Music is a money pit

[catiii]

I've been a professional musician since 17 and even had a song played by the late Ron Chapman (RIP) on KVIL and severeal others on WNAV in Annapolis from my CD. It got a lot of newspaper publicity and I earned a couple royalty checks (enough for a couple of dinners at Outback LOL.)
Now that I'm retired on SS, my old 23 yr old gear is all starting to die (Tascam CD-RW700, Roland VS-880, Yamaha keyboard synth - all treated with white gloves and gently) and I can't afford new mics, gear, new keyboard, audi interfaces, 8 track mem card recorders, or new guitars but those of course are in fine condition. They don't "go bad" LOL.) Makes it very difficult to write if you can no longer record though. I can't even make a demo anymore.
Very frustrating.
I hate getting old.
Anyone else have money pit professions or hobbies/avocations they can no longer afford?

 

[Runwildboys]

I could never afford any of my hobbies, but top of the list is golf. I can't afford to try to get good at it.

 

[Seven]

Chicks.....

 

[dsturgeon]

I could never afford any of my hobbies, but top of the list is golf. I can't afford to try to get good at it.

Same here. Walking is about the only way I could do it consistently, and not at the courses I wanted to. If you don't do it often and it is hot out, it is hard to make it 18 holes carrying the bag and keep up a high level of play.

I played 3 years in high school and went to the course everyday with a coach. The best i could do was consistently shoot in the 80's and sometimes in 70's sometimes in 90's.

Besides the guys on tv, and people who don't play by the rules, it is rare to find anyone who is actually good. The trick is to realize you wont get good at it, and enjoy it

 

[Runwildboys]

Same here. Walking is about the only way I could do it consistently, and not at the courses I wanted to. If you don't do it often and it is hot out, it is hard to make it 18 holes carrying the bag and keep up a high level of play.

I played 3 years in high school and went to the course everyday with a coach. The best i could do was consistently shoot in the 80's and sometimes in 70's sometimes in 90's.

Besides the guys on tv, and people who don't play by the rules, it is rare to find anyone who is actually good. The trick is to realize you wont get good at it, and enjoy it

It's just so frustrating when you make a great shot, just the way you planned it, then screw up the next two or three. Each round, you make at least one or two shots that make you feel like you could be good, and it's hard to admit to yourself that it isn't the fault of the ball or the club when it never happens. lol

 

[Seven]

It's just so frustrating when you make a great shot, just the way you planned it, then screw up the next two or three. Each round, you make at least one or two shots that make you feel like you could be good, and it's hard to admit to yourself that it isn't the fault of the ball or the club when it never happens. lol

Dam! Do I feel this post.....spot on.

Still, I love the game and the million things it takes to shoot an 85.

 

[morasp]

Audiophile, my dogs ruined my scan speak mid/woofers on my New Form Research speakers and they're expensive.

 

[CouchCoach]

I could never afford any of my hobbies, but top of the list is golf. I can't afford to try to get good at it.

Golf, the best way to spoil a perfectly good walk.

 

[Runwildboys]

Golf, the best way to spoil a perfectly good walk.

I don't remember who said that, but it's a good one.

 

[CouchCoach]

I don't remember who said that, but it's a good one.

I don't either or I would give them credit. Had to be a golfer for only they know the real frustration of that game.

 

[Creeper]

I could never afford any of my hobbies, but top of the list is golf. I can't afford to try to get good at it.

I learned to play golf from a book when I was 23. But I do recommend lessons from time to time and yes, it is getting too expensive. But golf is a sport that requires more training time and knowledge than most sports. You have to put in the time. There are lots of training videos that are excellent. The Tom Watson set of CDs is excellent and covers every aspect of the golf game the way Tom Watson played it. And he wasn't too bad.

Most people don't put in the time, and golf requires a lot of time. Also, time is money in golf. Either you spend it at the range or on the course and both can get expensive if you do it every day.

Equipment is really expensive today too. I have a set of clubs I bought a long time ago and I am fine with them. I refuse to pay $400 or $500 a year for the latest new driver that really doesn't improve much. I love how they say "hit it 10 yards farther!" 10 yards farther than what? Maybe I'll wait 3 years for 3 more iterations of the same club and I'll hit it 30 yards farther!

 

[Runwildboys]

I learned to play golf from a book when I was 23. But I do recommend lessons from time to time and yes, it is getting too expensive. But golf is a sport that requires more training time and knowledge than most sports. You have to put in the time. There are lots of training videos that are excellent. The Tom Watson set of CDs is excellent and covers every aspect of the golf game the way Tom Watson played it. And he wasn't too bad.

Most people don't put in the time, and golf requires a lot of time. Also, time is money in golf. Either you spend it at the range or on the course and both can get expensive if you do it every day.

Equipment is really expensive today too. I have a set of clubs I bought a long time ago and I am fine with them. I refuse to pay $400 or $500 a year for the latest new driver that really doesn't improve much. I love how they say "hit it 10 yards farther!" 10 yards farther than what? Maybe I'll wait 3 years for 3 more iterations of the same club and I'll hit it 30 yards farther!

I've read a lot of instructional material and watched a lot of videos. I know how I'm supposed to swing. The problem is that I can't see myself from the outside, and when it works, I don't remember what it felt like for the next swing. It doesn't help that you rarely hit the same shot twice, so muscle memory is out the window.
Also, for the latter 13 years of my golf playing days, I had a torn rotator cuff in my left shoulder. I haven't tried playing since I got surgery a couple of years ago.

 

[dsturgeon]

I've read a lot of instructional material and watched a lot of videos. I know how I'm supposed to swing. The problem is that I can't see myself from the outside, and when it works, I don't remember what it felt like for the next swing. It doesn't help that you rarely hit the same shot twice, so muscle memory is out the window.
Also, for the latter 13 years of my golf playing days, I had a torn rotator cuff in my left shoulder. I haven't tried playing since I got surgery a couple of years ago.

not sure how much the injury hampers your swing, but set your goals for bogie golf. Don't have the mimndset for par or birdies. Aim at a few holes that are easy par opurtunties, and take your chances with those.

Lets say if a full injury free swing with a 6 iron is 190 yards, change your swing to an easy 3/4 swing that goes 150, but you hit it straight every time, and stick it where you want it. Master your putt and chip game, and learn to run the ball with all clubs.

If you change the way you look at the course you can drop your score a lot. If it is a par 5 530 yard whole, you could hit 3 shots with that 6 iron for 450 yards, stick your 4th shot for 80 yards and make your putt for par.

That was just an example. If you master where you put the ball, and how you view the course, you can get to where you beat the average player who is trying to crush every ball and missing fairways and greens.

Fairways, greens, and accuracy over distance. Get good with the putter.

 

[Runwildboys]

not sure how much the injury hampers your swing, but set your goals for bogie golf. Don't have the mimndset for par or birdies. Aim at a few holes that are easy par opurtunties, and take your chances with those.

Lets say if a full injury free swing with a 6 iron is 190 yards, change your swing to an easy 3/4 swing that goes 150, but you hit it straight every time, and stick it where you want it. Master your putt and chip game, and learn to run the ball with all clubs.

If you change the way you look at the course you can drop your score a lot. If it is a par 5 530 yard whole, you could hit 3 shots with that 6 iron for 450 yards, stick your 4th shot for 80 yards and make your putt for par.

That was just an example. If you master where you put the ball, and how you view the course, you can get to where you beat the average player who is trying to crush every ball and missing fairways and greens.

Fairways and greens over distance

That's something I need to do more often. Every time I try to go easy, it's a disaster, but if I did it all the time, maybe I'd get better. It's not like driving it 300 yds helps my approach shot anyway. Lol

 

[dsturgeon]

That's something I need to do more often. Every time I try to go easy, it's a disaster, but if I did it all the time, maybe I'd get better. It's not like driving it 300 yds helps my approach shot anyway. Lol

It is hard to do. But it is a strategy that will beat those around you in the long run. You elimanate so many strokes by staying in the fairway, and mastering the short game. When you are not going for birdies and eagles, but playing for par, bogies, and fairways, you improve a ton. Then you take your risks at smart times. Wait for holes with no out of bounds or hazards to try to destroy it and so on

Because the reality is that you and 95 percent of other golfers, are not actually going for birdies and par every hole. It just wont happen. Accepting that reality has always been hard for me. I can get birdies, but I play like i will birdie every hole

 

[dsturgeon]

and as far as paying a coach and so on, you can master a 3/4 swing iron swing with all your irons. It is not hard.

Set up like you are going to hit the ball, align your shoulders and your feet, then put your club shaft on the ground, where it is touching both your toes. Then step back and actually look at where your body is aligned. Then readjust until your feet and shoulders align with where you actually want to go.

Most important is your grip. Do the interlocking pinky index finger, or the other grip, to make neither hand dominate and your hands to work together

Do those 2 over and over until they are natural

Once you have mastered those and developed your swing muscle memory, you can slighthy open and close your front foot to draw and fade it

There is every coaching lesson you will need

Setup a camera behind you to see body alignment and swing path

 

[DanteEXT]

Back in my regular skateboarding days I tried to also get in to snowboarding. A good board, gear, lift passes (we were paying to go down a big hill here in Indiana), etc. just got to be too much money. Probably didn't help that I didn't make much money back then either.

 

[Creeper]

I've read a lot of instructional material and watched a lot of videos. I know how I'm supposed to swing. The problem is that I can't see myself from the outside, and when it works, I don't remember what it felt like for the next swing. It doesn't help that you rarely hit the same shot twice, so muscle memory is out the window.
Also, for the latter 13 years of my golf playing days, I had a torn rotator cuff in my left shoulder. I haven't tried playing since I got surgery a couple of years ago.

I also recommend every golfer in training get someone to take videos of them swinging from different angles so they can see what they look like when swinging. There are apps you can download that help analyze the videos too.

But I also know that as we get older the body won't do what the mind commands. Flexibility is diminished, and the swing changes. Getting older is slow torture.

 

[cowboyec]

my ebay habit.
my primary honey hole for Elvis and Cowboys memorbillia.
if im not careful...i can do a hit and run on the credit card.
and end up in the dog house....where i am now.
(but with some cool #$%^ tho.)