Are buying new golf equipment this year? Read up first…
When it comes to bargain hunting for golf clubs, there are an infinite number of stores to choose from. Anything from your local golf shop to online to using your credit card rewards programs. So where is the best place to buy? Well, as always, it depends what you’re looking for…
New vs. Used Golf Equipment
Although the luster and untouched look of an un-hit golf club is quite something, is it really worth the price? Golf clubs depreciate very quickly after a couple hits, and even more so after the next model comes out. Most club manufacturers will launch one to two new drivers per year, and the same goes for every other club in the bag. In terms of technological difference from model 2008 versus 2009 – there’s very little. Consider this the next time you’re searching for a new club.
Demo Clubs
If you could care less what the clubs look like and you’re more focused on their technology and performance – picking up a demo club may be an option for you. Demo clubs are used by golf shops and pro shops alike as testers of the latest equipment. Any weekend hack could have swung these clubs, they tend to have nicks and scratches, and a couple sky marks to boot. Occasionally, you can find a virtually unused club among these, so don’t rule them out. They tend to be offered at the end of the season (November-January), be sure to ask your pro or your local golf shop about them if you’re interested.
The Research
I took some time to research the prices of four clubs online; the Callaway FT-9 Driver, the Cleveland CG12 Chrome wedge, Ping G10 3-wood and the Odyssey White Hot Tour 1 Putter. As the table below will show, there are some better places to shop than others… check it out.
The Surprises
Although finding specific golf equipment ads on craigslist.org was relatively difficult, when I did, the discounts were shocking. On each of the four clubs tested, craigslist was among the cheapest for every club. On top of this, if you find what you’re looking for in town, there are no shipping fees (very few of the other online stores offer free shipping). You can find some real steals here. If you’re wary of meeting strangers and buying from them, start with an e-mail and ask for pictures and details on the club, most people will oblige you. Second, if you feel the price is still a little high, bargain – offer a little less than their quoted price. In the future I’d highly suggest checking this resource – you may find quite the deal. Another up and coming site (big in Canada at the moment) to look for is kijiji.com – they offer a very similar service.
We also found some good deals out there on the golf forums. Golfwrx.com has a buy, trade, sell section that can offer you some decent deals on clubs.
The Caveats
Just some things to look out for when searching online or looking for bargains:
• Ebay and most online golf websites charge you shipping fees – be sure to add this to your total to see if it’s worth your while.
• Always ask yourself: Why are these clubs on sale? Be sure to check every little club feature before buying, even if the club looks brand new, it could be 3 inches upright with an X-stiff shaft. Check the lie angle, shaft, length, grip, loft, clubface angle and loft before buying.
All the best to you bargain shopper out there!