Ordering equipment at your home club

[brownm]

Please someone tell me if I am out of line, but I always assumed that if I ordered balls or clubs at my home club they would be giving me the best price. I'm not talking about significant discounts for new releases, but I assumed the prices would be no more than ordering directly from the manufacturer.

The reason I am posting is I recently took advantage of the Titleist buy 3 get 1 promotion for personalized AVX balls. I had a gift card for my pro shop, so I ordered through them. The total came to $20 HIGHER than if I ordered directly through Titleist. I know it's only 20 bucks, but I don't throw away money for no reason. The whole episode just disappointed me, and I'm sure I haven't made any friends by calling them out on it ?‍♂️ . Anybody else experience this, or does your club look out for when ordering through the shop?

[Golfnuck]

Most proshops at a private club will not be able to compete on pricing due to the small volume that they do (the general public cannot go to the Proshop and buy stuff nor can the head pro advertise to have the general public come onto the course to buy stuff).

 

As for your specific question my Proshop does the same 4 for 3 deal and I have found it to be offered at the same price if the personalization is only for the lettering and not to add the clubs logo to the balls in addition to the Manufacturer's personalization.

[Higgs66]

Today's economy.. if you want the convenience of shopping local, expect to pay retail plus.

 

[Yacuone]

I'd say if we did that at my club, it would probably be because we didn't get any discount on them (likely because they're personalized.) No discount from the rep = no discount for the customer. The Club isn't going to lose money on the deal.

[Unteachable]

My local course is the same or better price on everything. And sometimes they will throw in a few extras depending on what I buy and the manufacturer

[coach_harris1]

> @Unteachable said:

> My local course is the same or better price on everything. And sometimes they will throw in a few extras depending on what I buy and the manufacturer

 

Same here. Our Pro hooks us up. He also sells a lot of equipment each year so that helps.

[Go Horns!]

My club does better than retail on everything except Ping. Ping is a price-fixing "mo-fo". But dammit if I don't love me some Ping products.

 

The friggin auto-censor is a kunt b****. Zero phukks given.

[Yanki01]

local club here charges $20 more a dozen for Pro V1/V1x. my local edwin watts and of course everywhere else is $45.

[third-times-a-charm]

My clubs pro shop is just MSRP. No 'discounts' and nothing is 'cheaper' than online. Whatever the MSRP of the item is, thats the price.

At least it's never MORE than MSRP, I guess...

[larryd3]

Did you ask your club what the $20 was for? Last time I ordered the buy 3 get 4 titleist balls, the price was right what it should have been. They are expensive enough without an extra markup.

[swgolf12]

> @Yacuone said:

> I'd say if we did that at my club, it would probably be because we didn't get any discount on them (likely because they're personalized.) No discount from the rep = no discount for the customer. The Club isn't going to lose money on the deal.

 

They make profit on everything, it's not like your club pays $449.95 for a new driver, they get it for the wholesale which is probably around $320-350, so they could sell it to a member for say $400, and give the member a solid deal, while still adding $50 to the shop revenue. That's how most good clubs work at least.

[jschwarb]

> @larryd3 said:

> Did you ask your club what the $20 was for? Last time I ordered the buy 3 get 4 titleist balls, the price was right what it should have been. They are expensive enough without an extra markup.

 

That's what I'd have asked. There's not a ton of variation in this deal across retailers, so $20 sounds like a stiff markup.

[Jvoom30]

Members at my course get 10-20% off most items sometimes more.

[phatchrisrules]

That's how I find most clubs work around me at least. There seems to be regular retail (MAP) and then golf course retail (perhaps MSRP?). Every time I take a poke around a club at the equipment I see prices that are a good $30+ higher than what you could get at most retail outlets. It has to do with volume ordering I suspect. The more product you turn, the better your deal. That's often why you can walk into some small mom and pop stores and see 2016 M2s for almost full pop still sitting there with almost no wiggle room on pricing. I think a lot of clubs do give members discounts because the price might be a touch inflated over regular retail due to low volume sales comparatively, so they are actually selling it for what you could get it elsewhere or slightly cheaper while still feeding into the "you're a great member here Mr. Smith, we'd love to show our appreciation, how's 10% off the new driver sound?" back massaging that goes on at most clubs were a lot of members never really step foot into big box stores or don't care to shop online.

[dtc0207]

I always figured clubs were higher because of gift certificates it was there way to ensure a profit on tournament by give big prizes that can only be used on jacked up price merchandise

[sleuth]

My private club pro shop is always below MSRP for equipment and apparel. Example $499 driver would cost a member $460 at member pricing. And they always run the ProV special every year and offer free personalization.

[NJGolfer0624]

Bad business to charge more for golf balls that were never kept as inventory by the local club.

I think many PGA pros could do a better job taking care of their members/regular customers and in turn sell more volume and make up more than their fair share of the $20 markup.