Golf goals..Which would you rather?

[evemccc]

Let’s say you had a decent sum, let’s say £1500 or so to spend on golf

Hypothetically, which would you rather, and why?

a) spend most of your money and focus on improving your golf ability (be it many golf lessons or optimised fitted decent equipment) but to play almost all your golf on not famous nor particularly ‘good’ courses..maybe as a Green Fee only or a municipal courses membership for most of your golf

b) spend your money on playing lots of ‘once in a lifetime’ elite courses...Open venues, Surrey/Berkshire Heathlands and others in the Top 100 in GB....but not getting beyond 16-17 HCap. And not getting fitted for your clubs. Obvs you’re playing ‘less’ golf but on much, much better courses

C) spending the money on a membership of a good well-conditioned local course. Not Championship standard and not really nationally famous but playing lots of golf albeit keeping at a similar standard (16Hcap no lessons/ no new equipment) as in Option B)


Edit: I find this a constantly hard Q I often ask myself. Money and time is finite. I can see real benefit and pros of all options!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

One immediate flaw is that around Berkshire and Surrey for a lot of local well conditioned courses £1500 won't cover a years membership

 

[evemccc]

One immediate flaw is that around Berkshire and Surrey for a lot of local well conditioned courses £1500 won't cover a years membership

Yep true..But hypothetically.

Which do or would you prioritise?

 

[Wabinez]

I’ll take B for the experiences and memories please.

 

[ScienceBoy]

Probably none of those.

Just fund the golf and instruction I play now. It might be enough to replace my clubs but I would say I need closer to £2000 for that so it is ruled out.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I'd probably go a) but it would be dependent on the "muni" itself. The Downshire near me is an example. Very good layout but in need of some TLC especially the greens. I feel in the current climate (and beyond) membership is a necessary evil as I think being a nomad for the next year or so will still be hard as clubs look to prioritise members. Interesting conundrum

 

[USER1999]

Every where is closed, so I would put the money towards yet another watch.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Like Homer I am fortunate to be a member of a club of sort c)...and so I'd spend it on new bats - as I am going to do.

I am not bothered about b) and if I had to choose between a) and c) I'd always choose c).

Because the membership of a good club with such a course is really important for me - around a lovely course I can play with the oldest or the most rubbish bats and still get great enjoyment - the opposite is not always going to be true. And as I am a member of such a club and currently have pretty old'ish, and not the best, clubs, I know that for fact. I don't actually have any doubt.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Like Homer I am fortunate to be a member of a club of sort c)...and so I'd spend it on new bats - as I am going to do.

However if I had to choose between a) and c) I'd always choose c). Because the membership of a good club with such a course is really important for me - around a lovely course I can play with the oldest or the most rubbish bats and still get great enjoyment - the opposite is not always going to be true. And as I am a member of such a club and currently have pretty old'ish, and not the best, clubs, I know that for fact. I don't actually have any doubt.

As much as the knockers mock my course on here, for what I want from my golf it is a decent course in good nick, especially the greens but it is the people that are my golfing pals and members that make the place. Given the choice of that, not improving of changing gear I'd have the camaraderie every time

 

[jim8flog]

I would tend to go for optimising my golf equipment.

New drivers with custom fit shafts are out of my budget range and it would be interesting to see how much difference it really makes.

 

[Curls]

Just because you spend 1500 on lessons doesn’t mean you’ll get better, it requires dedication and a good pro. But ultimately done properly this 1500 will last you a lifetime.

1500 on new gear will feel great, you’ll love looking at the bag. It might be transient because realistically even custom fit clubs will only make so much difference.

B, great courses, that’s cool and those memories will last a long time. If you’re worried you won’t get as much out of those unless you’re playing at a higher level, I think you’ve answered your own question (see later).

C. That membership will need renewing in a year. Yeah, great year, but is it a one off or are you in it for a longer haul?

I could be completely wrong but is the conflict you’re feeling is because while the new bats in a, the fab courses in b and c as a concept sound like a great way to enjoy your 1500, they are the easy ways? If you’re in a place in your golf life where you really could improve with lessons then maybe that’s how you want to spend it, but are aware that it will require a lot of time, practice and the possibility that for a while you’ll go backwards. So it’s not to say that this way will make you happier, indeed far from it if it’s a struggle, but would you feel like your newfound “better” golf warranted better bats? And you’d be “good enough” to enjoy these top courses at the level you want to enjoy them at?

Heavy answer! Like I say. Might have called that wrong ?

 

[evemccc]

Just because you spend 1500 on lessons doesn’t mean you’ll get better, it requires dedication and a good pro. But ultimately done properly this 1500 will last you a lifetime.

1500 on new gear will feel great, you’ll love looking at the bag. It might be transient because realistically even custom fit clubs will only make so much difference.

B, great courses, that’s cool and those memories will last a long time. If you’re worried you won’t get as much out of those unless you’re playing at a higher level, I think you’ve answered your own question (see later).

C. That membership will need renewing in a year. Yeah, great year, but is it a one off or are you in it for a longer haul?

I could be completely wrong but is the conflict you’re feeling is because while the new bats in a, the fab courses in b and c as a concept sound like a great way to enjoy your 1500, they are the easy ways? If you’re in a place in your golf life where you really could improve with lessons then maybe that’s how you want to spend it, but are aware that it will require a lot of time, practice and the possibility that for a while you’ll go backwards. So it’s not to say that this way will make you happier, indeed far from it if it’s a struggle, but would you feel like your newfound “better” golf warranted better bats? And you’d be “good enough” to enjoy these top courses at the level you want to enjoy them at?

Heavy answer! Like I say. Might have called that wrong ?

Appreciate all the responses

I've loved my golf so far, and I'm at the stage where I thinking how much more money/time am I going to invest (for want of a better word)

Up to now I've always thought B would be the answer. Memories to last a lifetime and all that. Fully agree that I would want to do those courses justice (so lessons and better clubs..) but as long as I am at a level where I can enjoy myself and not embarrass myself at eg. Sunningdale / TOC, then I honestly don't think I'll mind if I couldn't make par on the Road Hole!!

I still do think B to be honest, and I've booked a couple of bucketlist courses for this year.
But it's true....there is that itch to improve and to get better requires lots of practice and (good) lessons, and secondary for me is new equipment. The better you get, the better courses you want to play at on a regular basis...so it's a vicious cycle i suppose

Maybe I should just quit golf now and do a cheaper sport like..running!?

 

[Curls]

Appreciate all the responses

I've loved my golf so far, and I'm at the stage where I thinking how much more money/time am I going to invest (for want of a better word)

Up to now I've always thought B would be the answer. Memories to last a lifetime and all that. Fully agree that I would want to do those courses justice (so lessons and better clubs..) but as long as I am at a level where I can enjoy myself and not embarrass myself at eg. Sunningdale / TOC, then I honestly don't think I'll mind if I couldn't make par on the Road Hole!!

I still do think B to be honest, and I've booked a couple of bucketlist courses for this year.
But it's true....there is that itch to improve and to get better requires lots of practice and (good) lessons, and secondary for me is new equipment. The better you get, the better courses you want to play at on a regular basis...so it's a vicious cycle i suppose

Maybe I should just quit golf now and do a cheaper sport like..running!?

Yeah, I see all those people running around and I always ask myself, what are they running from? ?

Those bucket list courses will be unbelievable, enjoy to the full. If at some point you want to kick on to a different level then you’ll know when. For now eat up some top courses, it’s one of the real joys of the game. ??

 

[Orikoru]

Cheap membership at a decent club and spend the rest on new clubs.

 

[ScienceBoy]

what are they running from? ?

Last night’s takeaway, no? just me?

 

[i*windows]

a few hundred on lessons, new clubs from ebay, flight to Edinburgh, hire care to Dundee play St.Andrews or Carnoustie.

 

[sweaty sock]

Got to be C for me.

Good club and conditions means I'll be motivated to play more, which means I'll improve and enjoy.

B - short term dopamine is all well and good, but just makes going back to your regular dog track, or worse no golf at all, for the in between times is a drag.

A - Lets face it we've all already failed miserably at buying a game through equipment. It doesnt work and they're only new and shiny for 15 minutes. A seasons worth of lessons is probably £150, so plenty coin left to have 'C' and lessons.

 

[Orikoru]

A - Lets face it we've all already failed miserably at buying a game through equipment. It doesnt work and they're only new and shiny for 15 minutes.

Disagree. I don't know why people always write off getting the correct equipment. I could never hit hybrids until I got my Ping G25s. I could never hit a fairway wood until I got the F9. Nothing wrong with getting the right gear.

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

One immediate flaw is that around Berkshire and Surrey for a lot of local well conditioned courses £1500 won't cover a years membership

Hertfordshire ditto !!

 

[sweaty sock]

If cost is an issue though, getting new gear is surely the least efficient? A decent fitted hybrid costs you £200 these days? Which is like 10 lessons?

Maybe you have a point though, as I say equipment is no issue after spending thousands over the years.

Doesnt change my answer. Nice club/course still wins for me