BY Increasing the accessibility, relatability, & visibility for minorities in the sport of Golf
As the Founder of All Access Golf, I am constantly asked “How do I start to play golf?” by friends and colleagues, which caused me to write this article. Rule #1, in golf you don’t want to be known as a hacker. So why name this article “Golf Hack 101”? It’s because I would like for you to know some of the cost-effective ways in which a person new to the game, can save money and become more familiar with golf.
Golf is usually referred to as the game of a lifetime because you can play well into your nineties. With this in mind don’t be so hard on yourself starting out….you have literally the rest of your life. The game takes time, dedication, and consistency. No need to rush with it but you have to maintain it because taking time off will affect your game. The maintenance part is where it can become expensive so here are a few things you can do to cut costs while working on your game.
HOW TO GET STARTED
Buy an inexpensive set of golf clubs — If you don’t own clubs you will be charged for using the course’s clubs, this can add up. Buying a set of inexpensive golf clubs will eliminate the cost of having to constantly rent out golf clubs; plus you have multiple clubs to choose from while on the range. In the set will be a Driver (which is a wood), your woods/hybrids, iron set, a putter, and the golf bag. (However, most golf driving range facilities will allow customers to borrow a club or two for free to practice while on the range.)
Prices start out as low as $150 — $200 which is the price for a junior golfer. Expect to spend $300-$500 for a beginning adult — woods, hybrid, irons, putter, bag, balls, glove, tees, towel, maybe golf shoes. You may see 200 dollars for a set as being expensive but there are putters out there that are twice that amount…and it’s only the putter. Furthermore, in the article, you will see how effective and cost-efficient the inexpensive clubs are.
Buying used golf clubs can vary from the skill of the player, a beginner golfer can’t use the same clubs that a pro is using. Factors like swing speed, shaft stiffness, shaft length, and clubhead type should be taken into consideration, even for a beginner. Used clubs may be old, but that doesn’t necessarily impact their performance. Some clubs have more “forgiveness” — cavity-back vs muscle-back — which allow for more consistent results.
Once you have the golf set please don’t go out there and book a tee time to go play a round on the course. We are trying to save you money here and it would be a waste of money and time for you to go out on a course without any real practice. While lessons with a pro are the fastest and most efficient way to prepare for the golf course, you can learn on your own by purchasing an instruction book or watching on-line video instruction, much of it for free.
Kelley Pierre instructs a young player on the proper golf club grip.
Golf Balls — You can buy a pack of 12 used golf balls for around $5 dollars, which can be used to practice outside but never use them on the range. You can also get indoor golf balls (I prefer whiffle golf balls as opposed to foam golf balls but test it out for yourself to know the difference). Indoor golf balls go for about $5–$10 dollars. The great thing about indoor golf balls is that since you have your set of clubs you can now practice putting and chipping indoors (chipping is strongly advised to do on a carpet or golf mat). For putting you can put a cup on its side and putt it into the hole, chipping you can set a bucket a couple of feet away from where you are and try to chip the ball into it.
Utilize public courses- Here you can practice your putting/chipping on actual grass. The putting/chipping area is not the range and it will normally be free. There are plenty of public golf courses around the nation and many public courses host events such as the USGA and PGA tournaments. Private country clubs have these areas too but they come with a hefty price tag. You can use these areas more for free than always going to the range. When you are at the range you will use your irons, woods/hybrids. These two areas of the game, the short game and putting are often overlooked by some golfers. The short game is when you are less than 100 yards to the green. Work on this area. There is a saying in golf “Drive for show, putt for dough”, putting is where the scores are made.
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Work/Volunteer on a golf course- Working or volunteering on a golf course is a great way to learn the game especially if you are constantly on the golf course. You get to meet people and can have golf buddies. The way that this can translate into saving money is that you may meet coaches that are at the course, playing or working with clients. You being a staff or volunteer may get you discounts on lessons. It may also get you discounts on the range and as well as rounds when you are able to play them. Another benefit is that you can look at other golfers swings (don’t be creepy with women!) there are things you will learn that are do’s and don’t of golf swings, etiquette, and rules of the game.
Golf is an exciting game and makes you want to constantly improve. Ben Hogan said “the greatest pleasure is obtained by improving” and these tips can hopefully get you into the game.
Connect with All Access Golf on Instagram @AllAccessGolf or on Facebook or by visiting the website or subscribing to our mailing list to receive more helpful insights into golf at https://mailchi.mp/f30ae901c52b/allaccessgolfbk
