Congratulations to the major OEMs

[3puttbogey]

$400 drivers

Well it took about a year or so but the major manufacturers have come out with drivers that have cracked the $399 barrier. Not long ago magazine articles raved about the driver prices were all down to $299 and how could we ever have been convinced to pay $400-$500 for one club. Now Callaway has the FT-3 Fusion, Cleveland has the Hibore and Taylormade has the R7 460. The lure of a magic driver continues to bewitch.

[italianstallion]

Well, now it's all about hitting it higher. This in a sense is very good for me, because new drivers means the "old technology" is cheaper, thus making my new driver buying easier on my wallet this year. Plus, the new stuff doesn't work for me.

[steve81]

we are all still distance hungry. The OEM's know it and know there is a demand for something to keep increasing distance, so really pretty much if there is demand, people (not all) will pay no matter what the price.

 

Me, im happy with my 983K.

[alexthegrrr8]

LOL...at first I chuckled at the $400 driver comment. Then I remembered...I'm used to it up here seeing drivers going for an easy $500 not including taxes. I love my Cobra but I may change drivers to get a lower loft. Thinking Wilson Staff Pd6. SQ is too much.

 

Steve you're right about the distance hunger.

[The Big Pinch]

PING G5 is still $299.

[bobneis]

Liked my Cobra but Oh does my HiBore with a V2 shaft feel great and straight.

[gtaj]

let us know if you land a pd6. ive been looking all over houston and can't find one. my pd5 does the job just nicely in the meantime.

[slicer365]

Everything can be attributed to the economy and oil prices.

[3puttbogey]

I realise that $400 on this website isn't an extroadinary number. And someone buying a driver that's $300-400 and putting a $350 shaft is the norm on this website. But for someone who walks into a golf superstore looking for a quick fix, the buzz for last year was surrounding many $300 drivers that were considered top notch. Now cutting edge OEM has jumped back into the $400 plus range. The marketing teams should all be congratulated. Suddenly the $300 driver I absolutely had to have has been replaced by a $400 driver I absolutely have to have.

[chien99]

Hi Everyone,

 

I need to clarify one very simple thing for all of you about the high sky driver price that is why you are paying more for the driver cost. It is not OEM makers taken the profits from it, it is these major golf equipment makers taken from it.

 

Asian manufacturers are facing serious costs increased in recent years with row materials, labor, and operation. However, these big golf equipment makers have still held the prices as low as possible for Asian makers. We are making single digit profit margan and now it is even worse. Who take the profit and advantage from it? These contracted PGA golfers and existing/major equipment makers, not OEM manufacturers from Asia.

 

These major golf equipment makers are focusing on increasing profit margain for their shareholders and push hard for the new product developments, lower down the OEM costs and reducing the operation cost. You know what I am talking about? Public listing companies always do their jobs on cutting costs, pushing sales, lower down the purchasing costs. But the key is they never really return the cost down on consumers.

 

Just try to let you know that the real thing works and it is why you are paying more in the truth.

 

chien

[justinq721]

lol no omar thats very incorrect way more than "Hell 1/3 of your strokes come from inside 50 yards anyway!"

[AUDuffer]

I realise that $400 on this website isn't an extroadinary number. And someone buying a driver that's $300-400 and putting a $350 shaft is the norm on this website. But for someone who walks into a golf superstore looking for a quick fix, the buzz for last year was surrounding many $300 drivers that were considered top notch. Now cutting edge OEM has jumped back into the $400 plus range. The marketing teams should all be congratulated. Suddenly the $300 driver I absolutely had to have has been replaced by a $400 driver I absolutely have to have.

 

Exactly right...so long as there is enough demand at a price point to make a comfortable per unit profit they will make the product.

[kblakeney35]

Let me give you a little info:

When they first came out

TM R7 Quad-$500

Callaway GBII-$500

Cleveland Launcher 400-$390

King Cobra SS380-$370

MacGregor VIP V-Foil-$400

Ping TiSI Tec-$465

Precept Tour Premium 320 LS-$420

Srixon XXio-$399

 

 

All these drivers were from 2-3 years ago. Many driver prices have gone down dramatically.

 

 

-Kyle

[schmidlack]

It seems many of the larger OEM's offer a $299 driver and then a high-tech model for $399 or more. There are many excellent $299 models out there and I'm sure it's where the volume is.

[shoe295]

Ive seen so many times on the courses I play a guy who can drive for miles but cant hit an approach shot within 50 yds without leaving himself a decent putt. That might not be true everywhere else but Ive seen it around here. All these guys using 400+ dollar driver hit it lights out cant find the fairway but cant hit an iron to save there life. Dont even get me started on the putting with the people I play with. I see people 3 putt from within 10 feet. Please if these guys were to work on there irons for just 60% of the time they use driver at the range oh dear would they be good golfers. Then the putting, it seems to me people go to the range then they hit driver and leave. They dont work on putting at all and its quite amazing.

 

 

 

LOL..apparently we play with the same kind of folks. But they all have the latest and greatest driver, not that I have any room to talk concerning that piece of equipment. But I do get a chuckle every time I go out to play.