With golf more expensive compared with most sports, Tamara Lucas-Stokes of Roswell said you don't necessarily have to be at the course to have a good time.

She recommends buying a mat and net to practice at home. She and her boyfriend found theirs at Play It Again Sports.

(ENLARGE)

Tamara Lucas-Stokes practices with a mat and net at home and buys reclaimed golf balls.

Another money-saving trick: reclaimed or discounted golf balls at Costco. New balls range from $20 to $50 per box. Reclaimed balls can be bought for $12 to $15.

"When you're out there playing and you're losing them, you try to catch the sales whenever you can," she said.

And, when you are on the course, scavenge for golf balls that have been hit into the water, and don't give up on yours if it has trickled in.

She does have her limits, though.

"If you're playing in Florida and there are gators in the water, you just take a drop and keep on playing," she said.

She also has a tip for saving on wardrobe: Buy at Sam's Club or TJ Maxx. Her light blue, Izod collared shirt only cost $9.

"At a golf shop it would be $45," she said.

— Jenna Marina

31 ways to save

• Want to save on food? Ask your neighbors 
• Frequent diner saves with coupons by e-mail 
• Shopper works grocery sales 
• Teenage flash for less 
• Fun, cheap getaway as close as a state park or two 
• Borrowing from library cuts costs for avid readers 
• Gamble pays off in lower expenses 
• Exerciser not waiting for DVD to come out 
• Coupons bite into cost of dining out 
• Find it for a fraction of the original price 
• Purge baby items at consignment shops 
• Brazil beckons for savings-smart traveler 
• Old sol  and 'common sense'  cut electric bill 
• Cost-cutting is par for the course 
• Rack up with sales, off-season garments 
• Shopper charts the best prices 
• Public swimming pool refreshing, affordable 
• More-efficient ride picks up cash flow 
• Clean Air deal sweetens switch to a car pool plan 
• Personal trainer trims costs and fees 
• Mom shops early for school needs 
• 'Kids eat free' nights stretch family's budget 
• RVers cut back, consolidate trips 
• Teacher Web sites offer ideas, freebies 
• Mom 'not too proud' to snag a bargain 
• Cheese plates, movies fit budget 
• Take a walk to library; watch a movie for free 
• Volunteer shows way to free theater seats 
• Catch Braves in action for mere peanuts 
• Portrait of thriftiness in designer-wear garb 
• Businessman finds cheap gas via phone 
• Shopper takes bite out of grocery bill 
• Have your own way to save? Please share it with us
• Your Money: Strategies for stretching your dollars
• Saving Dough: Resources for stretching your food dollar