Goodbye, Golf Discount Stores?

[EmperorPenguin]

This is appalling.  For the first time in maybe ten years I decided to shop around at the local Golf Mart to shop for an old 2 iron I can buy for cheap so I can pull the shaft for a project.  The prices in that store are way too expensive.  I used to go to this store to buy cheap equipment, like an old driver for $50, a 3 wood for $20, and even a few single clubs for about $6 each.  Everything is too expensive inside the store.  I was curious to the used sets of irons they are selling, and the cheapest one I can find is about $550, with a lot of their trade-in sets averaging about $800.  Ha!  I remember back in the day when I went to the local Nevada Bob's back in 1992 and bought a set of used Golden Rams for $120 for 1-SW, and that price had me thinking twice before pulling the trigger.  Perhaps this is a case of absurd inflation, but it was not long ago (2015?) when I could go into a lot of discount stores and buy used sets of irons for about $200, wedges for $20, and cheap clubs in the used barrel for $5 each.  I did not bother looking at how much they are selling new clubs for because up until now I have always went to the discount stores strictly to seek cheap clubs.  Nothing there is cheap anymore: used wedges sell for about $80 each, for example, and I remember picking up my first Ping Anser 3 putter there in their used barrel for about $30 maybe fifteen years ago.

 

Anyhow, I went into the store today to look for some old long irons and the only long iron they sold in their used barrel was a Titleist AP2 4 iron with a Dynamic Gold X100 shaft.  It was not the shaft I was looking for (i.e., a 1 or 2 iron with a Dynamic Gold S300U), but I was curious to what the store was selling that club for.  $115?!   Their used hybrids averaged about $130, and at that point I gave up on the store and get the heck out of there.  On the way out I thought maybe pick up a grip just to remain a loyal customer?  Golf Pride Tour Wrap grips were selling for about $9, so no way.

 

What the heck happened?  Did the inflation and supply-chain issues play a role, or is the store jacking up prices to make more profit from ignorant guys who don't know better?  I am wondering if this is an isolated incident at this store, or is every store in America going through this?

Edited September 19, 2023 by EmperorPenguin

[Amarsuperstar]

People sell their used gear online now. Not even close to as much trade in action as their used to be. Pricing to competitive on used stuff for it to make sense for retailers anyway. eBay started the trend, but now it’s FB marketplace, Craigslist, Callaway Pre-Owned, 2nd swing, etc etc. 
 

If you’re going to compare the price of anything to 1992 you’re going to be pretty disappointed. 

[bcstones]

12 hours ago, EmperorPenguin said:

This is appalling.  For the first time in maybe ten years I decided to shop around at the local Golf Mart to shop for an old 2 iron I can buy for cheap so I can pull the shaft for a project.  The prices in that store are way too expensive.  I used to go to this store to buy cheap equipment, like an old driver for $50, a 3 wood for $20, and even a few single clubs for about $6 each.  Everything is too expensive inside the store.  I was curious to the used sets of irons they are selling, and the cheapest one I can find is about $550, with a lot of their trade-in sets averaging about $800.  Ha!  I remember back in the day when I went to the local Nevada Bob's back in 1992 and bought a set of used Golden Rams for $120 for 1-SW, and that price had me thinking twice before pulling the trigger.  Perhaps this is a case of absurd inflation, but it was not long ago (2015?) when I could go into a lot of discount stores and buy used sets of irons for about $200, wedges for $20, and cheap clubs in the used barrel for $5 each.  I did not bother looking at how much they are selling new clubs for because up until now I have always went to the discount stores strictly to seek cheap clubs.  Nothing there is cheap anymore: used wedges sell for about $80 each, for example, and I remember picking up my first Ping Anser 3 putter there in their used barrel for about $30 maybe fifteen years ago.

 

Anyhow, I went into the store today to look for some old long irons and the only long iron they sold in their used barrel was a Titleist AP2 4 iron with a Dynamic Gold X100 shaft.  It was not the shaft I was looking for (i.e., a 1 or 2 iron with a Dynamic Gold S300U), but I was curious to what the store was selling that club for.  $115?!   Their used hybrids averaged about $130, and at that point I gave up on the store and get the heck out of there.  On the way out I thought maybe pick up a grip just to remain a loyal customer?  Golf Pride Tour Wrap grips were selling for about $9, so no way.

 

What the heck happened?  Did the inflation and supply-chain issues play a role, or is the store jacking up prices to make more profit from ignorant guys who don't know better?  I am wondering if this is an isolated incident at this store, or is every store in America going through this?

I'm thinking that the only place to look for bargins out side of thrift stores are places like Play It Again Sports (found reasonable prices for instore only, but when adding shipping - totally ridiculous) & they seem to desire only clubs post 2010.
I checked the PX & found Callaway sets for $1300, Pinemeadow for $600 & individual clubs show the same type of overpricing. So the old Golf Mart type stores price themselves below that but still raising prices.

When attempting to but via that bay thingie, you take your chances & sellers still mostly overvalue their offerings. 

Good luck on your searches....keep swinging
 

[Jeri6gt]

Yes GolfMart prices are disappointing but I still get grips and reshafting and misc things done there.

 

[cgasucks]

Before the pandemic, the popularity of golf was stagnant at best which made prices on used clubs quite reasonable.  That all changed when Covid came along and everyone was interested in golf because of the social spacing that is inherent in the game causing demand of used clubs to spike and its prices.  Now that disease is under control, used club prices are still on the little on the high side mostly because of inflation.

 

Before the pandemic, I got my 990s and 905R from Globalgolf.ca for $90 and $50 respectively.  Now I'll be considered lucky if I can get them for 2X the price these days.

[third-times-a-charm]

The ease of selling online in the last 5-10 years has made it sometimes not worth it to take such a huge haircut on trade-ins. Yes, theres still plenty of people who dont want the hassle - especially in the golf hobby - as it's dominated by people with expendable income.

 

Along the lines of trade-ins, large companies like Callaway have seen the benefit of trade programs (and Taylormade to a smaller scale) as well as the mid-level large online used sellers like 2ndswing and Global Golf/3balls. 

 

Callaway's CPO branch has eaten up tens of thousands of used clubs, and this past summer's 2x trade-in promo almost doubled that.

 

This all leads to less inventory in your traditional retail stores which have to price items exceedingly higher to make ends meet.

 

I almost never buy something from local stores unless its mis-priced, a hot/rare club that has hype markup over retail (like a sub $100 scotty), or a club with an upgrade shaft that didnt get noticed.

Edited September 19, 2023 by third-times-a-charm

[Primo1868]

3 minutes ago, third-times-a-charm said:

The ease of selling online in the last 5-10 years has made it sometimes not worth it to take such a huge haircut on trade-ins. Yes, theres still plenty of people who dont want the hassle - especially in the golf hobby - as it's dominated by people with expendable income.

 

Along the lines of trade-ins, large companies like Callaway have seen the benefit of trade programs (and Taylormade to a smaller scale) as well as the mid-level large online used sellers like 2ndswing and Global Golf/3balls. 

 

Callaway's CPO branch has eaten up tens of thousands of used clubs, and this past summer's 2x trade-in promo almost doubled that.

 

This all leads to less inventory in your traditional retail stores which have to price items exceedingly higher to make ends meet.

 

I almost never buy something from local stores unless its mis-priced, a hot/rare club that has hype markup over retail (like a sub $100 scotty), or a club with an upgrade shaft that didnt get noticed.

Absolutely agree here. My wife likes to go to Barnes and Noble and browse for >1hr; it is convenient that the book store is right next to Edwin Watts so she drops me off. I spend the hour looking for "unicorns" (miss priced, exotic shafts, etc) and browsing their selection. It makes me sick that people would pay their listed prices for used clubs. I can almost guarantee I will find the same if not similar club online with a little bit of patience for much cheaper.

[bcstones]

the other thing about trying to figure out value for clubs....PGA uses the bay thingie to formulate their "value" figures - and that is totaly hogwash!

[ALX]

I think people started to realize trading clubs in is a rip off most of the time and you can sell it privately for more, without it being outrageously over priced. Thus, supply goes down for these stores so their prices need to rise. Also, throw good 'ol inflation and a pandemic in there and that should help explain the rise in price. 

[rgk5]

3 hours ago, bcstones said:

the other thing about trying to figure out value for clubs....PGA uses the bay thingie to formulate their "value" figures - and that is totaly hogwash!

 

WTH is that?

[bcstones]

1 hour ago, rgk5 said:

 

WTH is that?

😂 when you go to the PGA site for value of a club, they use ebay figures as a norm....I repeat - hogwash

[EmperorPenguin]

7 hours ago, Jeri6gt said:

Yes GolfMart prices are disappointing but I still get grips and reshafting and misc things done there.

 

Golf grips and reshafting at that store are ripoffs, too.  You can go on eBay and pick up thirteen Karma grips for about $27, and Golf Mart charges about $8 per grip.  It is far better to learn how to grip yourself.  It is not that hard.  Reshafting is a bit more difficult, but with the right tools and some knowledge, you can reshaft cheaply, also.

[bcstones]

56 minutes ago, EmperorPenguin said:

Golf grips and reshafting at that store are ripoffs, too.  You can go on eBay and pick up thirteen Karma grips for about $27, and Golf Mart charges about $8 per grip.  It is far better to learn how to grip yourself.  It is not that hard.  Reshafting is a bit more difficult, but with the right tools and some knowledge, you can reshaft cheaply, also.

Totally agree, but in the store you're also paying for labor & all that extra tax & part of operating costs....tho, you can access the Mint Grip site & spend ~$5 total less (or even more if bought in bulk <40) than that bay site (don't forget the shipping on those 13 grips)...

Edited September 20, 2023 by bcstones

[dcopp7]

Amazon Prime is the best option for free shipped grips.  We use Saplize, Kingrasp, and Yamoto.  All three are stellar and the cheapest stuff going.  

[SnowbirdTom]

Grabbed an upgraded set for my latest players from the Amazon.  13 Piece Tacki-Mac Perforated Pro Tour Wrap Midsize Grips for $45.  Not a fan of Karmas anymore due to rapid wear.