Do You Have a Set Budget for Golf Expenses?

[Braivo]

I have started setting aside a small sum, $50 per paycheck, into an account to be used specifically for my golf related expenses.

Golf is an important hobby to me and I'd like to spend some money on it in a guilt-free manner.

Right now this budget, about $1,300 per year, will cover my 15-20 rounds of golf per year plus a few hundred dollars for equipment purchases and upgrades each year. Eventually I will add in some for "golf travel" as my kids get a bit older. 

Does anyone else set aside funds specifically for golf?

[bkuehn1952]

25 minutes ago, Braivo said:

Does anyone else set aside funds specifically for golf?

You have a very responsible approach, well done.  As I am closing in on full retirement and most of our major future expenses are fully funded, I spend whatever I need to.  Of course, I am frugal so my expenses are rarely in excess of $2,500 a year.  This year will exceed that number but it is for a good reason.

Experiences over "stuff".

Edited September 6, 2017 by bkuehn1952

[jsgolfer]

20 minutes ago, Braivo said:

I have started setting aside a small sum, $50 per paycheck, into an account to be used specifically for my golf related expenses.

Golf is an important hobby to me and I'd like to spend some money on it in a guilt-free manner.

Right now this budget, about $1,300 per year, will cover my 15-20 rounds of golf per year plus a few hundred dollars for equipment purchases and upgrades each year. Eventually I will add in some for "golf travel" as my kids get a bit older. 

Does anyone else set aside funds specifically for golf?

My wife and I set aside $200/month for just playing golf when travelling.  We don't have a golf budget per se, but the Country Club membership is pricey.    

[Kalnoky]

The short answer is no. As a married man w/ 2 kids & house, my hobbies come last. Whatever money is leftover for me after our priorities are met, I can spend how I want. Sometimes it is just cheap twilight golf. 

I started off playing golf by selling some "toys" from my garage, and that funded my initial purchase of bag, irons, hybrids, metal woods, cleats, etc. The only expense(s) I have now are balls and greens fees (and sometimes lessons as funds allow). I really like my clubs now and have no interest in replacing any of them. 

[Lihu]

I have two kids essentially in college. The combined tuition is very high for the next 6 years. Staying in budget is a great idea.

[JonMA1]

I'm fortunate in that my membership is very affordable. But I still have to keep a budget. I give myself $20 per week and can do pretty well saving that up for several months if I need a new club or something.

53 minutes ago, Braivo said:

Golf is an important hobby to me and I'd like to spend some money on it in a guilt-free manner.

Same here. I don't go to the bars, or travel, or have other expensive hobbies. I'm fairly frugal with other activities like fishing and hunting. So I don't feel guilty spending a small amount responsibly on the one hobby I enjoy the most. 

13 minutes ago, Lihu said:

I have two kids essentially in college. The combined tuition is very high for the next 6 years. Staying in budget is a great idea.

My wife and I were unable to save for our two going to college when we were younger. So while they took on most of the debt, we owe a huge amount as well. It will take several years to pay it off. As you probably know @Lihu, it was worth every penny. 

That debt greatly impacts extra money for luxuries such as golf. 

[GolfLug]

I don't really but I find I average $5k-$6k/year which includes 2-3 trips.

It could be be better but my approach to budgeting is to keep a very modest house cost (the largest expense) and a sizable auto save. After you can breathe easy without too much budgeting micro management.

[Lihu]

Just now, JonMA1 said:

I'm fortunate in that my membership is very affordable. But I still have to keep a budget. I give myself $20 per week and can do pretty well saving that up for several months if I need a new club or something.

Same here. I don't go to the bars, or travel, or have other expensive hobbies. I'm fairly frugal with other activities like fishing and hunting. So I don't feel guilty spending a small amount responsibly on the one hobby I enjoy the most. 

My wife and I were unable to save for our two going to college when we were younger. So while they took on most of the debt, we owe a huge amount as well. It will take several years to pay it off. As you probably know @Lihu, it was worth every penny. 

That debt greatly impacts extra money for luxuries such as golf. 

Exactly!

I'm not spending any money the next 6 years on any hobby unless it's used by the entire family.

[PaddyMac]

Married / Kids / Mortgage / car loans etc ... so what I do is budget a set amount from my wages just to cover the Golf club membership and then when i need to buy balls/clubs or lessons etc there bought if the funds are available or as and when available, but at least this way I have membership covered every year and can live without the new driver for a while if need be ( Rocking a Titleist 975 driver & CB 712 irons and happy playing)

[RussUK]

Like many im on a strict budget. With 2 kids, ,mortgage, home improvements on the go, 2 cars to run golf is last on the list at the moment so i play budget golf. I tend to buy clubs either second hand or new but end of line (Cleveland Smart Square putter brand new £30!)

It can be done easily enough if you dont mind not playing premium balls and not having the latest stuff in your bag.

I have sacrificed my golf for most of the year so far so my wife must owe me lots of golf time soon!

[billchao]

I don't have a budget but I don't overspend so it's fine. I don't play enough to spend much 

[BrianD90]

Not really...I play 2-3 times a week (Sometimes more) so I do have a local membership which more than pays for itself but other then that I don't spend much other then a few rounds here or there at different courses. I've been playing the same clubs since 2012 but did just buy a new (to me) driver today.

 

Edited September 6, 2017 by BrianD90

[Lihu]

32 minutes ago, billchao said:

I don't have a budget but I don't overspend so it's fine. I don't play enough to spend much 

That's definitely one way to do it.

If you haven't already done so, start saving for your kid's college now. It'll make your life much easier when you get to my age, and you might have more budget for golf then.

 

[David in FL]

Nope.

But, the way to get to the point in life where you don't have to budget for things that you enjoy doing, is to budget while you're at that point in life when you should.

Well done, congratulations!  

[klineka]

I dont have a budget, but I am cost conscious when it comes to golf. I currently pay more than the minimum on my car loan and almost double on my student loan payments, dont go to bars very often, dont go out to eat all that often, and with golf being my main hobby I dont mind spending a good chunk of my discretionary income on golf.

At the beginning of the year, my driver, 3 wood, hybrid and 60 degree wedge were all used clubs, and in total only set me back $180 for all 4 clubs. I have since upgraded the 3 wood to an M1, which was also used and the 2016 model so saved money there, I have a M2 driver on the way, which was also used, and got it for a steal on ebay because it had a senior flex shaft in it, however I already had a different shaft on the way that I was custom fit for. Deals are out there, and for anyone on a budget I strongly recommend looking at used clubs. I have gotten used clubs from my local golf galaxy store, craigslist, as well as online from sites including globalgolf.com and 2ndswing.com

I also use teeoff.com to find deals on tee times, I have gone multiple rounds this year and played courses that are normally $40+ on the weekend and only paid $20 since they send coupon codes almost once a week to my email. Plus my buddies and I found a course that we enjoy that is $25 for 18 with a cart so we play there pretty frequently. There have been a few times where I have paid more than normal for a round, those have been on trips to Vegas and the Dominican Republic but those were special cases which I was able to save up for ahead of time.

[mcanadiens]

I don't have a set budget, but I got a pretty good idea where I stand month-to-month in general and weigh the pros and cons of any purchase accordingly.

The mass majority of my golf comes at my home courses (Kittyhawk GC) where my birthday/xmas gift of a privilege rate card allows me to walk for $5 per round. That, more or less, means not worrying about that part of things a whole lot. Playing other courses or purchasing equipment is much more of a decision. I'll generally use my clubs until they fail and look for the cheapest reasonable alternative. 

Each decision is individual and the expected benefit has to outweigh the foregone savings.

[scotth]

My wife gave me one does that count?    Which is probably a good thing.  When we first met before my accident years ago golf spending ranged from $200 a month for monthly membership fees to as much as $3000 a month.  In other words way out of control.

Now days, I have $200 a month to spend any way I want of either green fees, lessons or equipment.  

[Braivo]

2 hours ago, Lihu said:

I have two kids essentially in college. The combined tuition is very high for the next 6 years. Staying in budget is a great idea.

I will have three kids in college in a few short years, hence the new emphasis on budgeting 

1 hour ago, David in FL said:

Nope.

But, the way to get to the point in life where you don't have to budget for things that you enjoy doing, is to budget while you're at that point in life when you should.

Well done, congratulations!  

Well said, thank you. It has taken me years to overcome poor financial habits, now the key is to lock in the good ones.