From Sticks and Stones

Used to be, all you needed were sticks and stones. Without paying a penny, you could enjoy a round of golf as you walked home after a hard day's fishing. Just grab a handy stick, and smack some rocks around.

Of course, that was over 600 years ago.

We've come a long way, baby. Today, a round of golf at a cheap public golf course could cost you upwards of $30, a package of 12 golf balls could cost you between $20 and $30, and your golf clubs could easily have set you back at least $300. Throw in another $25 for the funky little golf cart, and how about those lessons to knock a few strokes off your game?

A sport of kings, indeed. It's hard now to believe the game had its humble beginnings in ever-thrifty Scotland. According to the history link at The Scottish Golf Society, fishermen on the east coast of Scotland devised the game, and it soon developed into a national passion.

Golf proved so popular, in fact, that royal proclamations prohibited the game in the 15th century. It seems that the game was interfering with people's work, which at the time included practicing archery and other war-skills. The edicts and proclamations were ignored, Scotsmen continued to golf, and in the early 16th century Scotland lost her king and a few other notable nobles, because the home team was no match for the invading English forces.

While golf today may not cost you your country, it can still be a very expensive pastime. On a bad day it can even seem to be the biggest waste of time, energy and money on the planet. And yet despite the expense, it continues to draw enthusiasts at an amazing rate. Because, in an annoying kind of way, even bad golf is fun.

If you're thrifty at heart but you've still been bitten by the golf bug, consider buying a golf membership, or at least a package deal for your local public courses. If you golf a lot, these packages can end up shaving a few dollars off the cost of your greens fees, and by sticking to a familiar course you may also knock a few strokes off your game. (At the very least, you'll probably come to know when to use a water ball, instead of the premium brand you prefer.) Also check and see if the price varies depending on the time of day; where I live you can get a very decent deal on twilight golf, when it's unlikely you'll be able to make the full 18 holes, but can still get your golf fix for the day.

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