AG up for sale

jusme said:
I have given them feedback to the same extent. They take ages to dispatch orders and their response to this was uninspiring. Pay for quick postage or accept the 7-10 days to get it
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or use any of the competitors and get it inside 48 hours almost every time. doesnt take a rocket scientist......

doesnt help they dont respond to messages or keep you informed either
 
bigslice said:
Someone mentioned months ago , that taking in second clubs at the rate they did increased their stock value, ie how much property they owned. I bebieve this is a ploy bfore they sell the business. They may have done this before
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Don't think any buyer would be taken in by this. The first thing they'd do would be to write down the second hand stock to the disposable value. I think it's doubtful whether a buyer will be found. Administration, followed by wholesale branch closures is my guess.
 
Again it seems to be a localised issue....my local AG are great....yes they are not the cheapest but as has been said, will price match. I guess part of the appeal for this particular branch is that they are attached to a quality open air driving range and are always amenable to me taking clubs out on to the range to have a hit with...but they guys who work there are friendly enough and seemingly unlike other AG employees don't seem to be bored witless/going through the motions. I, for one, would be unhappy to see the closing of this particular branch.
 
I remember them from their first shop in Manchester Road, Warrington when it was originally set up by the Bilton Brothers. At that time they were called American Golf Discount and were certainly competitive compared to the prices you were paying at professional shops or sports stores but at that time the market was far less competitive. They dropped the Discount suffix and started to price at MRRP most of the time.
Saying that, they opened up the door to golf specific high street retail stores in the UK and we have to be thankful to them for that.
I personally would be sorry to see them go as they're one of the few places you can go into and see most of the manufacturers range of clubs in one place.
I don't tend to use them these days as I prefer to support my club pro where I can but I think if they do go under, they will be a bigger loss to the market than a lot of people think.
I would never have got fitted by them as I found that the quality of their fitters varied from store to store.
 
nickjdavis said:
Again it seems to be a localised issue....my local AG are great....yes they are not the cheapest but as has been said, will price match. I guess part of the appeal for this particular branch is that they are attached to a quality open air driving range and are always amenable to me taking clubs out on to the range to have a hit with...but they guys who work there are friendly enough and seemingly unlike other AG employees don't seem to be bored witless/going through the motions. I, for one, would be unhappy to see the closing of this particular branch.
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I think this is part of the problem. I have three AG stores within driving distance (Bird Hills, Slough and Camberley) and the service in these stores, especially in terms of club fitting has always been poor in my experience and in Bird Hills in particular, the staff seem very disengaged. If you have a good one locally, and there are clearly some excellent ones, then you lose a useful asset, spoilt by an overall failing brand. I wonder if some could eventually go independent, especially those with ranges attached
 
Be happy to see American golf go under. Sick of them selling old crap at full price to people who don't know better.

Everyone should try to support their local PGA pros
 
HomerJSimpson said:
I wonder if some could eventually go independent, especially those with ranges attached
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Very possibly.

One store fairly local to me seems to be absolutely thriving. They provide a great service and with only one exception the staff are superb.

There's also a fantastic range / course / restaurant etc attached, also all thriving.

Located right by a couple of motorways and a dual carriageway linking two towns there's enormous amounts of passing traffic.

It'd be a real shame if it turns into a Sports Direct / Direct Golf situation.

However, I can easily see a couple of other local stores close. None of which I use as I don't like the service or attitudes of many of the staff (pounce on you the second you enter to give you the hard sell). I resent this as I generally know what I want/need and am not shy of asking if I need help!

Both sides of the coin right there.
 
Can't believe that giving me a brand new £100 wedge in exchange for 9 pieces of worthless metal wasn't a viable business plan :unsure:

I hope that all the suppliers saw this coming - hard to believe that the bills will be payed, especially if Ashley gets involved.

I'm imagining that the good ones will get packaged up in a new vehicle and the others shut down. Sad times for the employees, as golf retail (any retail) is not going well at present.
 
pendodave said:
Can't believe that giving me a brand new £100 wedge in exchange for 9 pieces of worthless metal wasn't a viable business plan :unsure:

I hope that all the suppliers saw this coming - hard to believe that the bills will be payed, especially if Ashley gets involved.

I'm imagining that the good ones will get packaged up in a new vehicle and the others shut down. Sad times for the employees, as golf retail (any retail) is not going well at present.
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Yup it seems like whenever a retail chain is sold to Equity groups, investment groups, trust groups, venture capital groups (delete as required) a few years later it'll collapse

Tough to imagine how they all went from being success stories for decades into loss making once 'money men' get hold of them
 
Just a quick, off the cuff question. Most people will be sad to see them go, as their pricing was usually very competitive, but they also made life very difficult for club professionals. Is it a bad thing that they appear to be going to the wall?
 
Hobbit said:
Just a quick, off the cuff question. Most people will be sad to see them go, as their pricing was usually very competitive, but they also made life very difficult for club professionals. Is it a bad thing that they appear to be going to the wall?
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It depends if you have club professionals, we don't, or if their shop is a good one. Paul42 at Seaham GC for example would never need to go to an AG, his pro shop is a cracker. For me where I am, despite all of the clubs in 15-20 miles, the AG near me is by far the best option still. I don't blame the pro's for this, running a shop is a tough business. Not many can afford to hold the stock range that an AG can.

I was in Aberdeen early this year, your most recent stomping ground, and visited Gamola Golf, AG and a driving range at the front near to Aberdeen's ground that had a heck of a shop. The AG was completely outgunned by the other two and that was not taking into account any pro shops which would have to be equally as good to compete. If only everywhere was as well served but then I think Aberdeen is a golfing hotspot.
 
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need_my_wedge said:
I’m with this. The Milton Keynes store is pretty good, the staff are friendly and helpful, but I would say that as my son has just started working there and a couple of the other staff play at our club. Prices are not always great, but they price match so can usually get stuff as cheap as elsewhere.
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What's your home club?

And yes, I quite like the MK branch. I met my coach in there, Trevor and I'm at least grateful to them for that :)
 
It'll be a shame to see it go if it does, they do more for the game than just another store with their sponsored TV events and roadshows.
I still shop there despite the useless service from them recently, e-mail support, a newly opened store and a large one attached to a driving range, all useless! My perseverance with them has nothing whatsoever to do with me getting AG gift cards through work!

I wonder how things will go, i suspect most people new to the game will go to Sports Direct and by Dunlops finest or hit ebay for some 2nd hand tat.
Will Pros stock more brands clubs, doubtful unless the smaller brands start to place their new clubs with them. If that's already happening i don't know why pros don't stock all brands.
I'm guessing we'll see a rise of company fitting events like Titleist Thursdays, i loved mine so that can't be a bad thing.
 
As someone who's new to the game I found the AG at the Trafford Centre to be useful. Having a driving range there and being able to take a load of the second hand clubs and try a bit of everything to see what felt right helped. £300 for a full set of Wilson and TM didn't seem bad for what I needed
 
DeanoMK said:
What's your home club?

And yes, I quite like the MK branch. I met my coach in there, Trevor and I'm at least grateful to them for that :)
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I play at Leighton Buzzard GC. I’ve not met Trevor but I’m sure he is still attached to them, my lad was talking about him the other week, as he was giving him a bit of advice.
 
need_my_wedge said:
I play at Leighton Buzzard GC. I’ve not met Trevor but I’m sure he is still attached to them, my lad was talking about him the other week, as he was giving him a bit of advice.
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Nice, that's a course I haven't played yet, despite living only 5 miles away, I've heard it's lovely.
 
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