Will we see big discounts on New golf clubs, soon?

[dirtgrinder]

Due to the global pandemic,  will we see big discounts on new clubs when the big box stores open back up?  Your thoughts!

[ZenGolfer]

Perhaps.  I think a lot of them may be hurting so much that they may not be able to take a big loss on running sales.

I am hopeful that GG/DSG has steep price cuts on the TA 845.  Id love to pick up a set but am not in a place where I was to drop $500-$1 on a set of irons right now.  Besides, as much as I WANT a new set of irons, theres really nothing wrong with my Atomics.  I mostly want the 845s just for the nostalgia of the 845 name.

[tony@CIC]

Not sure about steep price cuts but I can tell you delivery is faster. I ordered an Orange Whip from GG late this morning, and just got a FedEx alert that they're delivering it tomorrow. I guess there aren't too many golf related shipments going out.


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[silver & black]

I sure hope so. If we do see significant price drops, I'll be looking at the Mizuno MP20 MMC's real hard. Or.... if they drop the price of the last year's MMC even more, I'll definitely be a buyer.

[null]

Probably not. If anything I see the late summer and early fall releases being delayed. 

[CarlH]

My uneducated guess is "unlikely".

[silver & black]

I know it's wishful thinking on my part. I just want either of the irons I mentioned at real discount...lol.

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

Club buying season is usually right now - March through May and into June. If it gets pushed to May and people resume relatively normal buying patterns, then I’d guess no. 2021 releases may get pushed back, depending on old inventory

If economy struggles, that may all change.

Bigger question - do you see any companies/retailers/whomever not making it? Big discounts often are a sign of a cash crunch, at least for retailers.


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[dlow206]

I don't think there is going to be a big discount on this year's clubs. However, OEMs may continue to do promotions like 150% trade in bonuses. I took advantage of the TM trade in bonus this year. I bought some Callaway irons from Ebay for $330 for the purpose of trading them in for two brand new SIM hybrids.

I'm thinking golf stores may have some decent promos, like 20% off, but the good stuff is usually excluded. 

[StrokerAce]

11 hours ago, GolfSpy Barbajo said:

Club buying season is usually right now - March through May and into June. If it gets pushed to May and people resume relatively normal buying patterns, then I’d guess no. 2021 releases may get pushed back, depending on old inventory

If economy struggles, that may all change.

Bigger question - do you see any companies/retailers/whomever not making it? Big discounts often are a sign of a cash crunch, at least for retailers.


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Golf Galaxy will be an interesting one to watch.
Do they have too many retail stores? Will Dick's pump them up with cash to keep certain stores open?

Probably not going to go the Golfsmith route but the couple of them that I've been in were not the nicest and there weren't many customers.

Any sign of a recession and they may be forced to scale back; sadly it seems to be one of the few golf stores for a lot of people in the country.

[DiscipleofPenick]

Not sure about steep price cuts but I can tell you delivery is faster. I ordered an Orange Whip from GG late this morning, and just got a FedEx alert that they're delivering it tomorrow. I guess there aren't too many golf related shipments going out.


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I want one of those...

Take Dead Aim

[fixyurdivot]

12 hours ago, GolfSpy Barbajo said:

Bigger question - do you see any companies/retailers/whomever not making it?

That will be interesting to see.  While the DTC companies would seem more at risk, their low overhead structure may be their advantage if this situation continues past April. Both will likely struggle from the fact that buying golf equipment will not be a priority item during the recovery period. 

[Mr. 82]

12 hours ago, GolfSpy Barbajo said:

Bigger question - do you see any companies/retailers/whomever not making it? 

A lot in life will change with regards to this pandemic and social isolation, especially if it lasts a month or more.  Many business will either not open back up, or be sold off to the highest bidder, if at all.  Local restaurants and small businesses will be the first to go, and then  it goes from there.

Smaller manufacturers of golf equipment and supplies will be the first to go, and then we will be left with the biggest corporations, via the Titleist/Achusnet, Callaway, Taylor Made, et al.  You'll probably lose a lot of the lower end competition if they are forced to shutter for a month or more, and ultimately if that happens, then the ceiling for the big guys actually goes up, because demand will eventually return for the product, while the supply and competition might be much more limited.

Check the cash reserves of the public companies, and you'll see who will weather the storm without much more than a hiccup.  But those who are in massive debt already, or just barely surviving in the normal economy will not be back when the dust settles.

[tony@CIC]

1 hour ago, Tsmithjr9 said:

I want one of those...

Take Dead Aim
 

I finally convinced myself to buy one. When I was at a driving range one of my bud's noticed that I was decelerating just before ball impact. I think that stemmed from slowing down my swing the previous year for more accuracy. He suggested the OW to help me increase speed/tempo. We'll see if that works. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

Pga superstore and dicks (assuming golf galaxy being part of dicks) are doing curbside service so they aren’t stopping business. Don’t know how many are buying anything with many areas not having courses and ranges opened but I doubt there will be any discounts. Titleist is already discounted and should have new stuff out late summer if nothing gets delayed especially pga tour as the do their tour seeding during the us open.  Srixon will be on their new release cycle in the summer. Their national sales meeting is June/July.  Ping has a current discount and their new stuff is probably late summer this year.

the rest of the brands have fall or January releases coming and they typically discount closer to those dates. 

[viking]

Big time all of 2020, people have much less income worried about their job so very little buying. Wait until the fall.

[ChitownM2]

Think we might see bigger discounts on old gear since that stuff will be sticking in inventory longer than normal. 

I don't think we will see much of any discounts on new stuff as supply has also been halted along with demand. If anything, we might see shortages of some things once this ends as I think there will be a huge rush once this is over for everyone to go out and make their spring golf purchases. Plus it will take awhile for these manufacturers and all of their suppliers to get back up to full speed. 

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

On 3/24/2020 at 9:40 PM, dlow206 said:

I don't think there is going to be a big discount on this year's clubs. However, OEMs may continue to do promotions like 150% trade in bonuses. I took advantage of the TM trade in bonus this year. I bought some Callaway irons from Ebay for $330 for the purpose of trading them in for two brand new SIM hybrids.

I'm thinking golf stores may have some decent promos, like 20% off, but the good stuff is usually excluded. 

The more I think about it, the more I think you're on to something @dlow206. An OEM dropping price is always problematic for everyone in the chain (except consumers) because it devalues existing inventories. Unless all hell breaks looks - and that's not a far-fetched scenario - maybe we'll see things like free FW wood with driver purchase, free bag with iron set or something like that. If they cut prices now on current line equipment, it's going to be difficult to raise them back up again when the 2021 stuff - if the 2021 stuff - comes out. Consumers are getting wise. Cutting price may make 2020 not suck so much, but it might really under 2021 and 2022. 

Retailers will have to adhere to any MAP edicts from the OEMs, but will no doubt be looking for programs and plans to help them get out from under all that inventory collecting dust. 

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

On 3/25/2020 at 11:54 AM, RickyBobby_PR said:

Pga superstore and dicks (assuming golf galaxy being part of dicks) are doing curbside service so they aren’t stopping business. Don’t know how many are buying anything with many areas not having courses and ranges opened but I doubt there will be any discounts. Titleist is already discounted and should have new stuff out late summer if nothing gets delayed especially pga tour as the do their tour seeding during the us open.  Srixon will be on their new release cycle in the summer. Their national sales meeting is June/July.  Ping has a current discount and their new stuff is probably late summer this year.

the rest of the brands have fall or January releases coming and they typically discount closer to those dates. 

Srixon is postponing their new lines until the PGA Show in January. They said it was planned before the shutdowns took place, but I think they were trying to scenario me rosily. Cleveland wedges, however, are still planned for a fall release. 

[dlow206]

33 minutes ago, GolfSpy Barbajo said:

The more I think about it, the more I think you're on to something @dlow206. An OEM dropping price is always problematic for everyone in the chain (except consumers) because it devalues existing inventories. Unless all hell breaks looks - and that's not a far-fetched scenario - maybe we'll see things like free FW wood with driver purchase, free bag with iron set or something like that. If they cut prices now on current line equipment, it's going to be difficult to raise them back up again when the 2021 stuff - if the 2021 stuff - comes out. Consumers are getting wise. Cutting price may make 2020 not suck so much, but it might really under 2021 and 2022. 

Retailers will have to adhere to any MAP edicts from the OEMs, but will no doubt be looking for programs and plans to help them get out from under all that inventory collecting dust. 

Yep, just price dropping is very problematic and makes it hard to raise them back up. PXG is doing something creative now by "extending the PXG Heroes Program for all". Cutting prices via this "promotion" in my mind gives them more flexibility than if they just had cut prices.

The idea of buy something, get something free makes sense as well. I wonder what else the OEMs will come up with. Maybe limited time no upcharge on higher end shafts that they have an excess inventory of. That would be cool, but doesn't target the mainstream buyer who buys off the shelf in retail.

[ChitownM2]

51 minutes ago, dlow206 said:

Yep, just price dropping is very problematic and makes it hard to raise them back up. PXG is doing something creative now by "extending the PXG Heroes Program for all". Cutting prices via this "promotion" in my mind gives them more flexibility than if they just had cut prices.

The idea of buy something, get something free makes sense as well. I wonder what else the OEMs will come up with. Maybe limited time no upcharge on higher end shafts that they have an excess inventory of. That would be cool, but doesn't target the mainstream buyer who buys off the shelf in retail.

Cobra is already offering a free stand bag with a $1000 purchase on their website or a free Bluetooth "golf" speaker with $250

[Headhammer]

I think with the uncertainty of when the economy would reopen manufacturers/stores already have offered up their best deals online. That being said, IF, people are reluctant to come into there stores after everything fully reopens there maybe some incentives to get people back in. Though, based on what I've read, golfers do not appear to be let anything stand between them and their equipment and the course.

[ChitownM2]

Mizuno just dropped the price of 919 irons 20% so maybe this will become a thing. 

These clubs are at the top two of my short list so I can't wait for things to open up again so I can go get a fitting.

Edited May 2, 2020 by ChitownM2

[Letthebigdogshunt]

Since  a lot of people are out of work right now I would expect not a lot of high sales when they open. That can lead to some special pricing if/when that happens.