Good advice for beginners and not quite such beginners

[HomerJSimpson]

Have to be brutally honest and say when I rejoined Ascot last year I thought now that the pro shop was larger than when we were situated on the racecourse he would have carried bigger and better stock. He didn't and so I used AG.

However in the last 6 months there has been a wonderful change. He has a lot more stock in by bigger names (Cleveland woods - after I got mine but he wouldn't have been able to match my driver price but would have like to have got the 3 and 5 from him). He has the Titleist X86 bags which look the dogs nuts for anyone thinking about getting a new bag. He's also stocking the latest range of Footjoy.

I bought a pair of dryjoys and I got them for £89 (at least £10 of RRP) and bought a club jumper this week for £40 (instead of £45). He did me a great deal on my SC5 (£269) which was better than anything I'd seen at the time online.

The point is he has upped his game and so I am happy to take my trade there. He is happy to give me things for a few quid off (not much but it is the gesture I appreciate) and so I am now going to him for other things like lessons. It is a win-win.

Make sure you try your pro first. Even if he hasn't got it in stock, ask him for a quote. If it isn't as cheap as elsewhere at least you tried. The more you build a business relationship the more he may be able to discount.

 

[theeaglehunter]

both ag and dg near me. the ag used to be a franchise (which meant they didn't get to stock all the deals) but has since become a 'mainline' ag. I think it's gone downhill a bit, certainly their pricing has gone up.

in contrast dg (cambridge) has developed into a really good set up - never mind the range and short game area they also have a bar and restaurant.

sales team and pros are good (very good teaching area). I once went looking for new irons but I was striking so badly that day the salesman (Tai - his name) wouldn't sell me any (booked me a cut-price lesson instead!).

Tai is who I first had lessons with and he is superb I think, such a nice guy and such a good teacher. I was gutted when he finished his teaching post there as he was going to try and make it on one of the pro tours so I had to go with someone else to finish my course of lessons and am having them with my pro now instead. Apparently Tai does still work there in the shop occasionally but it is a shame he no longer does lessons, I had built up a decent relationship with him and he knew exactly where he wanted my game to go. I am in need of a 3 wood currently so I might give them a ring and see when tai is working so he can fit me for it.