Constant Increase in the Cost of Golf Gear

[Twire]

About 10 years ago I bought a 28 inch flat screen telly for over a grand. Now I can have a 50 inch for under 500 notes.

And this is because a lot of manufacturing has gone out to China/Asia. The golf OEM's have gone out there to, but not adjusted the prices to reflect this.

 

[GB72]

Many of the tech examples are comparing prices of old tech now to what it cost when developed. The latest tech tv is very similar in price to the cost of the latest tech tv 10 years ago and may actually have gone down in real terms. Look at something like an ipad, the latest model is a very similar price to the first one released all those years ago.

Ok I could beavering but it just seems to me that the latest golf gear is arbitrarily going up in price each year.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

So do many of you buy a new driver for a weeks wages [25% of a monthly salary].
Or is golf becoming an elite rich persons sports.....again.

 

[stevie_r]

And this is because a lot of manufacturing has gone out to China/Asia. The golf OEM's have gone out there to, but not adjusted the prices to reflect this.

I'll have you know that my mizzies were built in the exotic wonderland that is Cumbernauld.

 

[shivas irons]

Apart from my driver which is 7 years old my other gear is 15 years old, the golf market knows people will continue to pay the crazy prices in the assumption that they will get better with the modern technology.I cant express this enough just find a set that suits you and stay with it, it will help your game and your wallet.Ive known people spent 10k in a year trying to improve their game, its their money but crazy

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

I'm not convinced prices have gone up dramatically. I came into a small amount of money a few years ago and treated myself to a TM R7 when they first came out. RRP was £399 and I paid £350 for mine which is actually more than most drivers today. I remember Ping brought out the G2 for a much lower price than competitors products and that seemed to drag prices down a bit although they seem to have gone back up again recently. I think iron prices have been fairly static for a while, typically around £500 for a set although most sets have dropped the 3i these days.

 

[patricks148]

I'll have you know that my mizzies were built in the exotic wonderland that is Cumbernauld.

wondered what that smoke was last time i drove past Cumbernauld, that must have been the Forge heating the carbon Steel

 

[shivas irons]

I'm not convinced prices have gone up dramatically. I came into a small amount of money a few years ago and treated myself to a TM R7 when they first came out. RRP was £399 and I paid £350 for mine which is actually more than most drivers today. I remember Ping brought out the G2 for a much lower price than competitors products and that seemed to drag prices down a bit although they seem to have gone back up again recently. I think iron prices have been fairly static for a while, typically around £500 for a set although most sets have dropped the 3i these days.

Blimey £350 for a driver, I would expect a driver and a holiday for that

 

[GB72]

Many have dropped the 3 iron, 4 iron and SW from a standard set. I am sure that the RRP of a set of GI irons was £299 to £399 for up to 9 clubs now it is £599 for 6 or 7. £20 was a lot for mid range balls now Srixon want £36 for their new mid range release. I remember balking at paying £100 for top of the range FJ shoes and now that is 150 to £160.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

I'll have you know that my mizzies were assembled in the exotic wonderland that is Cumbernauld.

Fixed that for you.

 

[freddielong]

I think that's a reflection on everything in life now ? Everything is increasing in price now

What he said, everything has gone up in price why should golf be any different

 

[m9wst]

Anyone remember the Callaway ERC drivers, there were a few different models, the fusion i believe was one of them, released 6/7 years ago with an RRP of £449 and i assume that would have been with the only/stock shaft offering too.

 

[SAPCOR1]

Before I start on this, I know that you do not have to buy the latest gear and that new gear always sells at a premium but I am looking at the RRP of some of the newly released kit and it struck me how much it has increased in the short time (6 years) that I have been playing the game.

A new release, top of the range driver has increased from about £150.00 to £300.00.
A new release fairway wood has gone up from about £80 to about £160.00
Srixon have released a mid range golf ball at £36 a dozen which is more than pro Vs cost when I started.
The lastest shoes are now £150 plus rather than £100 or less.

I know that there is research costs, marketing etc but a lot of new release golf gear appears to have more than doubled in price since I started and, as I said, I have not been playing that long.

Am I remembering things with rose tinted specs or has the cost of new golf gear skyrocketed in recent times.

I'm sure I paid around £275 for my Big Bertha 454 about 10 years ago? I also bought a Steelhead 3 wood (great club) around the same time and that was about £130/£140

 

[SAPCOR1]

My Ping G2 irons were £80 each I seem to recall (2004?)

 

[Dave B]

6 years or so ago I bought my first top of the range driver, a Callaway FT3 in an end of season sale at AG for £99. It was years ahead of it's time.

Roll on to today, I recently bought a TM R1 in a Xmas Day special for £99.

My best buy prior to that was my Cobra S2 3 wood, bought from Clubhouse Golf in a sale for £49.99

Apart from club and green fee's I don't think golf has ever been cheaper.

 

[davidg2010uk]

There were plenty of drivers with an RRP of £250 + in the late 90's and also plenty of iron sets for RRP £600 +. I don't think golf equipment has significantly increased.

I do agree with you on shoes though. Its hard to find good shoes for less than £100 now?!

 

[London mike 61]

These company's that make our golf gear would make more profit if they sold more units at a lower price , because most golfers would be more inclined to change their clubs more often if it didn't break the family bank. All research costs would be spread over a greater number of customers rather than the over stretched few they have now. Of course they could always consider bringing out fewer ' new' clubs per year , because I don't believe for one minute that their new technology is improving on a six monthly basis it's total tosh.

 

[Stuey01]

Many have dropped the 3 iron, 4 iron and SW from a standard set. I am sure that the RRP of a set of GI irons was £299 to £399 for up to 9 clubs now it is £599 for 6 or 7. £20 was a lot for mid range balls now Srixon want £36 for their new mid range release. I remember balking at paying £100 for top of the range FJ shoes and now that is 150 to £160.

Are you referring to the ad333 tour?
If so it's a 3 piece urethane covered ball, not really mid range.

I agree with your general point though.

 

[Dave B]

Although the RRP of golf balls may have increased you only have to trawl the internet to find good offers. Over the last few years I've used mid range balls such as AD333's, Wilson DX3's, Bridgestone E6's, Callaway Hot Hex and none have cost me more than £12 a dozen when on special.

Of the premium balls you can generally pick up Bridgestone's, Srixon's, Callaways and Wilsons for around £20 per box. The only ball which never seems to be heavily discounted is Titleist.

 

[GB72]

Are you referring to the ad333 tour?
If so it's a 3 piece urethane covered ball, not really mid range.

I agree with your general point though.

Yes I was referring to the AD333 Tour but was not sure what place it had in the market. If the Z Star is the premium ball and the soft feel etc at the other end then the AD333 Tour must be top middle sort of like a Titleist Nxt tour. I felt that £36 was just excessive for anything that is not your premium ball and at least £10 per dozen too expensive