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Archive for October, 2009
Sunday, October 25th, 2009
Welcome to the first blog entry for Frugal Golfer!
Those of you who have visited this site before will notice a total makeover in style and format. But don’t let that confuse you. All the content of the site has been retained — it has just been reorganized to be more user friendly.
In the last couple of years Frugal Golfer has grown in both content & traffic. Exploring different ways to maximize your golf dollar and then publishing them for you has been exciting and rewarding for me. However, I felt that the website needed to be more dynamic. My experience and research have only started the journey to becoming a frugal golfer. Your experiences, your feedback, your input will help to accelerate that process!
I plan to post entries on Frugal Golf fairly frequently. Some will be new and some will be updating information from my previous pages. I invite your comments and ideas responding to the post and/or some other related subject. The more input I get from you guys (and gals), the more useful Frugal Golfer will be for everyone. Give me some ideas and let me run with them!
Lee ***
The Frugal Golfer
Note: Special thanks is warranted for my wife and daughter for providing me inspirational and technical support for this site!
Category: Administrative Stuff, Uncategorized
Monday, October 5th, 2009
Frugal Golfer WILL save you money! Opportunities abound to save golf dollars. We show you how to stretch your golf budget to play:
With better equipment
More skillfully (yes, your scores will go down!)
At the better quality courses
“Frugal” – meaning costing little, inexpensive, & marked by economy in the spending of money. If you’re time limited in how often you can play, frugal golf means spending your golf dollar in ways that will increase your enjoyment of the game. If time is not the issue, but you have limited funds, it will simply enable you to play more golf!
WE SHOW YOU that bargain equipment doesn’t have to mean “cheap” equipment. Brand names & value offbrands are available at closeouts & discounts.
Lessons, training aids, & instructional media don’t have to be expensive. WE SHOW YOU discounts, bargains & other alternatives that sometimes can be better or, at the least, just as good. AND…
WE SHOW YOU that you can play at the better quality golf courses for less money. Plus, with all the money you’ll be saving, you can ocassionally splurge & treat yourself to a course you ordinarily can’t afford.
Let’s face it – golf is not inexpensive – and most of us don’t have unlimited budgets. Over the years, necessity has demonstrated to me that being a frugal golfer is satisfying, and yes, FUN. Check out some of my pages & you’ll find out too!
Lee ***
Category: Administrative Stuff
Sunday, October 4th, 2009
Select the right golf ball, and it will be the quickest & easiest way to improve your golf scores.(And it just might be the cheapest way too!)
All too often a golfer will choose a ball based on some advertisement they’ve seen or a recommendation from a friend. When the Titleist Pro V1 was first introduced, many pros and low handicap golfers fell in love with it because of how it improved their game. Naturally, other golfers not familar with the design of the Pro V1 thought that it would be the best ball for them. However, this was not the case.
The best ball for you depends entirely on the type of game you have. Typically, the four basic groups of golfers (beginning & high handicap golfers, mid handicappers, low handicappers, and senior, junior, & ladies) have different types of swings, requiring balls that have significantly different performance characteristics.
Beginners & high handicappers generally are distance challenged with ball flights that curve left and right. These golfers need a hard ball that will maximize their distance while reducing the spin that causes their ball to curve so dramatically. Fortunately for them, this type of ball also tends be the least expensive ball.
At the other end of the spectrum is the low handicapper. This golfer is generally happy with their ball flight and is more concerned with being able to control or “work” the ball. So a high spin ball that doesn’t sacrifice distance is the ball they want. Not surprisingly this is the most expensive ball.
In between is the mid handicap golfer who seeks a compromise ball that best balances distance and control.
The fourth group of golfers who need to select the right golf ball are the senior, junior, & lady golfers. These golfers generally have in common a relatively slow swing speed and require a ball that is softer, easily compressed, spins less, rolls more, & get up in the air quickly.
You can find more about how to select the right golf ball at knet Golf and at Guide to Golf Equipment But make sure you come back here for more advice from the Frugal Golfer on buying new or recycled golf balls.
Category: Frugal Balls
Sunday, October 4th, 2009
Category: Administrative Stuff
Sunday, October 4th, 2009
September 7, 2009 – My Golf Blog is a work in progress & should be ready to roll out sometime in October.
March 30, 2009 – a new page where you can add your favorite course to a growing list of frugal courses. Check it out at Frugal Golf Courses!
February 28, 2009 – It dawned on me that I check out Amazon.com for just about anything I’m planning to buy, so why not golf stuff? Find out more at Buying At Amazon!
Category: Administrative Stuff
Sunday, October 4th, 2009
Donate your golf equipment and you can reduce your tax burden!
If you’re like me, you have one area of your house, apartment, or garage filled with golf equipment you no longer use. Although maybe this equipment has been replaced by newer technology or you’ve grown tired of them or they just don’t work for you, most of it would probably work for someone else just fine. So donate it!
Donating items of value to qualified charities can significantly reduce your tax burden. I suspect that most of you reading this are probably in the 25% tax bracket.That means that donating $200 worth of golf equipment could reduce your federal taxes by $50 (& also your state taxes).
Now although you might be able to sell that equipment for more money, donating your golf equipment greatly reduces the hassle factor! Simply take the equipment to your local charity thrift store. Many charities will even come to your house for a pickup! For a list of the charity thrift stores near you, go to The Thrift Shopper. Make sure you get a receipt and follow the IRS guidelines on Charitable Contributions.
And since we are talking about donating golf equipment, what better organization is there for doing so than The First Tee program? The First Tee is a nation-wide program that provides young people of all backgrounds an opportunity to develop life-enhancing values such as confidence, perseverance and judgment through golf and character education. All contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
It used to be that the biggest hassle in this process was figuring out how much to value each item. Not anymore! There is lots of help on the web. Also, many of you already have it loaded on your computer. The tax program TurboTax contains a module called It’s Deductible that does it all for you!
Of course, other good things happen when you donate your golf equipment to charity. First, donating to charity benefits your community. The proceeds from the resale of your equipment help charities fund numerous worthy causes.
Then there are the additional benefits of the smiles & good will you engender from your significant other from “clearing out the clutter” while reducing your taxes! When the money you can save on taxes is added to these intangible benefits, the frugal golfer doesn’t hesitate to donate golf equipment to charity!
Category: Donate Your Stuff
Sunday, October 4th, 2009
Practice is a major key to improving your golf game & you don’t have to spend alot of money to do it!
Now the first thing to come to mind for most of you involves pounding ball after ball at your local driving range. Hitting real golf balls with a full swing is certainly an integral (& fun!) part of improving your game, but the full swing still is only a minor portion of the game. Keep track of all your shots during your next round & you’ll find that you will hit full shots approximately 35% to 40% of the time, short shots (pitches, chips, & greenside bunkers) 20%, and putting between 40% & 45% of the time.
While most mid and high handicappers spend most of their time practicing their full swing, most low handicappers & virtually all pros focus much of their energy on short shots & putting. That’s because they know the short game is the quickest, easiest, & most efficient way to lower scores. And perhaps the best news is working on your short game doesn’t involve a lot of money!
There are two basic ways to practice your putting — on your living room rug and on a outdoor putting green. Each is best for working on a particular part of putting. The artificial uniform nature of the living room rug limits the usefulness of practice involving aiming & distance control, but it can be an outstanding place to groove a putting stroke. By utilizing simple training aids to get your eyes behind the ball, to line up your shoulders and to restrict your backswing, you can build a fluid, accelerating, repeatable putting stroke. I strongly recommend checking out the The Putting Plane Alignment System which is ABSOLUTELY the best aid I have found for grooving your stroke. Check out the rest of my website — I don’t give out my total, unqualified endorsement to any other product!
Now take your new grooved putting stroke to your local golf course or practice facility. This is where you will work on aiming, slopes, & distance control. Since you don’t have to concentrate on the mechanics of the stroke itself, you can spend your time & energy on pace, feel, & the alignment of the ball. And outdoor putting practice is cheap or costs nothing! Full outdoor facilities normally charge only a nominal amount for use, and golf courses don’t charge anything at all. The key to working on your putting at a golf course without getting hassled is to either arrive early before actually playing or to look like you belong. I worked on my putting & short game for years at a private club without hassle because I dressed and acted like I was a member!
Practice your pitching & chipping, indoors and outside! Focus on mechanics indoors. It should go without saying (although I’ll say it anyway), use an indoor golf ball like the realistically reacting AlmostGOLF Point3 Practice Golf Balls . Then take your mechanically sound pitching & chipping strokes outdoors to work on feel, aiming, & distance control. If you have a decent size backyard, you can hits balls there. Again, some facilities and golf courses have very nice setups for chipping, pitching, & sand work. Actually any reasonably sized open area works well enough. Just make sure you have a target to focus on or bring one.
When you work on your full swing at the driving range, make sure you do so efficiently. Watch how the low handicapper (or if you ever get a chance to, the touring pro) practices. Many of them will place an extra club on the mat so they can constantly ensure they are aligned correctly. Also, few of them will just pound ball after ball. Typically, they will step away from the ball every few shots to go through their preshot routine. You should too — it will slow you down, help your concentration, & make your session more efficient (& cheaper, since you will hit fewer balls!).
Also, make sure you utilize all those lost golf balls you find on the golf course. I save up the ones I don’t recycle, put them in a baggie, & supplement the ones I buy at the driving range. Occasionally, I’ll hit them in an open field or into the woods as long as there’s no danger of hitting anything (or anyone) of significance.
The Frugal Golfer knows practicing efficiently saves dollars, leaving more money to play the game!
Category: Frugal Practice
Sunday, October 4th, 2009
Get yourself a golf store job & buy everything you need for golf at unbelievably low prices! How do I know? ‘Cause getting a job at a golf store is just what I’ve done recently & I’m reaping the benefits.
Just about the time my wife convinced me to get myself another part-time job (in addition to working at the golf course), we drove by a new strip mall anchored by a well known golf superstore.
Although a job in retail has never had any appeal for me, talking about golf all day has. As with working at a golf course once again I’m working in an environment that I love being in! The money’s reasonable & the time flies. However, for the frugal golfer, the best reason to work at a golf store are the benefits!
I’m in the market for a new set of irons (my current ones are eight years old). Now like many of you, this prospect carries with it equal parts of excitement and apprehension for me. When you shell out several hundred dollars on clubs with the potential of significantly improving your game, you want to make sure you go about it the right way. There is no better way than when you have a golf store job. I have ready access to tons of information about equipment, the most important of which are the other employees, some of which have been in the business for decades! Also, since I can demo anything in the store in our hitting bays, I can quickly zero in on those irons that are best for my game.
After hitting a number of ultra game improvement irons, I’ve identified the set that works best for me. Now this is where the biggest benefit the frugal golfer gets from a golf store job comes in — the incredible discounts available! Depending on the brand and model of equipment, you can expect to pay somewhere between 35 to 65 percent of retail price! Fortunate for me the set of irons best for me is a lesser known brand that has a very deep discount for store employees.
So students, retires, teachers, or anyone else with some spare time (I only work about 12 hours a week!), get yourself a job at a golf store & reap the benefits. Some of the big chains with numerous store locations in the United States are Edwin Watts Golf and Golf Galaxy . There is simply no better way for the frugal golfer to maximize his golf equipment dollar that to get a golf store job!
Category: Employment
Sunday, October 4th, 2009
ALWAYS check for golf coupons first when you are about to spend your golf dollar! You’d be surprised at how many coupons are out there & how much you can save with them.
This site is all about how to maximize your golf dollar. From golf clubs to golf balls to greens fees to golf apparel to accessories, etc., we help you to save money on all aspects of the golfing world. But the frugal golfer knows that the last step of any golf transaction is to check for coupons!
So you’ve been smart & used the information on this site to identify the most cost effective way to buy a golf related item. You’re feeling good because you’ve done your homework, confident that your savings are maximized. Imagine how you will feel even better if you find a coupon online that gives you free shipping or 10% off or free add-ons!
There are two basic ways to find these coupons. First there are numerous websites that specialize in online coupons. The sites I’ve found with good golf sections are Coupon Share, Brads Deals, Alex’s Coupons, Monkey Bargains, and Coupon Cabin. Alternatively, once you’ve found a retailer for the item you want, do a search on that retailer plus the word “coupon”.
Keep an eye out for golf coupons in your local papers for anything from merchandise to greens fees. Check directly with the golf courses you play or would like to play — most will happily tell you about any coupons they offer & where to find them. Many of these courses will add you to their email list & send you coupons or discounts directly.
Also, sign up with the large golf retailers online, e.g. Dicks Sporting Goods, Golf Galaxy and Edwin Watts Golf to have them send coupons & discounts directing to your inbox.
The frugal golfer knows the deal is not done until the homework is — Check For Golf Coupons!
Category: Buying Equipment Frugally
Sunday, October 4th, 2009
Golf grips are a key component in golf because the grip is the only part of the club that you actually touch during the swing! The frugal golfer finds that a fresh set of grips is an inexpensive and fast way to bring a noticeable change to his game.THE IMPORTANCE OF FRESH GRIPS
With use golf grips start to wear out. The new grip that felt tacky & provided traction slowly becomes smooth and worn. Even if you don’t play much, the heat from your car trunk and the dirt and oils from your hands cause a natural degradation of the grip.
Gradually, a worn grip causes you to grasp the club tighter, increasing arm and wrist tension that inhibits proper swing mechanics and leads to a loss of power and control. However, a fresh grip provides traction that lets you hold the club lightly without the subconscious fear of losing the club during your swing. A fresh set of grips may be just the thing to take a stroke or two off your handicap.
Experts recommend that even if you only play a few times a year, you should regrip your clubs annually. However, regripping every six month is even better.
The biggest name in golf grips, Golf Pride , has an outstanding website that will educate you on everything you need to know (& more) about golf grips, so I suggest you visit their site for all the basics about grips.
RE-GRIPPING YOUR OWN CLUBS
Get it done or do it yourself? Well, it depends on how much you want to pay and how handy you are.
The best way to get your clubs regripped is to get it done locally. Most golf stores and pro shops will do it themselves or send them out. Expect to pay for the retail costs of the grips (ranging from $1.50 to $8 each) plus about $3 per club for labor & expect to wait a couple of days to get your clubs back.
Regripping your own clubs can be a better option for the frugal golfer! As shown in this video shown at the Golf Pride website, regripping doesn’t require a lot of skill or effort. And, it can add up to some significant savings, especially over time.
After an initial outlay for some basic grip tools, all you need to do is buy your grips. Golf Pride has a nice grip selector that provide you with some useful information even if you don’t buy their grips. Also, a visit to your local golf shop will enable you to find out which type of grip feels best to you. Armed with this information, do your shopping on the internet at sites like Golf Galaxy or Amazon to find your preferred grips at discount prices.
Other than the pros and some low handicap golfers, most of the rest of us probably won’t notice any significant playability difference between brands and types of grips, so shopping for price would make a lot of sense. Regardless, sufficient traction well exceeds any other playability factor for golf grips, so the most important lesson to be learned here is to keep your grips fresh.
The frugal golfer knows that in a battle between inexpensive new grips vs. worn top-of-the line grips–the new grips win every time!
Category: Frugal Accessories
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