Charge for trying clubs!

[haplesshacker]

Phoned a well known franchised golf store today to see if they have the JPX 800 Pro's in. The reply was that they don't have a full set in yet, but they do have a demo club that I could try. I explained that it was to compare my 300's to the new club and all it's claims. Didn't suggest that I wasn't in the market for a new set.

Anyway. They wanted to charge me £12.50 fir the privilege. Offset of course against any order I place for the clubs.

My point is that I can't even try the clubs out without being charged!

Oh. I could try it for free. If I just wanted to bash it into a net and not use the flightscope monitor. But what's the point in that?

Ah well. Won't be buying anything from them in the future.

 

[haplesshacker]

Apologies for a couple of spelling mistakes. Fat fingers and iPhone keypad don't work well together for longer posts.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Two letters - A and G per chance.

 

[haplesshacker]

Nope. They haven't even got a demo yet.

 

[chrisd]

Well whoever they are I wouldn't pay to try a demo club. That is not to say that I wouldn't pay for a full club fitting service with a manufacturer with the cost to be taken off if I purchased the recommended clubs


Chris

 

[RGDave]

Well whoever they are I wouldn't pay to try a demo club. That is not to say that I wouldn't pay for a full club fitting service with a manufacturer with the cost to be taken off if I purchased the recommended clubs


Chris

+1.

 

[drawboy]

Stupid, just plain stupid. Talk about alienating your customer base. In this day and age I would walk the streets offering to let anyone try a club who wanted to, nevermind making a charge for the privilege.Whoever it was has just lost potential cash from the till. Idiots
just a footnote, my local golf score are always fantastic with me. They happily let me browse and swish a few, ask them daft questions and the like, d'ya know why? 'Cos one in ten visits or less I'll put my hand in my wallet and buy something, that's what being in business is about.

 

[haplesshacker]

Stupid, just plain stupid. Talk about alienating your customer base. In this day and age I would walk the streets offering to let anyone try a club who wanted to, nevermind making a charge for the privilege.Whoever it was has just lost potential cash from the till. Idiots
just a footnote, my local golf score are always fantastic with me. They happily let me browse and swish a few, ask them daft questions and the like, d'ya know why? 'Cos one in ten visits or less I'll put my hand in my wallet and buy something, that's what being in business is about.

Which is what I miss about having a physical shop, rather than just an online one. My attitude to 'time-wasters' or 'tire kickers', was just so different to most. Which would explain the effect it had on turnover in just one year.

As and when!!

 

[iGolf]

That's totally ridiculous, how they can they even justify it? Some of these places are so short sighted, they try and gain a few extra pounds at the cost of long term business.

 

[USER1999]

But why not charge for use of the flight scope? It takes a guy to operate it, and is a facility which is in demand. If you just want to knock balls, fine, it is free, but tying up a member of staff costs.

 

[DCB]

Interesting post here with some wide , varied ideas as to the availability and use of demo clubs.

Could the popular golf stores possibly be trying to curb the 'try and buy elsewhere brigade' you know, the guys who try it all and tie up a lot of time and then walk out with the intention of buying at the cheapest price on line.

Over the years I've bought from my club pro and the reason for that is that I've had good service and he's been able to get demo clubs for me to try when required. I've tried a demo set of irons, I've had demo drivers, not just for a bsh on the range, but for a week to try at my leisure.

The high street golf shops are good for a look when out shopping on a saturday afternoon, but, not really my first though when it comes to spending my hard earned on a major purchase like a set of clubs.

 

[AuburnWarrior]

I'm not sure I'd use a high street golf chain to try/buy clubs anyway. They're far too impersonal for me. They don't know me, they don't know how I play, they don't know what scores I shoot. I much prefer seeing my club pro. He's seen me play, we've chatted about my game - it's strengths and weaknesses so he's better placed to recommend a club.

Also, he gets loads of demo clubs in that we're able to take out onto the course FOC. If we like them then he'll custom fit them or book us an appointment at the manufacturers place.

Online retailers/high street chains are for cheap balls/gloves/clothes and other golf related stuff. Clubs must be brought some somewhere more personal, in my opinion.