Equipment
The thrill of the hunt: Shopping for used clubs at Fore Golfers Only
As golfers, we are always chasing; chasing the next course on our list, our career-best score, the sun towards the horizon in late summer and fall, and for many, that one club for the collection or just for fun. In the case of hunting for that one club, there is a mecca located in a small Southern Ontario town just a couple hours West of Toronto in St. Thomas, Ontario: Fore Golfers Only (FGO).
Interestingly, St. Thomas is the hometown of PGA Tour caddie Brennan Little, close to nearby VERY exclusive Redtail Golf Club (interesting history to read up on). Anyway, Fore Golfers is in a humble building that stretches across the side of a driving range, but in the era predating golf big box, Fore Golfers Only was the only game in town for hours in any direction. This offered a distinct advantage: being located in a hotbed of golf, both public and private in Ontario, Canada (fun fact: Canada has the most golfers per capita in the WORLD).
Even when a big box arrived, Fore Golfers was still the ONLY place that offered the opportunity to hit the clubs you were going to buy outside, off of grass, including new ones (demos of course) that weren’t at a green grass facility. Add to the fact that they are known for their massive used club selection — every OEM rep around knows that if a customer loses an iron out of production FGO is the first place they call. FGO features a friendly, knowledgeable staff that have been in the industry fitting clubs and talking gear for a long time. Add to this reasonable trade-in values, and you have a recipe for long-term success.
Very busy day behind the register
Speaking of success, even though the golf season doesn’t usually start until early April, there is one event that brings a ton of people together in preparation for the receding snow, and that is the annual inventory blowout sale at FGO. It takes over an entire hall in this small city of 40,000. Asking around, there were more than a few people that drove from two-plus hours away in hopes of scoring the last club to fill out their set, or that next “perfect” putter.
Now, in its 30th year, I have made the trek to the sale every spring for the better part of 15 years. I never really go with the intention of finding anything I “need,” but I also never leave empty-handed — I dare any gear junkie to try. Plus, there is just something about hanging out with a bunch of golfers and being able to buy a club that you’ve handled. Sure, eBay is fun, but hitting a few putts on carpet and actually inspecting a putter is just WAY more fun than scrolling on a computer. There is a BIG mix of new and old and some clubs you might have forgotten even existed in the first place.
Here are a few examples of some fun ones
Remember I said unique – NOT Pretty
Oh, these Maxflis were good!
The original HOT driver ERC – also known as the KCK: Kessler Career Killer
So, with all this talk of gear and treasure hunting, I’m sure you’re wondering what I picked up on my pilgrimage. I’ll get to that in a minute, but let me show off a few lovely gems I found around that I didn’t buy.
FTXs to be exact
Lots of Trusty Rustys
Muira Forged MacGregor PCB Tours
OK. So with all this gear, what did I come home with? Here’s the final haul (for the low total price of $220 Canadian).
One of the all time greats with a ProForce V2
Amazing shape PT with EI-70X, just to remind me that I can’t find the sweet spot anyway
Engage DS – Almost new just rusty. Pulled the shaft already for a project
9/10 Shape All Original JNP MacGregors just begging for a home
Last, but not least, a few putters to round out an already heavy collection filled with classics
People who know – know how good this is
Absolute $$$$
You NEVER say “no” to a PING Anser in great shape!
Like I said before, the thrill is in the hunt, and I can’t wait for my next used club shopping trip to see what treasures I can find. For more information on Fore Golfers Only and the annual sale, check out their website.
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- Steve Stricker WITB accurate as of the Zurich Classic. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist TSR3 (9 degrees, C4 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Motore Speeder VC 7.2 X
3-wood: Titleist 915F (13.5 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist 816 H1 (17 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Motore Speeder VC 9.2 X
Irons: Titleist T200 (3, 4), Titleist T100 (5-9)
Shafts: Project X 6.5
Wedges: Titleist Vokey SM8 (46-10F @55), Titleist Vokey SM10 (54-10S @53), Titleist Vokey SM4 (60 @59)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 w/Sensicore
Putter: Odyssey White Hot No. 2
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Grip Rite
Check out more in-hand photos of Steve Stricker’s clubs here.
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- Alex Fitzpatrick what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic.
Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black 6 X
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 7 X
Hybrid: Ping G430 (19 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 10 TX
Irons: Ping iCrossover (2), Titleist T100 (4-PW)
Shafts: Fujikura Ventus Black HB 9 TX (2), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Tour 120 X (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (50-12F, 56-12D, 60-08M)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Tour 120 X
Putter: Bettinardi SS16 Dass
Grips: Golf Pride MCC
Check out more in-hand photos of Alex Fitzpatrick’s clubs here.
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In our forums, our members have been discussing Mini-Drivers and accompanying shafts. WRXer ‘JamesFisher1990’ is about to purchase a BRNR Mini and is torn on what shaft weight to use, and our members have been sharing their thoughts and set ups in our forum.
Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- PARETO: “New BRNR at 13.5. Took it over to TXG (Club Champ but TXG will always rule) in Calgary for a fit. Took the head down to 12, stuck in a Graphite Design AD at 3 wood length and 60g. Presto- numbers that rivaled my G430Max but with waaaaay tighter dispersion. Win.”
- driveandputtmachine: “Still playing a MIni 300. The head was only 208, so I ordered a heavier weight and play it at 3 wood length. I am playing a Ventus Red 70. I play 70 grams in my fairways. I use it mainly to hit draws off the tee. When I combine me, a driver, and trying to hit a draw it does not work out well most of the time. So the MIni is for that. As an aside, I have not hit the newest BRNR, but the previous model wasn’t great off the deck. The 300 Mini is very good off the deck.”
- JAM01: “Ok, just put the BRNR in the bag along side a QI10 max and a QI10 3 wood. A load of top end redundancy. But, I have several holes at my two home courses where the flight and accuracy of the mini driver helps immensely. Mine is stock Proforce 65 at 13.5, I could see a heavier shaft, but to normal flex, as a nice alternative.”
Entire Thread: “What’s the perfect Mini-Driver/Shaft combo? – GolfWRXers discuss”
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Steve Stricker WITB 2024 (April)
Steve Stricker WITB accurate as of the Zurich Classic. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist TSR3 (9 degrees, C4...
Alex Fitzpatrick WITB 2024 (April)
Alex Fitzpatrick what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura...
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Alejandro Tosti what’s in the bag accurate as of the Zurich Classic. Driver: Srixon ZX5 Mk II LS (9.5 degrees...
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View this post on Instagram A post shared by GolfWRX (@golfwrx) Driver: TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus (10.5 degrees)...
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Maurice Carter
Apr 22, 2019 at 3:40 pm
Hey Ryan,
It’s wonderful to read your article and touch base with my learned friend, Ryan. I’m considering coming out of my five year golf hiatus. Interestingly enough, I was searching for the 2007 TM Burner driver and decided to check out the Fore Golfers Only website. I kind of knew they didn’t have a log of their clubs on-line, but I checked it out anyway. Hence, I saw your name and perused your article. Someday I’ll make the sojourn to the mecca that is FGO, until then, it’s great touching base with you. Nice piece, Ryan.
Be well,
Mo
buckrogers71
Mar 7, 2019 at 8:03 am
we used to have a place like this in southern NJ, Wheat Road Golf. It’s where I bought my first “real” driver (Titleist 975d w/ a Graffaloy Prolite). Had the opportunity to actually hit it off a “real” wooden tee into a field. While I appreciate the low price of flea bay, swap and shop here as well as other places, it’s really a shame to see these small shops close up.
Jose Pinatas
Mar 7, 2019 at 5:55 am
Nevada Bob’s in Madison, Wisconsin has a daily inventory like this. I’ve been there. They have everything that’s been made in the last 30 years. Easily could fill 2(TWO) halls. They’ve put big box retailers out of business in that city.
KnowItAll
Mar 7, 2019 at 5:08 am
“(fun fact: Canada has the most golfers per capita in the WORLD).”
I thought Sweden had most, with almost 5% of the population being registered golfers?
A quick google said that in Canadas case it’s .87%..
geohogan
Mar 8, 2019 at 6:08 pm
used to be 20% of Canadians golfed at least once in the year.
Population of Canada is smaller than the state of California.
Gerald Teigrob
Mar 7, 2019 at 2:45 am
I used to think that buying new was all the rage, but now that I play demo irons that I picked up from my golf course, I am noticing the benefits of used over new clubs. I finally moved from Adams Redlines and Adams A7 hybrid irons to Cobra Bio Cells, I am actually embracing the change. I did find my Redline 4 hybrid a keeper, but I have switched to Cobra and even replaced my all graphite set with steel shafts…but I am always in experiment mode, so I kept the Silver 4 iron as stiff graphite I like the option of a driving iron so that club will fill that role in my golf bag. In doing so. I have also proven that upgrading to the current irons can be a good thing but if you find something a little older like the Bio Cell irons for me, that can be just as rewarding!
mud
Mar 7, 2019 at 1:22 am
This place is awesome !!!!I go there all the time, new and old equipment , current models being traded daily , so your choices range from the 5 dollar bins to all the latest models but where it really excels for me are the people who buy something new and trade it a week or month later and they take the hit and I get a great deal, being a club junkie I end up playing 5 or 6 current sets a season at a fraction of the cost , also with the range out back they give you balls to try the clubs before you buy !!!You can put a affordable couple times a year bag together or go top end all the way, your choice, the best part thou is finding the hidden gems , the minty 905R today($39C)
Mike V
Mar 6, 2019 at 11:26 pm
So cool! I would love to wander around there. I found a mint set of Maxfli Revolution CB irons (almost never hit) for $100 US at a nearby Play it Again Sports in AZ. I was so shocked I started talking to the owner since these were the first players iron I bought as a junior and I mentioned I also wanted some Ping Eye 2 BeCu…and he had a set in the back (2-SW, square grooves)! Got both for $300 US.
Guy LeBlanc
Mar 6, 2019 at 5:39 pm
This is a great place to search for old treasures as well as gently used current product. One of the last true independents that has survived the Golf Town takeovers.
Great staff and always a great stop.
Junk
Mar 6, 2019 at 5:14 pm
It’s good that we have places like this to throw away our junk so that the next mug could hit the same junk that don’t work but be glad he spent nothing for it while he mulls over whether he should go get the brand new ProV that just went into the river he hit with said junk club
The dude
Mar 6, 2019 at 9:11 pm
Haha….idiot (you took the time to write that)….haha
-thanks for the laugh..
Junk
Mar 7, 2019 at 1:47 am
We’re all idiots for taking up this stupid game in the first place
Look at how much time and money it consumes from our lives
lol
HKO
Mar 6, 2019 at 3:49 pm
umm. what is he looking at on their sign?
Drew
Mar 23, 2019 at 3:56 pm
Hahahaha
Jack Nash
Mar 6, 2019 at 2:28 pm
They have so much stock you have to walk or shimmy sideways down the aisles. I’ve purchased a lot of single clubs. Brand new Taylormade 4 iron for 29 bucks. Great place to just look around, because you never know what you might see. I think I’ll head out there Friday lol.
HDTVMAN
Mar 6, 2019 at 2:09 pm
I’d be in there for hours…days!!! From time to time I stop by Play It Again Sports hoping for a lucky find!
Midwest Blade
Mar 6, 2019 at 2:01 pm
Wow those putters are the real deal, great finds!
flyingwedges
Mar 6, 2019 at 12:42 pm
This article reminded me of Pro Shop World of Golf in Skokie, IL, which closed about 20+ years ago. For decades it had one of the largest lost clubs and discontinued iron set rooms in the country and it was also one of the largest Ping dealer in the US with a very large contingent of business travelers from Asia who always bought multiple sets to take home and resell
Spencer
Mar 6, 2019 at 12:34 pm
ARE THERE still collectable classics? I’ve got a Scottsdale Anser, Wison 8802, illwgal eye 2 sandwedge, Dynapower black button sandwedge, Taylormade xviii, Tpmmy Armour IMG, all close to worthless now.
August
Mar 6, 2019 at 3:38 pm
Hey- I think you raided my bag!
I have exactly all of what you just listed + much more!
But I certainly don’t think that they are “worthless”
I just had someone contact me looking for a Shamrock Model 101 – which I have – and since there aren’t any more being made (haven’t been for over 45 years) there is a great deal of worth in that club.
The Troll
Mar 6, 2019 at 12:27 pm
Ryan, I traded in that Bridgestone J33 driver a couple of months ago. We could have just cut out the middle man.
Love going to FGO.
Great article btw.
Bruce Ferguson
Mar 6, 2019 at 11:55 am
This reminds me of an annual “Golf Show” that used to come through my town for a weekend in March. You could pick through tables and barrels of used clubs, and occasionally you’d come across a “must have” gem.
John
Mar 6, 2019 at 11:42 am
There’s a place called Roots and Relics in Honolulu HI that has an amazing sections of used clubs for sale. The Asian Tourist golf trade fueled this place in the 90’s. I am sure the inventory is even better today.
Nack Jicklaus
Mar 6, 2019 at 10:36 am
Lools like tons of fun. I enjoy seeing clubs from the late 80’s through late 90’s as this was the time I really got into golf and equipment. Seeing and handling those older clubs brings back great memories.
DJ
Mar 6, 2019 at 10:25 am
that equipment would be cool to look at… how clubs were made in the past, but I wouldn’t buy any of them. I prefer ebay where you can find a brand new discontinued club which you have in your bag; like a brand new set of Bridgestone J40 DPC’s. I do like the idea of hitting a demo right out on the range.
Benny
Mar 7, 2019 at 7:55 am
To each their own though. I like newer deals and search for them but do like finding something cool to play with on the range.
Its all about how much you want to invest, bith time and $$. But if you are smart you can make $ or at least have fun breaking even while working on your game.
For “junk” up top, players have been breaking par since the 1800’s with hand made shovels. If anyone thinks these clubs from 90’s and 2000’s are just junk wait until you get smoked by someone who bags them. I got spanked last year by someone with a 909 driver and McGregs that had rusty sweet spots with a Grace blade. I was told how good he was, laughed at his bag only to buy him an expensive lunch adter asking him tons of questions. He out drove me as well and I am no slouch… I completely bowed