It’s no secret golf is an expensive sport. Add in growing bodies and ever-changing equipment needs and you can quickly bust a budget. After about 10 years of participating in junior golf tournaments and watching the expenses increase year after year, I do have a few tips for budgeting for junior golf tournaments and trying to keep the expenses somewhat under control.
Tournament fees
As you’ve likely figured out by now, the tournament fees are one of the first expenses you get hit with and they can be one of the biggest expenses you face. Most fees range from $40 up to $300 plus. I found that once our junior golfer started playing less local tournaments and more regionals, then we consistently started paying at least $200.
A few strategies for saving on tournament fees include:
- Sign up for the yearly membership: Some tours, such as HJGT, offer an annual membership option, which gives you a discount on all tournaments throughout the year. You can typically earn your money back by playing in two or three events.
- Pay as early as possible: Sign up for the annual membership fee as soon as you can, since many tours increase the price after a certain time. Also, sign up for the individual tournaments as soon as you can, which is often less expensive compared to waiting until closer to time (trust me, I know this firsthand!).
- Think strategically: It’s helpful to map out your tentative tournament schedule at the beginning of the year — not as you’re in the thick of it in the summer. Of course you can leave room for unexpected invitationals, but planning ahead makes a huge difference. Focus on a mix of the right tournaments, such as local and regional, versus striving for all regional or national events (which cost more).
Equipment
Managing equipment needs for fast-growing kids can feel like a full-time job. Thankfully there are ways to save here too.
Starting out, we gave our son hand-me-downs and used equipment. We started our son with used blades irons (fitted with junior shafts from our local pro) so he could learn to hit in the center of the club face and more quality shots. He didn’t love them but he tells us to this day how much it helped him learn to hit the center of the club face!
One of the biggest savings opportunities is taking advantage of discounts offered by the tour you’re partnering with. Almost all tours have a partnership with equipment manufacturers and clothing, which can mean significant savings.
After enough tournaments and when your son or daughter has a golf resume they can put together, you can start thinking about sponsorships. Age is not a factor here! You can reach out to various companies and ask about the criteria for sponsoring your junior golfer. You never know if you’ll receive hats, balls, discounts on clubs, or more.
Travel
Travel is the one category that causes the most stress on our budget now that our son is in his senior year of high school and no longer plays in local tournaments. To make this category stretch as far as possible, we rely on a few tactics.
- Carpool/share costs with other junior golf parents: When possible, you can ride with other junior golf parents or split the cost of an AirBnB together. This can be a great option when you start playing in 3- or 4-day tournaments.
- Use credit card rewards: Getting a credit card where you can earn points on hotels, flights, or other travel can make another big dent. We regularly use hotel points we’ve accumulated to pay for as many nights as possible and it’s saved a ton over the years.
- Use the tour discounts: Again, many tours offer travel discounts as well, such as hotel and rental car. Make sure you look for these before booking.
- Drive as much as possible! Flying is so expensive now and for us as a family of 5 it’s nearly impossible for everyone to travel to watch our son play if we have to fly. Instead, we load up the car and drive everywhere we can. Sure, it adds on time to the trip, but it’s given us an amazing opportunity to see our beautiful country and save a tremendous amount. I always run a cost analysis before to compare driving versus flying, and 9 times out of 10, driving saves so much.
Other tips for budgeting for junior golf tournaments
Tournament fees, equipment, and travel are only a few categories that can get expensive. Clothing, golf coaches, practice facilities, and meals can add on another layer of expense, whether you’re playing locally or away from home. Don’t get discouraged though! There are other ways of saving too.
- Scholarships: Each tour likely has scholarships for financial assistance, so mark your calendars for the application deadlines. Even if you think you bring in too much income, many of these applications ask about your entire household so they have a better understanding of the expenses.
- Dedicate a golf budget: If possible, at the beginning of the year either set aside funds for golf or notate the months you expect golf expenses to increase (typically Spring and Summer).
- Track the spending: Once you’ve participated in a few tournaments, take a look at what you spent the most on. Was it the travel, tournament fees, or all of the eating out? How much did you spend on equipment in recent months? It all adds up and it may surprise you where you can save.
It can feel overwhelming when you stop and think about all the money tied up into playing tournament golf. However, I truly believe it’s an investment in your child and your family. For us, it’s meant years of traveling together, learning new experiences in tough situations, and meeting lifelong friends who have become like family. Whether or not your child ends up playing college golf, I believe tournament golf can pay you back in dividends for the lessons learned and memories made.