Obnoxious Pro attitude, what would you have done ?

[Macster]

A while back, I called a Club 25miles away wanting to try the Titleist AP2's, and as they had a Titleist fitting cart, the assistant I spoke with said no problem, just come along and we'll take you thru a demo.
So, next day was saturday, I drive along, and a very helpful lad took me thru a 30min test to help me in deciding which shaft/lie etc etc.

I left to ponder the spending of my cash, and on approx wed, he calls me to see what I thought, and whether I'd had any more thoughts, to which I say No, not decided as yet.

The following Satpm, I leave my own club at 5pm after a medal round, and my phone goes.....and its the Head Pro from the said Golf club about the AP2 'fitting' I had last week.........and very aggressively he states that he needs a Credit Card number from me for the £20 Fitting Fee that I still owed...

I politely tried to advise him that I wasnt aware of any £20 Fee, it certainly hadnt been advised to me at any point before, and to which he immediately argues and states that Yes I was told when I came across.
I calmly say again, 'listen, I arent going to argue with you, but I was definitely NOT told about any fee at any point.......' , and quite honestly, if he had accepted that perhaps I hadnt been, and perhaps offered to discuss the matter with the assistant, I would have sent him the £20 fee, it wasnt a lot of money, but the assistant HAD made the error in not advising me at any point, and he'd had 3 opportunities after all.

BUT, he gets so stroppy on the phone, I hang up saying I'm driving, (hands free), and before I get home, he's left 2 more messages advising that unless I give him the Credit Card details for the fee, he will have to consider what 'further action' to take'.....
I call him back, and suggest that his attitude is hardly professional, and that if he accepts that he should discuss it with his assistant, I'll perhaps send him the cheque, to which he goes off again at me and finally hangs up on me.

I havent sent the £20, which doesnt sit wel with me, even though I wasnt told about it, but after the whole incident, I thought his attitude was appalling.

Any thoughts ?

 

[Dave3498]

I wouldn't pay anything. Unless it was made clear to you beforehand that there was a fee for the fitting, I don't think you have any legal or moral obligation to pay. You could also counter-claim for your time and expenses in travelling to and from his club, say £20.

 

[Parmo]

I deffo wouldn't pay the fool, if he employs people who can not do the simplest of things like advise of the fitting cost then its not worth your time. Other than that I think Dave said it all and it totally right in the matter.

 

[Marko77]

He probably thinks he's been used so you can get your spec and then order from the cheapest source i.e. internet or another source.

Drop him a letter so you can clearly state your stance that you haven't purchased any clubs as yet and reiterate that at no point was a fitting fee disclosed to you. Maybe point out his attitude has deterred you from purchasing from him now anyway....

 

[forefortheday]

If you really want the irons pay him the £20 then go and buy them somewhere else and casually pop in one day and rave in the loudest voice you possibly can about how much you love them!

Failing that tell him where to stick it if you aren't bothered about playing that course again

 

[Ken_A]

Dont pay him - it should have been made clear to you at the time. No doubt the Pro probably thinks you have wasted his time to go on the internet and buy a set. Perhaps you should, perhaps not its your choice - I cvertainly would not go back neer him unless he said sorry for harrassing you for his jnr pro's mistake.

 

[Atticus_Finch]

Tell him to pi55 aff!
and then block his number.
Seriously though, Don't even debate with him. Tell him you're no paying it and to do what he needs to do. I will guarantee that you'll never hear from him again.

 

[Tommo21]

What the F is all this fee thing about. The big manufacturers come out with all these multigrade options and we’ve got to pay for it. I was fitted for, I was there for over an hour, my R7s and it cost be nowt.
In order to save money are we supposed to walk in and know what we want when it comes to new gear. We’re parting with around £500 and they want cash for demonstrating it….GTF.

This annoys me, don’t pay and go elsewhere that don’t charge.

 

[viscount17]

do not write,or if you do at least do not put your address, put address withheld in the space instead.
presumably he just has a name and mobile number?
I think (as do you?) that most pro's would charge for fitting but discount it from the purchase price but it is still their obligation to tell you - not your obligation to assume.
with a more reasonable approach . . . ?

 

[Macster]

Looks like my own attitude is vindicated by everyone's thoughts

Oh, he did say it was re-deemable from any purchase, but that was all after the event anyway.
The fact is - I simply wasnt told about any charge, and he had at least 3 opportunities to .

Certainly wasnt the amount in question, his explanation was that they have to purchase the Demo Cart from Titleist and therefore are looking to recover the cost.
Had his attitude been a little more agreeable and understanding, and accepting of the fact that his assistant wasnt perhaps being totally honest, I may well have paid.
More to the point, I may well have bought the clubs from him, but I didnt as a result.

I'll put it down to experience, I wont be playing that course anyway.

 

[jeffc]

I'd play the course and make a point of telling him how well you played with your new clubs.

Quite a guy failed pro, failed salesman.

Not only should they tell you about the fitting fee but there should be a sign in the shop then nobody will ask for a fitting if they are not serious or just looking to take advantage.
If I am serious about buying new clubs then I don't even mind paying a couple of quid to try demo models at the range.

Got people going on here, rate of replies is great

 

[TonyN]

Everytime I have been fitted I have been told BEFORE that it is £25 which is refundable should I buy the club/s which makes sense.

However, I certainly wouldn't be paying him, not after acting like that. I wouldn't be able to help myself in somehow letting him know I was about to come in and buy the clubs right before he called, so his attitude cost him a decent sale all for the sake of £20.

 

[thecraw]

Phone the ignorant *** telling him to suck your length if he wants a fee and before you hang up tell him you fealt so guilty that you put the £20 into the junior golf foundation instead because his attitude stank!

Then to really get him fumimg tell him you love your new Tits and you got a great price at a local pro who was ever so polite and helpful!

 

[DCB]

What a wonderfull grasp of the English language !

Remember we've got some youngsters and ladies on the forum here as well.

 

[thecraw]

Its a weegie thing! Just like salt and vinegar!

 

[DCB]

Having worked with Weggies for the last 20 years I fully understand their linguistic ability. However, there is a time and a place for everything.

 

[thecraw]

YAWN!

Bye, if I knew you were serious I wouldnt have bothered retorting in the first place.

Enjoy the Ryder Cup.

 

[Sam]

Bye, if I knew you were serious I wouldnt have bothered retorting in the first place

That would have been a far, far better thing to have done
Apologies to C Dickens

 

[shanker]

Phone the ignorant *** telling him to suck your length

Sorry, thecraw, but this is a public forum and this kind of language is not acceptable.

 

[Basher]

Back on topic.

Don't pay a penny. You SHOULD have been informed prior to fitting. If they fail to do this, then it's their loss. Seems the place is not worth visiting considering they have an ignorant fool for a Head Pro.

Leave well alone.