Rip Off Britain and Golf?

[craigstardis1976]

I do not want this post to turn political but instead talk about how it refers to golf.

I have often heard in non golf and golf threads here the phrase "Rip Off Britain" generally when something is more expensive in the UK than it is overseas.

So why is golf equipment especially more expensive in the UK than say it is in the USA, especially in the used market? For example at Golf Bidder a Callaway X2 Driver is GBP 99.99 at Global Golf in the USA is $84.99 which in GBP 68.09 and there are loads more examples you can find. For example at Golf Bidder a 12 year old Big Bertha 454 is GBP 49.99 and you can get it an my local Play It Again Sports for $15.00 or GBP 12.02.

We live in what is supposed to be a global economy. Shouldn't golfers in the UK, which is a country I would say has a lot of golfers for its population compared even to the USA be paying similar prices?

Why do golfers put up with this price gouging? Surely people must realize they are getting ripped off, so why do they stay in business? Is it time UK golfers spoke out and said there is no reason equipment prices in the UK should not reflect those in the USA? I mean it is the same equipment, the same business model for these used club operations. Why the price differential?

Just seems very strange to me. Admittedly I have not lived in the UK for a very long time and was not a golfer when I did but has this always been the case?

Craig

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Why are you comparing golfbidder which is a second hand club site ?

I understand overall new clubs in the US are around the same price as new clubs in the U.K.

How about shoes ? Prob around the same

Clothes are prob a bit cheaper in the US

How about the cost of membership in the US being in the thousands for your regular Parkland course as opposed to the hundreds in this country

Playing the top courses in the U.K. Will cost you between 70-150 quid a round - how much does it cost in the US to play the top course like Pebble Beach for example ? Double the price of Turnberry ?

But then prices are different all over the world for many items the same - don't feel we in the U.K. Are being ripped off

 

[Dasit]

I always found golf is far cheaper in the UK than in USA and many other parts of the world. Playing that is.

Like most things, if you buy from UK brands you will get them cheaper, if you buy American brands you won't.

 

[MadAdey]

I don't think that there is a lot in it when it comes to buying new stuff. American Golf Discount have the 917 driver for 399GBP and Golfsmith is selling it for 499USD, which is more or less the same price.

 

[craigstardis1976]

I always found golf is far cheaper in the UK than in USA and many other parts of the world. Playing that is.

Like most things, if you buy from UK brands you will get them cheaper, if you buy American brands you won't.

What UK brands are there?

 

[guest100718]

Golf bidder is a poor example . They are very expensive

 

[pendodave]

Have to disagree. I think that the UK is probably the best and most affordable place in the world to play golf.

Certainly cheaper than anywhere in mainland Europe or Asia. That's for all kit and green fees/memberships.

Even if brand new kit is more expensive in the US, no-one in the UK has to buy new when ebay is available. There are also better value second hand outlets than Golfbidder if you don't fancy buying privately.

The cost of membership and green fees in the UK is definitely better than the US, almost all the best courses are available to anyone who can wield a club competently. The range of course types within a couple of hours hours drive is far superior.

Given that golf is about playing, rather than buying kit, I would far rather be a golfer in the UK than the US (or anywhere else, for that matter)

 

[upsidedown]

I've found New Zealand the cheapest to play and be a member at , virtually half the price for equivalent UK courses and darn sight quieter, how ever equipment 10 % more expensive .

 

[shivas irons]

Try buying golf equipment in other countrys,in my travels ive seen its far more expensive in Holland,Germany and Sweden,the USA is the only place ive seen it cheaper than the UK.

 

[Hacker Khan]

I do not want this post to turn political but instead talk about how it refers to golf.

I have often heard in non golf and golf threads here the phrase "Rip Off Britain" generally when something is more expensive in the UK than it is overseas.

So why is golf equipment especially more expensive in the UK than say it is in the USA, especially in the used market? For example at Golf Bidder a Callaway X2 Driver is GBP 99.99 at Global Golf in the USA is $84.99 which in GBP 68.09 and there are loads more examples you can find. For example at Golf Bidder a 12 year old Big Bertha 454 is GBP 49.99 and you can get it an my local Play It Again Sports for $15.00 or GBP 12.02.

We live in what is supposed to be a global economy. Shouldn't golfers in the UK, which is a country I would say has a lot of golfers for its population compared even to the USA be paying similar prices?

Why do golfers put up with this price gouging? Surely people must realize they are getting ripped off, so why do they stay in business? Is it time UK golfers spoke out and said there is no reason equipment prices in the UK should not reflect those in the USA? I mean it is the same equipment, the same business model for these used club operations. Why the price differential?

Just seems very strange to me. Admittedly I have not lived in the UK for a very long time and was not a golfer when I did but has this always been the case?

Craig

I think to be honest, with everything that is going on in the UK at the moment, that an uprising or online petition over the fact that a few golfers have to pay a few quid more for a 12 year old driver on golfbidder probably won't gain much sympathy or traction (and that is kind of ignoring the fact you are not comparing apples with apples if you are comparing golfbidder with a retail site who probably do not offer the same guarantees on the club as golfbidder do).

And as others have said, the cost of joining some clubs, especially north of the Watford Gap, would make most Americans weep with envy. There's plenty of on line retailers having sales to ensure you never really have to pay RRP.

 

[rosswilliams]

I wsh prices here in Dubai were co parable to the UK. Everything is so much more expensive - rounds, clothes, equipment.

as an example, I was looking at Game Golf Live last week. It's over £300 here, but you can pick it up at AG for £160.

In peak time, an average round is probably £80-100 and there are no £20 courses here, so if you wat to play, you have no choice.

Not sure how the UK and US compare, but you've got it pretty good back home.

 

[351DRIVER]

I do not want this post to turn political but instead talk about how it refers to golf.

I have often heard in non golf and golf threads here the phrase "Rip Off Britain" generally when something is more expensive in the UK than it is overseas.

So why is golf equipment especially more expensive in the UK than say it is in the USA, especially in the used market? For example at Golf Bidder a Callaway X2 Driver is GBP 99.99 at Global Golf in the USA is $84.99 which in GBP 68.09 and there are loads more examples you can find. For example at Golf Bidder a 12 year old Big Bertha 454 is GBP 49.99 and you can get it an my local Play It Again Sports for $15.00 or GBP 12.02.

We live in what is supposed to be a global economy. Shouldn't golfers in the UK, which is a country I would say has a lot of golfers for its population compared even to the USA be paying similar prices?

Why do golfers put up with this price gouging? Surely people must realize they are getting ripped off, so why do they stay in business? Is it time UK golfers spoke out and said there is no reason equipment prices in the UK should not reflect those in the USA? I mean it is the same equipment, the same business model for these used club operations. Why the price differential?

Just seems very strange to me. Admittedly I have not lived in the UK for a very long time and was not a golfer when I did but has this always been the case?

Craig

VAT is added which bumps up the price
The USA is where the brands main offices are, once you add another pair of hands that needs paid the price goes up and you also have the small issue of shipping to consider.

Clubs made in China land in the USA, then have to be shipped to the UK, that is more cost, plus your vat, plus the next guy needs profit etc

It is not as if the companies are trying to rip you off, there is just not usually a way to make it viable to sell the products into the uk or from the UK without the prices being higher.

I spoke to company that makes custom headcovers yesterday, they do not sell to the UK as they cannot find a way to make the pricing viable, they sell into pros at around 12 pieces @ 200usd minimum order plus ground shipping in the USA but to do that in the UK, they would be hit with VAT, international shipping and the result would be doubling the price!

As a side note, i always punt stuff over to the Germans rather than take a loss or tiny margin, they pay crazy prices!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Even if something is cheaper online in the US, time you add all the charges incurred shipping it over, the price different is negated. I would argue that the problem actually lies back with the manufacturers and the prices they charge. With drivers now around the £400 mark and putters seemingly becoming increasing expensive, how do the big names justify this when others can release similar products at a fraction of the cost. Surely it can't come down to paying players and advertising?

 

[Papas1982]

Even if something is cheaper online in the US, time you add all the charges incurred shipping it over, the price different is negated. I would argue that the problem actually lies back with the manufacturers and the prices they charge. With drivers now around the £400 mark and putters seemingly becoming increasing expensive, how do the big names justify this when others can release similar products at a fraction of the cost. Surely it can't come down to paying players and advertising?

Along with making profit, which all business' want to do. I'd say the above is exactly what costs em most.

If they pay a player $5m a year and they have a profit margin of $200 on a scotty putter, titleist woudl still need to sell 25000 just to cover that one player. Thats a lot of putters.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Along with making profit, which all business' want to do. I'd say the above is exactly what costs em most.

If they pay a player $5m a year and they have a profit margin of $200 on a scotty putter, titleist woudl still need to sell 25000 just to cover that one player. Thats a lot of putters.

I agree. You can argue that there are makes like Benross that make perfectly functional clubs available for far less than the latest offering from TM, Callway etc but they don't advertise extensively and certainly don't pay players to endorse the product. This seems to be where the disparity lies and in order to recoup money and make a profit they need to offset this to the poor old customer in AG (and other golf stores) and pro shops up and down the country.

 

[KenL]

Part of the problem is the government here and the ridiculous rate of tax with VAT at 20%.

The state I lived in for a while had a tax rate of just over 4%. If you buy from another state you don't even pay that.

 

[pendodave]

Part of the problem is the government here and the ridiculous rate of tax with VAT at 20%.

The state I lived in for a while had a tax rate of just over 4%. If you buy from another state you don't even pay that.

Tax is the price we pay for some sort of civilised society.

 

[patricks148]

some of us have it very hard when i comes to the cost of Golf.... my mate for instance..... member of a clubs that's in the top 10 courses in the world..... £450 a year Daylight robbery:rofl:

 

[ChrisB0210]

I was in Florida on holiday this summer and as I had booked for my daughter and I to play one of the Disney courses, I went to buy a few bits and pieces (balls and tees!) we'd need for our round from an Edwin Watts golf store. When looking around I found that clubs and shoes were more or less the same price in the US as in the UK, some balls were more expensive (Srixon and Callaway particularly), clothing was mixed with some good deals and some not so good. The biggest difference was sundries - tees and the like. These seemed to be more expensive than the UK, but when you're talking £2 rather £1 per bag it's no big deal imo.

 

[clubchamp98]

Most advertised prices in the UK have VAT included at 20%.
most prices in the USA have 8% added sales tax added at the till .
this is not shown on the rack price.
i have played a lot in the states and found some more expensive and some not usually USA made goods.
but the price of club membership there would make your eyes water.