I shot sporting competitively for some 20 years, attending many weekend tournaments requiring travel. When I first started I was buying White Gold target shells for as low as $28/flat. I stuck with hard it until I made Master class in 2010. I'd hate to think what it would cost to duplicate that journey today. In the last three years I have reduced my clay shooting by an astronomical factor, only shooting now occasionally with friends or shooting a fundraiser on a Saturday. I can still usually shoot in the 90s on an average difficulty course.
My competitive nature has not waned, I have just redirected it. Now I am once again shooting pool, mostly nine-ball, with friends a couple times a week and working hard on improving my game. One friend told me I should consider entering a local monthly nine-ball tournament, not necessarily with the expectation of winning, but with the goal of shooting against people that are much better than myself, with the aim of learning and improving. Sound familiar? Same reason I started shooting sporting tournaments so long ago. My wife says she wishes I shot clays more, like the old days. I replied to her that if she knew the difference in what shooting pool and shooting clays costs today she wouldn't feel that way. I used to think nothing of being gone several days for a big sporting tournament. Never again. Now, I'm planning to go to the Mosconi Cup next time America hosts it (2026).
I've got $300 invested in a used Meucci cue, $400 invested in a used CueTec carbon fiber breaking cue, and it costs me nothing to shoot for three hours at the nearest pool hall on 9 ft. Brunswick Gold Crown tables if I purchase at least a $10 lunch while I'm there. If I enter a "first Saturday nine-ball tournament" it will cost me $60. If I didn't enjoy billiards so much I would likely try to justify the cost of continuing to shoot sporting a lot. But, shooting pool has once again engulfed me with satisfaction, and the cost savings are off the charts.
