American Golf...

[GB72]

I think it is wrong to lump all AG strores, all golf pros and all retailers into the same groups. There are good AG stores and not so good ones, good sales assistants and bad ones and, though I may be shunned for saying it, there are bad pros out there as well. Believe it or not, at my old club I never received a single bit of advice on buying clubs from the pros. Yes I could have a hit out on the course with a taped up club but even when I brought it back there was nothing more than 'do you want to buy it'.

It is also argued that AG push certain brands due to the mark up but at least the have the choice of others. I would assume that most pro shops stock the brands that they do because they get the best mark up or get looked after by the company (bearing in mind that most pro shops around me stock 1 or 2 brands at most) so surely that is the same thing all be it better disguised.

 

[Evesdad]

My pro is good as long as you want ping!

No really he is very helpful and will order you anything you want and price matches. I try to buy as much from him as I can, except balls as he is very expensive in that catagory!

 

[Shiny]

I second the help I got in the Menston branch. I buy all my odds and sods there but with no range I wouldn't buy any clubs.

Can only comment on my experience but on saturday I went with a budget in mind to the Menston branch and treat really well by the pro there. Tried 5 different fairways and he gave me honest advice on each, couldn't decide between 2 and in the end he actually if they both feel the same stick within your budget, which in the end I did. He wasn't after my money at all and I never felt pressured at any time and was left alone for a couple of minutes to smash a few balls and make my own mind up. I definitely go again after the service I received but would also consider all my options before going there or to my local pro shop.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

The OP backs up what I've aid for a long time. Unfortunately at the 3 AG stores near me its pot luck who you get. If you can get hold of the manager at 2 of the 3 stores then he'll bend over backwards to make sure you get what you want. The other one will basically go with whatever first choice you grab and is just lazy.

At all three stores though get an ordinary retail assistant and the level of service is shocking and at times disturbing. I've heard some crap and downright lies come out of the mouths of these people in order to secure sales from customers who admittedly knew little about the product they were buying but were basically being duped into a brand/model that was based on hype and sales patter.

Yes it is about sales and given the sales targets they work to and the various degrees of mark up on each manufacturer I can se why they push the brands in the way they do. However in terms of customer satisfaction and return business, a little honesty, time and a better understanding of your own products would go a long way to making a difference. I still wouldn't buy another club from them

 

[munro007]

I don't get the whole AG thing if you have access to a pro shop. I think that buying clubs off the internet should be banned. There are far to many fake clubs on the net.

 

[Mr_T]

The ironic thing is they irritate people by trying to push certain brands etc etc to get more money but if the stores who have poor customer service actually just tried to find the club right for the person then they'd probably get more money anyway as they'll get people coming back again

 

[Wolfman]

Guys, you have to remember this is business not charity


If the sales staff try to sell to you thats what they are paid to do, not be your best buddy for the day


Sadly badly trained sales people give the sales industry a poor name, do not blame the company blame the staff or store manager perhaps.


As regards to offering other brands you have the right to say no thankyou or say yes, its not that hard is it ?


Also people who knock the big stores, DG, AG, NB, etc must remember that without them we would have very few places to visit and try stuff before we buy as most golf PRO shops have limited stocks to appeal to all.

Its like complaining about Tesco or Asda because you dont like the service !

 

[Imurg]

Also people who knock the big stores, DG, AG, NB, etc must remember that without them we would have very few places to visit and try stuff before we buy as most golf PRO shops have limited stocks to appeal to all.

Pro shop at my place has a few Callaway irons and woods - that's it.

 

[Mr_T]

the pro at my club let me test a driver for 3 DAYS before i chose whether to buy it or not

My pro gave me a hybrid to try for a week, came back for a lesson a week later and wasn't sure as had been hitting it really well some of the time but really poorly so he let me have it for another week, and to top it all off because I work part time in his shop he sold it to me at the price it cost him instead of the retail price I would never go anywhere other than my pro for clubs partly because I get it cheaper than I would going to anywhere else but also because I know he would sell me a 50 pound driver instead of a 300 pound one if he thought it was better for my game, can't ask for anymore really

 

[In_The_Rough]

Guys, you have to remember this is business not charity
Correct but there should be a level of service involved

If the sales staff try to sell to you thats what they are paid to do, not be your best buddy for the day
Yes they are but they should be selling what is best for you not tat that they can make more comission on

Sadly badly trained sales people give the sales industry a poor name, do not blame the company blame the staff or store manager perhaps.
Agreed but there does seem to be a lot of negativity around the company as a whole

As regards to offering other brands you have the right to say no thankyou or say yes, its not that hard is it ?
It is if your new to Golf as you wont know otherwise

Also people who knock the big stores, DG, AG, NB, etc must remember that without them we would have very few places to visit and try stuff before we buy as most golf PRO shops have limited stocks to appeal to all.
True
Its like complaining about Tesco or Asda because you dont like the service !

Not quite the same as we dont go in there seeking advice or help. We normally go in there to get our Food and Drink and get the hell out as fast as possible

 

[MadAdey]

Really do not like AG. Tried to buy a set off TM irons from them many years ago. I booked myself in to get fitted, to make sure that I would not have to wait for the net. I turned up was given the TM iron and hit some some balls. My custom fitter then turned. I know had some young kid there trying to sell me them. He measured me up, looked at the Ping chart, gave me a Ping iron and told me to try that, I told him I did not want Ping, he told me this is how you do custom fitting Went over to the manager asked him what the crack was and he just did not seem interested. Hasten to say I did not buy them and would never go to AG again for clubs if this is how they look after customers.

 

[Imurg]

Really do not like AG. Tried to buy a set off TM irons from them many years ago.

Hasten to say I did not buy them and would never go to AG again for clubs if this is how they look after customers.

Times change though.

Not saying AG are the best but to dismiss them because of something that happened "many years ago" is a little short-sighted.
My local AG is very good, some decent players who at least have an idea what they're talking about.

 

[Smiffy]

The OP backs up what I've aid for a long time. Unfortunately at the 3 AG stores near me its pot luck who you get. If you can get hold of the manager at 2 of the 3 stores then he'll bend over backwards to make sure you get what you want. The other one will basically go with whatever first choice you grab and is just lazy.
I still wouldn't buy another club from them

And this is what boils my piss Martin.
I've said it before and I'll say it again.
If you are adamant that you are never going to buy another club from them, why should you expect people to bend over backwards and get you what you want????
You are continually slagging off American Golf. Continually. Whenever anybody comes on here saying that they are going to American Golf you will put them off. Every time. They may well be really excited about going there, about spending some money, (their money not yours), and you will tell them in no uncertain terms what a bunch of ********s they are in American Golf and not to buy from them.
Yet you continually go in there and want to hit every new club that comes out with absolutely no intention of buying yet you expect people to bend over backwards to help you and slag them off if they don't.
I've got to be honest.....if I worked at an American Golf branch near you and saw you walking in to try some clubs, I'd tell you to **** off and not waste my time. In no uncertain terms.
Personally I wouldn't serve you. I wouldn't want to talk to you. Why should I waste my time on you? Does that make me a tosser salesman in your eyes? I know I'm not a tosser salesman. I was the top salesman at my dealership both in March and April. But I won't waste my time on tosspots.
I might lose my job, but so what.
It's people like yourself that make the salespeople in American Golf the plebs you describe them to be. Maybe if they sold something now and again they might want to be a little more helpful in future.
Sorry for the rant. I buy most of my stuff online. I buy very little from American Golf. But I don't go in there and waste their time and then post on here telling people what a bunch of gits they are and moan about getting bad service.

I'd love to copy and paste all of the crap you have written about AG over the years and forward it to your local store manager. You'd not only get told to feck off the next time you went in there but I reckon you'd run the risk of getting on the end of a good shoeing.

 

[Wolfman]

And this is what boils my piss Martin.
I've said it before and I'll say it again.
If you are adamant that you are never going to buy another club from them, why should you expect people to bend over backwards and get you what you want????
You are continually slagging off American Golf. Continually. Whenever anybody comes on here saying that they are going to American Golf you will put them off. Every time. They may well be really excited about going there, about spending some money, (their money not yours), and you will tell them in no uncertain terms what a bunch of ********s they are in American Golf and not to buy from them.
Yet you continually go in there and want to hit every new club that comes out with absolutely no intention of buying yet you expect people to bend over backwards to help you and slag them off if they don't.
I've got to be honest.....if I worked at an American Golf branch near you and saw you walking in to try some clubs, I'd tell you to **** off and not waste my time. In no uncertain terms.
Personally I wouldn't serve you. I wouldn't want to talk to you. Why should I waste my time on you? Does that make me a tosser salesman in your eyes? I know I'm not a tosser salesman. I was the top salesman at my dealership both in March and April. But I won't waste my time on tosspots.
I might lose my job, but so what.
It's people like yourself that make the salespeople in American Golf the plebs you describe them to be. Maybe if they sold something now and again they might want to be a little more helpful in future.
Sorry for the rant. I buy most of my stuff online. I buy very little from American Golf. But I don't go in there and waste their time and then post on here telling people what a bunch of gits they are and moan about getting bad service.

I'd love to copy and paste all of the crap you have written about AG over the years and forward it to your local store manager. You'd not only get told to feck off the next time you went in there but I reckon you'd run the risk of getting on the end of a good shoeing.

I agree 100%

 

[G1BB0]

breathe Smiffy, breathe

go and have a rollup and calm down, at your age you dont want your blood pressure going through the roof

I have been a few times to AG, I bought a putter from there and have bought balls on 3 for 2 deals. I have never been hard sold in fact on Saturday I popped in to get an umbrella holder for my trolley, I was actually advised not to get the generic one they had in stock and get the official one off the internet! That is not hard sell

 

[Smiffy]

breathe Smiffy, breathe

go and have a rollup and calm down, at your age you dont want your blood pressure going through the roof

I have been a few times to AG, I bought a putter from there and have bought balls on 3 for 2 deals. I have never been hard sold in fact on Saturday I popped in to get an umbrella holder for my trolley, I was actually advised not to get the generic one they had in stock and get the official one off the internet! That is not hard sell

And do you know the big difference G1BBO?
You actually went in there to buy something.
Not to go in and waste their time and then relish the opportunity to become a "mystery shopper" so that you could tell a few "home truths" about their shoddy salesmanship skills and customer care.
There is a big difference mate.
And I'm calm by the way.

 

[Ethan]

Times change though.

Not saying AG are the best but to dismiss them because of something that happened "many years ago" is a little short-sighted.
My local AG is very good, some decent players who at least have an idea what they're talking about.

So you don't subscribe to the well known maxim that past behaviour is the best predictor of future behaviour?

 

[User20205]

Our local AG is decent. All the blokes in there are decent golfers who seem to take pride in what they do. I use them aswell as the pro shop. They have a greater choice of clothing/shoes etc, if I was trying a club there & i liked it I would buy it from them rather than save myself a tenner on the internet.

Also over the last couple of years they have offered the forum some cracking opportunites for various custom fit clubs. I know they get something back from this, but they are a great experience for anyone involved.

Its a bit easy to come on and generalise about AG, if you come on and slag them off then stick to your principles and never go there.

 

[GreiginFife]

I use AG in Corstorphine, Edinburgh on many occasions. And each time I cannot complain about the service. The staff are chatty and friendly, interested in what you are wanting not what they think you need.
I don't think it's fair to generalise all stores because some have had a bad experience at others, that's like me saying I wouldn't buy from BMW again because I didn't like my local dealer - but the dealer I got my new car from was superb.

 

[TheJezster]

I agree,

The New Malden AG is a great shop. If you need help all you have to do is ask. I bought some shoes there a couple months back, heck the guy even went to ask someone else if the Belfry would let me wear the ecco shoes if i bought them, and although he thought it should be ok, he suggested maybe I dont buy them at this stage before 100% confirming with them. This is customer service, this is how a sales operation should be.

When I bought my trolley the sales guy helped me out with the options I discussed and then another guy fitted it together for me as I paid for it.

I've got to agree with Smiffy too, If I had a customer who was constantly wasting my time with no intention of buying anything, I would politely say something along the lines of "were both busy, and I dont want to waste either your time or my time. Weve had several conversations about this, if its something you are seriously looking to buy from me, give me a shout and I'll see what we can do".

Timewasters are not good for anyone, they do noone any favours and just make noises about complaining.