How much money do you spend on range balls during the winter??

bobilishious2 · November 23, 2011

and how many balls should I try to hit?

It's now coming into the Autumn and winter months and where I am that means i'll not likely see the golf course now until April 2012. During the summer I am able to practice at my courses practice area with my own bag of balls so cost doesn't really factor into it.

Now it's dark in the evenings after work and I can't get the the course on weekends due to the weather, the golf range has been beckoning.

Now, my golf range is pretty expensive but I know if I want to be any good at this game come the start of next season I need to practice. I've never in my life been much of a ball beater but i suspect I would have to hit 100 balls at least 3 times per week?? (any thoughts on this?)

100 balls is the equivalent of $12 (and that's even if you buy in bulk) and each range visit is a round trip of 20 miles (which here in the UK at $8.50 per gallon for fuel isn't cheap) so this adds around $5 to each range visit too. All in it costs me around $17 per 100 balls.

Even working on just 3 range visits per week (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday), that's over $200 per month on just hitting a few range balls excluding equipment, lessons, fitting and all that other fun stuff.

Does anyone else seem to spend a small fortune (to me it is anyway) on hitting little white balls out of a poorly lit wooden bay??

Is this the norm?

russc1597187869 · November 23, 2011

[quote name='bobilishious2' timestamp='1322067650' post='3841335']
It's now coming into the Autumn and winter months and where I am that means i'll not likely see the golf course now until April 2012. During the summer I am able to practice at my courses practice area with my own bag of balls so cost doesn't really factor into it.

Now it's dark in the evenings after work and I can't get the the course on weekends due to the weather, the golf range has been beckoning.

Now, my golf range is pretty expensive but I know if I want to be any good at this game come the start of next season I need to practice. I've never in my life been much of a ball beater but i suspect I would have to hit 100 balls at least 3 times per week?? (any thoughts on this?)

100 balls is the equivalent of $12 (and that's even if you buy in bulk) and each range visit is a round trip of 20 miles (which here in the UK at $8.50 per gallon for fuel isn't cheap) so this adds around $5 to each range visit too. All in it costs me around $17 per 100 balls.

Even working on just 3 range visits per week (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday), that's over $200 per month on just hitting a few range balls excluding equipment, lessons, fitting and all that other fun stuff.

Does anyone else seem to spend a small fortune (to me it is anyway) on hitting little white balls out of a poorly lit wooden bay??

Is this the norm?
[/quote]

Do not forget about the wear and tear on your car. Everything probably adds up to grand total of $25 /bucket

Golf has always been a relatively expensive sport,but with the bad economy ,it is becoming less and less affordable for many players.

Hope your already good swing has improved because of the pros who have helped you on golfwrx

KYMAR · November 23, 2011

I am forutnate that i have an Inoor golf dome about 2.5 miles from my door. It's warm, and It's 119 a month for unlimited balls. I can go there and hit for 5 hours a day, 7 days a week if i want to. I don't want to, but I can. 300 balls a week is equal to (hopefully) 5 rounds of golf (thats tee to green only)

There are many things that can be done at home. Putting, and chipping practice, golf specific workouts, book reading on short game, the golf club and how it works. (T Wishon, Maltby etc)
Plus there is the mental side of the game. Maybe look at your range sessions as extensions of the season. And instead of beating balls, go in with a plan. Warm up with some wedges and mid irons. Then try to play the course in your mind. So its not just 10 drivers, then 10 3 woods, then 10 7 irons etc. Its driver, hybrid, SW or driver, 8 iron. and give it time between each shot, Picking very specific targets.

You may cut down your range ball consumption to 2 sessions a week or even less. And you may be better for it come April.

bobilishious2 · November 23, 2011

[quote name='russc' timestamp='1322069432' post='3841465']
[quote name='bobilishious2' timestamp='1322067650' post='3841335']
It's now coming into the Autumn and winter months and where I am that means i'll not likely see the golf course now until April 2012. During the summer I am able to practice at my courses practice area with my own bag of balls so cost doesn't really factor into it.

Now it's dark in the evenings after work and I can't get the the course on weekends due to the weather, the golf range has been beckoning.

Now, my golf range is pretty expensive but I know if I want to be any good at this game come the start of next season I need to practice. I've never in my life been much of a ball beater but i suspect I would have to hit 100 balls at least 3 times per week?? (any thoughts on this?)

100 balls is the equivalent of $12 (and that's even if you buy in bulk) and each range visit is a round trip of 20 miles (which here in the UK at $8.50 per gallon for fuel isn't cheap) so this adds around $5 to each range visit too. All in it costs me around $17 per 100 balls.

Even working on just 3 range visits per week (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday), that's over $200 per month on just hitting a few range balls excluding equipment, lessons, fitting and all that other fun stuff.

Does anyone else seem to spend a small fortune (to me it is anyway) on hitting little white balls out of a poorly lit wooden bay??

Is this the norm?
[/quote]

Do not forget about the wear and tear on your car. Everything probably adds up to grand total of $25 /bucket

Golf has always been a relatively expensive sport,but with the bad economy ,it is becoming less and less affordable for many players.

Hope your already good swing has improved because of the pros who have helped you on golfwrx
[/quote]

I did think about depreciation when writing it and think it works out around 8c per mile. It all adds up!

Thanks for asking and i think my swing has improved quite a bit i'm pleased to say. A bit of cause and effect in that i tidied up a few backswing flaws and the whole thing seems to be looking a good deal better. Will take a number of months until the changes are second nature but very pleased with the overall progress and all the help I was offered.

Unfortunately it is becoming less affordable and i'm even contemplating putting up a golf net in an unused bit of office space at my place of work!

wuuki456 · November 23, 2011

[quote name='bobilishious2' timestamp='1322067650' post='3841335']
It's now coming into the Autumn and winter months and where I am that means i'll not likely see the golf course now until April 2012. During the summer I am able to practice at my courses practice area with my own bag of balls so cost doesn't really factor into it.

Now it's dark in the evenings after work and I can't get the the course on weekends due to the weather, the golf range has been beckoning.

Now, my golf range is pretty expensive but I know if I want to be any good at this game come the start of next season I need to practice. I've never in my life been much of a ball beater but i suspect I would have to hit 100 balls at least 3 times per week?? (any thoughts on this?)

100 balls is the equivalent of $12 (and that's even if you buy in bulk) and each range visit is a round trip of 20 miles (which here in the UK at $8.50 per gallon for fuel isn't cheap) so this adds around $5 to each range visit too. All in it costs me around $17 per 100 balls.

Even working on just 3 range visits per week (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday), that's over $200 per month on just hitting a few range balls excluding equipment, lessons, fitting and all that other fun stuff.

Does anyone else seem to spend a small fortune (to me it is anyway) on hitting little white balls out of a poorly lit wooden bay??

Is this the norm?
[/quote]

Where are you based? I normally pay £5 for around 120 balls ( north east England).
Personally I think anything more than hitting 50 balls is too much. Although if I had your journey I probably would to feel like I'd done something.
I normally buy £5 worth then just keep hold of the tokens I haven't used and use then next time.

bobilishious2 · November 24, 2011

[quote name='wuuki456' timestamp='1322070676' post='3841555']
[quote name='bobilishious2' timestamp='1322067650' post='3841335']
It's now coming into the Autumn and winter months and where I am that means i'll not likely see the golf course now until April 2012. During the summer I am able to practice at my courses practice area with my own bag of balls so cost doesn't really factor into it.

Now it's dark in the evenings after work and I can't get the the course on weekends due to the weather, the golf range has been beckoning.

Now, my golf range is pretty expensive but I know if I want to be any good at this game come the start of next season I need to practice. I've never in my life been much of a ball beater but i suspect I would have to hit 100 balls at least 3 times per week?? (any thoughts on this?)

100 balls is the equivalent of $12 (and that's even if you buy in bulk) and each range visit is a round trip of 20 miles (which here in the UK at $8.50 per gallon for fuel isn't cheap) so this adds around $5 to each range visit too. All in it costs me around $17 per 100 balls.

Even working on just 3 range visits per week (Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday), that's over $200 per month on just hitting a few range balls excluding equipment, lessons, fitting and all that other fun stuff.

Does anyone else seem to spend a small fortune (to me it is anyway) on hitting little white balls out of a poorly lit wooden bay??

Is this the norm?
[/quote]

Where are you based? I normally pay £5 for around 120 balls ( north east England).
Personally I think anything more than hitting 50 balls is too much. Although if I had your journey I probably would to feel like I'd done something.
I normally buy £5 worth then just keep hold of the tokens I haven't used and use then next time.
[/quote]

Based just north of Glasgow and the range is the World of Golf which are notoriously expensive but it's the only range in the area. If you buy the balls you get given a barcode to scan on the machine so you can't keep balls for the next visit unfortunately.