Golf expenses

[aca247]

I am 14 and i am just wondereing what all your parents paid for or now pay for balls,green fees,lessons,gloves,clubs,etc. thanks in advance

[iammpspeer]

I am 14 and i am just wondereing what all your parents paid for or now pay for balls,green fees,lessons,gloves,clubs,etc. thanks in advance

Well, I am only 20 so I know where you are coming from. But many people on here are much older, so don't listen to them if they start to joke, they don't know anything anyway

. Currently, the only thing my parents pay for is the Country Club monthly fee. We have a family package so everyone in my family can go hangout there or whatever. But other than that, they pay for nothing. If I need balls/gloves/lessons/clubs etc. I have to pay for them. Tee's are free at the CC. BUT when I was 14, my parents paid for almost everything. They bought me my first set of adult clubs at about that age. I was still a member at a Country Club then so I guess they paid for my green fees. I used my father's old balls then, he wouldn't buy me new ones because I would just lose them. I didn't take lessons and he paid for my golf gloves because I only needed one of those per season. If there was something out of the blue that I wanted, like a new putter or some type of "special ball" I would have to pay for them, he only paid for the "necessities." So enjoy it now, because sooner than later you get to pay for you own stuff, and it gets more expensive as you get older it seems!

[aca247]

Well, I am only 20 so I know where you are coming from. But many people on here are much older, so don't listen to them if they start to joke, they don't know anything anyway

i was just wondering because i have to pay for everything besides lessons and green fees. but really its my dads lesson its just a group lesson.

[lcfd42]

Well when I was 14, I had to pay for everything related to golf. I worked weekends and evenings to have enogh funding to buy balls and pay green fees to play 1-2 times a week. So if you have these things afforded you at no cost, don't worry about what your parents or someone else pays. Just play golf all you can before you have to start paying for it. Just have fun.
Best Regards.

[iammpspeer]

I think the main reason my dad helped me pay for most things at that age is because he loved that I wanted to play Golf. He was a state champion golfer in High School blah blah blah and he just wanted to keep it in the family.

I guess after buying me clubs, the only other things he bought me were gloves. You can count the country club plan if you want to, but we would be members there regardless of if I wanted to or not.

[normdamarine]

When I was 14 Mrs Robinson payed for my "private" lessons...

[ControlJunkie]

Once you're old enough to work, think about working at a local course. Generally speaking, a lot of places let you play either for free or at a deeply discounted rate. You wont get the best tee times, but if it's cheap, who cares, right? On top of that, you'll likely get a good discount on items in the pro shop.

[Lefty-Golfer]

When I was 14 Mrs Robinson payed for my "private" lessons...

Well done!!!

[DaSportsGuy]

I had/have to pay for everything golf related. But since I live right next to a golf course, I search all the wooded areas for golf balls, wash them up, and sell them on the 3rd hole of the course. Doesn't seem like you'd make much, but I use that money to pay for my membership every year. Now, I've handed it down to my younger brother. I usually find them, he sits there and sells them and we split the money.

[DBeane]

I played with hand me down clubs and paid for everything myself when learning to play. Then I worked at country clubs for the playing privileges. Of course when your on highschool/college teams you have playing/practicing privileges somewhere usually.

Golf is a pricey sport but, it can be played "on the cheap". If my golf budget is running low, I take my shag bag and a wead eater to a local field and get to it.

I do believe good players should be a bit cockey. But I feel sorry for the high school aged country club brat dressed like Anthony Kim, with $2000 worth of equipment and cant break 80.

-Beane

[Shindig]

i was just wondering because i have to pay for everything besides lessons and green fees. but really its my dads lesson its just a group lesson.

When Billy Mayfair was a kid, he had the same problem. So he practiced putting and chipping, because the other option was paying for range balls and paying to play. And then he went and beat Tiger Woods in a playoff at the L.A. Open a few years ago.

Unfortunately, I didn't start as a kid. But I did spend some time thinking about how I would've gone about it if I had to pay for things. I'm naturally cheap, so I probably would've gone with the putting. I did some work (see next paragraph), and that probably would've covered a few rounds a month and some range balls. The other ideas, from working at a course to selling balls are awesome (plus you can keep the occasional good ball for yourself). Alternately, if there's some subjects you're good in at school, consider tutoring now and then. I made $15-20/hr back in high school (class of 2001) tutoring math, with the occasional tutoring "everything middle school." See if your district's office has a list of suggested tutors; parents frequently go there if they're seeking a tutor. Or ask your principal if he/she knows of such a list.

[Zack]

At your age, I never really had money so I could not play golf. My parents never gave me money for golf either. Now that I am in my mid twenties, obviously I pay for all my golf stuff. I hope one day when I have kids, they will like the game, and I will pay for them to enjoy it. If you have the opportunity to play and have your parents pay for you, then go out and enjoy it. Always thank them too!

[sacm3bill]

When I was your age I got nothing, and LIKED it!

Seriously though, I'm trying to understand the point of your question. What relevance does anybody else's financial situation have to you and your family's?

i was just wondering because i have to pay for everything besides lessons and green fees...

You make it sound like lessons and greens fees are so inconsequential, when actually they're more than 99% of expenses once you get past the initial cost of clubs.

[SQ Bimmer]

... Always thank them too!

Oh man, I just realized I never thanked my parents for letting me play hockey when I was a kid. 1-2 weekly practices plus weekly games that they drove me to and back and hung around during... All that equipment! Damn, looking back and comparing to life now with work, commuting, being tired from all of that, etc, that was a huge thing that they did for me. I just thanked them. My Step Dad said you're welcome and then my mom started ranting about "the damn hockey pants" that were really expensive (although cheaper than my skates...). HAHA Oh man I love the holidays. Going to spend the day with my Step Dad and help him build a wall.

So yea, to the OP, ALWAYS make sure your parents know you are thankful. I wish I had that information when I was a kid, maybe I would have been even more privileged! They helped me out a lot with college too. I graduated a while ago, but seeing how it took me 12 years to thank them for hockey, I figure I have a few more years to go before I'll thank them properly for college. Maybe next year during Thanksgiving. HAHAHA

[FHopper]

I am 14 and i am just wondereing what all your parents paid for or now pay for balls,green fees,lessons,gloves,clubs,etc. thanks in advance

I had access to a country club and spent most summer days there. I bought my own clubs from used club barrels and bought clothes during the pro shop clearance sales. I was very lucky.

[topspin4hand]

I am 14 and i am just wondereing what all your parents paid for or now pay for balls,green fees,lessons,gloves,clubs,etc. thanks in advance

There are some terrific ideas on here about funding your golf activities and everyone's stories are interesting. I grew up in a NJ city that was regarded as America's most violent city in terms of murder rate etc. in the 90's and I played basketball and tennis. Tennis is somewhat costly if you're trying to play in the colder months. More than money, it was a pain in azz to walk through the streets with my tennis bag but I did it. I don't have the experience with golf expenses at 14 but my mom payed for my tennis lessons, equipment and indoors time without much prodding on my part (and we didn't have it like that), and I have no doubt that she'd have done the same if I were into golf then. I should also mention that I had the regular teen jobs too (bowling alley porter, dunkin donuts, office file clerk).

Nowadays after a lot of schooling, money is not a concern, but I have 2 young sons under the age of 4 and I probably won't just give them $$$. I want them to know how hard $$$ is to come by and I mention that because I'm sure alot of the teenagers on here have parents who are thinking about things in a similar way.

[wedge player]

im 20 and the only thing my parents bought me for golf was a 200 dollar academy set when i was 14 ive paid for everything else

[topspin4hand]

im 20 and the only thing my parents bought me for golf was a 200 dollar academy set when i was 14 ive paid for everything else

wedge,

Did you live on a course growing up? Another challenge I see coming on the horizon for my kids is trying to chauffeur them to their activities.