The PXG Effect. Dear OEMs where are the affordable golf clubs?

With the latest release of the Mizuno JPX 919 line-up, it hit me like a ton of bricks that we are in a new age of golf equipment, the expensive age. I know, I'm sure I'm late to the party...

I get what PXG has done, every market needs a premium brand but now that I look at the cost of a game improvement set from Mizuno, Titleist, Srixon, etc starting at $1,000 for 8 irons it's a bit concerning. Kudos to companies like Ping and Wilson for offering GI sets at $800 or less; still pricey in my opinion.

My point is the game of golf is in trouble and a big reason is cost. I wonder when these companies are going to wake-up and start offering a value set. How do we expect to bring people to the game when the cost of entry is $3,000 just to have a bag of clubs to get in the game.

As an avid golfer and someone who makes plenty of money to afford these clubs, it still pains me to consider it's $3k to rebuild a bag.

Or maybe I'm just becoming my dad, I remember when I could buy a new set of custom PING Eye2+ 3-PW for $450...

A lot of people are willing to spend that money. Whether they have money to blow or don’t know any better.

Some people will think spending 3k on a set will help them shoot from the 100s into the 80s.

I have a hard time spending that kind of money as well. Is there a big difference in new clubs to be worth that kind of investment? I’m not sure.

I don’t even like buying new with Pro Shop credit!

Bob Parsons cost us all a lot of money..........even though most of us will never buy any of his clubs!

I remember building a new bag over 10 years ago. I researched this site extensively to see what was out there and I remember new iron sets being in the $1k - $1.2k range then. Now I'm getting back into the game after quite a hiatus and I see prices not much more than what they were 10 years ago.

Just looked this up:

2008 Titleist AP2 iron set MSRP: $1136

2008 Titleist 902 Driver MSRP: $450

Golf is a hobby and I've yet to find a cheap hobby. My current bag's total cost is less than $500 from buying nice clubs that are several years old but in excellent condition. I have no interest in playing the latest and "greatest" because I have other interests in addition to golf that take up time and money. It leaves me a lot more money to spend on actually playing the game too. The G400 Max might be the best driver I'll ever hit, but I won't know until I consider buying it in a couple of years.

Other than being able to hit them rather well, the reason I just bought my MP-18s is because I was trading in some iron sets and got them for a few hundred bucks.

If I'd not had those trade-ins, and wanted these irons, I'd have to wait until I could find them on Ebay for a decent price.

Even when I was employed and making good money, I wouldn't have given Parsons a dime for his 'ego sticks'. If I wanted to spend extra money for a better than average set of irons, I probably would have just gotten some nice Miuras. :)

Imo it’s more of a perception than reality. Original big Bertha was $500. Players clubs have been in the $1000 range for white some time. Now add in extra marketing and r&d costs, material costs which aren’t going down in price and you get clubs that have a slight increase yearly in price.

Has PXG kinda have an influence I would say yes when you look at the epic irons release and maybe TM in the p series.

The good thing is golf is a hobby and one can choose to pay as much or as little as they can/want. Buying clubs 1-2 release cycles old imo won’t cist a golfer a lot pout if pocket or in performance

Adjusted for inflation clubs cost less today

Fortunately for new players, or those of us who appreciate when other people eat our depriciation for us, there are used clubs. Unless you really believe that the best stuff from 2-3 years ago is somehow magically garbage now, you can build an amazing bag for less than $600.

The fact that many people feel the need to try to buy a new game every year or two provides plenty of opportunities for guys like me to tinker and play around at a fraction of the cost.

Much like new cars, new clubs will have a lot of depreciation which is good for the second owner. That is why Callway Pre-Owned, Global Golf, eBay, etc. have done well. If you know your specs then that is the way to go to keep it affordable (switch to left handed and it gets a little cheaper for used).

Edit

Exactly what Rohlio posted while I was typing.

My Mp5's cost me $95.00 with a trade out the door new when I ordered them a few years back.

My new X Forged 18's cost me

$75.00 new through callaways trade in, trade up program with

a two iron set trade in. Thing is,

If you bargain hunt and take of advantage of the oem's deals

It is a real inexpensive way to get into new gear.

i realize it’s considered “cool” to bang on Bob Parsons these days but you might as well do the same to Scotty Cameron, the Solheim family and all the boutique club makers in existence these days. It’s just a market-based perception on what somthing is worth and what we’re willing to pay for said equipment that matters.

The Solheim Family have never had any equipment even begin to approach the price levels PXG has. You can buy four of Pings "most expensive new wedges they've ever made" for less than one PXG.

I rarely spend more that $300 - $400 on a set of irons. Just don't buy the latest model. Very little difference between current and two year old models and lots of the older ones still available with the plastic still intact. I recently bought a set of unused Mizuno MP25s 4-PW with Project X LZ shafts for $400. Deals to be had everywhere.

BT

Golf is fine. It’s not going anywhere.

There are loads of companies that sell cheap clubs. There just isn’t going to be anyone talking about them on a golf forum.

It just like bikes. Tons of cheap bikes at Walmart. But every bike forum I’ve been to talks about bikes in the $5,000 and up range. A “cheap” bike is $2,000.

With the latest release of the Mizuno JPX 919 line-up, it hit me like a ton of bricks that we are in a new age of golf equipment, the expensive age. I know, I'm sure I'm late to the party...

 

I get what PXG has done, every market needs a premium brand but now that I look at the cost of a game improvement set from Mizuno, Titleist, Srixon, etc starting at $1,000 for 8 irons it's a bit concerning. Kudos to companies like Ping and Wilson for offering GI sets at $800 or less; still pricey in my opinion.

 

My point is the game of golf is in trouble and a big reason is cost. I wonder when these companies are going to wake-up and start offering a value set. How do we expect to bring people to the game when the cost of entry is $3,000 just to have a bag of clubs to get in the game.

 

As an avid golfer and someone who makes plenty of money to afford these clubs, it still pains me to consider it's $3k to rebuild a bag.

 

Or maybe I'm just becoming my dad, I remember when I could buy a new set of custom PING Eye2+ 3-PW for $450...

$450 in 1982 adjusted for inflation is actually about $1,200 in today’s dollars.

If you want great value try Hogans. $700-$770 a set. I love my PTX. In the bag for over two years now.

I have a Set of PXG 0311t gathering dust in the basement. They Aren’t as good.

While the major brands spend big $ on advertising, most OEM's are made in China or Vietnam, or at least their component heads. Titanium heads are made overseas because of our environmental laws here. Low cost labor and high profit margins (in theory). Cobra has good pricing on their line. Hogan's are reasonable, being a quasi-boutique brand.

The Solheim Family have never had any equipment even begin to approach the price levels PXG has. You can buy four of Pings "most expensive new wedges they've ever made" for less than one PXG.

When the Ping Eye series was introduced they were a lot more expensive than the rest of the clubs on the market back then.

The Solheim Family have never had any equipment even begin to approach the price levels PXG has. You can buy four of Pings "most expensive new wedges they've ever made" for less than one PXG.

Let me back this up for you…

When the Ping Eye series was introduced they were a lot more expensive than the rest of the clubs on the market back then.

My dad had a set of Beryllium copper in graphite they were definitely up there.

The Solheim Family have never had any equipment even begin to approach the price levels PXG has. You can buy four of Pings "most expensive new wedges they've ever made" for less than one PXG.

Let me back this up for you…

When the Ping Eye series was introduced they were a lot more expensive than the rest of the clubs on the market back then.

Other than Epic and the TMB or limited release C16 no company has clubs as expensive as PXG however with the i500 and g700 a full set will run you over the $1100 mark which is what many brands are offering at least 1-2 iron lines at.

I think PXG is really a false flag, we're giving them too much credit here. I don't agree that they are responsible for a slightly higher MRSP than 7-10 years ago. They get a disproportionate amount of mindshare here but i don't believe their sales numbers at least right now are a concern to the major OEMs. Maybe more of a curiosity....that doesn't mean PXG isn't a succesful company, just it's a different market and i don't think TaylorMade or etc is basing business decisions around them

I think the ease of getting parts through the secondary market , in large part due to quicker product cycles....has led them to have to charge more to early adopters

The Solheim Family have never had any equipment even begin to approach the price levels PXG has. You can buy four of Pings "most expensive new wedges they've ever made" for less than one PXG.

Let me back this up for you…

When the Ping Eye series was introduced they were a lot more expensive than the rest of the clubs on the market back then.

You know.........I owned three different sets of Eye 2's during the 80's...........and for the life of me I can't remember what the cost. No coppers or graphite, just the basic stainless models.

........so, you could be right!

Saying that it cost $3000 to have a bag is just stupid. Beginners do not need 3k in new high end clubs, come on, get back to reality.

I think PXG is really a false flag, we're giving them too much credit here. I don't agree that they are responsible for a slightly higher MRSP than 7-10 years ago. They get a disproportionate amount of mindshare here but i don't believe their sales numbers at least right now are a concern to the major OEMs. Maybe more of a curiosity....that doesn't mean PXG isn't a succesful company, just it's a different market and i don't think TaylorMade or etc is basing business decisions around them

 

I think the ease of getting parts through the secondary market , in large part due to quicker product cycles....has led them to have to charge more to early adopters

The epic irons were a direct response to what pxg has done and Callaway making a move to get into that market of high end...but unlike pxg, Callaway doesn’t draw the “exclusive” or “high end” crowd the way pxg has where they have clients fly in on private jets, get fit, pay the extra cost to have their clubs built on the spot then fly back out. I agree for the rest of their lineup and everyone else’s pxg s pricing has no correlation.

Current pricing has basically further setup getting a model a year or two after at the correct price. With that knowledge we should be unaffected but it does mess up ability to custom order which sucks.

I agree that prices are out of control and justification is a stretch/incorrect. Before you post big Bertha prices in 98 I know what they were. My point still stands.

Golf equipment cost is no threat to the game. The only REAL threat to golf and it's future is land value. They ain't making anymore land.

I think PXG is really a false flag, we're giving them too much credit here. I don't agree that they are responsible for a slightly higher MRSP than 7-10 years ago. They get a disproportionate amount of mindshare here but i don't believe their sales numbers at least right now are a concern to the major OEMs. Maybe more of a curiosity....that doesn't mean PXG isn't a succesful company, just it's a different market and i don't think TaylorMade or etc is basing business decisions around them

 

I think the ease of getting parts through the secondary market , in large part due to quicker product cycles....has led them to have to charge more to early adopters

 

The epic irons were a direct response to what pxg has done and Callaway making a move to get into that market of high end...but unlike pxg, Callaway doesn't draw the "exclusive" or "high end" crowd the way pxg has where they have clients fly in on private jets, get fit, pay the extra cost to have their clubs built on the spot then fly back out. I agree for the rest of their lineup and everyone else's pxg s pricing has no correlation.

I agree with you on the Epic irons, i actually do think those were an experiment by Callaway to see what they could do in the premium space and were somewhat inspired by PXG. When we met with Callaway some high ranking people there admitted being fascinated by PXG and the niche in the market they were going after

That being said, i don't believe anyone there expected them to be a significant sales driver, just a high margin niche

But overall, i have seen iron sets here in CAD, go from 999$ on average to 1299-1399 type prices or higher. I think that is just milking the early adopters a bit who aren't super price sensitive.

This year I bought some new clubs, they were new, but past models.

Mizuno mp54 brand new 3-pw - $400

Ping G driver demo - $125

Ping G30 3w brand new clearance bin at gg - $75

You don't have to get brand new released clubs. If I had bought everything I just mentioned when they were released, I'd probably be looking at over $2k.

Buy used on here or eBay. I will never buy a brand new set of irons and pay mrsp. Gently used stuff with save hundreds on your bag. The only thing I buy new is golf bags and wedges lol.

With the latest release of the Mizuno JPX 919 line-up, it hit me like a ton of bricks that we are in a new age of golf equipment, the expensive age. I know, I'm sure I'm late to the party...

 

I get what PXG has done, every market needs a premium brand but now that I look at the cost of a game improvement set from Mizuno, Titleist, Srixon, etc starting at $1,000 for 8 irons it's a bit concerning. Kudos to companies like Ping and Wilson for offering GI sets at $800 or less; still pricey in my opinion.

 

My point is the game of golf is in trouble and a big reason is cost. I wonder when these companies are going to wake-up and start offering a value set. How do we expect to bring people to the game when the cost of entry is $3,000 just to have a bag of clubs to get in the game.

 

As an avid golfer and someone who makes plenty of money to afford these clubs, it still pains me to consider it's $3k to rebuild a bag.

 

Or maybe I'm just becoming my dad, I remember when I could buy a new set of custom PING Eye2+ 3-PW for $450...

So I guess it's Bentley and Ferrari's fault that cars cost as much as they do? PXG is a niche brand it has little impact on what other manufacturers charge for their clubs. Manufacturers set prices based on what they believe consumers will pay, if consumers don't buy then they consider lowering the prices, if they do, they will keep pushing the price. The value of anything is mostly based on what someone is willing to pay for it.