Cost of golf clubs.

[JEFF1]

Pricing of golf clubs has gone over the top.

I just purchased a Ping 430 driver with a custom shaft, $900.00 with tax. That is ridiculous ( I am lucky i can throw money away). I must admit it is the best club I have hit in years. With ping 425 graphite irons and ping woods, my bag cost cost close to $3000.00 . That is just not right.

How can the average golfer even think about that kind of purchase?

That is two mortgage  payments.

[Josh Parker]

So many good DTC brands as well as used clubs at good prices.  You can get the cost down if you are willing to hunt for it. Yes, the custom shafts are extra, but I have bought several for half the cost just by looking.  

[GolfSpy_APH]

36 minutes ago, JEFF1 said:

Pricing of golf clubs has gone over the top.

I just purchased a Ping 430 driver with a custom shaft, $900.00 with tax. That is ridiculous ( I am lucky i can throw money away). I must admit it is the best club I have hit in years. With ping 425 graphite irons and ping woods, my bag cost cost close to $3000.00 . That is just not right.

How can the average golfer even think about that kind of purchase?

That is two mortgage  payments.

I think this is where we have seen companies like Robin Golf, Stix, BGD and all the other main DTC brands come into play. Solid if not great products at lower prices. 

For you those clubs work great for you and as you basically say you can afford it, but that's the top top tier. 

Like buying cars you can go premium and pay that or go look at more basic affordable options that will still get you from A to B.

Also the prices are that high because many such as yourself are willing to pay that price. If ppl will pay it why wouldn't they have them at that price?

[JEFF1]

30 minutes ago, Josh Parker said:

So many good DTC brands as well as used clubs at good prices.  You can get the cost down if you are willing to hunt for it. Yes, the custom shafts are extra, but I have bought several for half the cost just by looking.  

I agree, so you cut the cost by50-60% you are still paying over$1000.00 for used equipment. Probably have to replace grips,$70.00+, graphite scuffs from golf bag, etc.

I bought a set of irons on line used,once. I took the grips off to find that the shafts were cut down to equal lengths then extentions were put into shafts to bring them back to factory specs.

So ??

 

[GolfSpy_APH]

7 minutes ago, JEFF1 said:

I agree, so you cut the cost by50-60% you are still paying over$1000.00 for used equipment. Probably have to replace grips,$70.00+, graphite scuffs from golf bag, etc.

I bought a set of irons on line used,once. I took the grips off to find that the shafts were cut down to equal lengths then extentions were put into shafts to bring them back to factory specs.

So ??

 

I would guess that is a rarity.

I've bought my fair share and never had any of those issues. Even found good sets with like new grips.

Proper places will have better quality and there are other used places that carry higher risks.

[Josh Parker]

7 minutes ago, JEFF1 said:

I agree, so you cut the cost by50-60% you are still paying over$1000.00 for used equipment. Probably have to replace grips,$70.00+, graphite scuffs from golf bag, etc.

I bought a set of irons on line used,once. I took the grips off to find that the shafts were cut down to equal lengths then extentions were put into shafts to bring them back to factory specs.

So ??

 

Between FB, Callaway pre owned and several others, there are a ton of quality ways to buy used. Shoot I can go find thus years drivers for under 300.  People change clubs constantly or have a bad round and get rid of them. I have found irons with barely any wear for half price. It's just having the patience to go out and hunt for it. 

[JEFF1]

9 minutes ago, Josh Parker said:

Between FB, Callaway pre owned and several others, there are a ton of quality ways to buy used. Shoot I can go find thus years drivers for under 300.  People change clubs constantly or have a bad round and get rid of them. I have found irons with barely any wear for half price. It's just having the patience to go out and hunt for it. 

Patience is the proper statement. Right, shaft flex, lie angle, etc. etc. How many beginners or golfers that have played more than five rounds understand the need for proper fitting to kind of enjoy four hours without worm burners and horrible slices.

[Josh Parker]

6 minutes ago, JEFF1 said:

Patience is the proper statement. Right, shaft flex, lie angle, etc. etc. How many beginners or golfers that have played more than five rounds understand the need for proper fitting to kind of enjoy four hours without worm burners and horrible slices.

You mentioned "average" golfer and I take that as most don't do fittings and buy off the shelf.  

Even still, I have bought drivers with the wrong shaft, because I kept the right one and just had adapter changed.  

I 100% agree that the prices have gone thru the roof, but I also will hunt for the deals and slightly used ones if I really want something.  There are some great DTC companies that you can get a full set of irons under $900.  Foreward Golf irons are similar build to Srixon and I can get the heads for $600.  On CPO, I can find last years driver for under $300 or the model before for under $200.  

Just saying, if you want to minimize the cost of clubs, there are certainly ways to make it happen.  The only thing new I have bought is my Srixon Irons and a set of last years Vokey wedges.  Clubs just don't hold value.

[Brooky03]

1 hour ago, JEFF1 said:

Patience is the proper statement. Right, shaft flex, lie angle, etc. etc. How many beginners or golfers that have played more than five rounds understand the need for proper fitting to kind of enjoy four hours without worm burners and horrible slices.

fwiw, off-the-rack clubs with standard specs are going to work just fine for over 90% of golfers.  Golfers prior to fittings becoming popular managed to enjoy the game without spending money on fittings and custom spec clubs.  This holds true for beginners and experienced players, imo.  Fittings have value and can help you play better golf, but we're usually talking about mild improvements that manifest as rounds a few strokes lower than prior to the fitting.

Edited April 19 by Brooky03

[JEFF1]

7 minutes ago, Brooky03 said:

fwiw, off-the-rack clubs with standard specs are going to work just fine for over 90% of golfers.  Golfers prior to fittings becoming popular managed to enjoy the game without spending money on fittings and custom spec clubs.  This holds true for beginners and experienced players, imo.  Fittings have value and can help you play better golf, but we're usually talking about mild improvements that manifest as rounds a few strokes lower than prior to the fitting.

Lower strokes more wins, how many beers, money will you win with lower scores?

It has been years since I walked on the course without some type of match.

I am done by.

[Stuka44]

1 hour ago, JEFF1 said:

Pricing of golf clubs has gone over the top.

I agree 100%.  My response is the same every time.  New equipment costs, what it does...BECAUSE OF THE CONSUMER.  They charge what they do, BECASUE THEY CAN.

To be clear.  No equipment manufacturer is LOSING money on any club it produces.

ANOTHER TRUTH is this.  There are not enough beginners, or people just taking up this game, who are running out and paying $700 for a driver, and $1500 for irons, because they are going out to a course for the first time.  The club industry is supported, because there are enough people who purchase new equipment every year, or every other year is probably enough, to keep them going.  I put it on one of two reasons.  Either they purchase it because the price has not gotten to the point that they will choose to stop purchasing, or they likely believe the "advertising pitch", that each and every year for the last 25 years they have been able to come out with something "better", that will actually make the golfer better.

Remember unless clubs are bought used off of a 2nd hand store,   When the price is reduced by $150-200 because it was last years model, that it only done because enough were purchased at the higher price to have assured a profit. More than likely this 150-200 dollar reduction is still more than Dick's Sporting goods paid for them per piece.

The only way prices are going to come down is when the club manufacturers begin to make  A LOT LESS MONEY, because people stop buying all the new stuff every year it comes out.  As long as they can MAKE MORE money, they are going to CHARGE MORE, until they don't make more.

 

 

[JEFF1]

I buy a new driver, next year a new driver comes out and states it is 30 yards longer than the one you just bought. I buy that club, next year another driver comes out again  30 yards longer than the last club purchased. Now I should be hitting 280 yards  but guess what  I am still hitting 220 yards. Same BS with irons, that is why people keep supporting the business.

[GolfSpy_APH]

16 minutes ago, JEFF1 said:

I buy a new driver, next year a new driver comes out and states it is 30 yards longer than the one you just bought. I buy that club, next year another driver comes out again  30 yards longer than the last club purchased. Now I should be hitting 280 yards  but guess what  I am still hitting 220 yards. Same BS with irons, that is why people keep supporting the business.

Sorry but gotta push back here. When was the last time a club claimed to be 30 yards longer as for a driver? That just isn't true. 

[cnosil]

2 hours ago, JEFF1 said:

I buy a new driver, next year a new driver comes out and states it is 30 yards longer than the one you just bought. I buy that club, next year another driver comes out again  30 yards longer than the last club purchased. Now I should be hitting 280 yards  but guess what  I am still hitting 220 yards. Same BS with irons, that is why people keep supporting the business.

i have never seen a company say that their driver was longer than the one that came out the prior year.   Back when that type of advertising was done they comparison was done against 5-10 year old clubs.   

[GolfSpy_APH]

Maybe the OP is meaning that's what someone at a shop said? 

Just trying to give the benefit of a doubt.

I think the most I have seen a company claim is 5 or so yards longer. Even that is a bit of a stretch and usually data that is cherry picked from a certain spot or certain specific situation.

[Brooky03]

3 hours ago, JEFF1 said:

Lower strokes more wins, how many beers, money will you win with lower scores?

It has been years since I walked on the course without some type of match.

I am done by.

Well, that's something different than what you had described originally.  Most people aren't playing golf for money, especially beginners.  So shaving a few strokes isn't going to make a big impact on their enjoyment.

[MN_Hacker]

On 4/19/2024 at 5:43 AM, JEFF1 said:

Pricing of golf clubs has gone over the top.

I just purchased a Ping 430 driver with a custom shaft, $900.00 with tax. That is ridiculous ( I am lucky i can throw money away). I must admit it is the best club I have hit in years. With ping 425 graphite irons and ping woods, my bag cost cost close to $3000.00 . That is just not right.

How can the average golfer even think about that kind of purchase?

That is two mortgage  payments.

You can go to Golfworks and get a set of hybrids and irons made to your specs for $300, add a driver and fairway and come in around $550-600.

You don't need expensive clubs to enjoy the game.  

M890 combo set

Driver with Kuro Kage shaft upgrade

890 fairway with same shaft upgrade

 

[fightingtigerinOK]

You do not need to purchase clubs you cannot afford. There are very good deals with equipment that has depreciated (i.e., used) and is reasonably priced.

[Bossfan]

I used to buy one and two year old models because new just didn’t make any sense to me at those prices. Then Sub 70 opened for business about a half hour from my house. I figured why not give them a shot. Been more than happy with their products and service. Back in February I went and got fitted for a set of 749 irons. There was a Presidents’ Day discount, I had a gift card and trade ins. I paid just less than $300. I got upgraded shafts and they reshafted my 699U. You can’t beat that for a quality product and service.

[Dweed]

On 4/19/2024 at 9:52 AM, JEFF1 said:

I buy a new driver, next year a new driver comes out and states it is 30 yards longer than the one you just bought. I buy that club, next year another driver comes out again  30 yards longer than the last club purchased. Now I should be hitting 280 yards  but guess what  I am still hitting 220 yards. Same BS with irons, that is why people keep supporting the business.

@JEFF1, regardless welcome to the forums. As you've discovered not everyone will agree and that's the cool thing about these postings. A lot of honest sharing occurs. Welcome aboard and thanks for your sharing.

[Eat My Divots]

On 4/19/2024 at 5:43 AM, JEFF1 said:

Pricing of golf clubs has gone over the top.

I just purchased a Ping 430 driver with a custom shaft, $900.00 with tax. That is ridiculous ( I am lucky i can throw money away). I must admit it is the best club I have hit in years. With ping 425 graphite irons and ping woods, my bag cost cost close to $3000.00 . That is just not right.

How can the average golfer even think about that kind of purchase?

That is two mortgage  payments.

The average golfer doesn't have $3000 worth of clubs in the bag. Most likely half that or less.