Golf equipment is getting too expensive...

[Robert L.]

7 hours ago, BIG STU said:

I will say you are one smart cookie--- You know what equipment will work for your game and you adapted stuff to fit your game now. I have had to revamp my equipment and game too as I aged. And you are also smart enough to know it does not have to be the latest greatest whiz bang thing to enjoy the game

Thank you for that. I did a fair amount of research once I got back into playing, and the subject of hybrids came up, so I figures I had nothing to lose but a few bucks and I took the plunge. My 5H is my favorite club now. I hit it far and straight, and I try to hit my tee shots so that it's my shot into the green. Now if only my short game can catch up!

 

Ebay is an excellent source for older yet still fully functional clubs. Being on a fixed income I don't have the luxury of going to a golf shop and dropping a lot of money on the latest and greatest. Like a lot of senior golfers I still love the game, but I have to be wise with my money. I'm now eyeing a Callaway Big Bertha Hawkeye VST driver. It looks like it's from the late 1990s to early 2000s, 12 degrees of loft and senior flex shaft, looks like it's in good shape, and they want $35 for it. It's not a football on a stick either! Hopefully it'll still be around after the holidays, because I have a few holiday purchases coming up.

[GBBM]

https://local.theonion.com/old-man-remembers-when-things-cost-roughly-the-same-as-1845358781?utm_source=TheOnion_Daily_RSS&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2020-10-13

[SoCalTitleist]

The thing about inflation is some peoples incomes do not increase at the same rate.

[Tgstan]

Golf clubs - the only thing that loses value quicker than a new car! And you also the added bonus of having the manufacturer who took your money ~12 short months ago tell you the last thing they sold you wasn’t their best effort - but this NEW, NEW club is!!

 

I play a lot of golf. Avid golfer. I haven’t bought a new club off the rack in a decade and doubt I ever will again. 
 

And not because I don’t have the money. 

[Golf64]

5 hours ago, cgasucks said:

How did you come up with that number?  I'm from Vancouver and even at my most conservative calculations it shouldn't cost more than $700 ($600 Driver + 12% in GST and PST (for BC) = $672))

Went on Golf Town website. That is the price posted.

[BIG STU]

6 hours ago, forrester_fire said:

 

I don't think you guys give us enough credit...

Ok I will give you credit you make 3 or is it 4? I don't remember

[BIG STU]

5 hours ago, RSinSG said:

I do. But I was a LEO for 30 years in SoCal. 

UTT OHHHHH----- Busted LOL

[elwhippy]

Absolutely. A new TSI2/3 driver and 2 fairways are almost £1200 rrp in the UK. I remember when the BBs came out at £500 but house prices and food were much more affordable then. I think people will get more selective. No doubt the next V1 ball will be £45 a dozen discounted seeing as they are offering 2 piece balls at £30. On a plus you can buy this year's models at lower prices and the same with other makes. 

[Tackygolfer]

Hey, yes and no. Every year new equipment come out thick and fast with higher price, but on the flip side they depreciate rapidly too. I have over 10 sets of 2019 model premium irons and drivers which I bought either mint condition second hand or new at end of life sales. All at more than 50% off retail prices. e.g got PXG 0311T Gen 2 Irons 4-PW in mint condtion for $750. You can buy smart by doing your research. 

Edited October 16, 2020 by Tackygolfer

[HSTNGolfer]

You can get the components for a set of Maltby TE Forged irons, 3-PW, for about $260 plus, tax and S&H. Pak includes True Temper Score LT shafts and Lamkin grips.

Only $29 per head for forged 1035 carbon steel heads. Upgrade shafts to Dynamic Gold or KBS Tour or UST Recoil graphite and it is still under $400.

 

Quality Components and self assembly and you can build yourself a very good set of  irons for a fraction of OEM equipment.   

 

 

 

 

[chipa]

15 minutes ago, HSTNGolfer said:

You can get the components for a set of Maltby TE Forged irons, 3-PW, for about $260 plus, tax and S&H. Pak includes True Temper Score LT shafts and Lamkin grips.

Only $29 per head for forged 1035 carbon steel heads. Upgrade shafts to Dynamic Gold or KBS Tour or UST Recoil graphite and it is still under $400.

 

Quality Components and self assembly and you can build yourself a very good set of  irons for a fraction of OEM equipment.   

 

 

 

 

 

I'm surprised more people don't buy Maltby stuff. I buy cheaper stuff at Hireko and Monark and have had good results with them. My $15 a head blade iron is among the sweetest feeling irons I have ever hit to include many forged blades out there, and the Apollo shaft at $5 feels like a Dynamic Gold but at only 105 grams. If I ever do change my Acer's it will be to try out the Maltby blades or small cb's.

[HSTNGolfer]

A few years ago there were online auctions for brand new Wilson Staff FG Tour F5 Forged irons, 4-GW, with True Temper Dynamic Gold XP shafts. I got a first set for under $350. A friend bought them off me before I had played them. I ended up getting 5 full sets on that auction, each set between $310 and $350. Sold them all to friends who were new to the game or wanting to upgrade from what they had. Bargains are out there if you know where to look.

[HSTNGolfer]

8 minutes ago, chipa said:

 

I'm surprised more people don't buy Maltby stuff. I buy cheaper stuff at Hireko and Monark and have had good results with them. My $15 a head blade iron is among the sweetest feeling irons I have ever hit to include many forged blades out there, and the Apollo shaft at $5 feels like a Dynamic Gold but at only 105 grams. If I ever do change my Acer's it will be to try out the Maltby blades or small cb's.

Acer XV Pro iron heads ($11 each) are made from 431 stainless steel (same as Ping iBlades) or softer 304 SS in the XV Tour Blade ($15 ea). Seriously good value products. 

[achappy]

On 10/15/2020 at 8:43 AM, NRJyzr said:

There could be an interesting side effect.....

 

In the 90s and early 2000s, component clubs were a viable alternative to OEM purchases, with price being a not insignificant player in the decision for many.  I'm not talking about the clones, but the product found at GolfWorks, Golfsmith, Dynacraft/Hireko, the artist formerly known as SMT, and so on.  

 

A fair number of the advances in clubs came from the component world.  400cc and up drivers being a notable mention.  Carl Wolter, anyone?

 

The acceleration of product cycles in the OEM world, and the resulting effect on the used club market, reduced the component allure for many.  Especially for those entrenched in the Club Ho world.  Now, with prices rising as they are, component options are looking more attractive than they were a dozen years ago.

 

Personally, I've picked up a few wedges from GolfWorks, a couple from Hireko, and even built a Pinhawk SL set for myself just to see what it was about.  

 

It also doesn't hurt that the new gear doesn't catch my interest all that much.  😉

 

 

Great point.  I haven't played components in several years but given the current price trend and even used market, I'm actually looking at Wishon/Golfworks again.

[Joe26]

I usually buy clubs that are 1-3 years old, but there’s little incentive to buy used right now. Used prices are ridiculous, getting stupid in some cases.

 

Edited August 13, 2021 by Joe26

[Roejye]

At this exact moment in time, golf equipment is a little expensive. The new clubs are quite expensive, yes if you adjust old prices for inflation they're technically cheaper, but salaries haven't increased the same rate as inflation. The 2nd hand market that was the place for good deals has seen prices rise considerably due to a greatly increased demand. I think come december or so prices will probably level out somewhat. I'm just glad I got my clubs before the prices really jumped. 

As other's have stated though, there are some brands that are lower priced than others. I'm a big Cleveland fan, especially their irons and wedges. I've got pga ss website open in another tab as I write this and looking at irons I've clicked on Wilson, Cleveland, Tour Edge, and Srixon for brands. 69 results, 17~ of which are over $1000.00 (and some that are $999.99). 

Another route to possibly go down is packaged sets, I've seen quite a few YouTube videos and the irons are very similar performance wise. Swap out the top of the bag, it will probably require a decent amount of digging, and you can get golfing relatively inexpensively.

[benjo009]

Inflation has definitely played a role but I think exchange rates have played a large role for us over here in the UK as well.

 

When I bought my first new clubs as a 16 year old in 2005, I bought an r7 Quad ($400), LTII irons ($700) and a Rescue Mid (free with the irons) for under $1200 including tax. With the exchange rate of about 1.8 at the time this was about £660. In the UK the RRP of the irons was £600 and the driver was £449! So I saved around £400 by buying in the US.

 

If I was buying the similar today it would probably be the SIM ($550) and P770 irons (~$1200) for a total of $1750 which at todays exchange rate of about 1.29 is about £1350. To buy in the UK the SIM is £429 and the P770s are available for £999. So I'd only save ~£100 but buying in the US now.

 

Having just recently got back seriously into golf I am looking at new clubs and want to get fitted for the first time so new is the only way to go. I had bought second hand irons and drivers over the years with my most recent irons (Callaway Razr X Forged) costing only £250 on eBay in 2015 when the RRP was £800 a few years before. Now with the silly second hand prices, my dad has sold his 716 AP1s for more £100 more than he paid second hand 2 years ago! If you know your specs or don't mind ill fitting clubs then I'm sure there are still second hand bargains out there but with the prices now I'd rather be fit and know the clubs were right for only a little bit more. 

[LeftyTPH]

On 10/15/2020 at 6:23 AM, Ger21 said:

 

There's never been a $200 Scotty Cameron.

 

I paid $275 for mine in 1996.

 

Other than that, all of my clubs have been purchased new or like new, but 2-3 years old, for 50% or less of new prices.

You can buy prior model drivers for ~$200, fairway woods for ~$100, and iron sets in the ~$500 range, in new or like new condition.

I was going to say. My Scotty was just under $300 when I got it my sophomore year of high school in 2003.

[NRJyzr]

28 minutes ago, LeftyTPH said:

I was going to say. My Scotty was just under $300 when I got it my sophomore year of high school in 2003.

 

Man, I feel old now....

 

[Port and Starboard]

You really do not need to spend a ton of money on equipment unless you just want to keep up with the Joneses.  I've been there & done that......and it's a little embarrassing when I look back at the money I spent over the years.

 

My driver is 2002 Taylormade 580 10.5 with the stock M.A.S. 2 shaft (S flex) I have owned it since new and I've been considering retiring it for some time, but I'm not seeing any increase in distance or overall playability in the new models. My average drive is around 235-240 carry.  I tried out the 2020 TM Sim, Callaway Mavrik, Cobra Speedzone, and Titleist TS1, and there isn't much happening with any of these that I'm not getting out of my current driver. The SIM was longer than my 580, but not by much. The Titleist TS1 was easy to fade but I didn't like the feel of it.  You can still pick up a nice used 580, R7, R9, R11 online for 40-100 bucks and they all play fairly similar.

 

My putter is a Ping Pal 2 36" that I got off Ebay for $39.00 in very nice condition, and I added a Winn 1.18 grip for another $20.00

 

My current iron set is the old Taylormade 320 model 4-AW with stock S-90 shafts that I picked up off Ebay for $90.00 w/shipping.  The 320's are considered a GI club, but they have a gentle offset, nice top lines, great feel, and very workable. I actually downgraded to these irons after playing quite a few sets of the newer "techno" faced irons that I have laying around in the shop.  Yeah, the new stuff is longer...no doubt...but the 320's will be in the bag for a while.

 

My wedges are both stock Vokey's in 54 and 58 lofts that I bought locally as a pair on OfferUp for $100.00 almost like new. I'm a Vokey loyalist, but there are many wedges that are just good or even better that can be gotten on the cheap.

 

My 3H is a older Cobra TWS that I got off Ebay for $45.00 with free shipping. I like this club because of the big face and it has a great sole for any lie.  I pulled the stock tip flexible shaft and replaced it with a Aldila NXT GEN NV 65 (Stiff) for another $60.00. I can go after the ball as hard as I want without fear of hooking with the new shaft.  It's really fun to hit, long, and is my go to club when my driver swing goes south.

 

I'm also a ProV1 loyalist and I buy them recycled $15.00 a dozen near mint.

 

 

[leekgolf]

On 10/16/2020 at 9:49 AM, RSinSG said:

I do. But I was a LEO for 30 years in SoCal. 

I don't know what it is, saying three fingers makes me think it's a drink. Without that I would have thought it was heroin, but I can't imagine anyone is thinking about that on this site.

[leekgolf]

On 10/16/2020 at 9:27 AM, xkilgorextroutx said:

 

Like I said above, if you want the latest and greatest and want to be fit, then yes there's a cost... usually. Or one could pay for a fitting then find a used set that matches specs, or pay to have loft & lie bent to work for them.

 

There's always a way to do something within one's budget. If someone has $3k and wants to spend that, then that's fine. But for far many more of us, there are plenty of economical ways to get things done, and properly at that.

 

Edited to add: I presume that if someone is getting fit, they're going to use those clubs for quite some time since they're being fit to them as closely as possible. So there's plenty of value in holding onto those clubs for years, which could end up costing just the same as constantly buying & selling at depreciated value. If you're someone who has the need to get fit every year or two, complaining about costs isn't going to engender much sympathy since you're purely doing it out of personal choice.

I'm going to have to get fit. I've been working hard with an instructor to change my swing. So much has changed, I could easily need different lies. On top of that, as I've gotten a little older my club head speed has really fallen off. I need to get fit for shafts for sure.My fitting concern is most fitters probably expect us to buy new clubs from them. I will get fit then see what I can find used.

 

 

 

 

[OrangeGravy]

On 10/15/2020 at 8:30 AM, Luke'sdad said:

Who ever thinks that there are so many great bargains out there for used clubs must not have bought many used clubs lately. My friend owns a chain of Play It Again Sports franchises, and reports that since Covid, golf has become a go to sport for so many. He literally has trouble keeping a decent stock of good condition items in stock. Used prices thus have gone thru the roof. Check E bay, etc to see for yourself. A great example for me personally was selling a new/mint Nike Vapor Speed driver for over $200. I paid less than $100 for the same driver pre Covid. That's just one example. Used club  prices simply reflect today's supply and demand.

So true since Covid. I finally found a set of Ping g25 irons in my specs pre-Covid for a good price online. I've since looked for a backup set and anything worth buying is over $500. That sweet spot of $225-$350 has pretty much gone away for a decent set of used irons unless you're looking for 6/7-GW

[OrangeGravy]

On 10/15/2020 at 5:23 PM, BIG STU said:

Funny but true bet there ain't 5 people on here that knows what Mexican Brown is

Haha. We called it red up here in the PNW. I'm 47 and it was still going strong through the mid 90's. 

[OrangeGravy]

On 10/16/2020 at 6:57 AM, MtlJeff said:

 

Right and by that same comparison...Golf has gone up waaaaaaay less than that

 

You could make the argument that factoring in inflation golf clubs are cheaper now

Then factor in stagnant wage growth over that same time. 

[bullie76]

Equipment prices are high. But I'm happy buying used or finding clearance deals. My current irons I bought a couple of months ago and they were at closeout prices. Fortunately for me I play(and have been fitted) standard specs. So someone that requires odd specs are not going to find much. 

[RSinSG]

7 hours ago, leekgolf said:

I don't know what it is, saying three fingers makes me think it's a drink. Without that I would have thought it was heroin, but I can't imagine anyone is thinking about that on this site.

In SoCal Mexican Brown is junk heroin. I think these guys are referring to weed as that was a decent price for a 3 finger bag. Real Mexican Brown would cost a lot more  even way back when.

[iNeedMoreGolf]

I think the companys would say... yes we charge alot but we are expecting you to play them for at least 7+ years. When truly they want you to switch out every year or 2. Its kinda our fault i guess..

[setter02]

New retail pricing has been embarrassing for some time, the used market this season has been the same and purely because of covid.  Far more people have come into the game as it was the only outdoor activity that you could do other than walk around...  

 

I've done ok on the used market flipping this this year, but way too many people are either straight out to lunch on things or just gouging (much like fitness equipment...).

 

Around the GTA on marketplace and kijiji you'll see people trying to get $150 cdn for TM300/Titleist 983 drivers, '05 CB TP's for $750 or 716 CB's for $1k...  

 

In totally unrelated news, I have a set of non DW Scratch SB-1 coming in today, yours for only $2k... 😆

[Bubbtubbs]

5 hours ago, gwelfgulfer said:

New retail pricing has been embarrassing for some time, the used market this season has been the same and purely because of covid.  Far more people have come into the game as it was the only outdoor activity that you could do other than walk around...  

 

I've done ok on the used market flipping this this year, but way too many people are either straight out to lunch on things or just gouging (much like fitness equipment...).

 

Around the GTA on marketplace and kijiji you'll see people trying to get $150 cdn for TM300/Titleist 983 drivers, '05 CB TP's for $750 or 716 CB's for $1k...  

 

In totally unrelated news, I have a set of non DW Scratch SB-1 coming in today, yours for only $2k... 😆

No lie, my kijiji recommended ads had a set of 716 CBs for $850 and it was missing the 8i.

Edited October 21, 2020 by Bubbtubbs