40 replies to this topic

[krutoi]

I actually never had an issue with Golfsmith stores. Yes, their online order service sucks, but here in Chicago they are pretty stand up guys. I did see monitors jacked up at on GG on demo day and everyone was magically hitting drivers 30 yards longer. Guess it depends on the store manager. I do like PGA superstore much better than GG or Golfsmith. Amazing store and service.

[seany bo]

A few months ago I needed a new driver and went to golf galaxy to try and hit a bunch.  I tested out the G20, Anser, and RBZ and although I knew the numbers were not exactly realiastic, the one thing I did notice was that I hit the G20 consistantly 15 yards passed the other two drivers.   And trust me I know that I could have gotten the driver for at least $100 less online, knowing about tolerances with drivers and shafts not all being equal...I wanted to get the exact one I was testing as I had the best results with that specific driver.  To me, it was worth spending a little more to know the driver I was buying was producing the best results.

cmherrbach, on 19 November 2012 - 12:06 AM, said:

miz85uno, on 18 November 2012 - 10:41 PM, said:

m5power, on 18 November 2012 - 11:40 AM, said:

Come on who are you kidding? This is WRX. You weren't really going to buy those woods. Mustache was a convenient excuse. Sure that was a dbag move he pulled but you tried it there and now you're ready to scour the BST for a great deal.

+1, OP u know you weren't really there to buy a new club.

I actually used to manage a golf store. I still like to support retail stores whenever I can. I prefer to buy clubs new, that way I know they are authentic and that they have the warranty. It is good for the industry for some people to buy clubs new. That being said, I do buy my fair share of clubs on eBay and through the BST. I just refuse to buy from a salesman who pulls that crap.

Plus, I feel a small obligation to stores that allow me to sit in there and demo a club for quite a while. When I was running a pro shop, it drove me nuts to let somebody demo a club for an hour or longer, love the club, then go home and buy it on ebay.

[geauxWRX]

The only retail store I even think about buying from is Discount Dan's. I can promise that as soon as I walk into any of these stores I know more about club fitting than any moron working. The misleading things I hear them tell other people is sick.

[onplane1]

CCUgolfer23, on 18 November 2012 - 11:28 PM, said:

TRoc9892, on 18 November 2012 - 09:45 PM, said:

Rock Chalk Jayhawk, on 18 November 2012 - 06:38 PM, said:

You guys won't believe this story. First of all, I work at Golfsmith. Our work is participating in Movember, and I have thus far helped raise $500 by growing a mustache.  Anyway, I am working today, and it is COMPLETELY dead.  I'm talking, only 1 guy has been in here all day, and that was because his kid had to pee.  

So this duffer came in, all decked out in his golf gear. Dude- it has been dark for 2 hours.  The guy starts grabbing clubs and ends up hitting about 200 golf balls. It was pretty obvious that he came in only for a free practice session.  I forgot to mention his swing- Alan Doyle would be ashamed.  

After about an hour of hitting drive after drive that travelled about 220 yards with a wicked slice, I went on over to try and pick up a sale. I mean, I have bills to pay, and I am considering proposing to my girlfriend.  Anyway, I removed the history from the launch monitor. The guy hit so many bad shots that the screen looked looked like a rainbow of duck hooks and slices to right field. I also felt bad, because he just had no distance. So, to help the guy feel good about his game, I gave him a little bit of a tailwind. Lo and behold, he starting hitting "bombs" out to 240-250 yards.  

The customer had the tee about 0.25" off the ground, so I politely recommended that he tee the ball a little higher so that he could get more than 20 feet of elevation on the tee shot.  He gives me a "piss off" smirk but complies. BAM! He instantly gained about 10 yards. This guy found one club. a TEE CB4 that he really started hitting well, so I asked him if he would like for me to ring him up.  He calls me out on adjusting the launch monitor settings and that he will not be buying a club because of it.

Am I completely wrong in thinking this customer is a complete jerk and moocher? Why would you refuse to buy a club that you can actually hit well?  Maybe I should have charged him for the practice session and lesson.

Actaully yea I think you are. It's a pretty cheap trick to have him focus on something as trivial as his tee height to keep his attention away from you beefing up the moniter. He hit the TEE almost 300, I hardly think he needs and help to "feel good about his game." The intention was clearly to get the sale without a care in the world about the customer's fit to the club.
Nice trick, jerk. I hope your girlfriend dumps you.

In his story he actually said he changed the wind BEFORE he gave him the advice. But I do agree, don't try to inflate an ego, if they suck then they suck but let them suck in whatever works best for him. Don't try to make him feel better. Im glad we at the PGA Tour Superstores don't get commission because then you do cheap dirty stuff just to make a few extra dollars.

I think you may need to read the op post then rock chocks post one more time....IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A JOKE...for people that just don't get it, he's pretending to be the op's sales man. Although this joke just isn't as funny when somebody has to explain it to you

Edited by onplane1, 19 November 2012 - 10:49 AM.

[lander215]

Thus my post #21, the dead parrot....because you can't parrot a thread in the same thread!

[cardoustie]

same thing happened to me about 10? yrs ago in Orlando at an Edwin Watts

I was hitting in a simulator (R5N with a speeder 757) beside Craig Parry believe it or not.  And the salesman has my ball speed at 186mph and is asking if I am one of those long drive guys.  I tell him I've never been over 165 in my life so surely the altitude or wind has been adjusted favorably.  He looked stunned and couldn't believe someone not in the biz could know that sims could be fudged.  The little Aussie is hearing the whole thing and grinning like the Cheshire cat.

I did end up buying the driver though and my buddy bought if off me 2 yrs later and still plays it

[cuddytime]

This is why I like the Austin headquarters location...
You can take it outside and swing the club around a few times and no one can really mess with anything

[HoosierMizuno]

cmherrbach, on 19 November 2012 - 12:06 AM, said:

miz85uno, on 18 November 2012 - 10:41 PM, said:

m5power, on 18 November 2012 - 11:40 AM, said:

Come on who are you kidding? This is WRX. You weren't really going to buy those woods. Mustache was a convenient excuse. Sure that was a dbag move he pulled but you tried it there and now you're ready to scour the BST for a great deal.

+1, OP u know you weren't really there to buy a new club.

I actually used to manage a golf store. I still like to support retail stores whenever I can. I prefer to buy clubs new, that way I know they are authentic and that they have the warranty. It is good for the industry for some people to buy clubs new. That being said, I do buy my fair share of clubs on eBay and through the BST. I just refuse to buy from a salesman who pulls that crap.

Plus, I feel a small obligation to stores that allow me to sit in there and demo a club for quite a while. When I was running a pro shop, it drove me nuts to let somebody demo a club for an hour or longer, love the club, then go home and buy it on ebay.

This has been a recent dilemma. i've been in and out of a retail big box to hit a few different irons. this isn't a practice session where i beat balls. usually just a quick 15 minutes hitting a certain iron. I feel somewhat obligated to buy there instead of online retailers, but the price difference is too much to ignore. brand new set shipped online quoted at 725, in the store 1,050 and that doesn't include tax. i feel bad asking to hit different brands or occasional question knowing i'm buying elsewhere.

[TommyOC]

HoosierMizuno, on 19 November 2012 - 04:39 PM, said:

cmherrbach, on 19 November 2012 - 12:06 AM, said:

miz85uno, on 18 November 2012 - 10:41 PM, said:

m5power, on 18 November 2012 - 11:40 AM, said:

Come on who are you kidding? This is WRX. You weren't really going to buy those woods. Mustache was a convenient excuse. Sure that was a dbag move he pulled but you tried it there and now you're ready to scour the BST for a great deal.

+1, OP u know you weren't really there to buy a new club.

I actually used to manage a golf store. I still like to support retail stores whenever I can. I prefer to buy clubs new, that way I know they are authentic and that they have the warranty. It is good for the industry for some people to buy clubs new. That being said, I do buy my fair share of clubs on eBay and through the BST. I just refuse to buy from a salesman who pulls that crap.

Plus, I feel a small obligation to stores that allow me to sit in there and demo a club for quite a while. When I was running a pro shop, it drove me nuts to let somebody demo a club for an hour or longer, love the club, then go home and buy it on ebay.

This has been a recent dilemma. i've been in and out of a retail big box to hit a few different irons. this isn't a practice session where i beat balls. usually just a quick 15 minutes hitting a certain iron. I feel somewhat obligated to buy there instead of online retailers, but the price difference is too much to ignore. brand new set shipped online quoted at 725, in the store 1,050 and that doesn't include tax. i feel bad asking to hit different brands or occasional question knowing i'm buying elsewhere.

I feel like the best way to do this is let the salespeople know what you're doing. I have no problem answering peoples questions and doing things like a lie angle check really quick if they are upfront about not purchasing. I'd much rather that than people who ask for a full fitting then say "oh ok I'll be back another time". Again not like that's a bad thing, I'd just rather they be up front about it

[cb24]

[quote name='TommyOC' timestamp='1353377595' post='5956389']
[quote name='HoosierMizuno' timestamp='1353361156' post='5955061']
[quote name='cmherrbach' timestamp='1353301616' post='5952355']
[quote name='miz85uno' timestamp='1353296505' post='5952147']
[quote name='m5power' timestamp='1353256823' post='5949791']
Come on who are you kidding? This is WRX. You weren't really going to buy those woods. Mustache was a convenient excuse. Sure that was a dbag move he pulled but you tried it there and now you're ready to scour the BST for a great deal.
[/quote]

+1, OP u know you weren't really there to buy a new club.
[/quote]

I actually used to manage a golf store. I still like to support retail stores whenever I can. I prefer to buy clubs new, that way I know they are authentic and that they have the warranty. It is good for the industry for some people to buy clubs new. That being said, I do buy my fair share of clubs on eBay and through the BST. I just refuse to buy from a salesman who pulls that crap.

Plus, I feel a small obligation to stores that allow me to sit in there and demo a club for quite a while. When I was running a pro shop, it drove me nuts to let somebody demo a club for an hour or longer, love the club, then go home and buy it on ebay.
[/quote]

This has been a recent dilemma. i've been in and out of a retail big box to hit a few different irons. this isn't a practice session where i beat balls. usually just a quick 15 minutes hitting a certain iron. I feel somewhat obligated to buy there instead of online retailers, but the price difference is too much to ignore. brand new set shipped online quoted at 725, in the store 1,050 and that doesn't include tax. i feel bad asking to hit different brands or occasional question knowing i'm buying elsewhere.
[/quote]

I feel like the best way to do this is let the salespeople know what you're doing. I have no problem answering peoples questions and doing things like a lie angle check really quick if they are upfront about not purchasing. I'd much rather that than people who ask for a full fitting then say "oh ok I'll be back another time". Again not like that's a bad thing, I'd just rather they be up front about it
[/quote]

definitely better that way.  although, most of your launch monitors there dont even work, lol.  Not your fault though that customers are slicing into them.  I was thinking about getting my driver checked out, maybe i will stop, when do you work?  I am in south OC and stop by the Lake Forest store from time to time.

[Neurotica]

billyhandsomeface, on 18 November 2012 - 07:49 PM, said:

At the Austin headquarters, you can take the clubs to the outdoor range and hit them. This much better in my opinion, plus they don't go out there with you.  They fit in the bays.

I do the same thing. I use the bays to figure out what I want to hit outside. Don't pay too much mind to the indoor bay information.  Lot of times I just walk out without buying anything as what I have can't be beat.