Thanks for your help....NOT

Basher

Basher

Tour Winner
Joined
Jul 15, 2007
Messages
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Location
Yorkshire
yorkshiregolf.proboards.com
Had a Direct run out to a Golf store today.

As my putting has been woeful I decided to study the putters and went all touchy feely with them.
Eventually one of the "Pro advisors" approached and asked if I needed any help.
I explained my putting struggles and suggested a blade type putter may be the way forward.
He just pointed at a few blade putters ie TM, Odyssey, Yes and then went back to his mates who were playing on the golf simulator in the shop.

That was it, no advice, no further offers of assistance. Bloody tosser I thought, about as helpful as a blind lollipop man!!! :mad:

After a session of putting practice on their bespoke "putting lab" (which I think is biased towards the hole meaning that any putter you use will get in the hole.) I left the shop determined to carry on with the flat stick I already have and make it work.

Thanks for your help guys, really appreciated it!!! :rolleyes:
 
But what else do you want? There's no magic cure, if you're going to change putters, then you have to try a few out. Did you expect a free putting lesson?
 
The putting greens used by shops aren't biased, that would be stupid, and easy to spot. What they do have is holes with very sharp edges. These gather the ball, rather than the ones at the course, which are all slightly crowned, with a radiused edge. These spit the ball out.

Anyway, not sure what you expected from a golf shop. The staff are just there to stop people from stealing stuff. If you want proper advice, you need to buy from a Pro shop.

To me though, putters are just what suits your eye, and no one else can really advise you.

Once you find one you like, you can get the length and lie adjusted to suit you.
 
Didn't expect a free putting lesson at all. A bit more interest wouldn't have gone amiss though. I asked about putter lengths, no recommendations, no discussion, no measuring up, nothing!

As I said, he seemed more interested in playing on the simulator.
 
Didn't expect a free putting lesson at all. A bit more interest wouldn't have gone amiss though. I asked about putter lengths, no recommendations, no discussion, no measuring up, nothing!

As I said, he seemed more interested in playing on the simulator.
Click to expand...
But again Basher (and I'm not trying to start an argument), when it comes to putters, it's all about personal preference, hence you need to try a few out. Short ones, long ones, mallets, blades, it's all trial and error.
 
You should've dropped a new Odyssey into the rack, that would have got his attention! ;)

Maybe he knew you were just a window shopper? Sales assistant has seen it all before - rainy Tuesday, bored punter comes in to try ALL the putters while his Mrs takes an age trying on clothes she doesn't need next door in Next. Hang on that's me! :o

I'm sure that's not you Basher, that's what I do then buy a cheap putter off Ebay! :(
 
Nope, i agree buddy, if you dont get the service you want, walk away... I do agree with the above that you need to try them all, but some interest from the salesman would not have gone a miss. i am used to having to tell them "no im fine thanks ill give you a shout if i need some help"
 
When i was really struggling with my putting i had a lesson with the pro at Tain, he didn't even charge me. Helped a huge amount. Used an Odessey sabertooth for about a year putted much better with that, try one of those. Its really easy to spot if you are not making a good stroke.

Now using a Scotty.
 
Let's start again.

I know putters are a personal thing and it's a matter of feel and what suits you. I've read that enough times on this forum boys.

I told the guy that I already had a couple of mallet type putters that I didn't really get on with and pointed them out to him in the shop (both still curent models)
I then told him I fancied a blade such as a Rossa or Odyssey etc, etc.
I then explained and showed my putting stance and mentioned the fact that I may need a shorter putter than the standard length ones they had on display.

They have the kit there for fitting you out, they have the putters, and I had £150 in my back pocket.

As posted above, he just pointed a few out then did one!

My whole point was that it just seemed he couldn't be arsed helping me.
:D
 
Don't go to a big retail store. Go to a pro shop at a golf course where the pro might give a toss about helping you find what you need. You will probably be able to try it out on a proper practice putting green too.
 
I'm agreeing with Ethan here big stores offer no service as the guys there have no incentive to sell you anything, they are just there to say "Yes sir" got to the stock room and get your item and make sure stuff doesn't go walkies. A smaller shop or club pro shop needs your business to survive and normally work for it. The only advantage big stores gave us buying power resulting in better sale prices. The staff at my local American golf are useless (even the manager couldn't give a toss) yet the is one decent sales guy there that is very helpful.
 
I'm not surprised but I understand your frustration. It doesn't take much working out that a shorter than standard shaft means a C/F or at the very least some basic measurement and surely a sales opportunity to flog the more expensive models.

However I think the pro option is the way to go. Why not have a putting lesson anyway and make sure it is anything silly like poor address position, collapsing wrists etc. The pro will be able to sort your stroke out and advise on what he thinks would suit you best. I've had more than the odd lesson in the last 18 months but the putting one was by far the best thing I did
 
The big box stores are just interested in shifting stock. I played with a guy in his 30s who was built like a rugby back and had a swing of barely controlled fury. He was playing Rifle 6.5 irons and hit them a mile.

AG "fitted" him for a hybrid, and he walked away with a Nicklaus hybrid with an A flex shaft, between ladies and regular flex. The standard Nicklaus shafts are soft at the best of times, but this was like overcooked spaghetti. I didn't believe him at first when he told me AG had sold him this, but he assured me they used the launch monitor and he was swinging like he was the same day. I reckon he was on the verge of X flex in a decent brand, so this was at least 2 flexes out. He then used it to hit some high hooks that went so far left they weren't worth looking for. I told him he should take it back and either get a refund under Sale of Goods, or, alternatively insert it in the guy who "fitted" him.

Clearly the guy in the shop had one of these left and was going to foist it on the next mug who mentioned the word hybrid.

I wouldn't buy anything more than tees at AG.
 
Depends a bit on the store itself. AG in Kettering is pretty decent, when I last was looking for a putter they just sent me to the outside putting green with as many as I wanted and left me to it. I suppose when looking for a putter that is all that I need. Bigger stores are never going to stock multiple lengths or cut them down so it was just a case of trying as many as I could until I found one I liked.

Direct Golf at Cambridge have really turned their game around as well. When I first went there they would sell you anything. Now they have nice CF bays, outside putting and short game areas the lot and are really helpful and seem to give pretty decent advice. Never tried to sell me a single piece of Letters gear and they do not even stock much (unlike DG in Lincoln who basically would not let me try anything unless at least one club was Letters)
 
Having nearly signed up to work for AG, they push Wilson, Yonex, Nicklaus and Hogan as they represent the biggest mark ups. They only make a small margin (relatively speaking) on the bigger names especially TM and Mizuno.

Some (not all) of their commission plans have additional incentives built around selling xx number of their preferred brand units over and above the standard monthly targets. I'm not surprised by anything AG do and to be honest I only use the one at Birds Hill in particular if I want to try a make of club on their range as opposed to a bay and monitor.
 
First things first Basher this is not directed at you, your "experience" sounds unfortunately common these days.

As for the comments regarding Chain Golf stores pushing products with the biggest mark ups??

Are you shocked that a business will try and sell you the products it makes the most profit on? If so avoid buying anything ever.

Every time I've been in one to try a club they pop one amongst the collection, what happens if it happens to be the best one for me?
 
Homer, I went in to AG specifically for x22 or burners but like you say the sales guy was " you must try these " I hit all pretty well but the first reply was " oh your striking the di9's so much better"

It was so obvious of the brand loyalty even the misses said " he was desperate to sell you them wilson clubs wasn't he". No matter what I said it was always " oh but these wilsons " in the end they lost out on the £490 and I brought my burners mail order for £400. I would have been happy to pay the £490 and I had the cash in my pocket to buy them there and then
 
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