Club Champion debacle....what to do?

[awtryau89]

Similar experience where they tried to upsell me on a hybrid with a fantastic Kuro Kage shaft for an extra $300 only to get home and see its the stock shaft for the club at the time. They took a friend of mine for over $2000 for clubs that were some of the worst performing for him I have seen. This guy was a single digit solid golfer too. I have a couple other stories but I'll save them. I recommend people go to our PGASS location with the Tour Van experience much more than CC. They are honest, use GC Quad and just offer a better overall experience for much less money.

[FLGOLFJUNKIE]

Hope you didn't gift it in paypal

[larryd3]

Just to discuss a good experience, I went to the CC in Orlando area a couple years ago for a putter fitting and it was a great experience. They didn't try to sell me anything specifically and let me hit a bunch of different putters using their putting lab. No pressure and spent a plenty of time with me. I learned a lot about my putting style, stroke, etc and about why face balanced putters aren't best for me. I did purchase a putter from them and it's been a great addition and I've been using it for a couple years consistently and not looking to make any changes.

[jmck]

There are a bunch of Chicago area WRXers. Let one of them recommend someone and get a proper fitting from a proper place. Funny enough, this thread just got bumped back to the top by someone else:https://forums.golfwrx.com/discussion/1325604/chicago-area-fitters

[stimpmeterp]

The local guys at my Club Champion (Rockville, MD - it's the DC location) are fantastic and I would never expect something like this from them.

[ryoustra5]

Ive been there a few times, every single time they've tried to hard sell me on something. I have several friends who have also had the same experience, seems like they really try to push VA composite shafts, I will definitely not return to them. I recognize their place and they provide a good service, just seems like a culture issue, very dissapointing. I plan to go there tomorrow and demand a refund. On a separate note I will take that advice and seek out quality recommended fitters in the Chicagoland area via WRX

[RainShadow]

There's a sucker born every minute?

[ChitownM2]

What was the outcome? Did they make it right?

[stimpmeterp]

Hate to go against the grain here (again) but there are plenty of people who go into Club Champion with a budget and expectations and have both their budget and expectations met (or exceeded). I do not work in the golf industry I just hate seeing an entire entity take the blame for a few bad actors.

[awtryau89]

Its not just a few bad actors. I would say its more than half which tells you a story of culture more than caring for customers.

[e-man]

Will they give you the stock shafts that they pull when you buy a custom set irons for you?

[stimpmeterp]

@awtryau89 and how can you know it is more than half when they have more than 70 locations?

[BYK]

Nope

you pay full retail price for the clubs, which interestingly enough doesn't cover the stock shafts.

[ryoustra5]

Yes, I went into the corporate location Tuesday and after many attempts to keep my business they reluctantly gave me a refund.

[ChitownM2]

Glad it worked it out for you. Give Chicago bills a call, they can hook you up for a much better price without all the hassles

[vq6shadow]

I only use them for fittings to get the specs I need, then build the clubs myself. The shaft they recommended were hard to find but they work like a dream.

[Anwell]

On 8/3/2020 at 8:57 AM, jeffrey r said:

OP, hope you get that sorted out. Since this has sort of become another CC bashing thread, I’ll just say that maybe we’re lucky here in NJ, because I’d say we have a good location in Northern NJ. Sure, it’s a CC, and it’s the same general model as other CC, and you need to know what you want going in there. But the guys there are good guys, who do good fitting and building work, and take good care of their customers. Seems like there are some good CC locations, and some not-so-good.

At some point, when WRX says you shouldn’t go to a big box store for fitting or building (including PGA SS), and oh, you also shouldn’t go to a specialty fitter like CC, that doesn’t leave all that many options for a lot of folks. I don’t know where these mystical, magical stand-alone master fitters/builders are dotted all over the country, but I don’t seem to know about too many of them. But I digress.

I've had great experience at the Hackensack nj location. Jon is a great and not a pushy sales. He told me numerous time that I dont need to change certain clubs because it is a minimal gain. 

[jasonTeI3]

On 8/3/2020 at 3:29 PM, stimpmeterp said:

The local guys at my Club Champion (Rockville, MD - it's the DC location) are fantastic and I would never expect something like this from them.

Sorry to hear about bad experiences at CC because for what they charge only top notch club fitting and customer service should be expected. But Nick in Rockville was one of the best and most honest club fitters/industry guys I’ve ever dealt with. If anyone is within driving distance I would recommend going to see him.

[shoreline9]

Chicago Bills is just as shady. 

 

Who was your fitter? Which location did you go to? 

 

Those scratches on the shaft are from their ferrule turning machine. That'll happen sometimes. But those chips...no excuses there. 

Edited August 24, 2020 by shoreline9

[MysteryV]

I had a pretty good experience the one time I went to Club Champion in Orange County.  I have another CC visit scheduled for Danville next month.

 

 

Hopefully you paid with Amex as this is some bull$hit.  I'm considering cancelling my appointment just based on your experience.  Sorry to hear man.

 

 

[jeffrey r]

10 hours ago, MysteryV said:

I had a pretty good experience the one time I went to Club Champion in Orange County.  I have another CC visit scheduled for Danville next month.

 

 

Hopefully you paid with Amex as this is some bull$hit.  I'm considering cancelling my appointment just based on your experience.  Sorry to hear man.

 

 

 

I wouldn't base your own plan on the bad experience of one guy in one store.  I was back at my local CC just yesterday, getting a loft/lie check/adjustment on two sets of irons.  One set was purchased pre-owned with no idea of the specs (which required a fair bit of tweaking), and one recent set custom built by an OEM (which was close to spec, but not right on spec).

 

They didn't charge me--it is just a service provided for a good customer/client.  There is some level of reciprocity--I do right by them, they do right by me, which causes that cycle to continue.  For guys like us (your average WRXers) who like to tinker, demo, change equipment, etc., unless you have a great clubfitter that you can bring stuff to, CC can be a solid option.

[golffeen007]

Umm , $470 for a used demo shaft they were given for in store fittings is over the top outrageous. Probably couldn't get your shaft due to the current situation and pulled one from a demo club to pacify you. Forget to epoxy the adapter and missed all that damage? Priceless!  Def scum right there.  Glad you were persistent and got your money back. 

Unfortunately , there're more salesman than fitters in the industry....

[A.Princey]

Salesmen, not fitters. Good lesson learned for all. 

[driveandputtmachine]

I have been to the Sandy Springs location (Just outside of Atlanta) on two separate occasions.  The first time was great.  They couldn't pick up the ball speed with the driver, I think they just don't have enough room.  So he offered and met me at my course and we drug a cord out to the range and he brought out four heads and 6 shafts he thought would be good fits.  In the end it was a great experience.

 

The second time I went for some iron dispersion help.  The guy from the first time had moved to a different location even though I was told at my booking I would have him for my fitting.  This new guy was pushy and just kept gushing about hitting an iron so crazy far.  I explained three separate times I didn't come looking for length, I wanted to tighten up impact some and fix my dispersion issues.  I knew both could be accomplished with shaft weight and flex/balance point.  IN the end I walked out with nothing to show.   He kept pushing me to chose an iron that went WAY TOO far and would have probably screwed up my gapping at the bottom end of my bag.  I did get enough data and info to make some informed purchases to try all by myself.  Add that with the fact I had a lot of info from Dana Upshaw from the early early 2000's and I am in a good space.

Edited September 16, 2020 by driveandputtmachine

[TK60]

Thanks all for the posts concerning Club Champion.  I was planning on using the CC location in Birmingham, AL.  Actually called the number to schedule a putter fitting.   I was put on hold 3 times, never talked to a rep.  This was my first time dealing with CC.   Glad i checked the WRX forum.  i will not be using their services.

[MaineMariner]

I really enjoyed the putter fitting I had with Rhiannon at the CC in Pittsburgh. It was fun, I learned a lot about my stroke and specs, I got to try some stuff I never saw in stores, and nothing was pushed on me. Actually, I went and bought the putter that gave me the best results at my fitting on eBay and had CC put in a new shaft and bend it to my specs. It's worked out great and I love the thing.

[Anwell]

Just a little update. Been driving the ball like crap lately so I went back to cc in Hackensack nj for a fitting last week since I still have a free fitting. I was ready to buy a new driver and 3w ( not bought from cc). Jon assured me that I don’t need new clubs and said doesn’t make sense to drop $1k and maybe I will gain a little. He just said I stood too close to the ball and once he said that everything was good lol. Still highly recommend that location. 

[jeffrey r]

13 hours ago, Anwell said:

Just a little update. Been driving the ball like crap lately so I went back to cc in Hackensack nj for a fitting last week since I still have a free fitting. I was ready to buy a new driver and 3w ( not bought from cc). Jon assured me that I don’t need new clubs and said doesn’t make sense to drop $1k and maybe I will gain a little. He just said I stood too close to the ball and once he said that everything was good lol. Still highly recommend that location. 

 

Jon is great.  I don't know about other locations, but that Hackensack location is not just a fitting factory.  I am there pretty regularly for one thing or another.

[KaBoom21]

On 8/24/2020 at 3:40 PM, shoreline9 said:

Chicago Bills is just as shady. 

 

Who was your fitter? Which location did you go to? 

 

Those scratches on the shaft are from their ferrule turning machine. That'll happen sometimes. But those chips...no excuses there. 

Could you provide some specifics about Chicago Bill's shadiness? 

[KamH]

I am experiencing the same issue. Bought a new putter on 1/28 for my trip in March. They gave me the putter with the wrong grip, out of the box and with zero packaging. It has been almost 6 weeks and they still haven’t gotten the correct putter grip in. It has been like pulling teeth get the area manager Brad to do anything about it. If you go the credit card company route, let me know what resolution was. As I am thinking about going that route and launching a complaint with BBB about it.