SirShanksAlot
If you’ve read our site for a while you probably know that our best advice when buying golf clubs is to demo, demo , demo. There are many different ways that average golfers can try out new clubs… trying a friend’s, visiting your local golf store, talking to the golf pro at your course and demo days. Demo days are one of the best ways for most golfers to try the latest and greatest clubs and they are also one of the best ways to totally confuse many recreational players.
I’ve talked to enough reps and customers that regularly attend demo days (not to mention that I’ve been to numerous ones over the years) and I’ve put together a list of some common “do’s and don’ts” when it comes to demo days. The idea of these events is to get product into the hands of the buying public… not to leave the consumer totally confused.
Do – Take Time To Talk To Manufacturer Representatives
There is more to a demo day then hitting club after club as fast as possible. Demo days also offer golfers the chance to talk to people other than retail salespeople and golf shop employees. Most of these events will be staffed by people from various manufacturers… sales reps, technical assistants and inside sales people. These folks know (or should know) all there is to know about all of their products and can be a wealth of information. They’re obviously going to talk up their specific brand but they are there to help find the right clubs for you. Take a few minutes and talk to these people before hitting balls. Tell them about your game, your strengths, your weaknesses, your normal ball flight and what you are looking to buy. Don’t be afraid to quiz them a bit… that’s why they’re there!
Do – Enquire About Other Shaft/Custom Options
It’s very rare that a sales rep would only have stock shafts in their demo club inventory. Upgraded shafts seem to be a hot item right now and I’m seeing more and more of them available at demo days. Want to get club X with a V2 shaft? No problem… check out a local demo day and hit it prior to buying it. Technologies like Callaway’s new Optifit Driver System makes it even easier to “custom build” a club on the range.
There are usually other custom options available at demo days. Some manufacturers will bring fitting carts for people to use. You’ve probably seen these before… they look like a big boxes on wheels and are filled with clubs of different specs. I send lots of customers to demo days and get them to hit clubs with various lies and lengths. It’s easy to fit someone and tell them what specs they need but it is sometimes hard for the customer to visualize their “proper” club without hitting it.
Do – Ask About Demo Clubs
Demo days are great places to find demo clubs… go figure. The driving range is a great place to narrow your golf club search but many players feel most comfortable testing the club on the course. Ask if you can take a demo club with you on the course during your round. Most demo days last a few hours and you should have enough time to return it after your round. Interested in buying a demo club? Most reps won’t sell to the public but they can probably tell you what happens to their demos at the end of the year.
There are a few demo days “do’s” for you to keep in mind this season. I’ll be back tomorrow with a golf tip from The Golf Drill Guru and I’ll finish off the demo day “do’s and don’ts” on Sunday. Talk to you soon!