Precision Golf in Egham

[Ethan]

Just want to add my experience down here as it may be valuable.

I started off with their full bag custom fitting at £200 for a 3 hour session (2012). The session lasted only 1.5 hours, I'm an 18 handicapper, so I'm sure there was a lot more they could have gone through with me. £200 for 1.5 hours, not bad if you can get it, especially when this isn't even offset against the cost of clubs if you decide to buy.

During the session, the only feedback I had was that my current clubs were a bit too heavy. They then asked whether I liked the classic style head or am open to something more radical.

I stated my preference was classic, after which they offered me the choice of 2 club heads (Titleist AP2 or Mizuno MP54), the price difference being negligible, and the choice of 1 shaft. I realise I'm quite tall, hence why I went for the custom fitting, but this limited choice was poor IMO.

I must say, they did have a great choice in grips.

Nothing else about my game was discussed, and when I got the quote back from them, well to say it was astronomical was an under statement. I asked about ways to shave some money off, perhaps getting rid of the SST Pureing on the shaft. After all, it makes next to no difference to someone of my calibre, and really is a top end requirement. However, they wouldn't budge, saying it's not possible to have them without as they believe in it so strongly.

I ended up buying the clubs, but have since felt like I was a bit conned to be honest. I think I could have had just as good an experience going to a Titleist fitting day or getting fitted at my local club.

When the clubs did arrive, one was missing. When they delivered the missing club it was last years model, so it had to go back to be changed.

I was in my local pro shop recently, and one of the pros saw my shafts and remarked that he'd heard about the SST technology but had never seen any clubs with it. He also saw my over spec'd Driver shaft, and believes I was somewhat taken for a ride, getting top notch equipment that wasn't really necessary.

I won't say who my fitter was that day, but I did see someone else being fitted with Simon Cooper, and that seemed to be a much more engaging session. Indeed, my guy went to Simon on a couple of occasions for advice. So if you do go, insist on getting Simon.

Anyway, hopefully you'll have a better experience.

Not doubting the veracity of the account (as if), I think the experience described is very atypical of what happens at PG. I have been there a few times, and I know others who have been either on my recommendation or otherwise, and I don't think any of us would recognise the place from that account.

There is a responsibility on the buyer/client, whether in PG or a local golf shop or for that matter anywhere else, to make sure they get the answers and clarity they need. And afterwards, if you are not happy, say so.

Did you make any of these points later to PG? If not, why not?

 

[Alex1975]

Not doubting the veracity of the account (as if), I think the experience described is very atypical of what happens at PG. I have been there a few times, and I know others who have been either on my recommendation or otherwise, and I don't think any of us would recognise the place from that account.

There is a responsibility on the buyer/client, whether in PG or a local golf shop or for that matter anywhere else, to make sure they get the answers and clarity they need. And afterwards, if you are not happy, say so.

Did you make any of these points later to PG? If not, why not?

Out of interest and a little bit of a hijack of a 2012 post.

You have used PG a few times and have also been fitted at Titleist.... How would you compare the two experiences? Clearly I have read your thoughts on both, but am interested on your view of one V the other?

Thanks

 

[DCB]

Did you take advantage of their '3 shots off your handicap' guarantee?

And one small query. If your session was in 2012, How come they offered you MP54s - which were first released in (July) 2013?

I'd have said Sept for the release of the 54s.


Curious and curiouser

 

[Ethan]

Out of interest and a little bit of a hijack of a 2012 post.

You have used PG a few times and have also been fitted at Titleist.... How would you compare the two experiences? Clearly I have read your thoughts on both, but am interested on your view of one V the other?

Thanks

Both are very good experiences.

The main differences are that if you go to Titleist (or another brand fitting), you generally get to choose from the available list of shafts and grips. In Titleist's case that is very comprehensive, other brands may vary. Precision can choose any of hundreds of shafts, and can also soft step or hard step to an intermediate flex. With Titleist, you are obviously limited to that brand. At Precision, if you want a full bag fitting, you can get a range of brands according to preference and suitability. With Titleist, you get a prescription and your pro of retail store of choice supplies the kit. Precision supplies their kit and will look after it for you. I asked for an amendment on one club and shipped it back to them, they amended it free of charge and shipped it back to me. I have also contacted Simon to ask him questions and always got a good answer.

 

[PG Ltd]

Hi YoricHunt

Simon and I (James) will do everything we can to ensure clients are happy and continue to be happy with the performance of their equipment. Unfortunately this is the first that we have been made aware of your experience. We offer all clients complimentary followup appointments if you have any problems and ask all clients to let us know if they experience any issues upon leaving with their new purchases. We'd be grateful if you could PM us with your details as we'd like to invite you back in to spend time with us to resolve any issues you might be experiencing.

We offer and hand build equipment from all manufacturers, however, without knowing who you are based on what you have said it is likely that the only 2 feasible brands were Mizuno and Titleist. They offer a light enough iron headweight to compensate sufficiently for longer playing lengths with a particular grip and at a certain swingweight, we're sorry if this was not made more clear to you at the time. One of the major factors that can influence equipment selection is the understanding of what a client is currently working on in their game/swing, any injuries or physical limitations so I'm unsure why nothing else appeared to have been discussed, we'd like to look into this as this is a key part of the pre-fitting discussion.

When we quote clients for new equipment or remedial work carried to your existing clubs we have to be sure that the change in performance is going to be sufficient to warrant making these changes and Trackman data has to support our findings for these recommendations. We do not want clients spending unnecessarily so we will always suggest using existing heads if suitable. From time to time we find that a clients clubs are performing well enough that we can't offer any improvement but this often gives clients peace of mind to know that they have been independently assessed.

All quotations are without obligation and our fitting prices are as advertised on our website. We do give clients time to consider our quotations and often clients will call in the following days to confirm or to have recommendations carried out in stages.

We are always looking for ways to improve on the service we offer so always value comments.

We look forward to hearing from you soon

James Davey

Co-Founder
Precision Golf Limited

 

[moogie]

Sorry
But with a name like
YoricHunt
He's gotta be trolling

 

[Blue in Munich]

Sorry
But with a name like
YoricHunt
He's gotta be trolling

True, but as it got the result that it did from PG, it has backfired spectacularly in my book.

 

[Ethan]

Hi YoricHunt

Simon and I (James) will do everything we can to ensure clients are happy and continue to be happy with the performance of their equipment. Unfortunately this is the first that we have been made aware of your experience. We offer all clients complimentary followup appointments if you have any problems and ask all clients to let us know if they experience any issues upon leaving with their new purchases. We'd be grateful if you could PM us with your details as we'd like to invite you back in to spend time with us to resolve any issues you might be experiencing.

We offer and hand build equipment from all manufacturers, however, without knowing who you are based on what you have said it is likely that the only 2 feasible brands were Mizuno and Titleist. They offer a light enough iron headweight to compensate sufficiently for longer playing lengths with a particular grip and at a certain swingweight, we're sorry if this was not made more clear to you at the time. One of the major factors that can influence equipment selection is the understanding of what a client is currently working on in their game/swing, any injuries or physical limitations so I'm unsure why nothing else appeared to have been discussed, we'd like to look into this as this is a key part of the pre-fitting discussion.

When we quote clients for new equipment or remedial work carried to your existing clubs we have to be sure that the change in performance is going to be sufficient to warrant making these changes and Trackman data has to support our findings for these recommendations. We do not want clients spending unnecessarily so we will always suggest using existing heads if suitable. From time to time we find that a clients clubs are performing well enough that we can't offer any improvement but this often gives clients peace of mind to know that they have been independently assessed.

All quotations are without obligation and our fitting prices are as advertised on our website. We do give clients time to consider our quotations and often clients will call in the following days to confirm or to have recommendations carried out in stages.

We are always looking for ways to improve on the service we offer so always value comments.

We look forward to hearing from you soon

James Davey

Co-Founder
Precision Golf Limited

Good for PG. Every company gets the odd complaint, whether justified or not, and it is good to see PG respond and clarify things and offer to sort out matter with the OP.

On one of my trips to PG, the guys gathered the data and told me that theoretically a different shaft should offer better performance, but it is was pretty marginal and not worth it, so advised me to stick with what I had. Another place probably would have sold me the new shafts.

 

[Alex1975]

Yep, very nicely handled.

 

[chrisd]

I'm always willing to do a freebie fitting to check you out and report on here, impartially of course!

 

[Piece]

Well done to PG for replying in a professional and courteous manner. I hope the customer (if not a windup) takes advantage and rectifies his situation.

Incidentally, I've still got the Titleist driver they fitted me for

 

[YoricHunt]

Let me just clarify, this was a genuine review. I've just gone through my emails and the consultation took place early 2012. My mistake, I was offered the MP53s.

I have no doubt the guys at PG are doing a good job and I found them to be very pleasant to deal with. Judging by the posts here nobody has anything but good things to say. This was my honest experience (see disclaimer at the end), and by being honest, they can perhaps improve their service for some customers and customers will realise they might need to be more forthcoming when they attend.

I'm fully accepting that some of the issues where down to me, and in each case I knew the price up front. I was perhaps not vocal enough during the fitting stage, and I should have walked away when confronted with what were in my opinion over priced clubs, however, I would have felt like I'd wasted the consultation if I had to go somewhere else to be fitted, stupid I know.

The total cost of my irons and shafts, 4 - PW + 2 wedges was around £1360. The other alternative (MP53, same shaft) offered to me, were almost identically priced. It would have been nice to have been offerred at least a couple of cheaper alternatives. While I understand the argument put forward by PG, I'm surprised there are not any other alternatives available given their extensive range.

So when adding the cost of the clubs, new shaft for my driver (£162) and the quick consultation, we're looking in excess of £1700. I believe I would have gotten a fairly similar setup had I gone to a titleist fitting at a much lower price.

I did know about their 3 shot handicap guarantee, and even before I went I deemed it to not be valid as far as I'm concerned. There's no way I would go back on this point as the golf swing is a fickle fellow and many factors could stop a handicap going down, I feel it would not be fair to use that as a measure of the quality of the clubs and service. I don not have an official handicap, but my golf app does track and calculate it for me. It has not changed by more than a point either way since the new clubs.

As I started to compose this post, I actually received an email from PG, who had tracked me down, and they offered to rectify the situation for me. There's not much to rectify, I have overpaid (IMO) for clubs that I could have got elsewhere for considerably less. There's nothing wrong with the clubs and nothing to rectify, I just wish I could have gone back and either been more persistent about getting a cheaper setup or not buying the clubs at all. I did ask on a couple of occasions what could be done to get the price down, but other than removing clubs (which I did, ditched the 3 iron) no other alternatives were presented. I requested that the puring wasn't done in order to save money, but again was told this was not an option.

Also, I've just read my first post back and it was rude IMO, I must have been having a bad day. I could have made the points in a more polite manner, and for that I apologise. I have requested the post be deleted as I believe it was a bit over the top and not a fair review of the company. However, I'm leaving this post here as I believe I do have some valid points.


Mod Note. We are leaving the original post intact otherwise the thread doesnt make sense

 

[Alex1975]

All very interesting. A friend of mine calls it buyers remorse... He uses the phrase to describe his children though

I don't think you have said anything particularly rude. I think PG have provided what they provide, I don't think they are placed in the market to be a value product, they position them self to be a premium product. If they did not pure the shafts that they believe to be worth doing then they would have perhaps not been offering the service they position them self to be in.

I found it very interesting that only two manufactures offer the different weight heads for different length shafts et al swing weight. If they did not make that clear then perhaps that was there only let down here.

 

[YoricHunt]

All very interesting. A friend of mine calls it buyers remorse... He uses the phrase to describe his children though

I don't think you have said anything particularly rude. I think PG have provided what they provide, I don't think they are placed in the market to be a value product, they position them self to be a premium product. If they did not pure the shafts that they believe to be worth doing then they would have perhaps not been offering the service they position them self to be in.

Surely offering a choice would be the best solution, it doesn't stop them being premium. They can make their recommendations then leave it up to the customer to decide.

 

[Alex1975]

Surely offering a choice would be the best solution, it doesn't stop them being premium. They can make their recommendations then leave it up to the customer to decide.

A choice of what? Heads or to have the shaft pure/spine aligned. The head thing is not down to them and will only come up now and then for people with big wrist to floor measurements. The shaft pure/spine align... how can they justify being special if they don't insist on being special. You cant go to Ferrari and ask for steel wheels because you don't want to pay for alloys. The product would not be up to PGs standard.

But to be clear, I am only guessing what they might thing/market.

 

[Foxholer]

Surely offering a choice would be the best solution, it doesn't stop them being premium. They can make their recommendations then leave it up to the customer to decide.

Isn't that exactly what they did? Though perhaps not noticeably strongly.

To me, the only gripe you could possibly have is the 'value' for the fitting - and perhaps PG not stressing enough that you had a limited choice of club-heads, because of your particular attributes.

To subsequently purchase either means you were oversold - something I'm certain doesn't happen at PG - or that it was your own choice/decision, therefore responsibility. I'm pretty sure I would have used the fitting 'value' in any negotiations, but if I agreed to purchase I wouldn't feel able to complain about anything - except shoddy workmanship, something I'm certain didn't happen.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

Isn't that exactly what they did? Though perhaps not noticeably strongly.

To me, the only gripe you could possibly have is the 'value' for the fitting - and perhaps PG not stressing enough that you had a limited choice of club-heads, because of your particular attributes.

To subsequently purchase either means you were oversold - something I'm certain doesn't happen at PG - or that it was your own choice/decision, therefore responsibility. I'm pretty sure I would have used the fitting 'value' in any negotiations, but if I agreed to purchase I wouldn't feel able to complain about anything - except shoddy workmanship, something I'm certain didn't happen.

And complaining 2 years after the event isnt really giving the company much of a chance to make things better
They sound like a quality setup aiming NOT at the value end of the spectrum. and good to see their reasoned response

Any issues should have been raised at the time, leaving it till now just smacks of sour grapes

 

[YoricHunt]

And complaining 2 years after the event isnt really giving the company much of a chance to make things better
They sound like a quality setup aiming NOT at the value end of the spectrum. and good to see their reasoned response

Any issues should have been raised at the time, leaving it till now just smacks of sour grapes

I think you should look up the definition of sour grapes.

Also, when is the correct amount of time to leave a negative review. If I'd done it after 4 months you would have said give the clubs a chance.

I've played with the clubs now for 2 years. The irons have made no difference to my game, and cost me £1300. My driver shaft cost me in excess of £160 and has made it harder to control. I don't think it's unreasonable to be unhappy with my purchase.

 

[Foxholer]

I've played with the clubs now for 2 years. The irons have made no difference to my game, and cost me £1300. My driver shaft cost me in excess of £160 and has made it harder to control. I don't think it's unreasonable to be unhappy with my purchase.

It may be valid to criticise the value of custom-fitting in general or your own sense in making that purchase, but I don't believe, from what you have posted, you can criticise PG.

Did you contact them about the 'harder to control' Driver - when it became obvious it wasn't simply a 'getting used to' issue?

Have you heard the expression 'You can't buy a Game'?

 

[Ethan]

Let me just clarify, this was a genuine review. I've just gone through my emails and the consultation took place early 2012. My mistake, I was offered the MP53s.

I have no doubt the guys at PG are doing a good job and I found them to be very pleasant to deal with. Judging by the posts here nobody has anything but good things to say. This was my honest experience (see disclaimer at the end), and by being honest, they can perhaps improve their service for some customers and customers will realise they might need to be more forthcoming when they attend.

I'm fully accepting that some of the issues where down to me, and in each case I knew the price up front. I was perhaps not vocal enough during the fitting stage, and I should have walked away when confronted with what were in my opinion over priced clubs, however, I would have felt like I'd wasted the consultation if I had to go somewhere else to be fitted, stupid I know.

The total cost of my irons and shafts, 4 - PW + 2 wedges was around £1360. The other alternative (MP53, same shaft) offered to me, were almost identically priced. It would have been nice to have been offerred at least a couple of cheaper alternatives. While I understand the argument put forward by PG, I'm surprised there are not any other alternatives available given their extensive range.

So when adding the cost of the clubs, new shaft for my driver (£162) and the quick consultation, we're looking in excess of £1700. I believe I would have gotten a fairly similar setup had I gone to a titleist fitting at a much lower price.

I did know about their 3 shot handicap guarantee, and even before I went I deemed it to not be valid as far as I'm concerned. There's no way I would go back on this point as the golf swing is a fickle fellow and many factors could stop a handicap going down, I feel it would not be fair to use that as a measure of the quality of the clubs and service. I don not have an official handicap, but my golf app does track and calculate it for me. It has not changed by more than a point either way since the new clubs.

As I started to compose this post, I actually received an email from PG, who had tracked me down, and they offered to rectify the situation for me. There's not much to rectify, I have overpaid (IMO) for clubs that I could have got elsewhere for considerably less. There's nothing wrong with the clubs and nothing to rectify, I just wish I could have gone back and either been more persistent about getting a cheaper setup or not buying the clubs at all. I did ask on a couple of occasions what could be done to get the price down, but other than removing clubs (which I did, ditched the 3 iron) no other alternatives were presented. I requested that the puring wasn't done in order to save money, but again was told this was not an option.

Also, I've just read my first post back and it was rude IMO, I must have been having a bad day. I could have made the points in a more polite manner, and for that I apologise. I have requested the post be deleted as I believe it was a bit over the top and not a fair review of the company. However, I'm leaving this post here as I believe I do have some valid points.


Mod Note. We are leaving the original post intact otherwise the thread doesnt make sense

OK, the first post was a bit hasty and you want to restate things. Fair enough.

On the underlying issue, that of being dissatisfied with a fitting, this happens. It happens with every fitter and every level of player because it is not en exact science, players sometimes don't really know what they want/like, their games are atypical that day and fitters are human.

So most good fitters, and PG is one of those for sure, will be happy for you to come back to them and say that one bit isn't working, could they look again. A few weeks will normally tell the tale, so no need to wait 2 years.

My advice to anyone who gets fitted anywhere is that if it doesn't seem to work for you after a short adjustment period, call them up and explain (honestly) what is going on. PG will certainly offer to make some adjustments or change some stuff because they want you to play better, tell your mates and retain your business for the future. So if you haven't contacted them again, do so now, and I am sure they will work with you to improve things.