Demo vs. after you buy - ever happen to any of you?

[JudgeSmails]

This summer, I demoed a bunch of drivers.  I spent some time at the Taylormade booth, and the rep dialed in the settings on an M1 for me.  Once he did, I couldn't hit a bad drive if I tried with it....everything was long/high/straight.  So fast forward a couple of months and I buy one.  Same shaft I demoed, and I moved the weights where he had them for me on the demo.  I can't hit it straight to save my life!  Everything is a slice, now granted, that is my miss...but when I put my 2014 Big Bertha back in play, I'm hitting it so much better, maybe 1/5 is a slice, instead of 5/5.   Have any of you guys had a similar experience, where you demoed a club and then bought it, and the results between the 2 were night and day?

 

Also, now I have a decision to make, after a few range sessions and rounds, I noticed a little ridge forming on top of the head, so I sent it to TM and got a replacement.....now I have a brand new M1 w/ the plastic still on the head.....do I give it another shot or sell it?  Being on Ebay as long as I have, I know taking the plastic off will hurt the value significantly. 

[hckymeyer]

Absolutely it's happened to me.  I would guess that just about every club ho has had this happen at one point or another.

 

I can't help you on if you should keep it or not.  Only you can decide if you want to give it another shot or not.  Yes the resale will be hurt if you take off the plastic, but check around on ebay for completed sold listing of used vs new and see what the delta is.  I'm guessing it's not as big as you think since you aren't going to get full price even for a brand new one on ebay.  So say it's $50 - $100.  Is that worth you giving it another shot?  When you hit it on the demo day was it $50-$100 better than your current gamer?  Or did you just want something new and shiny?  (BTW absolutely nothing wrong with wanting new and shiny, it's my MO for justifying new stuff)

 

So judge it based on this.  When you were hitting it well at demo day were you picking up distance?  Measurably better distance?  Would you be able to hit more fairways?  If those answers were yes then give it a shot.  If you can't really say for sure then play your current gamer and sell the M1.  Then take those funds and go get fit rather than tweaking a few things at a demo day.

[JudgeSmails]

Just wanted something shiny and new, definitely guilty of that

The demo was outside on the range, so hard to tell if there was a small distance gain, but they were fairway finders.

I will probably sell it and keep bertha in the bag, maybe revisit driver upgrades next year

[Kenny B]

It happens to me, but not as often as it used to.  When the new clubs come out, I will go try them out, but never more than a couple at a time, and I never buy on the first visit.  Well... except for my Bridgestone JGR driver I bought from MmmmmBuddy this spring!    .  But that was a little different; I knew going in that I was going to get it if I hit it well.  I was visiting his shop, which is 350 miles away, and no one in my area carried Bridgestone clubs.  

 

So, when I hit a couple of clubs I will evaluate which one feels the best and produces the best results.  It usually doesn't take me more than a few swings to tell.  I will come back a few days later, pick a couple more clubs to try out, along with the one I picked from my last visit.  It may still be the best, or another might replace it as the best.  On my third visit, I will pick the any others to try out along with the other two top choices from previous visits.  At that point I have narrowed it down to probably two clubs.  A few days later I will hit them both again to see if I still agree and make a selection.  This method minimizes the daily changes in my old body and my swing de jour.  I guess I am not an impulse buyer; it's the engineer (retired) in me.  

[JudgeSmails]

It happens to me, but not as often as it used to.  When the new clubs come out, I will go try them out, but never more than a couple at a time, and I never buy on the first visit.  Well... except for my Bridgestone JGR driver I bought from MmmmmBuddy this spring!    .  But that was a little different; I knew going in that I was going to get it if I hit it well.  I was visiting his shop, which is 350 miles away, and no one in my area carried Bridgestone clubs.  

 

So, when I hit a couple of clubs I will evaluate which one feels the best and produces the best results.  It usually doesn't take me more than a few swings to tell.  I will come back a few days later, pick a couple more clubs to try out, along with the one I picked from my last visit.  It may still be the best, or another might replace it as the best.  On my third visit, I will pick the any others to try out along with the other two top choices from previous visits.  At that point I have narrowed it down to probably two clubs.  A few days later I will hit them both again to see if I still agree and make a selection.  This method minimizes the daily changes in my old body and my swing de jour.  I guess I am not an impulse buyer; it's the engineer (retired) in me.  

 

I am definitely not an impulse buyer either.....I tested about 7 drivers that day, and came back and hit the M1 again about a month later, with the same results....bought it another month after that

[JudgeSmails]

on a related note, who's interested in a brand new, in the plastic M1 

[PlaidJacket]

Been there done that judge. Sadly too many times. They're all stacked over in the corner of the garage.

[Undershooter]

One thing I will say, is if you are hitting a certain club very well then ask to buy that exact one. Not a different one with the same loft and same settings. Just because they both say M1 doesn't mean that the one you are hitting isn't different in some form or fashion from another with the same specs. There is almost undoubtedly something slightly different between two drivers of the same model and specs. When you find one you love, get that exact one. 

[JudgeSmails]

One thing I will say, is if you are hitting a certain club very well then ask to buy that exact one. Not a different one with the same loft and same settings. Just because they both say M1 doesn't mean that the one you are hitting isn't different in some form or fashion from another with the same specs. There is almost undoubtedly something slightly different between two drivers of the same model and specs. When you find one you love, get that exact one. 

 

Excellent idea, this particular one was the TaylorMade rep's at my local golf stores demo days (something they do couple times a year), not sure if I could have bought it....but money talks I guess

[Undershooter]

Excellent idea, this particular one was the TaylorMade rep's at my local golf stores demo days (something they do couple times a year), not sure if I could have bought it....but money talks I guess

They usually want full price plus the value of the shaft(assuming its an upgrade) but they will generally sell them to you. At least the ones that I've been at have offered me that choice if they had back ups. 

[JudgeSmails]

They usually want full price plus the value of the shaft(assuming its an upgrade) but they will generally sell them to you. At least the ones that I've been at have offered me that choice if they had back ups. 

shaft was the stock KuroKage, which is why I wouldn't have thought it mattered

[Mr_Theoo]

One thing I will say, is if you are hitting a certain club very well then ask to buy that exact one. Not a different one with the same loft and same settings. Just because they both say M1 doesn't mean that the one you are hitting isn't different in some form or fashion from another with the same specs. There is almost undoubtedly something slightly different between two drivers of the same model and specs. When you find one you love, get that exact one. 

 

I was going to say this exact thing

[Fireinthehole]

I am the exact opposite of that. I do terrible during demos and much better on my own. That's why my fitter now just gives me a club to run out with and then gets me the closest loft, weight etc.

 

 

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[Jmikecpa]

This is the reason I have 100+ putters. I make everything I look at on the putting green, results may vary in the course.

 

 

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[revkev]

This has happened to me too many times to count!!!! 

 

With irons it's no big deal because I know that I will eventually figure them out and anyway I always keep what I replaced as a back up.  I'm pretty locked into Wilson offerings there at this point and they are working for me.  Likewise with wedges so it's really driver that we are talking about.

 

I won't ever buy another driver unless I can have the one that I demo - we even talked about that when I went for my driver fitting a couple of months back.  I hit tons of three woods and walked out with the one that I hit.  Even though my hybrids are not the ones I demo'd they are close enough to the ones that my buddy was gaming (and that he let me use while he was out of town for 2 weeks) that I'm very pleased with them.

 

My only real "hole" right now is the 5 wood 185-195 slot.  I'm up in the air about going with a 5 wood or a 3 hybrid that matches my 4,5.  For now the Callaway is good enough. 

[sp0rtsfan86]

I think that was my putter originally. I hit 8/10 from 15 feet on the practice green. I think first time on the course i had half a dozen three putts. More or less just an adjustment period for me.

[Justin H]

One thing I will say, is if you are hitting a certain club very well then ask to buy that exact one. Not a different one with the same loft and same settings. Just because they both say M1 doesn't mean that the one you are hitting isn't different in some form or fashion from another with the same specs. There is almost undoubtedly something slightly different between two drivers of the same model and specs. When you find one you love, get that exact one.

Thumbs up to this! I was about to post the same thing. My wife was hitting a Vapor Fly 3 wood that she loved, and we insisted they let us buy the demo. It didn't hurt it was the only Blue Board left. Tolerances are so loose and clubs vary so much, there's no telling what you'll actually be hitting once you take one off the rack.

[GolfSpyC]

You also have to consider production tolerances of OEM's...If you get dialed in to a specific driver at a demo day and then "custom" order the "same" club, there's basically no chance in hell you're going to get the same club - Loft can be off by several degrees and shaft flex is a total toss up - 

[revkev]

You also have to consider production tolerances of OEM's...If you get dialed in to a specific driver at a demo day and then "custom" order the "same" club, there's basically no chance in hell you're going to get the same club - Loft can be off by several degrees and shaft flex is a total toss up -

This is absolutely true which leads to the best logical question:

 

If you are walking out with a club or it's being built onsite no doubt that's the best fitting. But that is not often the case so.... Wouldn't the 2nd best option be the one where you keep trying driver after driver from the shelf until you find the one that works best and then go home with that?

 

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[GolfSpyC]

This is absolutely true which leads to the best logical question:

 

If you are walking out with a club or it's being built onsite no doubt that's the best fitting. But that is not often the case so.... Wouldn't the 2nd best option be the one where you keep trying driver after driver from the shelf until you find the one that works best and then go home with that?

 

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I know this is cost aversive and therefore isn't likely at all, but if OEM's really wanted to provide a "custom" ordering option, they would have the demo clubs entirely spec'd out and then build the club for you to those exact specs - So if the M1 driver I'm just killing is 44.5" long, face angle 1* closed and a loft of 8.75 with a 59* lie and shaft "x" which CPM's at 262, then just build me one to those exact specs...again, I know it's foolish to think a big company would do that, but hey...

[SkiBumGolfer]

Had this happen with X2Hot 3W/5W a couple years back. Hit them on the sim and was just brutalizing them, got em out on the course and hooked everything off the freaking planet. Needless to say those were gonezo in a hurry haha

[revkev]

Had this happen with X2Hot 3W/5W a couple years back. Hit them on the sim and was just brutalizing them, got em out on the course and hooked everything off the freaking planet. Needless to say those were gonezo in a hurry haha

Were they the same exact ones that you demo'd?

 

I've been killing my extremes for 2 plus seasons and all of a sudden I'm hooking them off the planet. But I've been taking lessons and my swing has changed a bit.

 

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[BigtazzGolf]

My experience in things like this, is when in demo mode I'm really focused and trying hard to hit the perfect shot.

Where once back to the course, I'll hit shots with my regular swing.

This is something I try hard to fix when I demo clubs, to use my on course swing and not my in the booth swing.

I'd keep the m1 but try to refit yourself and see how it goes.

Good luck

 

Tazz

 

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[GolfSpyC]

My experience in things like this, is when in demo mode I'm really focused and trying hard to hit the perfect shot.

Where once back to the course, I'll hit shots with my regular swing.

This is something I try hard to fix when I demo clubs, to use my on course swing and not my in the booth swing.

I'd keep the m1 but try to refit yourself and see how it goes.

Good luck

 

Tazz

 

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@bigtazzGOLF on Twitter

 

 

Or if you're hitting it that good, what about working to take your "demo" swing to the course? 

[JudgeSmails]

took M1 back to the range and course this weekend for another try....results were much better...I think I may have missed the loft adjustment the TM rep made......still more 'fade' than I would like, but big improvement....driver is very long too, easy distance I would say.....just need to keep working on dialing it in

[StrokerAce]

I like to do "showrooming" - the practice of visiting a store or stores in order to examine a product before buying it online at a lower price.

 

I'll go to a shop, hit a few clubs, find one that I seem to like on them monitor and try to find that version online at a lower price.

So far it's been okay but I can see how it can be hit-or-miss based on all of the comments; suppose I should take that in to consideration next time.  

I guess I just thought that since the clubs were mass produced that the tolerances from one set/club to another wouldn't be off by anything noticeable..

[Undershooter]

I like to do "showrooming" - the practice of visiting a store or stores in order to examine a product before buying it online at a lower price.[/size]

 

I'll go to a shop, hit a few clubs, find one that I seem to like on them monitor and try to find that version online at a lower price.

So far it's been okay but I can see how it can be hit-or-miss based on all of the comments; suppose I should take that in to consideration next time.  

I guess I just thought that since the clubs were mass produced that the tolerances from one set/club to another wouldn't be off by anything noticeable..

Not trying to be dick but don't you feel bad for doing that sometimes? Using someone's equipment and clubs for free then buying elsewhere? I really don't mean to offend bc I do it from time to time as well. I just try and not make a habit of it bc its using someone else's time and resources for my own gains. Before spending money elsewhere.

 

And tolerances are decent ish but there are a lot of different variables that go into making each club it's own so you won't see the same exact specs club to club. More than likely at least.

[BigtazzGolf]

Or if you're hitting it that good, what about working to take your "demo" swing to the course?

Lol I try that all the time

 

Tazz

 

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[sp0rtsfan86]

Not trying to be dick but don't you feel bad for doing that sometimes? Using someone's equipment and clubs for free then buying elsewhere? I really don't mean to offend bc I do it from time to time as well. I just try and not make a habit of it bc its using someone else's time and resources for my own gains. Before spending money elsewhere.

 

And tolerances are decent ish but there are a lot of different variables that go into making each club it's own so you won't see the same exact specs club to club. More than likely at least.

If it's a big box store, I don't see a huge problem as I usually buy some balls or something else there anyway. IF I'm doing it at a course and with someone that actually knows what they are doing, I buy directly from that person. No sense of finding a deal if someone treats you right for an hour or two even if it costs a bit more.

[StrokerAce]

Not trying to be dick but don't you feel bad for doing that sometimes? Using someone's equipment and clubs for free then buying elsewhere? I really don't mean to offend bc I do it from time to time as well. I just try and not make a habit of it bc its using someone else's time and resources for my own gains. Before spending money elsewhere.

 

And tolerances are decent ish but there are a lot of different variables that go into making each club it's own so you won't see the same exact specs club to club. More than likely at least.

 

Niiiiice... not sure I've ever been called a dick on here before.  that's cool though... 

 

I suppose I should've expanded.  I go to this store a lot; I've traded in clubs there for things other than golf clubs.  I bought a new bag there; I bought shoes there; I bought a hat there; I buy my gloves there.  I could go on but I'm sure you get it... 

 

I just don't see the point in paying the inflated prices where the cost of the "experts" time is built into it.  (btw: these guys are no experts);  I don't do this every day, I don't do this every week, I do this once in a while ... 

 

if that's a dick move then I guess I'll have to continue to be a dick.  Like I said though... that's cool.  Whatever.