When buying clubs, do you support your pro or buy elswhere.

[Golfmmad]

Just wondered what everybody thinks about this.

When I bought my Mizuno irons a few years ago I went to the custom fitting centre in Surrey, can't remember the name of the place. They took all the details and I ordered the clubs through the pro shop at my club. I just feel it's good to support your club pro, who always do a good deal and offer top notch advice.
What are your thoughts?

Golfmmad.

 

[chipsandegg]

I agree that you should try and support ur Golf Pro wherever possible but with the luxury of having the internet the savings can be massive especially when buying clubs.

 

[KeefG]

When I got my MX-17's my local pro who I got them from offered to match any price I found on the net and offered free fitting and a free lesson with my new clubs.

Needless to say I got the from him.

When I get my new MX-200's later this year I will again go to my local pro.

 

[SS2]

My local pro is a great guy who works really hard at the club and for that reason I always get any golf stuff from him (bag/shoes/wedges etc) If I was in the market for a full new set I would go to him, prices are pretty keen as, like most pros, he is part of a buying group.

 

[bobmac]

Just wondered what everybody thinks about this.

When I bought my Mizuno irons a few years ago I went to the custom fitting centre in Surrey, can't remember the name of the place. They took all the details and I ordered the clubs through the pro shop at my club. I just feel it's good to support your club pro, who always do a good deal and offer top notch advice.
What are your thoughts?

Golfmmad.

Abso-bloomin-lutely.
He or she will offer you help in settling arguements on rules, give you advice on all your clubs, swing, grips, shoes, waterproofs, clothing, training aids ( ) etc. Adjust your clubs for you, price match for you, custom fit your putter for you, listen to you hard luck stories after your saturday medal, and when you've all gone home, he or she can only hope when you want some new stuff, you will buy from him or her.
Please, especially in these hard times, support your local pro. If you dont you may lose him/ her

 

[Parmo]

Depends really, I got my irons from AG as my Pro doesn't stock Cobra kit and really has limited stuff on sale like all Nike off the shelf stuff and old wedges at top prices. I ordered a dozen Z-Stars & my X90 bag and it cost £75, which is theory could have got for £65 online.

As mentioned in the CF thread and the real need for it at the end of the day if I can save cash on kit then I will, my family and money come before business loyalties. If my pro sold at competitive prices then I might buy more gear but English Pro Shops are over priced compared to what they buy kit for and in my eyes are greedy at times and I know the prices they buy at and the profits on kit they make.

Snainton Golf is prob the best, they have their store location at pro shops and you get online prices with cf and you are still supporting a local pro. I do believe there is a union in Scotland where Pro's club together and buy wholesale and receive better prices and they should in theory be passed on to the golfer.

 

[mjsw13]

Pretty much always second hand off ebay.

Now I've won a few things though, it's always pro-shop vouchers, so am building them up for a mega spending spree.

 

[GB72]

I have recently moved back to using my pro for clubs. Basically have bought the wrong kit too many times so worth the extra not only for the advice but also because he is happy to tape up any club to take out on the course for a few rounds. Hitting on a driving range at a golf shop is OK but cannot beat testing a club in actual course conditions.

The only thing I do not buy from the pro shop now is balls and that is not a price issue but rather because they simply do not stock the brands I use.

 

[Redwood]

Always buy off my local pro, unless it is something he doesn't stock.

He is very competitive and will always give you a fair price on any kit you want to p/ex in. Oh, and he sometimes throws in a few freebies also. When I bought my two Vokley wedges off him, he gave me a good deal on my Ping wedges, and also threw in a sleeve of B-330RX, and a Brisgestone Golf glove.

Good guys, and I will continue to try and support him as mush as I can.

 

[USER1999]

I have bought my last stuff either from my pro, or from another local pro, so I guess that I am supporting them.

However, he doesn't help himself really. He has just raised the price of the club sweaters by £5 each 'due to an increase in postage costs'. £5. Each. How much does it cost to post a box of jumpers?

 

[Parmo]

Any Scots know about the golf pro union where they bulk buy and get better deals? I forget the name of it.

 

[Golfmmad]

I have recently moved back to using my pro for clubs. Basically have bought the wrong kit too many times so worth the extra not only for the advice but also because he is happy to tape up any club to take out on the course for a few rounds. Hitting on a driving range at a golf shop is OK but cannot beat testing a club in actual course conditions.

The only thing I do not buy from the pro shop now is balls and that is not a price issue but rather because they simply do not stock the brands I use.

Having a club taped up to try on the course is a real advantage, and one of the many reasons I support my pro.
When I last bought my driver I did just that, and took the tape off half way round 'cos I liked it that much. To my mind, for a driver it's the only way to do it.

Golfmmad.

 

[Parmo]

One of the Plus's of buying online from a good retailer is you get to exchange the club upto two weeks after for free and you get new kit not kit that someone has bashed about testing weekin and out that some Pro's & AG offer, you know it looks new and will be new.

 

[freddielong]

I always support my pro, if you don't there will come a day when he won't be there, and you will have to get your wife to buy your golf balls, in the devil that is Tesco's. Then lets see who's using premium balls.

 

[USER1999]

The 3w I took out on the course from the pro shop was a demo, so when bought it, I got the new one from out the back. Oddly, I would have preferred to buy the demo, as that is the one I had hit, and knew worked.

 

[MVP]

Golf equipment is generally a rip off with high profit margins so i tend to shop around and get a deal usually buying last seasons equipment.

 

[freddielong]

Golf equipment is generally a rip off with high profit margins so i tend to shop around and get a deal usually buying last seasons equipment.

Do you know what you are talking about ?

I think not, compared with the rest of the retail trade the mark ups on Golf Equipment are tiny, I have a clothes shop and generally use a mark up of 2.7 (Buy for 10 sell for 27)golf equipment especially the big boys (Callaway and Titleist) you get less than 1.8 mark up, but you still have to pay VAT your rent and employ staff not easy.

So don't assume you know what your talking about, the reason Golf Equipment is cheaper on line is generally to do with not paying rent for an online shop.

 

[MVP]

Callaway ping and the other big names pay millions in sponsor ship to tour pros and yes they do have to cover that in cost of there club sales which i u and everyone has to pay for.


when i can buy a callway driver for 100pound cheaper a year after it goes on sale i know what im talking bout. they can only afford to do that cos theyre so dear in first place

 

[Twire]

Golf equipment is generally a rip off with high profit margins so i tend to shop around and get a deal usually buying last seasons equipment.

Do you know what you are talking about ?

I think not, compared with the rest of the retail trade the mark ups on Golf Equipment are tiny, I have a clothes shop and generally use a mark up of 2.7 (Buy for 10 sell for 27)golf equipment especially the big boys (Callaway and Titleist) you get less than 1.8 mark up, but you still have to pay VAT your rent and employ staff not easy.

So don't assume you know what your talking about, the reason Golf Equipment is cheaper on line is generally to do with not paying rent for an online shop.

Not sure I agree with this....

I phoned my old club up (my present one doesn't have the clubs i'm after) and was told RRP £550 but as it was me £500
I then phoned the pro at another club who only stocks Taylor Made (I have bought gear from him before) and for the same sticks, but with 2 lots of tape under the grips £395....now the £395 pro's still making money with overheads, so how much does he buy them for?

 

[Troy]

I don't know what the margins are.
However, the point about buying last years clubs rather than this years is one I totally agree with. Manufacturers seem to bring out new clubs every year, which is all well and good, but as a consequence you can often get the older models, which are basically the same, for a pretty good price.