Retail price of wedges from 2000s

[Adam C]

Anyone here recall the retail price of Vokey or Cleveland wedges from around 2001-2005. Was thinking Vokey was $119 and Cleveland 588 was $99 but then I think were they more??

[Argonne69]

I think that's about right. I replace my wedges every season, and recall spending roughly $99 a club. I could often find resellers on Ebay offering them at $89.

 

Wedge prices have gone insane lately. Retail price is $149 to $169, or $500 for a set of three with tax and shipping.

 

[CactusGolf]

That's definitely what I remember paying.  I think I paid $99 for a Vokey Spin Milled (the original one) a few months after they hit retail at Golf Galaxy.

 

I thought about upgrading my MD3 wedges this year since I've had them in the bag for some time, but I can't understand what is driving the new wedge prices to the $150 mark.  Thankfully, I play Callaway wedges, so I can usually find a set on CPO for a good price, but I'm just not willing to spend the $150 per wedge.  That's out of my budget for sure.

 

The MD3s will stay in my bag for at least a few more years.

[Argonne69]

Just now, CactusGolf said:

That's definitely what I remember paying.  I think I paid $99 for a Vokey Spin Milled (the original one) a few months after they hit retail at Golf Galaxy.

 

I thought about upgrading my MD3 wedges this year since I've had them in the bag for some time, but I can't understand what is driving the new wedge prices to the $150 mark.  Thankfully, I play Callaway wedges, so I can usually find a set on CPO for a good price, but I'm just not willing to spend the $150 per wedge.  That's out of my budget for sure.

 

The MD3s will stay in my bag for at least a few more years.

 

You can generally find discounts on the previous year's models. Carl's GL has MD4's for $109.00. However, I find that selection is usually pretty limited this late in the model's run.

 

[CactusGolf]

5 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

 

You can generally find discounts on the previous year's models. Carl's GL has MD4's for $109.00. However, I find that selection is usually pretty limited this late in the model's run.

 

That's good to know!  I play 50/54/58 so sometimes those gaps are tough to find.  52/56/60 seem to be a little easier too.  I actually saw a set of Taylormade MG1s (52/56/60) on Amazon the other day at $109 each, which I thought was a good deal (comparatively).

[SlothofDespond]

51 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

I think that's about right. I replace my wedges every season, and recall spending roughly $99 a club. I could often find resellers on Ebay offering them at $89.

 

Wedge prices have gone insane lately. Retail price is $149 to $169, or $500 for a set of three with tax and shipping.

 

 

FWIW, inflation adjustment from 2001-2021 is 50%. A $100 wedge in 2001 should be about $150 today ($120 -> $181). I don't think wedge prices are as crazy as people think.

 

Edit: the Cleveland = $99; Vokey = $120 sounds about right for that timeframe. I recall buying a couple Cleveland wedges in high school specifically because they were cheaper but also ubiquitous on tour. They were really good wedges.

Edited May 12, 2021 by SlothofDespond

[RainShadow]

This seems right.

Vokey's were $119 for the oilcan version in 2004 or so.

Cleveland 588 Tour Action were $99

[Adam C]

7 minutes ago, RainShadow said:

This seems right.

Vokey's were $119 for the oilcan version in 2004 or so.

Cleveland 588 Tour Action were $99

I also recall the differing finishes being different prices then. Chrome being cheaper? Today, they all seem about the same regardless of finish.

[Argonne69]

32 minutes ago, SlothofDespond said:

 

FWIW, inflation adjustment from 2001-2021 is 50%. A $100 wedge in 2001 should be about $150 today ($120 -> $181). I don't think wedge prices are as crazy as people think.

 

Edit: the Cleveland = $99; Vokey = $120 sounds about right for that timeframe. I recall buying a couple Cleveland wedges in high school specifically because they were cheaper but also ubiquitous on tour. They were really good wedges.

 

If prices climbed steadily from 2000 until today, I'd generally agree. However, inflation rates were higher in the early 2000's than today, but yet prices remained relatively flat for over a decade. I purchased Vokeys in 2011 for $109, in 2014 for $110, and Mizuno T5s in 2015 for $110. 

 

It seems to me that the prices have steeply increased in just the last 3 years.

 

Edited May 12, 2021 by Argonne69

[RainShadow]

2 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

 

It seems to me that the prices have steeply increased in just the last 3 years.

 

 That would be my observation as well, but more like the past 6 years.

Edited May 12, 2021 by RainShadow

[phizzy30]

It was around 100-120 bucks.  Did not like the Vokey's or Cleveland wedges and was thrilled when they had more options post 2012. 

[CactusGolf]

46 minutes ago, SlothofDespond said:

 

FWIW, inflation adjustment from 2001-2021 is 50%. A $100 wedge in 2001 should be about $150 today ($120 -> $181). I don't think wedge prices are as crazy as people think.

 

Edit: the Cleveland = $99; Vokey = $120 sounds about right for that timeframe. I recall buying a couple Cleveland wedges in high school specifically because they were cheaper but also ubiquitous on tour. They were really good wedges.

I did the same thing with a Cleveland 588 53* in Gunmetal.  Beautiful wedge.

[North Butte]

Prices on brand-name golf clubs in general have gone up quite steeply in the past decade or so. Wasn't all that long ago when $299 was normal and $349 was "premium" for drivers. Now lots of them are $499 and up. Putters are now routine $300+ even without "Cameron" on them.

 

So wedges being $150-$160 instead of $100-$120 is no more of an increase than putters going from $150-$200 to $300+ or drivers from $300-$350 to $500 and up. 

[phizzy30]

11 minutes ago, North Butte said:

Prices on brand-name golf clubs in general have gone up quite steeply in the past decade or so. Wasn't all that long ago when $299 was normal and $349 was "premium" for drivers. Now lots of them are $499 and up. Putters are now routine $300+ even without "Cameron" on them.

 

So wedges being $150-$160 instead of $100-$120 is no more of an increase than putters going from $150-$200 to $300+ or drivers from $300-$350 to $500 and up. 

Also, back then, you didn't have boutique brands like Artisan, Miura, etc. that would charge 300+ for wedges like nowadays.  Maybe I'm wrong on that as the JDM stuff back then was expensive however, most golfers didn't know or care to buy those.  The wedge market has evolved quite a bit. 

Edited May 12, 2021 by phizzy30

[brendan6q66]

31 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

 

If prices climbed steadily from 2000 until today, I'd generally agree. However, inflation rates were higher in the early 2000's than today, but yet prices remained relatively flat for over a decade. I purchased Vokeys in 2011 for $109, in 2014 for $110, and Mizuno T5s in 2015 for $110. 

 

It seems to me that the prices have steeply increased in just the last 3 years.

 

Wedge prices moving from $99 to $159 over a 20 year period equates to a 2.4% compound annual growth rate. Looking at inflation data over the same period, the consumer price index (CPI) advanced at a 2.0% CAGR over the same 20 year period, which is pretty darn close. If wedge prices advanced at the same pace of overall inflation, they would cost $148 rather than $159. So overall, no one should be surprised by wedge prices today.

[adamnbomb]

They have increased by about $10 every couple of years since 2000 or so

[spring70]

3 hours ago, Adam C said:

Anyone here recall the retail price of Vokey or Cleveland wedges from around 2001-2005. Was thinking Vokey was $119 and Cleveland 588 was $99 but then I think were they more??

Sounds about right, I remember when 588's were $89.  Drivers and balls have somehow stayed the same price since the OG GBB and Titleist Professional, but wedges have doubled, irons doubled, fairway woods............................................................................ holy crap.

 

Also it was nice buying the same current model of wedges for 5 + years.   

[spring70]

1 hour ago, phizzy30 said:

Also, back then, you didn't have boutique brands like Artisan, Miura, etc. that would charge 300+ for wedges like nowadays.  Maybe I'm wrong on that as the JDM stuff back then was expensive however, most golfers didn't know or care to buy those.  The wedge market has evolved quite a bit. 

The Ev Snake Eyes wedges were double of what anything cost back in the day, but I think they were $200-$250

[Argonne69]

46 minutes ago, spring7 said:

Sounds about right, I remember when 588's were $89.  Drivers and balls have somehow stayed the same price since the OG GBB and Titleist Professional, but wedges have doubled, irons doubled, fairway woods............................................................................ holy crap.

 

Also it was nice buying the same current model of wedges for 5 + years.   

 

At least with fairway woods we've seen some of the driver technologies trickle down to them. I can stare at a Vokey wedge all day, and it doesn't seem all that different than the ones 10 to 15 years ago. 

 

[spring70]

13 minutes ago, Argonne69 said:

 

At least with fairway woods we've seen some of the driver technologies trickle down to them. I can stare at a Vokey wedge all day, and it doesn't seem all that different than the ones 10 to 15 years ago. 

 

I agree, but I am not sure the $400 Sim2 3 wood is any better or longer than the RBZ 

[Argonne69]

22 minutes ago, spring7 said:

I agree, but I am not sure the $400 Sim2 3 wood is any better or longer than the RBZ 

 

I've played the Ping G25, G30, G400, and G410 woods over the past half decade. Distance on the G410 is probably 5, maybe 10, yards longer than the G25. 

 

The biggest benefit for me has been the introduction of an adjustable lie in the G410. I play mine in the flat setting, and they are much less prone to hooking. 

 

Edited May 12, 2021 by Argonne69

[phizzy30]

2 hours ago, spring7 said:

The Ev Snake Eyes wedges were double of what anything cost back in the day, but I think they were $200-$250

What was the reason that they charged so much? 

[North Butte]

1 minute ago, phizzy30 said:

What was the reason that they charged so much? 

So that people who wanted to spend $200+ on a wedge would have something to buy???

[phizzy30]

42 minutes ago, North Butte said:

So that people who wanted to spend $200+ on a wedge would have something to buy???

No, no. That's not what I meant.  Perhaps that wedge had some special features such as it being forged and what not. 

[North Butte]

1 hour ago, phizzy30 said:

No, no. That's not what I meant.  Perhaps that wedge had some special features such as it being forged and what not. 

Yeah, I know.

 

I think those Snake Eyes ones were like "hand forged" or something. And there was some other bit of supposed value added. They might have been the ones numbers 10, 11, 12, etc instead of PW, GW, SW and so forth. Kind of predates the Hogan gimmick of putting lofts instead of iron numbers.

 

But my original point still stands. It's all marketing bushwah.  

[spring70]

3 hours ago, phizzy30 said:

What was the reason that they charged so much? 

they were forged in USA and maybe hand ground, they were very nice, but the Ram's of the same era were better.

[Adam C]

1 hour ago, spring7 said:

they were forged in USA and maybe hand ground, they were very nice, but the Ram's of the same era were better.

They also had the longest hosels you've ever seen!