Hobbies/Pursuits - Cost in comparison to Golf

[Ned]

In the course of a PM from another forum member, it came out that some one they know has a rather big $$$$ item piano.

Keeping in mind that each to their own, some points come to mind:

• Golf, can be played indoors so to speak at driving range but usually requires a golf course.
• Requires equipment of varying kinds for varying levels of skill along with to be able to play costs as well as maintenance costs like Club membership etc.
• Unless a member of a private course is reliant on fitting in with others.
• Even in a social sense, is bureaucratic top heavy.

So in comparison to golf, what other hobbies versus costs are out there that you know of or pursue ?

[Minor_Threat]

PC Gaming can be a costly hobby depending on how far you take it..

~ Keeping upto date with the latest technology can be costly in order to run the games at their best.
~ Member of an online gaming community with costs associated in running their own servers / forums etc.
~ New games coming out quite often.

I haven't been gaming much of late due to buying a house and not having a hardwired internet connection where my PC is and also lack of time.

[Mayhem]

Fishin mate,

I am a lazy fishrman who goes every 3 months or so. Cheap for me. But mates of mine:

New gear depending on the fish they are chasing.
Running a boat and maintenance.
Skippers ticket, trailer rego and parking.
Bait, lures etc.
Maintenance in equipment.
Clothing for the elements and then if you get in the water: Scuba gear, wetsuits etc.

Expensive if you ltake it to that level.

[Toolish]

Motor sport...makes golf look very cheap!

Other hobby at the moment is cycling...probably on par cost wise with golf, but as it is a new hobby for me there are a lot more things I want to buy where as golf has sort of been covered off.

[Grunt]

My previous sport Sailing blows golf off the park. I sat down with my dad a few years ago and we did a rouhg calculation of what we both had spent in 10 years of elite competition. It was upwards of 100K and to be honest it was not enough. Sailing is a sport where the motto "Why settle for 2nd place when a few dollars more may buy you 1st"

[Tongueboy]

guitars. got 4. A Gibson ,Epiphone and 2 Martins. and the amount I play makes it expensive.

[Yossarian]

Drinking. Expensive.

[Mayhem]

Drinking. Expensive.

Hobbie or pursuit?

[Ned]

Drinking. Expensive.

Hobbie or pursuit?

[simmsy]

Bream Fishing in comps! bloody expensive.
Boat for one.
You like to carry 4-5 outfits (rod&reel) at any one time, each outfit will cost you in the region of $1000 if you get serious.
Lures that you use are $20 a pop and you'll carry hundreds of them.

Fishing in comps is damn expensive.

[Mayhem]

Bream Fishing in comps! bloody expensive.
Boat for one.
You like to carry 4-5 outfits (rod&reel) at any one time, each outfit will cost you in the region of $1000 if you get serious.
Lures that you use are $20 a pop and you'll carry hundreds of them.

Fishing in comps is damn expensive.

Any prize money or is it all for the love of the game?

I say a guy win a comp using a chip as bait.

I only eat plankton though.

[henno]

Drag racing.

Makes golf seem as cheap as playing marbles.

[Moe Norman]

I used to be into triathlon etc after my footy career finished, proved rather costly when you take into account entry fees, equipment, clothing etc. Then when you are me, and are so prone to injury, it also racks up the costs with the physio too!

I quit back in 2005 and sold all my gear, including my bike. But after gaining so much weight and recent dabbbling in it again, I ave just gone and bought a pretty pricey bike, and am now starting to accumulate gear again - makes it even more expensive if you quit and then start again.

I think Tezza is proof that photography can be expensive when you really get into it..!

[Tomo]

Pistol shooting.
Top quality gear is $3000-$3500 each
$50 in ammo per competition.

Luckily my daughter who is the real talent gets her airfare and accommodation covered.

Not bad for a 13 year old.

Makes my golf look cheap. Clubs a grand, membership $520, comp fees $15, and $50 in grog afterwards.

[Grunt]

I used to be into triathlon etc after my footy career finished, proved rather costly when you take into account entry fees, equipment, clothing etc. Then when you are me, and are so prone to injury, it also racks up the costs with the physio too!

I quit back in 2005 and sold all my gear, including my bike. But after gaining so much weight and recent dabbbling in it again, I ave just gone and bought a pretty pricey bike, and am now starting to accumulate gear again - makes it even more expensive if you quit and then start again.

I think Tezza is proof that photography can be expensive when you really get into it..!

Did the same Moe, but I kept the bike. I sold the wheels as they were the big ticket item at the time. Bike just has the standard heavy wheels on it now.

[Dazza]

Campdrafting. I'm not involved directly, but I know plenty of competitors.

Horses normally start from $5000 & can get up quite high, most have between 3-4 to compete with.
Gooseneck & Tow vehicle can range from $50,000 to $150,000 depending on size required. Some units I've seen.... $250k easy. Most are purpose built & serve no other purpose.
Horse Feed, Shoes, Saddles, Fuel & Travel time....

I'll stick to golf thanks.

[Courty]

Waterskiiing!

I used to ski & wakeboard a lot at Tinaroo. My mate had a ski boat ($35k 2nd hand) + fuel (heaps for a 350 Chev inboard) and associated running costs + skis/ wakeboards/ kneeboards/ tubes/ discs etc + ropes + wetsuits + gloves + ropes... you get the idea.

[Moe Norman]

That could be very expensive, if you're the one supplying the boat!

[Tex]

Hang Gliding - Cheap aviation, you could get started with a licence and all kit for 5g then about $500 in memberships annually plus petrol to get to flying sites. Much like golf You can't buy the skills that allow you to soar for 3-4hrs and fly hundreds of km's cross country however.

[adlo]

Hang Gliding - Cheap aviation, you could get started with a licence and all kit for 5g then about $500 in memberships annually plus petrol to get to flying sites. Much like golf You can't buy the skills that allow you to soar for 3-4hrs and fly hundreds of km's cross country however.

But the real question is..... does hang gliding cause the occassional hilarious dummy spit?

[Tex]

Not as hilarious as Golf but it is pretty funny when some knob leaves his radio on and you can hear them grunting, cussing and talking them selves up in a thermal "C'Mon, yeh there it is... C'mon baby be good to me, oh yeh there it is, right there, up uuuuppp AW f^%k where has it gone..."

[Johnny Canuck]

Drag racing.

Makes golf seem as cheap as playing marbles.

How can you run in heels, bitch?

[AndyP]

Running. Even shoes are optional for some.

OR you can take it more seriously and run in races (entry fees), get properly fitted shoes or orthotics, get a watch that has a heart rate monitor and GPS mapping functionality, a fuel belt, all the good clothes etc. It could easily get up there with the price of golf, but it won't for me.

[poidda]

Skydiving.

Just to get licensed you're up for a couple of grand. Then a rig will set you back about 3K (second hand) but it's constant safety checks etc which cost. And that's before you even jump.

When I finished jumping, it was about $25 a jump. Multiple that by 10 jumps for the weekend and things add up.

Speaking of which, anyone want to buy a parachute?

[just]

Speaking of which, anyone want to buy a parachute?

Just make some pants out of it!