Golfing is my favorite way to pass time and destress. But it is also one of the more expensive sports you can play as a casual weekend hobby. Golf clubs, golf balls, driving range practice, green fees, cart fees…then, to see progress in your game, you will probably need to take lessons. At the very least, you will need to spend a lot of time and money playing and practicing to see any improvement at all. The list of items you can spend money on when it comes to playing golf is endless.
To marry my passion for golf and my reluctance to spend frivolously (even for a hobby I enjoy as much as golf), I’ve gotten creative with ways to save. Here are 5 easy to implement strategies to ensure plenty of opportunity to unwind on the golf course without breaking the bank.
1. Play golf during the off season for huge savings on green fees (think desert golf in the summer.)
In California, it is always perfect weather for golfing, which means you won’t typically get a break on your green fees. However, you can play at some world class golf courses in the summertime for a fraction of the cost that the courses would charge during peak season. Will you be playing in hot weather? Of course. But when else will you be able to play a $250 course for $75 on a Saturday morning? If you book your tee time early in the morning, you will be done by the time temperatures reach their hottest anyway. California, Nevada, Arizona – all of these warm locales offer great discounts on amazing courses to entice golfers to come and play.
2. Use discount websites for 2 for 1 and group specials.
There are a number of websites that offer discount golf specials for local courses. Courses reach out to these websites to either promote their course for the off season or to drum up business for one reason or another. Three of my favorite websites for discount green fees are Underpar.com, GolfMoose.com, and GroupGolfer.com. Not all of the courses that promote through these websites are local or unique, but periodically, great courses will pop up and you will be able to golf at an amazing course for a great rate. Bring a friend (most discounts are of the “2 for 1” variety) and make a day of it. You’ll need someone to witness your hole-in-one anyway.
3. Buy gently used golf balls in bulk.
Most high handicap golfers lose a lot of golf balls. A lot of golf balls. Why pay $3.00-4.00 per golf ball only to hit it into the street with your first swing, when you can buy gently used golf balls (Rated AAAA) in bulk for a fraction of the cost? You can get dozens of golf balls for less than $1.00 per ball on Amazon or eBay. If you are a high handicapper, your game will not be able to tell the difference between a ball that has been hit one time and lost in the high grass versus a brand new ball designed for a PGA tour professional.
4. Buy your golf clubs second hand from websites like eBay or from your local golf retailer.
Over time, the technology used to make golf clubs has changed dramatically, but year over year, the changes to individual golf clubs are not too noticeable – neither visually nor in the improvements they purport to make to your game. However, people are continuously upgrading their clubs and trading in their old clubs chasing a few strokes here and there. Use this opportunity to buy gently used, still current golf clubs at a steep discount from retail. Most golf shops will buy your old golf clubs for resale in store but you can find better deals for nicer clubs online. I have purchased multiple clubs on eBay from professional golf retailers who exclusively sell on eBay. There are always deals to be had.
Bonus Tip: When trading in your old golf clubs, golf stores will literally give your pennies on the dollar for trade ins compared to what you can get on your own if you sold the clubs online through a site like eBay.
5. Take lessons from a pro that meets your skill level.
When the harsh realization sets in that, despite hours of dedication, your golf game is not improving, you will inevitably turn to a golf pro for lessons. This is probably one of the biggest investments you will make in your game but with one of the highest ROI (return on investment) as well. Every golf course or golf shop has levels of professional instruction. If this is your first time taking lessons, you will see tremendous improvement from taking any sort of lesson at all. There is no need to take lessons from the senior PGA pro.
In other words, if you are a high handicap golfer, you do not need to pay $200/hour for lessons to see marked improvement. The $65-$85 per hour lessons will have you feeling like a tour professional just the same.
Matt Crisafulli, EA, CFP® is a Partner at ACap Advisors & Accountants, as well as a UCLA Alumnus. He is a Fee-Only CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ practitioner and an Enrolled Agent licensed by the IRS.
ACap Advisors & Accountants is a “Fee-Only” wealth management and full-service accounting firm headquartered in Los Angeles, specializing in helping doctors and healthcare professionals make sound financial decisions.
Contact ACap at info@acapam.com or 818-272-8511.
