Pro Shop - great service - should we support them more?

[AmandaJR]

Chatted to the pro shop by telephone on Monday afternoon to see if they stocked moulded training grips (one less thing to worry about on the range)! The very helpful assistant pro David checked what they had in stock (the Leadbetter one) and I then asked if there was an ex demo club or something knocking around he could fit it to for me. I have an old wedge but it's steel shafted and not ideal but would do the job.

Anyhow, went into the shop before playing yesterday and he had found a more than decent ex-demo Mizuno 7 iron which he fitted the grip to and left it to dry whilst I played. Collected it after play and off to the range to give it a try - very useful. All for the princely sum of the grip...

That is excellent service and makes me wonder if we should support our local pro shop more? Like everyone I hunt Ebay for bargains although my key purchases (clubs) are usually via my pro but not always. There's no doubt I could have found a grip, an old club and fitted it but not in the same time frame, not as suitable and not for the same price.

Just a thought...

 

[thelank1985]

The pro shop at my club is fantastic the pro is a real credit to the club I think these guys do an awful lot of work and you get a more personal service.

I do find myself buying all my gear now from them it may cost a £1 or £2 more but you still feel like they are doing you a favour!

I even just purchased my new G20s from them

 

[ScienceBoy]

Pro shops are great IMO! If they have want I want in stock I would prefer to buy it from them, the fact I am frequently there and don't have to travel often makes up for the couple of pounds more that some items cost (ie balls).

The only time I look elsewhere is when I have discount vouchers and have a purchase in mind where I need to try lots of different things, like shoes.

 

[StrangelyBrown]

All my major purchases (driver, irons, shoes, bag) have been made through the pro at my club. If you don't use them, you'll lose them and that'd be a great shame.

He pricematches too, which helps a lot

Support your local PGA pro :thup:

 

[need_my_wedge]

Yep, our pro and his two assistants are all excellent. Can't do enough to help, always willing top let you take stuff on course to try out, happy to lend odd bits (clubs, putters, trollies, brollies etc.) if something gets left behind (forgot my trolley battery, son forgot his putter etc.). They will always price match if they can, currently have some shoes and grips on order for the best price I could get them online. My wife is going for a Ping fitting today, only looking at 4 clubs, because that is all she uses, no pressure to buy a full set, the others can come piecemeal as and when she needs them.

It would be a struggle to beat their service.

 

[CMAC]

I've always supported my local pro, but when he is more expensive than AG and when their service is poor its very hard to justify, however, if they were even a bit more expensive and good service I would always use them over anyone else

 

[louise_a]

Our pro seems very good and helpful, I bought 2 new clubs from him recently.

 

[GB72]

A good pro is very much worth using but they are not all good. You would have not got anything like to you describe from my old club pros, they would have charged for the club, the grip and the work. My old pro would charge full RRP, no deals, no discounts, no freeebies, nothing. I know a bloke who bought everything from a driver to a trolley in one go and was not offered so much as a free ball or a penny in discount. In my 4 years I was never offered any advice on swing, clubs or anything. Yes you could take a taped up club in the course but no advice before hand and after the only question was do you want to buy it. I ended by going to DIrect Golf in Cambridge for better service.

Yes, a good club pro is worth their weight in gold and well worth supporting but not all club pros provide a decent service in the first place.

 

[DaveM]

I never buy golf stuff from e-bay. With my luck they would be all fakes. Plus I like to see/or chat about what I'm buying.

With being lefthanded. I use lefthanded golf. He is a club pro (thats how I found him, played there many moons ago). But he has a on-line shop. Great service. Last month I rang him to see if he had a matching gap wedge. He had only one in, in my shaft/flex. Told him I would get it when I got paid at the end of the month if he still had it. To which he replied its ok I will put it in the back for you. Just get back to me when your ready for it. True to his word it was there waiting 2 weeks later when I had the cash.

Great service.

Sorry if this sounds like an advert, But its nice to get good service in this day an age.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

My pro is spot on although I've known him for years and he's best mates with one of my mates so have known him socially for yonks as well. He'll try and do a good deal where he can. Sometimes he works out more expensive but thats the nature of the beast as he doesn't have huge buying power despite being part of the Foremost group. I always get a sleeve of balls with a big (£100+ purchase) and the odd five minute pointer or tip so I'm more than happy to support him.

 

[Evesdad]

I buy as much as I can and he normally price matches and is very helpful.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

I'd always use our pro if he wasn't too expensive. I bought my new bats through him earlier in the year, he was a bit more expensive but only by about 40 quid but when you're spending the best part of £1300 it's nothing nd I'd rather give him the business than someone I don't know

 

[munro007]

My pro is worth his weight in gold, i wouldn't have spent over £2k with him otherwise in the last 2 months. I understand people using AG etc, if they don't have a pro at there club. Oh it always helps if you can put some purchases on your a/c as well, interest FREE...... lol

 

[kev_off_the_tee]

my local pro is at the driving range (another course) and not at my home course so no Home-Pro to support. I do however buy as much as I can justify from Phillips Golf Discount up a killingworth. They are really helpful and let you try out anything you can touch, the reason I'm changing from srixon ad333's to ProV1x's

its good to pop up there on the way to the range

 

[MarkA]

Use em or lose them I say - if you keep going to ebay dont moan when your pro cant match the prices because he hasnt got the turnover to megotiate supplier discounts. Plus ebay cant help when your swings gone to sh*te or you need a new grip fitting