Pro shop versus internet

[bobmac]

Now I'm sure you all have your stories about how good or bad your pro shop is and how good/bad the service and prices are, but how can your shop improve?
With people quite understandably shopping around in the present economic climate, do they even give their pro shop a chance to price match?
For example a set of irons are £499 in the proshop but £449 in AG/DG, would you ask your pro to price match or just go ahead and buy from the high street.

In the old days, people bought from their pro as there was little choice, now it seems there is too much choice.
Do you grab a bargain off the internet and risk buying fakes or go down the high street shops and get duff advice or do you go safe and buy from your pro?

A recent example of people making their own yardage charts using google earth or buying DMDs is another nail in the pro shops coffin.

Unfortunately, the club pro and his/her staff can not and will not survive on mars bar sales and the odd packet of tees so if you do have a purchase in mind, at least give your pro a chance before you dive headlong into the dark murky depths that is Internet bargain hunting.


http://www.v-easy.co.uk/

 

[AuburnWarrior]

Anything that needs a custom fit then it's pro shop for me and I know that our boys internet price match.

The rest of my gear? My pro shop doesn't stock Wilson balls so its internet on that one. They also don't stock PING so I couldn't get my bag from them. They don't sell PowerBug, or NIKE shoes, or Callaway uPro GPS, I could go on.

I hear what you're saying Bob but, like every other industry, your average golf pro must move with the times. Our pro shop doesn't have an internet site! Why? In this day and age NO company should be without an internet page - simple!

I'll always try and support our club pros but their stock is very limited which forces me (and others) to look further afield.

 

[smange]

When I bought my current irons,(Mizuno MX200) my pro was as cheap as anywhere on the net and in fact he was £1 cheaper than the cheapest online price i found. And in general he seems very competitive on club prices and most accessories.

But on balls he is way too expensive and i have found that it seems most pro shops are charging way over the odds for balls. Sometimes, depending on the ball, maybe £6 or £7 a dozen dearer than online sites will deliver it to your door for you for.

I will use my pro for most things but cant justify his ball prices

 

[chrisd]

My Pro pice matched a Titleist D2 910 recently and the assistant Pro (a great lad) spent 1.5 hours testing to get the right set up

I buy when I can from him but not exclusively



Chris

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I go to my pro as the first port of call. As I've said before I know him really well so he always does what he can price wise. He is part of the Foremost buying group and so can gt some discount via their purchasing power which helps. At the end of the day for the level of service I get, I'd rather give him £20 more on the RRP than go to AG. He reciprocates and may chuck in a sleeve of balls or give me a 10 minute freebie bit of advice on the practice ground and so it it's about give and take.

Sadly he doesn't stock Adidas golf shirts and has had issues with delivery and pricing before and so is reluctant to order in so I do tend to go elsewhere for my golf shirts. After all there is only so much stuff you can wear with the club logo on

 

[Imurg]

Our shop stocks Callaway. But not much...
A few drivers, woods and hybrids, a couple of sets of irons and a few putters. Some bags, shoes and then the ancilliaries like tees and gloves. Some balls too.
But none of it is cheap. When we had a Cally demo day I (foolishly as it turns out - decided to get the Diablo Edge Driver. But they wouldn't/couldn't budge on the price and I picked it up in the correct spec Online for 30 quid less....
Balls are RRP or nothing - special offer.. 1 dozen ProV1 for £35 - well I can get them for £25 online, they're not going to match that. Grips are horrendously expensive - £11 + fitting for a New Decade, £8 + fitting for a Tour Velvet...Gamola will sell me 1 New Decade for £9 and a bit including delivery and I can do it myself...
Obviously some Pro shops are better than this - but the ones I have access to really don't inspire me to use them.

 

[Iaing]

For bigger purchases I'll certainly give our pro a chance but for clothing, balls, tees etc. it's the internet all the way.

And our shop is very well stocked with the latest gear. Custom fitting options etc.

 

[Matty]

Big buys and emergencies only at the pro shop. You know - you break your last tee or are short of balls - then you buy otherwise online is cheaper and easier.

For a large purchase - like new clubs - you can't beat the personal service that you get in the shop and I think it's worth paying a little more for that if needed.

 

[bobmac]

Going back to my original question, how can your pro shop improve?

 

[AuburnWarrior]

Going back to my original question, how can your pro shop improve?

1) Internet site
2) Greater selection of brands

 

[Iaing]

Going back to my original question, how can your pro shop improve?

By cutting their prices... harsh but true.

 

[GB72]

Going back to my original question, how can your pro shop improve?

In many ways that I suspect the size of the club and thus economies of scale prevent:

1. Price. I cannot pay RRP or above for anything. At least have one type of ball that is reasonable but not over £20 a dozen. At least try ang get a bit closer to internet prices on clubs.

2. Trade in. Will not take anything. How difficult is it to get a golfbidder price and offer that on a trade in. He gets a sale and I lose the hassle of boxing and sending everything.

3. Fitting. Have some fitting equipment at least. Only option at our pro is to ask for an appointment at Ping.

4. Offer a bit of advice. If he is loaning me a club to hit, at least come and watch me hit it and make some comment or suggest alternatives.

5. Build a relationship. If you see me going up the practice ground or to the putting green and it is quiet, walk over and give the odd tip. It may get me to book a lesson or at least will build a relationship that means I may be more inclined to pay the extra.

But most of all, give me a reason to spend that extra money in the pro shop. Give me advice, give me selection, give me fitting, give me the odd free lesson but at least give me something to warrant paying the extra because I cannot afford to just pay it for the sake of keeping the shop open.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Bob

As one of these pro's what is your take on this then. How can things improve.

 

[Imurg]

Become a mini AG or DG.
Actually have some stock in the shop and make an effort to price match.
This isn't going to happen at my place. If it goes ahead, the High Speed rail track (HS2) will go through the 1st, 5th, 6th 7th, 8th, and 9th.
No money will be spent on the club over and above what's necessary to keep it running. No investment at all. Why would they?

 

[Evesdad]

My shop has a limited stock but will price match and order in, he is also part of the foremost group. I try to buy as much through him as I can but some deals can be too good. I did though buy my galvin green jacket at £189 which was about the same price as the Internet.

As others have said balls are expensive and no room for movement. He does have a website and is a ping and callaway dealer although stocks very little callaway stock nearly all ping.

 

[Tiger]

Know your customers. When was the last time a pro at your club conducted some Market research on your buying habits? If he knows what the majority want and the price they pay he can make his business more competitive.

 

[drawboy]

We have had this kind of question before, unfortunately I don't think the pro shop can improve. They are similar to many corner shops who have suffered the same fate when one of the big supermarkets move into the area. I fear the internet will be the death of many pro shops. It has been the death of mine.Our pro gives up his shop in October.
Pro's cannot afford to keep stock on the shelf and todays consumers like choice. Go into any AG or browse any internet store and you are in an Alladins cave full of choice, no pro can compete with that.
I fear the day of the pro's monopoly and members loyalty is well gone and will never come back.

 

[Basher]

I hate to say this but our pro shop is crap!

Our pro is a perfect gent, but his shop stock is absolute pants. Overpiced balls, tees, clothing, obsolete clubs etc, etc.

I'm sorry to say that most members at my club use him for mars bars and bottles of pop and water. I'd love to use him but he just doesn't have anything I want.

 

[DCB]

Interesting thread Bob, some interesting answers as well. Let's see how this develops

 

[pokerjoke]

Going back to my original question, how can your pro shop improve?

1) Internet site
2) Greater selection of brands

3[price match
4[better aftercare
5[have a better returns structure,some take ages to change faulty goods