# Money maker, money saver



## blue3715 (Aug 29, 2006)

Golf is expensive, so if you can cut costs anywhere it certianly helps.

Two things I have done.

1. 
Go to Golfsmith, bought a 4'x4' (2 inch thick) range mat, and a range net (large semicircle with loose netting to catch balls, not deflect them). Cost, $130+.

Take all of the REAL golf balls I never play, saved up, find, etc and keep them in an empty 5gallon paint bucket. Cost, $0. Each night, hit 20-30 balls, done driver, irons, wedges.. just keep the swing fresh. 

Not going to the range once a week over the 3 month summer golf season @ $9/bucket = $120 savings.

2. Save all the new Pro-V1 balls I find, and sell em on ebay. I recently sold 36 excellent condition balls for $45.

Now I saved well over $100 per year from range fees.


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## cbwheeler (Apr 9, 2007)

The drawback of a net is... you can't hit a fade or draw into a net, well you can, but it stops after 10 feet. Golf can be played on a budget, but it's hard since it's such an equipment based game.


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## 300Yards (Jan 23, 2007)

Nicely said! I don't like the nets cause they lie about how well your hitting..it's hard to tell whether or not you toed one, hit a slice,hit a hook..all the balls seem to go straight, so they don't replace the range, IMO.


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## golfermatt91 (Jul 14, 2006)

I like to use a net exspecially when i havent been getting good contact its a good way to get good contact back on... either way it is expensive but i still prefer the range.


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## cbwheeler (Apr 9, 2007)

Agreed. I keep telling myself I'm gonna find a house with a 400 yard field in the back where I can practice. Maybe I'll rent it out for my neighbors. Hey, I could even teach at my house


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## blue3715 (Aug 29, 2006)

yes, but..

1. Range balls often suck, old with internal cracks. You dont get a good impact or ball flight.
2. You are hitting off of astroturf (if you are lucky there's grass to hit from) which can cause cracks in the hosel, really aging your clubs.
3. You have to be able to have the time to drive, park, get balls, hit, drive home.. 90 minutes? I don't have that time

All I'm saying, is after dinner I can throw on some sneakers, and a glove, and hit off of my mat (yes a mat, but a new cushy mat that's not been beaten down to a hard rug), which really is to keep my swing and muscle memory up to date. I can tell by the impact how the 90% of the hit went. 

Plus I video my swings so I can see what movements I have.

And it's quiet.


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## lefecious (Jul 11, 2007)

Excellent post. I'm all about saving money.

I putt into a glass on my carpet in the living room. Also, my father-in-law made his patio into a putting green just by buying some astroturf and laying it on the cement. Not sure how he made the hole, but it's there.

My local range will give me $50 worth of tokens for $40, so I buy them in advance to save dough.

Also, and this is a more subtle strategy, but when I go to the range, I try to choose a spot next to a guy with a golf cart. If he has a golf cart, that tells me he's warming up before his tee time, and if he doesn't finish hitting all of his balls by tee time, he gives the rest to me. It helps if I say hi and sometimes even strike up a conversation. Not only does that make him like me, but it also wastes valuable hitting time, which means he'll have more balls to give me. I know, I know, I'm a stinker, but I'm poor and these guys can usually afford to donate a few balls =)


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