Equipment
Worldwide Golf acquires Edwin Watts Golf Shops
Worldwide Golf, the largest golf specialty retailer on the West Coast, has acquired Edwin Watts Golf Shops, the largest golf specialty retailer in the southeastern United States.
In joining Worldwide Golf, Edwin Watts now operates alongside a stable of leading specialty golf retailers, including Roger Dunn Golf Shops, Van’s Golf Shops, The Golf Mart and Golfer’s Warehouse in forming a powerful national golf retail conglomerate.
Edwin Watts has a reputation based on its strong customer service, experienced club fitters and talented club repair staff. The retailer also touts a price-match guarantee on all new equipment and has earned the title of “America’s Golf Club.”
“This acquisition will also give Worldwide Golf a national presence in the very competitive golf retail landscape, as Edwin Watts Golf provides us with the leading Southeast golf specialty retailer and rounds out our formidable stable of brands that now operate from coast to coast,” said Al Morris, president of Worldwide Golf.
As part of the acquisition agreement, Worldwide Golf will operate 45 stores in 13 states and will retain the Edwin Watts Golf Shops name. Additionally, Worldwide Golf will operate the five Uinta Golf Shops in Utah and rebrand those stores back to the original Uinta Golf name.
The most noticeable change consumers will notice will be the implementing of Worldwide Golf’s 90-day, 100 percent satisfaction guaranteed policy. The policy will be implemented immediately in all Edwin Watts locations in-store and online. Customers are able to try new equipment for up to 90 days with the option to return it for a full refund if they are not fully satisfied with the product.
For those wondering what this acquisition means for the average golfer, the answer is probably not much. After all, the retail prices are still determined by the manufacturers. However, golfers can now take advantage of Worldwide’s (or any other golf retailer’s) customer satisfaction policies. The sales associates at stores that have these kinds of policies are extremely knowledgeable about equipment and are trained to give you the best possible recommendation based on the information you provide them about your golf game. Furthermore, these policies allow you to try equipment under the conditions in which you normally play.
It’s easy to swing well in the simulators many stores have or putt well on the store’s Augusta-esque artificial turf greens, but will you trust the equipment when you are put under a little bit of pressure? Will that putter still roll the ball the same way when you take it outside? How does that set of irons perform when you get in thick rough? Will that wedge dig too much when you hit it on real grass? There’s only one way to find out!
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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 T100 (3-9)
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 accurate as of the Zurich Classic. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist TSR3 (9 degrees, C4...
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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...
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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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Chris
Feb 16, 2014 at 7:58 am
If I recently bought the X2 Hot Pro and feel like I made a mistake in my choice….does the 90 day policy apply to new iron sets as well? Or is there limitations to it
Mike
Jan 31, 2014 at 11:11 am
i’m in utah and the uinta stores were just bought by edwinn watts a couple years ago and rebrand to reflect the change. i’m surprised that after all that they’re going to just change the utah stores back to uinta. i live right in between two of these shops and both have several simulator bays which are usually all out of service. whenever i ask if they’re planning to repair them, i’m get this question in response..”do you know how much these cost to repair?!” hopefully the big boys that just bought them will invest in something useful rather than just the sign out front.
markb
Jan 31, 2014 at 4:38 pm
Good news Mike. The rebranding back to Uinta from EW is GREAT for us in Utah. One of the reasons why those simulators were always “broken” is that the EW staffers were so disillusioned with the change and fear of impending liquidation that they had all but given up. Now they have new life, are hoping for a return to the old Uinta policies (specifically with regard to used equipment buybacks) and things are definitely upturning.
The Orem store just picked up a new GC2 monitor and there are lines to use it. Of course, they only want to let you use it if you’re fitting for new clubs, but a sawbuck can usually buy you time if they aren’t busy.
The used club bins (always Uinta’s strong suit) are starting to fill up again with decent and decently priced stuff. My store had a full stock of just about everything newly released from Apexes to Tour Preferreds. I couldn’t be happier and who knows, in my giddiness maybe I’ll stop buying clubs on-line at half off.
Tony Lynam
Jan 31, 2014 at 6:14 am
We have two Edwin Watts here in the greater Tampa area, with one in Tampa closing down (a huge Golfsmith was just down the street). The other Edwin Watts is in the Tampa suburb of Brandon. It is small, run down and has hardly any product in the store. The sales associates there for the most part are stuck up and have attitudes. I recently ordered a pair of golf shoes from Edwin Watts and received, after about three weeks of waiting for them, the wrong color, style and size. It took over a month to get it straightened out as it turned out the shoes I originally ordered were not even in stock to begin with. Golfsmith’s retail store here is the best. They have huge hitting bay’s and the sales associates are helpful and friendly and the store is always well stocked. It did not surprise me that EW went under and was acquired.
Bob
Jan 30, 2014 at 7:56 pm
The 90-day return policy will give you back full amount spent in store-credit, but not a full refund. There is a difference. It’s still a great policy.
Dakota
Jan 30, 2014 at 2:11 pm
I would love to have one in our area have to drive an hour to get to either Golf Galaxy or Golf Smith.
Billy
Jan 31, 2014 at 1:32 am
Best in the business policy. I don’t even bother to shop at PGA, Golfsmith or any golf retailer anymore.
The golfsmith near me is the size of a pro shop. Horrible service as well.
t
Jan 30, 2014 at 12:53 pm
Golfsmith hq is located in Texas
michael
Jan 30, 2014 at 12:00 pm
thats funny they just closed down I beleave 2 in dallas texas, seems golfsmith is more popular and has more stores through DFW.