What happened to Mizuno irons?

[tonyy]

Man, those are some nice numbers. Playing golf and earning millions would be the life.

[G10_Jamie]

THanks
I just read a post on another forum talking about "tee up" money.
It said Callaway offered $3000 a week to anyone who played the Big Bertha II driver when it was introduced. Not sure the date, but 3K a week buys a lot of Pizza and Beer!

Jamie

[Lefty731PM]

Man, those are some nice numbers. Playing golf and earning millions would be the life.

They do make interesting reading and some of those figures would be vastly different now.

the reason I used the DLIII example is that if they are prepared to pay that much money for a player who, let's put this politely, is in the twilight of his career, imagine how much they would pay someone like Kim or Villegas who have the potential to inspire young players to play the game and buy brand X. Look at what Nike have achieved - they entered the golf market because of Woods. Many young players buy Nike clubs but there would be a lot of older players (and make of this what you will) who would not even consider Nike golf equipment, and Nike is probably glad because they want a more youthful image. So...there's serious money to be made by players and manufacturers. You would have to assume that if Anthony Kim wanted to negotiate a 10 year club deal now he would have to be looking at well in excess of $100 million. This will seem cheap once he gets a major or two under his belt and climbs the rankings.

[golf_junkie27]

So what can an average tour pro earn from a club contract?

In reading John Feinstein's book about Q School, he told a story about Bill Haas. He was signed, then, to a $250,000 a year contract by Titleist. He had yet to play a minute on the PGA Tour. Personally, I would play for free clubs, clothes, balls and travel expenses. Getting paid to use the equipment is just a bonus. That's just me, though.

[Irishaz]

Went from callaway to Mizunos after a friend that worked for a course recommended them. Easily sold after a few hits, the crack it makes when you hit it flush, also added a club length (maybe just me improving?) either way happy with the purchase 

[fishgolf]

I heard that PXG simply became the favored "I mortgaged my house for these" irons . 

[iacas]

1 hour ago, fishgolf said:

I heard that PXG simply became the favored "I mortgaged my house for these" irons . 

Mizuno was never expensive like PXG.

[fishgolf]

32 minutes ago, iacas said:

Mizuno was never expensive like PXG.

Well, I've never priced PXG but did look at a set of Mizuno not too long ago.  They were still pretty pricey as compared to most on the rack.

[iacas]

Just now, fishgolf said:

They were still pretty pricey as compared to most on the rack.

If you say so.

Hell, the last three iron sets we reviewed:

• https://thesandtrap.com/b/clubs/mizuno_mp-18_iron_review - $1200/$150
• https://thesandtrap.com/b/clubs/titleist_718_ap3_irons_review - $1700/$185
• https://thesandtrap.com/b/clubs/callaway_apex_mb_2018_irons_review - $1299/$163

[fishgolf]

4 minutes ago, iacas said:

If you say so.

Hell, the last three iron sets we reviewed:

• https://thesandtrap.com/b/clubs/mizuno_mp-18_iron_review - $1200/$150
• https://thesandtrap.com/b/clubs/titleist_718_ap3_irons_review - $1700/$185
• https://thesandtrap.com/b/clubs/callaway_apex_mb_2018_irons_review - $1299/$163

I didn't say they were the priciest. Looking forward to your review on the Ping G400's.  I hit those this past winter in Yuma and they sure did feel pretty nice. 

[iacas]

24 minutes ago, fishgolf said:

I didn't say they were the priciest.

No, but you did say:

2 hours ago, fishgolf said:

I heard that PXG simply became the favored "I mortgaged my house for these" irons . 

Mizuno are pretty averagely priced among the top brands. PXG are not.

[Buckeyebowman]

OK, PXG is PXG, but with everyone else we're quibbling over a few dollars. IMHO, the vast majority of golf "stuff" is hideously overpriced! It's like they think we are all made of money. Is it any wonder that the discount houses and secondary markets are doing so well?

[GrandStranded]

Totally agree with the above post about golf equipment being over priced. The last year or two, it has become ridiculous. $165 for a wedge... Seriously? Iron sets have jumped 20-25%. $250 and up for hybrids, $299 for fairways... Putters and drivers, just slap a number on them. I laughed when I saw the price of a Toulon putter for the first time. It's almost like PXG set the bar, and the other OEM's decided to raise their prices in lock step. People wonder why golf courses, retail shops are closing, and companies are getting out. The USGA talks endlessly about growing a game that seems intent on eating it's own.

[saevel25]

30 minutes ago, Buckeyebowman said:

OK, PXG is PXG, but with everyone else we're quibbling over a few dollars. IMHO, the vast majority of golf "stuff" is hideously overpriced! It's like they think we are all made of money. Is it any wonder that the discount houses and secondary markets are doing so well?

Not really. Titleist Drivers in the late 1990's cost $500. That is $775 dollars today if you account for inflation. If you consider the technology we have now, we are getting a great deal on drivers. 

Same with irons. Irons sets have stayed in the $700-$1300 range for years. 

[GrandStranded]

2 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

Not really. Titleist Drivers in the late 1990's cost $500. That is $775 dollars today if you account for inflation. If you consider the technology we have now, we are getting a great deal on drivers. 

Same with irons. Irons sets have stayed in the $700-$1300 range for years. 

The $700 iron set has gone the way of the dinosaur. Iron sets that went for $699 w/steel and $899 w/graphite have jumped $200 (in lock step, btw) Wedges have jumped from $99-109 to absurd levels. Even golf bags... try and find a decent stand bag under $200. Less companies, the ones who remain collude with their pricing, and the consumer loses. I've never gotten sticker shock with equipment until the last 2-3 years. While never inexpensive, it's approaching insane. Yet, because of the new business model used, where the customer is fit into a "custom" order, the stores can carry less stock, and the companies can control inventory, thus eliminating the end of cycle discount opportunities savvy consumers would wait for. I'm 63 now, just about done chasing the equipment "unicorns", but will be curious to sit back and see how this all plays out in the next few years. I don't expect it to end well, as I live in a golf mecca, and watch courses and golf related businesses close down regularly all around the area.

[saevel25]

2 minutes ago, GrandStranded said:

The $700 iron set has gone the way of the dinosaur. Iron sets that went for $699 w/steel and $899 w/graphite have jumped $200 (in lock step, btw) 

I just did a search on Golf Galaxy's website. They have graphite iron sets for sub $900, and some include hybrids. There are even a few sub $700 iron sets. So, this comment isn't true. 

4 minutes ago, GrandStranded said:

try and find a decent stand bag under $200. Less companies, the ones who remain collude with their pricing, and the consumer loses.

https://shop.sunmountain.com/front-9-golf-bag-detail.html

Sub $200, and Sun Mountain makes good bags. Easy. 

Oh, prove they collude in pricing. 

5 minutes ago, GrandStranded said:

Yet, because of the new business model used, where the customer is fit into a "custom" order, the stores can carry less stock, and the companies can control inventory, thus eliminating the end of cycle discount opportunities savvy consumers would wait for.

Which is good for golf stores. They stay in business that way. What kills a business is having to sell all their product at what it cost them to buy it. 

Also, most golf stores will throw in a custom fitting for free if you buy the clubs after the fitting. So, some smart preparation and it's not a bad deal and the clubs are fitted for you. 

7 minutes ago, GrandStranded said:

I'm 63 now, just about done chasing the equipment "unicorns", but will be curious to sit back and see how this all plays out in the next few years. I don't expect it to end well, as I live in a golf mecca, and watch courses and golf related businesses close down regularly all around the area.

That has more to do with golf rebounding a bit from the excessive boom it had in the early 2000's versus the change in golf pricing. Golf clubs have relatively stayed the same over the past 15 years. Finding clubs on sale has nothing to do with actual pricing of the golf club, but more so the golf stores trying survive on a more stable business model. 

[JonMA1]

You don't have to buy the latest and greatest. For those of us on a budget, golf can be more affordable than many other hobbies.

I did pay a lot for my Mizuno irons set a few years back ($700 I think), but it's not like I buy a new set every year. I have 10 years to save up for another set. If I can't afford new clubs when it's time, I'll buy something used that is still in very good shape.

If you shop around there are deals to be had. I bought a brand new Titleist 915 D2 last year for $175. It had never been hit but the shop wanted to get rid of because they'd received the newer models.

[Shindig]

47 minutes ago, JonMA1 said:

You don't have to buy the latest and greatest. For those of us on a budget, golf can be more affordable than many other hobbies.

It's true.  And I even bought a new-as-in-new set of Mizuno irons in 2008, the middle of graduate school for me.  That might not have been the best decision (because they were far more than I could really handle), but they weren't exactly super pricey.  And I wasn't exactly rich then either (I'm not exactly right now either).