hitting so many balls and being "around the whole time" when they are using those same facilities.
Yes I would definitely be on board with renting a room from someone in a mobile home. I really just need a room big enough to swing a golf club "slow" and in front of mirrors, not even a full speed swing. Instead of a bed, I could get by with a sleeping bag or a cot. If any of you have read books by Daniel Coyle (Talent Code), he talks about how you want to create environments that put you in positions to where practice stares you in the face. Staying in a luxury hotel for instance takes you out of the mindset of becoming a great athlete through sweat, practice and pure grit. Instead, a luxury hotel just puts you in the mindset of "relaxing and letting loose", maybe watch a little Netflix, take a warm bath. I want to avoid that for this project. But I also don't want to live in a major high crime area, so trying to figure that out.
I currently have no TV, no living room furniture of any kind, only a desk a bed and a kitchen. My living room is a golf mat and a golf net and mirrors. I am able to do a lot of indoor practice which is great but working full time really cuts into these hours, so I am only doing about 1-2 hours a day, which feels just like a warm up.
Okay so I will just have to take a weekend trip down to Orlando this summer to see what the heat is all about and if I can pull it off or not. It sounds like this thread is slightly divided on how bad the heat gets. I am in great shape and handle extreme temperatures really well so maybe I can find a way to make it work somehow.
I am not familiar with hurricane impact then I guess. I thought the more inland you go in Florida and gulf coasts state the more you would just deal with high wind and rain. So a place like Orlando can still be heavily damaged by hurricanes? Like to the point of evacuating the city?
Thanks so much for the insight!

[GolferMW1234]

@RichieHunt
I'll respond more to your post tomorrow, but Juliette Falls looks absolutely gorgeous! What an amazing golf course! I actually have family in Ocala as well which would be a really good thing. The membership is on the higher end, but it seems like this would be a great place to land and sounds like housing is affordable. Median home prices around $167K which is lower end. Thanks for sharing, I'll respond more tomorrow.

[Hawkeye77]

Sounds like more of a lark, and there is nothing wrong with that - you want to take time off work and go play golf as much as you can for a few months have fun. Some folks do other stuff with their free time, you should do whatever you like.

The basic questions are still begging. What is the goal? What is your current handicap, tournament scores, if you play any, golf background? It may be as simple as you think it will be fun - nobody can knock that. But the lack of context in the original post and the lack of key answers so far are a little conspicuous by their absence if it's about the game vs. just a vacation (and if I could take an extended golf vacation, I probably would).

I'll enjoy reading others input as to places to live/play and that's all great info, but if it's about posting a journey, then it would be good to have some of the blanks filled in.

[RichieHunt]

I know that Ted Potter, Jr. is a member at Juliette Falls. Not sure how often he hangs out there.

 

It's usually in very good condition although they don't overseed the rough in the winter and the 8th green has issues because of where the green is located (it's a beautiful golf hole though).

 

I consider 'elite' golf course designs to be ones with at least 6 really good to great holes with no more than 1 poorly designed hole. Juliette Falls is an 'elite' design, IMO. Holes #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #13 and #18 are all really good-to-great holes and there's not a bad hole on the course. They have a nice short game area and putting green. Their range isn't big, but I rarely see many people practicing there.

 

They also have a pretty cool little bar scene at the club with an indoor-outdoor bar and grill by the pro shop and a tiki bar by the 9th and 18th greens.

 

It is one of my top-3 favorite courses in all of Florida.

 

 

 

RH

[BB28403]

Tiny House it and have a shed full of mirrors for the kinky girlfriend and swings !

*this post does not endorse tiny houses or kinky girlfriends. Also, these are not the droids you are looking for.

[MK7Golf21]

Ok, I'll be the one that asks. OP, what is your handicap and did you play competitive golf as a junior, high school, college? What is the main goal of this golfing sabbatical to hone your game? If the goal is to make money playing as a pro then you better have competed in college and been a great player, otherwise your just going to blow away your savings.

[vallygolf]

Richie has great points but clearly has never been to AZ

" 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."

California you don't have to drive three hours, and in Arizona due to the proximity of mountains to the phoenix area, in one hour you can typiclly be in 60-80 degree weather at any given point during the year playing golf in shorts. If im the OP I dont move to Florida BECAUSE I have to drive three hours to find a place to play.

If the OP was interested in working a bit more (possibly part time) a place like AZ is perfect, expecially if you have work that can travel with you. Live OCT-May in the Phoenix area. Lots of options for affordable golf and practice (decidedly low quality courses, but anyone willing to hit 1000 balls a day usually isnt too worried about playing top of the line every day) The part time work keeps you able to hit some of the high end courses in peak season. June- September take your pick (all within an hour or two) Flagstaff, Prescott, Showlow, Payson. All high altitude typical highs in the 70-80 range. All have pretty low costs of living and access to some great courses. Take a crack at the best courses in the Phoenix area during summer when they are had for $50, and be home by the afternoon back to the mountains. Truth be known all the best courses in AZ are in the mountains. If you are playing that much golf and you have a good game and can network at all you will get invites to play these private gems. Others can probably speak better to deals for memberships you can find here. As far as weather, lower prices, and quality and quantity of golf, as well as economy and quality of life IMO Az is unrivaled (Just ask the thousands of Californinas who are moving in every day).

[RichieHunt]

You don't have to drive 3 hours to find a place to play. We get about 300-320 sunny days in the year. On those rare days that it's not sunny, you can probably drive somewhere in the state where it's not raining. I'm sure numerous Floridians can attest to this...but I've played golf where the sun is shining in my fairway and it's pouring 3 fairways over and I finish the round without ever getting a drop of rain on me. So you can easily drive an hour, 30 minutes or 10 minutes to avoid the rain during the summer.

 

Arizona and California golf is far more expensive for a quality course than Florida. Florida has a greater supply of golf courses and thus the price gets driven down. And in most places of the state of Florida, the cost of living is far cheaper than Arizona and I don't even have to mention how much cheaper it is than California.

 

 

 

RH

[david.c.w]

Look for a club corp membership and find a room or MIL suite somewhere between Fayetteville, Peachtree City and Noonan Georgia. Year round golf and when you get bored of one practice facility you can move on to the next one that is just 5-10 minutes away. Then if you want to splurge and spend some cash you can play the premier courses in and around the Atlanta area.

 

Edit: it is going to 55 today (1/30) and I am going to walk 9 at 4:30

[BirdieRoll]

Any options in San Antonio?

[duffer987]

IDK about SA, but Austin's muni system has a very attractive season pass/memberships: Fees & Memberships | AustinTexas.gov - The Official Website of the City of AustinAnd if you don't need to live too close to the action you can granny flat/house share the OP's price.

[GolferMW1234]

I am having trouble finding the time to respond to all of you. Here is my current status. I am planning on staying in MN for the time being through the May to October golf season.

I will focus on practicing as much as I can indoors at night and on the weekends until the better weather comes.

I found a range that will be $175 for the season and I have a unique full season of golf paid for at a particular course here, although I would still have to pay for a cart (which I think would be useful for speed purpose, but I am fine walking too).

I will be leaving my job around April to focus on playing full time. Logistically, the amount of practice I want to do will be a challenge, along with the physical and mental exertion required.

However, I did do an acid test last night and hit 1000 foam balls into my golf net and although there were challenges during that time, my body held up very well and I found the process exhilarating. I had to put on those Foot Joy rain gloves at ball 600 to prevent blistering. It took me from 4:30 until midnight but that was with stoppages for video analysis on 3 separate occasions and also a 20 minute pause to talk to a friend on the phone and a few more 5 minute breaks.

I think at some point I could get the 1000 balls done in 4-5 hours if I was really efficient and built my strength (especially back strength) up to that level, but we will have to see. I may just cap the long game practice at 3-4 hours on a "tuning" day and go for longer periods of time when I want to work on something specific in my swing or on a particular long club.

Then the short game and putting will take an additional 3-4 hours each depending on if I play golf that day or not, which will be most days ideally.

So I may be looking at about 13+ hours on most days since I will be fitting in a round of golf as well. There is a 9-hole course I have access as part of the membership mentioned earlier that could be good if I can speed play and get more holes in or just shoot a ton of different shots on one particular holes and then follow up after the round with practice again on those shots or the next morning, followed by another round.

To all the people wanting more clarity of my journey, let me provide a better summary.

I want to see how good I can get at golf.

I have been looking for my entire life for an opportunity to commit myself to something like this and it has taken me a while that golf is my #1 passion above everything else I am interested in. My best score ever is a 78 and I have shot that twice, I ended my last summer on that score. I started the season out shooting 90's. It is exhilarating having the opportunity to devote my entire focus to something I love rather than having to focus on someone else's company (aka my job).

Did not make HS golf team, definitely did not play college golf. I don't even keep a handicap but it is not good. I will start keeping a handicap as well as as many stats on the individual shots I can this upcoming season.

I want to see how good I can get and I finally have the resources to make that happen.

Is reaching your golf potential something you want? What resources would you need to pursue an opportunity liek this? If you had the resoruces, would you do it?

Maybe my journey will inspire you, maybe it won't, I know I am inspiring myself and that feels great.

I am not attached to the outcome of this, if it doesn't work I don't care, I want to try. I may burn out and I am completely okay with that, but I think my big heart and passion for the game will carry me very far into this journey.

I'll keep researching where I end up going for next winter. I really appreciate all these insightful responses, you are all very committed to this community and I think that is so cool from a golf perspective but also on a human connection level. I will try to put together a spreadsheet for this decision curating all the courses, fees, weather, affordability, other stats, etc into one place to compare one option against another.

Thanks again!

[Zac1321]

It sounds like in your goal to get as good as possible means to be able to shoot your lowest scores and i dont think that saying "i am going to practice X hours a day" or "hit X amount of balls a day" necessarily translates to that as efficiently as having certain specific goals in mind to improve on where your game is at right now (ie course management, hitting specific shot shapes, putting, green reading, etc). Additionally if shooting lower scores is the goal i would suggest you are better served with finding a balance where a larger portion of time is spent playing on course whether thats full rounds or partial or even hitting multiple shots from different angles.

To each their own i know everyone finds they get the best results in different ways but it seems like you are focusing a lot on the quantity of practice vs quality. i think if you asked any pro in any sport or trainers that training always has a specific goal and they dont do things just for the sake of doing them.

[GolferMW1234]

@Zac1321
This is a great point. I have no intention of leaving out all of those fundamental concepts you mentioned. I also am very concerned with efficiency of practice and especially doing "deliberate" practice.
The goal is stated that way because I do not want to put any end point on how good I can get. Currently I have shot a 78 as my lowest score ever, so my current goal is to shoot a 77 and also improve my handicap by 1 stroke (although I don't currently have a handicap). This 1-stroke better goal will continue as far as I can push it, 1 stroke at a time.
Then in terms of what I am focusing on in practice, I have a goal each moment when I am practicing of some movement, body part or aspect of the game I am working on. Then I push that as long as I can go until I can nail down the particular area I am focused on. The harder things, like course management, will be a focus, then work on something else, then re-focus type of strategy since something like that can't be accomplished in one session.
The length of practice has to do with a focus on learning the proper fundamentals instead of learning on the course in a "compensating" way. I will still learn things on the course, especially how to play all of the different shots that golf puts us up against, but I don't want to develop bad habits in my core swing, short game and putting due to in-round compensations. I want to core components to come from deliberate practice of fundamentals.
Green reading, shot shaping, etc all apply to this. The core "probably" happens during non-round practice, when there is room for lots of trial and error, contemplation,
The length of practice also has to do with pushing the envelop of the human bodies ability to learn. The more repetition, the more myelin coated wiring that takes place in the brain. The neurological patterns go stronger, so to get better I have to make these neurological patterns stronger.

[Lincoln_Arcadia]

I’d love to hear more about the kinky girlfriend swing(s). Is there a pole with that swing?

 

To the OP there are plenty of places in CA that are relatively cheap, but it depends upon your needs. I get a large bucket per day at a nearby public course for $40 a month. It’s relatively cheap and near my office.

[BB28403]

Apologies , i meant golf swings . Hope op can hang onto a good woman like club pro guy did! Lol

[Hawkeye77]

I'd say if that's the case, keep working, find a good coach and with focused practice on weekends and some evenings you'll be better come October than spending 13 or more hours every day on your own. Again if you want to hang out at a golf course and hit balls and that's fun, do it.

[MK7Golf21]

OP, just being honest but this sounds like one of the worst ideas I've heard, your quiting your job so that you can play golf for fun. From hearing your background, nothing is going to come of this besides you just playing and practicing alot. I too have a nice nest egg saved up from a decade working as a young man that I can use on homes, cars and investments, just blowing it on playing golf and not working a job is silly to me.

I do however like the conversation of ideal golfing cities weather and cost wise so it's a good thread in that regard.