Benefit of the doubt?

[haplesshacker]

Popped into an AG store at the weekend to try some different irons out.

The sales guy wasn't impressed that I wanted to try the MX200 and 300's even though they had demos in the bay. I stated my preference for the 300. Which he gave me first. After a couple of swings I thought that something didn't feel right. The shaft was a stiff! Which I don't need. When I questioned him about it he just replied that it doesn't make much difference and hand me a regular MX 200 to try. His comment was that I hit the 200's with a better flight! No! Really! So I went and grabbed a regular 300 myself. Now that was better. Whilst trying these two he kept talking to me whilst I was swinging the club. "Have you tried the TM's and the Pings". I hadn't. But he just kept going on about the TM's and the Pings! He then just said, "if you go and buy some balls at the range, you could try them out then at some other time." I was then ushered out of the nets.

TBH. I was gob smacked. Bad salesman, slagging off another member of staff in my earshot. Not interested in my requirements, All he asked me to ascertain my requirements was what my h'cap was. That was it, nothing else. He appeared to sabotage my personal preference by giving me a stiff shaft on the 300's. Without even seeing me swing or even asking. And then went on to try and give me the hard sell on TM and Ping.

I will never let them have any of my money ever again. I'm also certain that Mizuno would be interested in AG's indifference to the brand!

 

[JustOne]

Is that a "No" to the Pings then?

 

[Timh27]

Sounds like a bad salesman to me.

Probaly upset that he had to work instead of playing golf

I wouldnt let one bad salesman put you off a store but if you feel that strongly about it i would ask to see the manager or write a letter of complaint.

 

[haplesshacker]

I was disappointed to be honest. The shop was as damn near empty. After-all it was a glorious weekend for golf.

I would like to have tried the Pings, just as a comparison.

 

[Guns]

I have had similar experiences at Direct Golf & I refuse to use them again.

I now use the Pro at our club, I do a little shopping around first and he then does me a deal if he can. I also have lessons with the guy so he knows my swing.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have been saying on here for ages that AG are the worse shop for customer service. They will ALWAYS try and flog you the four main profit making lines (Wilson, Yonex, Nicklaus and Hogan) even when you make it abundantly clear you are interested. The majority of the shop staff have no idea how to decipher the readings on their launch monitors and so the process becomes a waste of time.

I think your experiences are pretty much par for the course with them and shows an utter lack of respect to you as a customer irrespective of whatever else they were doing (slagging off etc). If I were you I'd be writing a letter of complaint to the store manager

 

[drawboy]

I use a local independent golf store that has been in Leeds for around 25 yrs. It's called Eagle golf Center and they are fantastic. You can buy whatever you like, they have no ties to any company, they stock all makes and models (sorry if this sounds like an ad, I have no affiliation at all honest)and give genuine honest advise when required even when not buying. I don't think any of their staff are pro's if anyone knows better feel free to enlighten me, but Nigel who works there is a top amateur and current Yorkshire Champ.I stay away from the likes of AG if I can, I do not enjoy the atmosphere in their stores and do not feel comfortable browsing.

 

[lordingsy]

Think I am fairly lucky with my AG. Staff always friendly and helpful. They even recommended that I stick with my own driver rather than buy a new from them.

 

[thecraw]

He clearly knows his stuff then and was trying to help you to improve your game.

Why else would he be offering you Ping????

Think about it and see the light!

 

[Spinn77]

I generally dislike AG, but while i was browsing the other week the assistant approached to see if i 'needed any help' and i started asking about their c/f options. Told him i was interested in mizuno's.

told me their fancy fitting measuring machine was in the states being repaired but if i went to the belfry and got a fitting and bring the order to him he'd get them made up for me so he could make a sale. There wasnt a hint of him trying topush anything. Very surprising it seems

 

[haplesshacker]

Strange. This AG's launch equipment was also off being 'repaired'!

Co-incedence or something more troubling?

 

[Spinn77]

He told me someone hit it with a ball

 

[USER1999]

I once spent 2 hours in the nets at AG in Finchley, hitting various 6is, chatting to the salesman about courses we have played, the golf swing, launch monitors, etc. The upshot was, he would have happily fitted me for my ZBs, but I wanted to go to Titleist, and knew I could get them cheaper elsewhere. No hard sell, no pushing stuff I wasn't interested in, just a pleasant time whacking balls, chatting to a fellow enthusiast. Can't complain.

I have had similar experiences with direct golf in Stanmore.

 

[HRC99]

I had a mixed experience in there. First guy rubbish but the second guy was excellent - even advising me that it probably wasn't worth spending the money on a new driver having tested a few.

That's the kind of service that inspires confidence.

 

[viscount17]

Oddly, AG and Dg are very different and both the same (if that bit of Chinese works).

The monitors that AG use aren't up to much (need to be recalibrated too often, the software isn't great and not everyone is well enough trained to use it) - though that's the opinion of a PGA Pro working out of DG!

I've found both my locals can be a bit hit and miss, some push the party line overmuch, and sometimes they are reluctant to let you try out clubs - why do they think we are automatically going to buy the first one they put in our hands? I'm not going to buy a new set of irons or anything else based on one very short session.

As to Pings - why would I want a club with a bucket shovel on the bottom? S57's were lovely, most of the rest -

 

[didsbury_duffer]

Why else would he be offering you Ping????

Think about it and see the light!

Craw - I've read many of your posts about your absolute devotion to Ping. Why do still have a Mizuno rescue, are the Ping versions no good?

 

[TRS30]

I find some of the guys at my local range knowledge and others not so. Went for a semi c/f there as knew what set I wanted but just wanted to see some stats on the LM. The guy seemed to know his stuff and it back up the spec I wanted so I was happy