DTC vs Shop Purchase

[JLAude]

I’m curious about the experience members have had regarding DTC clubs. I know the concept is gaining momentum but I’ve always been able to hit clubs before I bought them. I currently play a set of Ping i20’s which I was fit for about a dozen years ago.  Five years ago I went through another fitting and had the irons reshafted.  I’m now thinking about the Tacoma irons and maybe fairway metals.  The reviews are good and the club esthetics are great, HOWEVER, how they work for you and how the feel to you is likely different than what I would see.

So, if you’ve gone the DTC route, let me know your experience. 
Thanks

[RyanGi]

I bought Sub 70 irons and a driver, and Maltby wedges. They’ve been great for me. When looking at Sub 70, I spoke with them by phone about which big name mfg heads theirs are close to and the ones they mentioned were all in my ballpark per my fitting. One thing I love about Sub 70 is that they’ll send you a club to demo so at least you can hit it before deciding. Sure, it may not be the shaft you’d pick, but at least you can get a feel for it. 

The other thing I like about DTC is that (usually) they’re cheap enough that you can buy one club and see if it’s going to work out for you without breaking the bank. I did that with Maltby. Bought a 54°, hit it a bunch, then bought a 50° and 58° to match. Happy camper!

[GolfSpy_APH]

I have made a few DTC purchases. They have been good, but I think something important to note is that I know my specs and know what works for me as well as what doesn't. For those that are a little less knowing of their game it may be worth reaching out to the DTC company to do a virtual fit or go through what they think is best for you and your game. 

[Josh Parker]

12 hours ago, JLAude said:

I’m curious about the experience members have had regarding DTC clubs. I know the concept is gaining momentum but I’ve always been able to hit clubs before I bought them. I currently play a set of Ping i20’s which I was fit for about a dozen years ago.  Five years ago I went through another fitting and had the irons reshafted.  I’m now thinking about the Tacoma irons and maybe fairway metals.  The reviews are good and the club esthetics are great, HOWEVER, how they work for you and how the feel to you is likely different than what I would see.

So, if you’ve gone the DTC route, let me know your experience. 
Thanks

A lot of these DTC companies offer a demo club for a small fee and will send it out in your specs.  Gives you a chance to test it out before jumping in head first.  

[Shrek74]

I've owned and played clubs from Sub70, New Level, and Takomo over the past 3 years. I still have my Sub70 woods/hybrids and just replaced my Takomo 101 irons and Sub70 wedges this season. Although I'm thinking of going back to Sub70 wedges next season as my short game has gone down since the switch.

I would not hesitate to spend money with Sub70. I've spoken with their owner a couple of times about clubs and specs and even sales they've run. I was able to get 2 sets of demo irons (6 & 9 irons) for the two models I was looking at for the price of 1 demo ($120 initial payment, $100 refunded after clubs returned) after speaking to them directly. They've answered my numerous questions via phone, email, and chat. Very knowledgeable people who all play golf and love their company and will spend however long with you on the phone talking about your game and needs. All in-house designs and have many quality showings in Most Wanted over the past few years. Plus, it's an American company based in Illinois.

New Level Golf is also a quality company, based in Scottsdale. Not as many head options to chose from and are more geared towards the slightly better and better players. Another good option, depending on what you're looking for.

Takomo was ok. Nothing really outstanding about them from my experiences. They've added the CB/MB irons in the past year or two as well as the woods. They have done well with forum testing. It's a company based outside of America, if that matters to you. Haywood is similar with a smaller pool of clubs to chose from but a larger breadth of golfers they cover versus New Level.

Takomo, New Level, and Haywood are all good companies and you've find plenty of people who enjoy their products. They have limited selections and even more limited shaft/grip options compared to the big OEM's and Sub70. And if you look around at people's signatures, you'll see a LOT of Sub70. That says a lot to me.

[Bossfan]

I’ve been more than satisfied with everything I’ve purchased from Sub 70. I’ve been using them since they first opened in 2019. Great people to work with. I do have the advantage of living very close to their headquarters so I always am able to be fit in person. My first few purchases I had a friend who is a pro at a local course inspect the clubs. He has alway been impressed with the build and performance of the clubs I’ve purchased.

[Dan1247]

I went with Sub 70 when I upgraded my irons and wedges recently. I was mainly looking at DTC brands due to cost, but was nervous about having to buy a club or set before trying them out. Some places (Maltby, Haywood) would let me buy 1 custom club to try which, could get expensive pretty quickly. Sub 70 has a demo program, which is great. The only downside to it is they let you demo clubs they don't make anymore. The ordering process was easy, and they even let me change some things a few days after placing the order. Communication throughout was top notch. I highly recommend giving Sub 70 a try.