The staff in AG.

There's an AG near me in Sidcup. It's attached to a driving range.

At the beginning of 2010 I wanted a new putter and their selection is fairly good. I tried a few and decided that a PING CraZe was the one for me. £120 was the price tag. I also wanted the additional weight kit that PING sell. I took the putter up to the desk and asked the AG salesman whether they sold the weight kit. Yes was his reply. Excellent!! How much is it??

The salesman's reply..

"No idea mate."

Would you like to check??

"Er, yeah, alright mate. I'll try and find the Manager."

I waited for five minutes before I put the putter back in the rack and walked out.

I wasn't annoyed as such, just surprised that in this day and age they're happy for me to walk out without purchasing anything despite my obvious interest in one of their products. Plus, one of their more costly products.

I ended up buying a putter from my Dad's club's pro.

My Dad was a salesman and a very good one so I know many of the arts of being a good salesman. The guy in AG wasn't. He lost out.

I use AG simply as a sales point. If I want advice on clubs, balls, etc then I'll ask on here or speak to my club pro.
 
Interesting thread here.

We all seem to spend some time at some stage of the year wandering round AG and looking at their lovely shiny stuff all set up on the shelves.

To be honest, the last time I bought a club from them was in 1995, one of the new fangled odyssey putters. It was the only place I could try one and I subsequently bought it.

I am polite, but just reply that I'm only looking and not in the market for anything at the moment. It's not fair to build up their hopes of a sale. As for commission, don't know what their commission will be, but, I bet it's not a massive amount and they'll not be paid all that well either.

And then they've got to take all the flak that flies their way on the various forums... oh joy ;)
 
Are really rather amusing.

I went in on Boxing Day, with a mind of picking up two MP-T10's. I asked the bloke, but they didn't have any in stock.

So what was the first thing he said?..."Oh, well you don't want them anyway, the Vokey's are the best wedges out there. They're the ones that you'll want".

Oh really? :D Because I thought I'd come in looking for some Mizzys.

We were standing right next to the MPT-11's too, but he didn't even give them a look in.

I also said, that I was thinking about the MD Drew wedges and he flat out said "yea, they're a budget brand, and aren't considered good enough for us to stock them and don't really do what the Vokeys can do".


:D

I feel very sorry for the people who shop there without a clue of what they're looking for. :(
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I don't get what you're complaining about, I love my mizuno irons but my wedges are Vokeys, sounds like you got damned good advice if you ask me. :p
 
I bought my sabretooth from the one in Nottingham which was fine but did have to turn down the chance to try out the new brand from America which was much cheaper but looked complete trash!
 
I've always found the guys at Watford really good, always really helpful.

Biggleswade can be a bit hit and miss. Had some really good service in there, and some absolutely shocking service too.

When I brought my s56's I booked myself in there for a fitting and told them I was after s56's as I'd already tried other brands and models. Got there, they didn't even have any s56's to hit so the chap tried to tell me the i15's would be similar if I wanted to hit those instead "then we could just order the s56's". :mad:

Was not a happy bunny and told him so in not many words. Got em from my club in the end who price matched for me. :D

But when I brought my R9, they let me hit loads of drivers and shafts on the range and on the trackman until I was happy. Had a good laugh with the guy just chatting and shooting the breeze.

Guess it depends on who you get rather than the store.
 
I have banged on about AG and their poor service before. Like others I'd never buy clubs in there even if they were the last retailer going.
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And this is something I quite can't get my head around Homer.
You are quite happy to go to AG and try various clubs. As soon as a new club is launched you will go there to try it out. The guys who work in there see you coming and know that they have absolutely no chance of selling you anything. You are just using them. So why should you expect better service?
If you came into my dealership to try out a car just because "you could" I would be very accommodating the first time. I might even be very accommodating the second time. By the third time I would be getting a little annoyed and any more than that and I would be telling you to sling your hook. Not my normal standard of customer care, but if I'm never going to sell you anything, what the feck.
And if people like yourself keep going in and doing the same thing the staff eventually get pissed off and leave because they quickly work out they are wasting their time.
How are they supposed to attract, and keep, a decent standard of staff?
A little tip (for what it's worth)...if you hate AG, and all that they stand for, so much, don't go in there and waste their time!!
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As normal a p**s take with only some of the facts. Historically I used it to try gear out as I knew the manager and assistant manager at Birds Hills and so not a problem and would be given the stuff to try regardless.

As it happens the guy who is teaching up there is a very good friend of a friend (I hadn't seen him in years until I bumped into him ironically trying some gear on the range) after the manager and assistant moved on and we got talking. In his words "try what you like" as he knows I've always been a sucker for new gear but also because he knew about my feedback of club trials here and on my blog. His view is any free publicity is good.

I hate AG as an outfit and their sales ethos and I do dislike the way some of their staff will push clubs clearly not suited to the shopper. That won't change anytime soon but whilst they are happy for me to use them I will.

Not that it'll matter one iota to someone always looking for a fresh angle to have a pop but I have also been doing a lot of testing at Sand Martins. Again as HID works there and the owner and the pros know I'll always give honest feedback they don't have a problem
 
Are really rather amusing.

I went in on Boxing Day, with a mind of picking up two MP-T10's. I asked the bloke, but they didn't have any in stock.

So what was the first thing he said?..."Oh, well you don't want them anyway, the Vokey's are the best wedges out there. They're the ones that you'll want".

Oh really? :D Because I thought I'd come in looking for some Mizzys.

We were standing right next to the MPT-11's too, but he didn't even give them a look in.

I also said, that I was thinking about the MD Drew wedges and he flat out said "yea, they're a budget brand, and aren't considered good enough for us to stock them and don't really do what the Vokeys can do".


:D

I feel very sorry for the people who shop there without a clue of what they're looking for. :(
Click to expand...


I don't get what you're complaining about, I love my mizuno irons but my wedges are Vokeys, sounds like you got damned good advice if you ask me. :p
Click to expand...

:D

I've tried Vokeys and they're fine, but I can't get on with them, hence the MPT-11's.

It was more the fact that he completely disregarded every other brand because Vokey's are supposed to be the "best"

I'm more than happy with my MPT-11's.

Interesting mix of opinions. Guess it's the luck of the draw.

I will say, their bag selection is terrible.
 
"Tyre Kicker on the Lot"

Is that the call Smiffy ?
Click to expand...

Something along those lines...

I fecking hate tyre kickers with a passion.

They've got absolutely nothing better to do with their time other than to waste other peoples
:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:
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A mate of mine used to sell cars, didn't quite have the temperamant for it. Asked one guy if he needed any help, "just looking" came the reply. Feck off down to a car park and look at them then was my mates less than customer friendly response.

I only use AG if I know exactly what I want, and even then it's unlikely as you can almost always get it cheaper elsewhere. I never see the point in pricematching, if I can get it cheaper somewhere else that's where I'll shop
 
It is one of the downsides to AG, they try and fob you off with a club which has been smashed on the range by people "just trying" for full wack or offer a tenner off!! No thanks would rather put my own sky marks on and mark the face all the way around the sweet spot myself thanks.
 
I have to disgagree with you, Redwood.

I phoned them yesterday to discuss price matching a set of R9's (£299 - golfdepot.co.uk), as I also wanted to try them again before buying.

The lad I spoke to was very helpful and checked that the other place was legit (from their point of view) before agreeing or declining (the latter, as he didn't have them in stock). He then gave me a couple of other branches numbers to try them.

I bought a bag from them also, and again, happy to price match and let me tinker with a couple of bags, including wheeling in my trolley to see how they sat on it!

I guess it's luck of the drawer as to which assistant you get!
 
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