Rich people golf, and I aspire to be rich. Therefore, it only makes sense that I take up an interest in the game of the rich. As one of the only permitted activities last summer, I found golf to be a great escape and a way to get just enough exercise to enable me to cancel my regularly scheduled workout. But there’s a reason it’s a rich person’s game: golf is freaking expensive. Here are a few ways I’ve been saving money as a golf beginner.

Buy cheap golf equipment to get started

For a novice golfer, the reality is that no amount of golf technology is going to make a significant impact to my handicap. I bought a 10-club golf bag for the same price that grown men spend on a single club. It’s got everything I need to get started, and probably more. It might not be the kind of stuff you’ll see on the PGA Tour, but it’s perfectly suitable for someone like me who just needs a stick with which to hack. As for balls, buy in bulk. There’s no need to spend five bucks on some high-tech ball when you’re likely donating a sizeable allotment of them to the water hazard. If you don’t mind deviating from the “top” brand names, you won’t have to break the bank to get started. You can always upgrade after using and abusing your beginner set.

Teach yourself to golf for free via YouTube

Rather than pay for expensive golf lessons, there are professional golfers giving free tips in such an abundance so as to allow you to teach yourself this frustrating endeavor. There’s no shortage of further lessons available from the equivalent of your local golf pros. As you get going, you may decide that you want to pay for one-on-one interaction and personal swing corrections. But, as with nearly every subject, YouTube provides an incredible resource for beginners in pursuit of a DIY project. There’s no DIY project quite as never-ending as improving your golf game.

Become a course member for free driving range practice

It’s somewhat counterintuitive to pay for a golf membership when you’re trying to save money on that very activity, but it’s easy to extract value out of a membership at a lower end course. Over the summer, I paid $30/month for a membership (minimum three months) that entitled me to a free bucket of range balls every day. A bucket of balls usually costs $10-15. Just two trips to the course during a given month pretty much covered the membership fee by itself. And naturally I went much more than that. Additionally, the membership included huge discount rates on their 18-hole course for when I finally mustered up the courage to play a real round of golf.

Help yourself to free balls and tees all over the course

Because I am such a terrible golfer, I spend a lot of time hitting balls out of bounds or into the woods. Oftentimes, I lose the ball I hit, but emerge from the woods with a wide variety of brand name golf balls that I would never have purchased for myself. Especially since they’re likely to end up right back where I found them. The out of bounds area on a golf course is basically a “take a penny, leave a penny” jar on the counter of a convenience store. One for me, two for you, Mr. Golf Course. I have no shame whatsoever about scanning the bushes just off the fairway in search of a gently-used Titleist. In addition to scooping up these free balls, I keep an eye out on the tee box for some intact tees. While tees are dirt cheap, I find myself breaking mine on nearly every drive I take. Every extra tee that I find delays another purchase.

Golfing during the week and other non-peak times

As with travel, there are deals to be had simply by taking a trip to your preferred golf destination during an off-peak time, such as during the week and in the afternoon. The weekends are typically packed with golfers compounding the frustration of their 9-5 by scoring a 9 on a Par 5. You can skirt these miserable weekend warriors by playing hooky from work or using one of those personal days nobody ever takes and golfing during the week. Better yet, hit the course after 1 or 2 p.m. for the reduced Twilight rate, which is often half the price of an earlier tee time. Plus, there’s no rule stating you have to play a full 18. Cut the price (and time) in half by playing nine holes as you get acclimated to the sport.

Let the golf gifts roll in

Tell your friends and family that you’re getting into golf, and you’ll find yourself with a steady stream of new golf stuff for birthdays and Christmases to come. Buying gifts for adults is nearly impossible. You know, since we tend to abandon our hobbies as we slowly give up on all of our hopes and dreams. But when your loved ones find out you are taking an interest in this silly game, there’s no limit to the amount of crap they can buy you. You’ll always need clubs and balls and tees and shoes and gloves and towels and on and on and on. Golf makes Father’s Day (and Mother’s Day!) simple.

The best way to save money on golf? Don’t play!

The number one way for beginners to save money on golf? Never golf at all! I am confident that the statistics back me up on this. If you don’t mind a little salty language, allow George Carlin to convince you never to play this meaningless, mindless game to begin with.

It may be a boring game for boring people, but good news for me: I’m bored! At least I’ve found a couple ways to make the arrogant, elitist game a little less so. Or, at the very least, I’ve paid a little less for my participation in the hobby by swiping a couple stray golf balls out of the woods.

Big Golf has done a better job with inclusivity over the last decade or so, but sticker shock remains for beginners. There are ways to participate in the sport without being an elitist asshole. Here’s hoping you can save money–and par–on your next trip to the links.