SM9s in March?

[t4t3r]

Have some credit to use through a local club and was going to order an SM9 but not paying extra for no finish. $180 is wild as it is for a wedge anyway...probably just grab an SM8 that they have leftover.

Edited February 17, 2022 by t4t3r

[Son5]

8 hours ago, mjbfyb said:

The SM9 is up on WedgeWorks. $225 for raw. Yikes

 

https://www.vokey.com/product/WM137.html#start=1

Meant to post in here a about two weeks ago, but I was able to pre-order on 2/5 from a local shop and they had the raw at $199 + the ridiculous $20+ shipping that Titleist charges. My total turned out to be like $230 and some change. 

 

Didn't realize that I was getting a deal 😬. Hoping the shop honors the price I was quoted. 

[elwhippy]

Current exchange rate is $1.36. to £1. UK price is $229 for off the shelf and $284 for raw finish. Take a hike Titleist UK. 

[newportbeach]

2 hours ago, sloansav62 said:

Agreed just checked and stamps, ferrules, stickers, etc all are additional charges now. What a joke. Just make the raw then the same price as other finishes.

 

Seems strange. Raw should require less work because there is no finish work needed. Basically a money grab based on popularity.

[Copacetic]

1 hour ago, elwhippy said:

Current exchange rate is $1.36. to £1. UK price is $229 for off the shelf and $284 for raw finish. Take a hike Titleist UK. 

Same in eur, significant price increase and mark up. With no real improvement, I’m going to stick with sm8s and track down a set of replacements also. Maybe pick these up when supply is better bringing down the price 

[darkman8]

Those of you who are complaining tirelessly about “price gouging” are completely clueless to economics 101. Pay a little bit of attention to what is going on in the world. Take a look at the current price of steel. Do the same for rubber, do the same for tungsten. Compare those prices to there prices from just 2 years ago. You will see the price of these goods have sky rocketed. Also, take into account that manufacturing and labor costs have sky rocketed as well due to the pandemic and mandates. This is not Titleist’s fault. Of course those price increases are going to be passed down to the consumer. It is not price gouging, it’s basic economics and the state of the world right now. You as the consumer have the option of simply not purchasing if you can’t afford it. 

[darkman8]

2 hours ago, newportbeach said:

 

Seems strange. Raw should require less work because there is no finish work needed. Basically a money grab based on popularity.

 Not a money grab. What you said is completely inaccurate. Raw heads are not made in the same mass quantities as the other finishes. This is why you do not see the raw heads in stores all over the world. The raw heads are made in limited production runs, thus driving up the cost. They are not as popular as you think to the general consumer worldwide. There is only a small niche market for them. 

[KingTitus]

Found and bought an almost brand new WedgeWorks 60T today on Ebay for a great price, so you won't be finding an SM9's in my bag this year. I'll happily stick with my SM8's. 

[thezinfan]

4 hours ago, Son5 said:

Meant to post in here a about two weeks ago, but I was able to pre-order on 2/5 from a local shop and they had the raw at $199 + the ridiculous $20+ shipping that Titleist charges. My total turned out to be like $230 and some change. 

 

Didn't realize that I was getting a deal 😬. Hoping the shop honors the price I was quoted. 

I think they got rid of shipping charge. Site now says free shipping on $175+ orders.

[thezinfan]

33 minutes ago, darkman8 said:

 Not a money grab. What you said is completely inaccurate. Raw heads are not made in the same mass quantities as the other finishes. This is why you do not see the raw heads in stores all over the world. The raw heads are made in limited production runs, thus driving up the cost. They are not as popular as you think to the general consumer worldwide. There is only a small niche market for them. 

I'm a huge Vokey fan, and in he past supported the raw upcharge, But they increased the raw price delta from 40 to 45 AND got rid of $35 in freebies. How did the price of stamping and stickers go up that much ? LOL

[darkman8]

1 hour ago, thezinfan said:

I'm a huge Vokey fan, and in he past supported the raw upcharge, But they increased the raw price delta from 40 to 45 AND got rid of $35 in freebies. How did the price of stamping and stickers go up that much ? LOL

It takes time and labor to stamp those wedges correct? 

[Hawkeye]

Darkman8 is spot on.  While raw is most popular on this forum, in the mass market, it is not.  The average joe doesn’t want to see a wedge starting to rust in the rack of a shop. Again, not the sentiment from those in this forum, but very much the case on the macro level. 
 

I can’t say I like it or agree with it, but that’s what it is. 

Edited February 18, 2022 by Hawkeye

[JSSPRADLIN]

3 hours ago, thezinfan said:

I'm a huge Vokey fan, and in he past supported the raw upcharge, But they increased the raw price delta from 40 to 45 AND got rid of $35 in freebies. How did the price of stamping and stickers go up that much ? LOL

 

Take a look around.  Labor costs have skyrocketed.  Raw materials have skyrocketed.  Shipping costs have skyrocketed.  We aren't talking single digit increases.  A $5 increase in the price delta between raw and finished is nothing compared to what's going on with everything.  Eliminating $35 in freebies is simply a smart gamble.  Those who want raw are still going to buy raw.  Those who were doing it for the free upgrade are just going to buy finished and pay the paint and stamping fees on a wedge they mass produce.  If you were the decision maker you'd do the same thing.  

[N8dogg2669]

Hit these today, placing my order tomorrow. Great feel and look

[ayc25]

Puetz has them for $169 and they don't have sales tax or shipping. Solid $20-30 per club savings depending on what your usual tax rate is.

[jacobanderson123]

Any idea on wedgeworks?

[CasualLie]

7 hours ago, darkman8 said:

 Not a money grab. What you said is completely inaccurate. Raw heads are not made in the same mass quantities as the other finishes. This is why you do not see the raw heads in stores all over the world. The raw heads are made in limited production runs, thus driving up the cost. They are not as popular as you think to the general consumer worldwide. There is only a small niche market for them. 

 

Cleveland must be using sub quality steel vs Vokey and also found a way to do a fake raw finish.  I mean how else to explain selling a raw tour rack wedge for $170.  Those fools!

 

GTFO with the economic lessons.

[darkman8]

1 hour ago, CasualLie said:

 

Cleveland must be using sub quality steel vs Vokey and also found a way to do a fake raw finish.  I mean how else to explain selling a raw tour rack wedge for $170.  Those fools!

 

GTFO with the economic lessons.

And yet, you still bought the new Vokeys. Why? Thanks for making me laugh. I’d have more respect if you actually owned a Cleveland wedge and believed what you just wrote. Sorry to get your panties in a bunch. 

[elwhippy]

A touch of arrogance D8? I fully understand economics and don't need lectured. SM is on sale at £129. New cosmetically changed SM9 is £40 more. That is money grabbing first and foremost. Callaway and Cleveland are not going up so someone is trying to make a fast buck. 

[darkman8]

36 minutes ago, elwhippy said:

A touch of arrogance D8? I fully understand economics and don't need lectured. SM is on sale at £129. New cosmetically changed SM9 is £40 more. That is money grabbing first and foremost. Callaway and Cleveland are not going up so someone is trying to make a fast buck. 

Sorry if it came across as arrogance. Not my intention. Simply stating facts. The price of literally everything is going up worldwide. Businesses stay in business by making money. The constant complaining is annoying. Just don’t buy a product if it is out of your price range. Please don’t tell me that other companies like Callaway have not increased their prices. Look at the price of their new line. It is what it is. Buy it or don’t, you have free choice. 

[btyh]

[Mccaria]

2 hours ago, elwhippy said:

A touch of arrogance D8? I fully understand economics and don't need lectured. SM is on sale at £129. New cosmetically changed SM9 is £40 more. That is money grabbing first and foremost. Callaway and Cleveland are not going up so someone is trying to make a fast buck. 

I’m not sure that’s a fair comparison. The SM8 sale price is for end of line stock in standard settings and build, whereas the SM9 is full list price with build options on settings, shafts etc. Certainly for a left hander the stock availability of SM8 is not great.  
List price to list price SM8 to SM9 has gone up from £159 to £169. Already you can order the SM9 online for £159 and if you order x2 wedges then it’s £149 per unit. I really like the SM8, but buying x2 wedges in SM9 to my spec and shaft choice is preferable. 

[NJGolfer0624]

I was able to order 2 Raw wedges with no upcharge on the Golf Galaxy website yesterday morning but they removed the raw option shortly afterwards. 

[toddyc]

6 hours ago, CasualLie said:

 

Cleveland must be using sub quality steel vs Vokey and also found a way to do a fake raw finish.  I mean how else to explain selling a raw tour rack wedge for $170.  Those fools!

 

GTFO with the economic lessons.

You don’t seem to understand how prices are established.

 

maybe you need those economics lessons

[Carson33]

3 hours ago, darkman8 said:

Sorry if it came across as arrogance. Not my intention. Simply stating facts. The price of literally everything is going up worldwide. Businesses stay in business by making money. The constant complaining is annoying. Just don’t buy a product if it is out of your price range. Please don’t tell me that other companies like Callaway have not increased their prices. Look at the price of their new line. It is what it is. Buy it or don’t, you have free choice. 

It seems to me that D8 is the only person speaking common sense with business acumen. I agree with everything he has said.

[Bdck]

$260 + shipping and tax for a raw with an s400?

 

So ~$300 per wedge?

 

Ouchie

[TheIslander]

5 hours ago, darkman8 said:

Sorry if it came across as arrogance. Not my intention. Simply stating facts. The price of literally everything is going up worldwide. Businesses stay in business by making money. The constant complaining is annoying. Just don’t buy a product if it is out of your price range. Please don’t tell me that other companies like Callaway have not increased their prices. Look at the price of their new line. It is what it is. Buy it or don’t, you have free choice. 

Titleist year-to-date net income as of Q3 2021 was up $102m when compared to 2019.

 

Given the global pandemic and increased costs associated in that time, it just doesn’t sit well with many people that a company who is making significantly more (they made $205m net income year-to-date Q3, so they doubled that since 2019. During a pandemic and with increased supply costs) than previously is also increasing prices. 
 

Of course they can increase prices, their choice, and clearly it is the right business strategy since people still buy, but it doesn’t mean that the people making complaints are making invalid points. Acushnet is making far more than ever and yet prices are rising whilst many consumers are struggling with basic expenses, let alone disposable income (admittedly the golf demographic is probably skewed and less representative of that), it is only natural that there will be plenty of people that react poorly and ask questions about it.
 

I don’t think people aren’t understanding things cost more to make, I think people are saying that clearly costs rising hasn’t stopped net income for growing significantly prior to this most recent price hike, and that it just leaves a bitter taste in their mouths to see prices rise at the same time as that is occurring. 

Edited February 18, 2022 by TheIslander

[thezinfan]

4 minutes ago, TheIslander said:

I don’t think people aren’t understanding things cost more to make, I think people are saying that clearly costs rising hasn’t stopped net income for growing significantly prior to this most recent price hike, and that it just leaves a bitter taste in their mouths to see prices rise at the same time as that is occurring. 

Exactly! And Vokey has now lost me as a WedgeWorks customer. Well done Vokey.

[btyh]

8 week lead time for pre-order raw. Grab them now because I'm sure it's going to get worse

[CasualLie]

7 hours ago, darkman8 said:

And yet, you still bought the new Vokeys. Why? Thanks for making me laugh. I’d have more respect if you actually owned a Cleveland wedge and believed what you just wrote. Sorry to get your panties in a bunch. 

 

I actually do have the Cleveland Tour Racks in the bag now.  I have been using them all week at MPCC and Cypress.  I have SM8s in the trunk.  And in my spare time bought the new SM9s.  Why?  Because I can.  And I like the Titleist product.

 

Sorry, the $50 gap between the two raw wedges is not materials nor supply/demand.  It's Titleist doing whatever they want in the market as they see it working for them.  Obviously, I am ok with it, but it is a weak argument that all costs are rising.  Maybe their "tour costs" are rising since they bring about 5X more wedges in the van vs Cleveland every week.

 

Anyway, off for another round.  Just need to decide which color panties. 😉