Do you have a Fairy Golf Father?

You don’t have a Fairy Golf Father and you’re thinking that golf is too expensive to play. Is golf expensive? The answer is Yes and No! Like anything in life, you can either pay full retail or you could shop around and find the same things at a discount.

When I first investigated about playing golf, the major barrier for me was the cost of the clubs. I had only looked for clubs at Golf Pro Shops because I didn’t know where else to look. At that time it was like looking for clothes on Rodeo Drive. Not really in my price range.

One night I was at dinner with my Fairy Golf Father and his wife. He asked what was preventing me from getting serious about playing golf. I responded “I can’t afford the clubs.” He looked at me and waved his wand (ok his fork) and said,” I got you”. I looked at his wife who commanded “say yes and thank you, right now.” And poof my wish for clubs was granted. But what to do now?

What to do now? I have access to clubs but no idea how to buy them. I called on PGA Teaching Professional, A.G. Stepney. Coach Stepney suggested I go to a local golf pro shop and get fitted for clubs. Uh what? So with Coach Stepney by my side, I got fitted for clubs. During the club fitting they measure your arm length and then have you hit a series of balls at a wall with a net. They capture your strength and speed. Turns out I needed men’s clubs, senior shaft. So with that knowledge I then was able to order my Nike clubs from his contact(Fairy God Father’s only requirement). The club fitting at is free and the knowledge you get is golden. With this knowledge you can buy a less than expensive box set from Wal-mart, Target, or used from garage sales or sports equipment re-sale outlets.

While you’re at the pro shop getting fitted, sign up for their loyalty programs. Often they send you coupons or host events that have special sales. I belong to the Golf Galaxy loyalty program and recently took my friend Beth to a Ladies Only event there. Just for being one of the first 50 entrants to the store we received a $10 gift card. Then Beth won the first raffle of another $25 gift card. She bought a Greg Norman skort and a pair of Footjoys (pictured here) both at 50% off. After using her gift card, she only paid about $30.

Looking for golf apparel and you can’t wait for a special event and don’t want to pay full retail? Well, I never want to pay full retail, so here are some tips. Marshall’s and TJ Maxx carry Nike Golf, DKNY Golf and Tommy Hilfiger Golf apparel at 75% off the cost at the pro shops. Golflocker.com and Budgetgolf.com are great sites for discounted golf shoes. Golfnow.com saves you on greens fees and is easy to use. Also, when you find a course you like, join their loyalty programs and/or email database or Facebook page. Courses often have special rates for loyal customers.
So golf does not have to be expensive, so if that’s your excuse for not playing, get swinging!