I just finished a 62-mile ride yesterday and feel ready to write—while also not wanting to move a muscle because I’m so stiff. Since it’s finally summer, let’s compare two popular outdoor activities: golf and cycling.
I’m going to argue cycling wins, hands down. I’ve spent a lot of time doing both, so I’m speaking from experience.
Since this blog pretends to be about personal finance, let’s start with money. Golf comes with a long list of things you need before you even tee off:
Total: $505 (sales tax included; frugal shoppers assumed)
Note: Buying used gear is a smart move. Toward the end of my golf days I bought used Titleist Pro V1s in bulk on eBay.
To be fair, you can probably find clothes in your closet to start, but if you play regularly you’ll end up buying golf-specific shirts and pants. You want to look like you belong on the 18th green, not at the office.
Total: $750 (sales tax included)
Golf is a real wallet-drainer, which helps explain why it’s often linked to wealthy retirees. The average municipal greens fee for 18 holes is about $40; a cart adds roughly $25. Walk the course and use a pull cart, and you’ll save that, but if you play once a week from May through October, you’ll spend about $960 in six months—before gas and car wear-and-tear. Add those and you’re well over $1,000 for the season.
Cycling is much cheaper. Most metro areas have lots of trails and paved paths. Occasionally you’ll replace an inner tube—about $7 for a decent one. Over 20 years, with gear replaced every 10 years, the numbers look like this:
20-year golf habit: $44,998
20-year cycling habit: $4,684
Whoa—golf is roughly ten times more expensive than cycling, and that assumes you stick to municipal courses. For a couple, that’s almost $90,000 for golf versus about $9,000 for cycling.
Cycling 1. Golf 0.
What about the mental side? Is the steady rhythm of pedaling as satisfying as stringing birdies together? For me, golf is maddening. Rarely do I have a round that leaves me truly happy with my play. My wife usually outplays me, which stings more because she’s good at not gloating. Golf lessons helped (and cost money), but the sport teases you—some great shots, a few long putts, but never all in the same round. It can feel like mental torture.
If you Google “Is Golf Bad for Stress?” you’ll find lots of tips to handle golf-induced stress. Search “Is Cycling Bad for Stress?” and you’ll see cycling listed as one of the best stress relievers. So, thanks Google.
Cycling 2. Golf 0.
Physically, golf can be rewarding if you walk the course—chasing balls into the rough can add up to six miles in a day, and even more if you carry your bag. But cycling lets you control intensity: sprint hills or cruise 50 miles at a relaxed pace. The two can complement each other for cross-training, though hiking or running is cheaper and often less frustrating.
When I played regularly, my game was steadier when I used a cart. Walking 18 holes left me exhausted and slogging through the last few holes just to get to the clubhouse. If it were up to me, I’d make golf 14 holes—save time, land, and frustration.
Even in business, more executives are choosing cycling over golf. Shockingly, bikes and gear have become status symbols—some people treat a $20,000 carbon fiber bike like jewelry. Still, cycling wins here because you can vary your workout more than you can on a golf course, and some courses don’t even allow walkers.
Cycling 3. Golf 0.
Environmentally, golf has been a problem. Courses often mean tree clearing, habitat disruption, heavy water use to keep greens pristine, and lots of pesticides and herbicides. Even electric carts indirectly use fossil fuels to charge. Some courses are getting greener, but the footprint is still big.
Cycling, especially commuting by bike, has a tiny environmental impact. Sure, manufacturing bikes and gear uses resources, but once you’re riding you’re mostly harmless to the planet. You can ride almost anywhere there’s a trail or road.
Cycling 4. Golf 0.
There are things golf does that cycling can’t match: that pure joy of hitting a tee shot that flies perfectly toward the green is special. Golf can be played at any age (like cycling), it’s a nice competitive outlet, and pro golf doesn’t have the same doping reputation as pro cycling. Golf is also more social—conversations are easier on the course than while riding.
Still, I’m happy I moved from golf to cycling over the past five years. I can’t ignore how costly golf is when I’m trying to avoid working until I’m 79. Plus, our kids learned to ride big-kid bikes this spring, which makes cycling a better family activity. Golf would be way too hectic for five-year-olds (and their parents).