Is Golf The Most Expensive Sport?

[sheppy335]

Try being a Goalie in Hockey

Helmet 300 to 1000 dollars

Chest Protector 300 to 500 dollars

Glove 150 to 300 dollars

Blocker 150 to 300 dollars

Pants 300 - 500 dollars

Cup 75- 175 dollars

Pads 1000 - 1500 dollars

Skates 100 - 350 dollars

Sticks you need a few to play Ice hockey bundles of 5 375 dollars and can be more.

Tape and other things - 100

Jersey 100 - 300 dollars

Bag 150 dollars

 

it is a very expensive sport.

[GolfTitan]

PAINTBALL IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE SPORT IVE EVER WITNESSED!

 

I would have to agree with this statement as well, atleast the most expensive sport I've played. I played at the national level last year, and by the time your done spending approx $2,000 on equipment....you then have practice and tournaments.

 

Tournament Costs = Approximatly $13,000 for 3 tournaments, this only includes entry fee and paint (not the cost of flying all over the U.S to make the tournaments).

 

That is just for the tournament, not including practice 3 days a week which also includes shooting about 20 cases of paint at $50 a pop, amongst other fee's.

[developtech]

Trap shooting! Heroine addiction is cheaper...

 

Entry Level Single Barrel Trap Shotgun--$1,250

Advanced "Quality" Single Barrel--$2,500-$15,000

Case, Glasses, Hearing Protection, Choke Tubes, etc.--$250-$1,000

Practice round- $5-$6.00 for 25 clay birds plus $5.00 for 25 shells- Approx time 20 mins.

Tournament- $1000 for a weekend not including travel

 

I quit trapshooting and switched to golf and it is amazing how much more money is in the bank at the end of the month. Shooting probably doesn't keep up with auto racing or sailing but it will make Hockey look downright reasonable when you factor in to be competition ready you have to shoot around 10,000 targets a year.

[littleprov1x]

I think racing cars or boats probably tops them all. Take the lowest level of auto racing for example: karting. It's going to cost you 10K for a kart, about 1K yearly in tires, another 1K for spare parts, close to 2K for all the safety and protective gear, 2K for race entry fees, 2K for fuel, plus transportation to and from races. That is probably going to come out to 20 grand to be competitive racing shifter karts, and everyone pretty much gets a new kart every year. This is the lowest level of racing- imagine how much it runs when you get into racing SCCA or motorcycles or I think someone mentioned dragsters. It's really pricey.

[DaveyH]

without a doubt formula 1 racing is the most expensive it sucks!!

[sergizmo]

PAINTBALL IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE SPORT IVE EVER WITNESSED!

 

I would have to agree with this statement as well, atleast the most expensive sport I've played. I played at the national level last year, and by the time your done spending approx $2,000 on equipment....you then have practice and tournaments.

 

Tournament Costs = Approximatly $13,000 for 3 tournaments, this only includes entry fee and paint (not the cost of flying all over the U.S to make the tournaments).

 

That is just for the tournament, not including practice 3 days a week which also includes shooting about 20 cases of paint at $50 a pop, amongst other fee's.

 

Cool, a fellow PB player. :drinks: I basically just play rec. speed and woods ball and local amateur tourneys, so for me the cost isn't so bad.

 

I'm surprised you foot the bill for all this though. What series do you play? NPPL, PSP, NXL? At what level? I though the sponsors paid for travel, paint, etc... I just can't believe you guys have to pay for your own paint. Like you said, tourney ballers go through a retarded amount of paint (especially backs). I know entry for 1 tourney is in the $2,000 range per team at the national level.

 

So what position do you play? What gun do you shoot? Setup/ups? What paint?

 

I'm shooting a crazy modded Tippmann Custom Pro right now.

 

Ups/parts include; - Low pressure kit with Palmer's Fatty Stabalizer

- APE rampage board w. power shot 'noid

- Rythm magnetic trigger

- Rufus Dawg center feed Holding Halo B

- Hybrid push button ASA on a drop (The gun is so long, I have to use a drop)

- Freak kit

- Powerex 9.6 V rech. batteries just so the noid fires properly.

- Pure energy 68/4500

- Internals polished, rear sight removed, front grip rounded, letters milled down,

powdercoat stripped.

 

Cost (Canadian funds) ; - gun with ups (inc batteries and charger) probably about $880

- tank $250

- halo $150

- Freak, about $140

- mask $70

- pants $60 (sale ;) )

- 2 jerseys $150 (1 speed, 1 woods)

- pod pack $60

- cleats $50

- pods, tools, lube, other stuff $50

 

Total gear; $1,860 :D Yikes, didn't realize it was that much....

 

Playing; Indoor speedball; - entry $10

- half case $25-30 (yes, that's all I use on a rec night)

 

Local amateur speedball tourney; - entry $23-30

- case $60-70

 

The Tippmann just rips. Seriously. And kick isn't that bad. It's just heavy, especially with a fully loaded Halo that far forward. I know this isn't very cost effective, I could have bought an Etek Ego or PM7 for about the same amount of $ and would have had a lighter, more efficient gun. But I'm just a rec baller and this is more fun, a sleeper Tippmann.

 

Next year's project, a modded Spyder VS2. Rockin' it Bad Company style. :yes: I like blowbacks. They always work, are easy to maintain, and are (relatively) cheap. When you have all day air efficiency means diddly, and a little kick doesn't bug me.

 

Serge

[GregMarc5280]

I think hockey without a question. If you play competatively and travel like I did it can get flat out rediculous. Just paying to play can push $10 grand sometimes, then you have equipment, like one of the other members said, $200 sticks, $500-600+ skates, $150+ gloves...Then you got hotel, food, ect. expenses for traveling to places and these are no 2-3 hour trips. Some of the places Ive been include California, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Wisconsin..Makes golf seem cheap sometimes, which it sure as hell is'nt.

[RRFireblade]

Any sport cost as much as you want it too. You rarely 'need' to spend what many people do on any sport to 'play' it and enjoy yourself.

 

A golf outing can be under $20 a day (local twilight fees w/ cart) or $1000+ a day at the right (or wrong) course. Same is true for all other sports mentioned. Sport fishing ? I can go fly fish a bike ride from the house for under 20 a year in licensing fees or fly to the mountains for $1000s.

 

I don't think it's fair to include things like Autoracing as a casual sport/hobby = Golf. :drinks:

 

Also , 'nother paintballer here , hardcore. . . But :

 

I've played NPPL and PSP Tounys at costs of $3-$5K a weekend but on any given day , I'll get out with a pump marker a 1-200 rnds of left over paint and play all day for ~$10 in fees.

 

Spend what ever makes it fun for you , but always keep the fun the biggest value.

[sync71]

Golf is expensive and so is hockey.

 

 

But snowboarding/skiing is expensive. I snowboard and I do it for about as cheap as you can. I plan on upgrading my stuff next year and I'm already saving up for it.

 

Snowmobiling-even without racing is wicked expensive. Gas, maintenance, clothes, insurance, registration (anyone who lives in NY and snowmobiles knows what im talking about...without a club membership its 100 dollars sled.), food, and lodging it gets really expensive, accecerios and mods. It gets really expensive.

 

Then any racing whether it car, motorcycle, snowmobile, quad, dirt bike is a crapload of money.

 

So I wouldn't consider golf the most expensive sport...but it's up there. And it depends how much you put in to it. Even without a crazy expensive private club.

 

Look at some of the juniors who put money into teachers and tourney fees and clubs. Then theres the guy who goes out with his 200 dollars set from dick's and plays a few times a month.

[DarthFierce]

Boating, racing, hockey, scuba, hunting, fishing, etc... are all certainly expensive. But the most expensive 'sport' or activity would have to be gambling.

 

If you don't believe that ask John Daly.

[InspiredGolf]

Motocross gets my vote. I raced for 17 years and spent everything I made on it and some more. Not only that I Ripped my ACL, got pins in my right leg and I had my Speen removed after a crash over a double jump. Golf is great, I have been playing for 9 years and I haven't been to the hospital since.

[GolfTitan]

Cool, a fellow PB player. I basically just play rec. speed and woods ball and local amateur tourneys, so for me the cost isn't so bad.

 

I'm surprised you foot the bill for all this though. What series do you play? NPPL, PSP, NXL? At what level? I though the sponsors paid for travel, paint, etc... I just can't believe you guys have to pay for your own paint. Like you said, tourney ballers go through a retarded amount of paint (especially backs). I know entry for 1 tourney is in the $2,000 range per team at the national level.

 

So what position do you play? What gun do you shoot? Setup/ups? What paint?

 

 

Ahhh a fellow baller, very nice! As far as footing the bill, we didn't have to, our sponsors took care of everything for us. You do go through a crazy amount of paint....no question about that.

 

At Chicago we went through 90 cases of Ultra Evil @ $90 a case (Ultra Evil is the grade of Evil they don't sell to the general public.....the *special stuff*). Last year we played PSP X-Ball, although this year I don't have the time to commit to that level of play....so I'm just sitting back and relaxing.

 

As far as setup goes, I won't list all the guns, but primarily used my 05 Ego, all decked out with aftermarket board and the whole 9-yards.

 

It was an amazing time and I know I will miss it this year...nothing beats being on the road playing tournaments....the hotels, air ports, road trips, seeing new cities, the dumb stuff you end up doing while your on the road with your buddies......just all of packaged into one...an awesome time!

[Pdougherty]

PAINTBALL IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE SPORT IVE EVER WITNESSED!

 

I would have to agree with this statement as well, atleast the most expensive sport I've played. I played at the national level last year, and by the time your done spending approx $2,000 on equipment....you then have practice and tournaments.

 

Tournament Costs = Approximatly $13,000 for 3 tournaments, this only includes entry fee and paint (not the cost of flying all over the U.S to make the tournaments).

 

That is just for the tournament, not including practice 3 days a week which also includes shooting about 20 cases of paint at $50 a pop, amongst other fee's.

 

Cool, a fellow PB player. :drinks: I basically just play rec. speed and woods ball and local amateur tourneys, so for me the cost isn't so bad.

 

I'm surprised you foot the bill for all this though. What series do you play? NPPL, PSP, NXL? At what level? I though the sponsors paid for travel, paint, etc... I just can't believe you guys have to pay for your own paint. Like you said, tourney ballers go through a retarded amount of paint (especially backs). I know entry for 1 tourney is in the $2,000 range per team at the national level.

 

So what position do you play? What gun do you shoot? Setup/ups? What paint?

 

I'm shooting a crazy modded Tippmann Custom Pro right now.

 

Ups/parts include; - Low pressure kit with Palmer's Fatty Stabalizer

- APE rampage board w. power shot 'noid

- Rythm magnetic trigger

- Rufus Dawg center feed Holding Halo B

- Hybrid push button ASA on a drop (The gun is so long, I have to use a drop)

- Freak kit

- Powerex 9.6 V rech. batteries just so the noid fires properly.

- Pure energy 68/4500

- Internals polished, rear sight removed, front grip rounded, letters milled down,

powdercoat stripped.

 

Cost (Canadian funds) ; - gun with ups (inc batteries and charger) probably about $880

- tank $250

- halo $150

- Freak, about $140

- mask $70

- pants $60 (sale ;) )

- 2 jerseys $150 (1 speed, 1 woods)

- pod pack $60

- cleats $50

- pods, tools, lube, other stuff $50

 

Total gear; $1,860 :D Yikes, didn't realize it was that much....

 

Playing; Indoor speedball; - entry $10

- half case $25-30 (yes, that's all I use on a rec night)

 

Local amateur speedball tourney; - entry $23-30

- case $60-70

 

The Tippmann just rips. Seriously. And kick isn't that bad. It's just heavy, especially with a fully loaded Halo that far forward. I know this isn't very cost effective, I could have bought an Etek Ego or PM7 for about the same amount of $ and would have had a lighter, more efficient gun. But I'm just a rec baller and this is more fun, a sleeper Tippmann.

 

Next year's project, a modded Spyder VS2. Rockin' it Bad Company style. :yes: I like blowbacks. They always work, are easy to maintain, and are (relatively) cheap. When you have all day air efficiency means diddly, and a little kick doesn't bug me.

 

Serge

 

nice. I got hit in the groin last year and then put my custom away for like 8 months, but I just took it out again this week so I definitely want to start playing some woodsball again.

[sergizmo]

Cool, a fellow PB player. I basically just play rec. speed and woods ball and local amateur tourneys, so for me the cost isn't so bad.

 

I'm surprised you foot the bill for all this though. What series do you play? NPPL, PSP, NXL? At what level? I though the sponsors paid for travel, paint, etc... I just can't believe you guys have to pay for your own paint. Like you said, tourney ballers go through a retarded amount of paint (especially backs). I know entry for 1 tourney is in the $2,000 range per team at the national level.

 

So what position do you play? What gun do you shoot? Setup/ups? What paint?

 

 

Ahhh a fellow baller, very nice! As far as footing the bill, we didn't have to, our sponsors took care of everything for us. You do go through a crazy amount of paint....no question about that.

 

At Chicago we went through 90 cases of Ultra Evil @ $90 a case (Ultra Evil is the grade of Evil they don't sell to the general public.....the *special stuff*). Last year we played PSP X-Ball, although this year I don't have the time to commit to that level of play....so I'm just sitting back and relaxing.

 

As far as setup goes, I won't list all the guns, but primarily used my 05 Ego, all decked out with aftermarket board and the whole 9-yards.

 

It was an amazing time and I know I will miss it this year...nothing beats being on the road playing tournaments....the hotels, air ports, road trips, seeing new cities, the dumb stuff you end up doing while your on the road with your buddies......just all of packaged into one...an awesome time!

 

Nice, $8,100 in paint for one tourney! Or 180,000 balls. :yes: Thank God for ramping, huh? ;)

 

I have to ask, how was the reffing? And how much wiping and playing on goes on in tourney level paintball? I'm thinking a whole lot. It's especially easy for fronts. Get hit off the break? Just dive into that snake and rub all over the place. That's why there are fewer and fewer tank covers as well, easier to wipe a bare tank. It's one of the main reasons ballin' will never make it big on TV, waaaaaaay to much cheating that can decide things. Just look at that final NPPL Joy vs. Dynasty match from the end of last year. Geez, how bad was that?!?!?!? Cheating and bad reffing basically screwed up the whole pro season.

 

Good choice on the Ego. They are popular for a resaon, it's not a fad. To me, the '05 is actually nicer than the '07. There is no meat on the '07 at all, I'd be terrified to dive with it. Egos are loud though, huh? Not that it matters at all, but with some barrels they are just cannons.

 

I have seen so many spoolers go down (even well maintained ones), it's ridiculous. I hope poppits and stacked tubes take over the market completely.

 

Glad you guys had lots of fun. You must have lots of great stories to tell. :drinks: As I'm sure you know, it's almost impossible to make a decent amount of money playing. Sure, Ollie makes $100K a year. I'm sure Lasoya, Telford, Nicky Cuba and Alex Frainge (and some other Dynasty guys) make good money too. But pretty much no one else does. All the money goes to the Gardners and a Mr. Youngblood.

 

Good talking to you Titan. :D I'll be starting a PB thread in 19th hole later today and throwing up some gear pics.

 

Serge

[g8a_golf]

i KNOW from experience that hockey and racing are both WAY expensive, too.

[Merlin_T]

Weddings & divorces ARE the most expensive!!! :drinks:

[sergizmo]

nice. I got hit in the groin last year and then put my custom away for like 8 months, but I just took it out again this week so I definitely want to start playing some woodsball again.

 

Get a pair of paintball pants. They have a padded "flap" over the groinal region (you could always put even more padding in there as well), along with padding in the knees/shins and lower back. They also have velcro pockets (very handy) and a lot of venting so you don't overheat.

 

Trust me Pdougherty, PB pants are very, very nice to have. Way more important than a jersey. They make things a lot more comfortable and managable when playing.

 

A nice tip to save some $ is to buy the closeout models that are being discontinued. I bought myself a new pair of '06 Evil pants a while back for $55 plus tax (Canadian). They have shown no wear in about 5 months of playing. Great investment.

 

Glad to hear you are playing again!

 

Serge

[Haplo]

Long range salt water fishing is up there. The gear is very expensive, then actually getting on a trip (up to 21 days long) can be very pricey. The most I've done is 5 days out of san diego, it sure is fun. Boats like the Independence, excel, red rooster 3, and royal polaris are nice (all around 100 feet long or more, great food and top notch crews).

[dachtor]

Sailboat racing, especially if you race keel boats in a competitive circuit like the J-24 or J-22 can get expensive. A used boat will run you approximately $10,000, but to make it competitive it will need a bottom job ($1000), new sails ($3-5000). In addition, you have slip fees, yacht club dues, entry fees. A common saying is that racing sailboats is like standing in a cold shower tearing up $100 bills. Nonetheless, a lot of fun and a lot of great memories.

 

I also will second the comment about auto racing. I have a buddy that used to race mini-Indy style cars. He had 2 cars, lots of spare tires, his own machine shop and a portable pit with accessories. Marriage and kids put an end to his racing hobby.

 

Mizuno hit the nail on the head here. I'm sure Auto Racing is similar but since I have a lot of experience in Sailboat racing, I will say it's the most expensive sport I've ever been around. The cost of entry is simply so high. In addition, the cost to campaign a boat for a year is equally high. Consider a vehicle to tow the boat, lodging for a regatta away from you home club (yourself and crew), food & beverage (yourself and crew), clothing (for all seasons) and things start to add up quick. I grew up racing smaller boats like Lasers, Snipes and Thistles but it's all very expensive and requires a substantial amount of time.

[Cashmoney725]

PAINTBALL definatly

High end gun- around 1200 dollars

High end hopper- 200 dollars

paintballs (you use around a case which is 2000 balls each time you go out) around 70$/case

Pods and pod harness- 100

Shoes- 80

Nitrogen tank-250 dollars

High end barrell-150

+Field fee -around 20 dollars

:bigwhack:

I know all this because i was on a sponsered tournament team but i quit because of the money (im only 16) and i ended up choosing golf, which is also extremley expensive lol owell.

[Status]

How about clay shooting. Top guns can cost £20,000 upwards and on top you have to pay for cartridges, clays, entry fees, etc. Rough shooting costs even more with huge fees payable for a days shooting at a decent site.

 

Sailing, motor boat racing, polo and car racing must be at the top of the pile though.

 

I think that golf is quite reasonable really especially with the option to play at municipal courses with second hand clubs. It doesn't have to cost a fortune and as long as you are sensible with how often you play you should be able to avoid the costs of a divorce!