Cost of being a serious amateur golfer

Except for income.  Is it really any different for a serious amateur golfer than it is for a professional golfer time wise, cost, and pressure.

The time practicing, playing, going to tournaments, working with trainers, coaches, psychologists.

The money spent paying for and doing everything that needs to be done to be successful.

I wonder if most teen age quality golfers are spending 40 plus hours a week 2000+ hours and $100,000 a year on serious amateur golf?

Ï think when you are an amateur you don't spend that much since your federation/college would pay the most of the expenses and coaching, when you turn pro is just another story...

I know a few guys whom I consider to be "serious" amature golfers.  These are guys who compete successfully at the state amature level.  While many of these types are college golfers, so that their play and coaching is subsidized by their respective schools, I also know quite a few who are older with families and careers.  While these older guys usually have a past of collegient golf they have maintained their skill sets enough so that they can still compete seriously at the state am level and maintain plus handicaps.  None of these guys I know devote their lives to golf, but they do put in weekly (and perhaps daily) effort in to keeping up their game, but hardly to the point of having to sacrifice anything major in their lives.  Overall I'd consider these older guys to have been blessed with natural ability and the interest in devoting continuing effort and time maintaining their respective games.  Perhaps these are people who could have taken their games to next level that is turning pro and having a realistic chance at competing on tour at some level (mini-tours, etc.), but there are a lot of really good golfers who weren't able to make it as professionals.  By and large I have to believe that this isn't something that the average person can hope to attain.  In other words while we all can learn a lot more about golf and improve our game I don't believe most of us have a realisitc chance at becoming a plus handicap unless we were born with whatever it is that can be trained and honed to that degree.

My experience leads me to believe you are correct with that sir...

I don't mean to sound all negative about this because who knows if someone has what it takes or not, but all of these really good amateurs I know pretty much exhibited considerable talent for the game right from the start.  I take some comfort though in the fact that it is possible to play really good golf without devoting your life to the game.  I think even us average hacks can improve our skill set with the right instruction and it won't take some herculean effort or a lot of cash to make that happen.

I agree.  I consider myself a well above average athlete, though not top top tier among non-professionals or anything, but I'm very well aware that I'd have to become independently wealthy and devote many dollars and most of each day to golf in order to become a true plus handicap.  I think with money for lessons and a few more years of play I could easily get down into regular 70s territory, maybe break par on my best best days, but to consistently shoot under par?  No.  I think that takes a higher level of innate talent than I or almost all of the amateurs I've ever played with have.  How many true plus handicaps are there even on this board?  I've only seen a couple.  And I know there are TONS of people on this board who work really hard (as amateurs, given the need to spend time at work, with family, etc) at their golf game.

resurrecting an old thread here...but when you say "serious" amateur you could be looking at some of the collegiate am circuits, the mid-am/senior am (AKA cocktail circuit), or the private club top player am circuit.  The collegiates might have some subsidized entries and travel but it is big money for the parents usually (i include top notch junior, ajga type, in this area).  The mid-am/senior circuit is where the biggest cost is.  These are the best of the best who played in college, played professionally and got their am status back, and those who might just end up on senior tour when they turn 50.  These are tournies like the Gasparilla (tampa), Crump Cup (Pine Valley), Coleman Invitational(Seminole), Stocker Cup (Monterey), etc.   These are the USGA execs and probably run your local golf association.  Big money entries and invite only with a few qualifying spots.  A subset of these are the private club cocktail circuit.  These are hand picked by the club committes and are based on your reputation as a player and who you know and the club you belong to.  Entries are usually upwards of 1k and buys in para-mutuals etc are gonna run you more money.

Long story short.....a real serious amateur golfer is going to spend ALOT of money to run their year.