Who buys new and why?

[Cleveland Gunmetal]

I worked in golf retail for about a year and a half 5 or 6 years ago. Pay sucked but I got some sweet deals on clubs. Actually that's when I got my TA5 Gunmetal irons.

[PBCgolfer]

Exactly i never have to pay for range balls, greens fees, and get eveything "at cost", the pay isn't great but I'm in college and still live at home so I don't need much.

[smpear]

I am addicted to the used club rack at Golfsmith, PGA SS and others. I just love finding a good deal especially on a driver. I feel that there is not much technology change in drivers over the past few years...even a Ping G2 or G5 can be had for $50 and is a terrific driver. When I am looking for a particular older model that I like, I enjoy hunting the racks hoping to find one in good condition for a bargin.

I did by my irons new as I will not be turning those over for many years. I bought a TM Rossa Monza Corsa and Callaway GBB2 415 used.

[meenman]

Quote:

I buy everything brand new,never used, but I work at a golf course and get everything at wholesale price through the pro shop, so be jealous.

I also buy everything new - i dont work at a golf course but I get at wholesale plus 10% through our pro shop

[visiondr]

With cheap knock-offs being so prevalent (and in some cases, very convincing) I have yet to buy used. I'm not saying I'd never buy used, but I'd really want to scrutinize the goods. Having a serial number registered with a club manufacturer, for example, is a pretty good indication of authenticity.

[mymizunosrock]

I got my irons new, but I doubt I would ever buy brand new again. I'd look for something that has been used for only a few rounds or a couple months at the most. If you are patient, or lucky, there are some great deals out there in the used market that can almost fit you like a glove. The only thing to be cautious of are fakes. After I got my irons, I stumbled across a local guy selling a driver I was interested in and my 6 year old 360cc driver needed to be upgraded. At less than half the new price and in great condition, it made sense. If it didnt suit me, I was not going to lose money on it buy reselling it. Then another guy I know from another forum was selling a V-Steel 3W. My steel shafted 3w also needed to be upgraded and for $80 with an Aldila shaft, thought it was a great buy. My dad now has that club after I found another 3W on a used rack on a golf shop with a more suitable shaft. Again, at less than half the price of new, it was a good purchase. My current driver I got used as well. I demoed one at a range one night and was sold. I managed to find one a few days later. The shaft is 0.5 stiffer than the one I tested, but it works well, and at $160 instead of over $300 new, it too was a good buy considering it had been used for 2 rounds.

If you can afford to get new and want to be properly fitted, then do it. Its usually money well spent if you are serious about improving your game. Simple adjustments like the lie can be done to suit your swing on used clubs, but try to get a suitable shaft if you can. If you're a club ho and go through drivers every 6 months because you think its the clubs fault and not yours, it can be a very expensive exercise if you only like new toys. I feel I need to justify the cost of everything I buy regardless of what it is. I cant justify spending hundreds upon hundreds on new stuff every time I feel like a change. Im just a weekend warrior at the end of the day.

[lumpuckeroo]

My current set of irons are the only clubs I have bought new from a retailer.  Most of my clubs are new, but I tend to buy the previous model.  My current driver, 3W, 5W are Taylormade R9 that I purchased at the beginning of this year, after they released the R11.  I paid $160 for the driver, $130 for the 3W, from a retailer and $100 for the 5W off eBay.

I do buy wedges new, but all my putters are used, most of them from eBay.  Putters tend to be well kept and I really have no problem buying them second hand.

[inthehole]

I don't go out of my way to buy new - unless I get an epic deal on something.      I just enjoy getting a deal on used equipment more (I don't buy beat to crap used stuff)  ... after all, after a full round, your gear will look used anyways...

[GJBenn85]

Golf clubs are among a list of things I refuse to buy used, probably because I am a bit of a germaphobe.  To save money, I seek out prior year gear or hit eBay now that I know what to look for.

Cars, boats, and houses are actually the only things I will buy previously owned.

[Sheriff420]

Used is the only way to go. That's why I love Play it Again Sports. Would you rather spend $110 on a new 56º wedge or $20 on one that looks like it hasn't seen more than one round? That seems like a no-brainer to me.

[Laws of Woo]

I prefer buying new clubs to used ones. With all the deals you can find by buying previous years models or other sale items you can get brand new clubs at close to used prices. Unless you are incredibly strapped for cash, or like buying new clubs every month or so, I think buying new is the way to go.

[Kieran123]

I always buy new - but I wait till they're on sale/clearance

I bought my Adams Driver second hand but everything else new

Irons were $500

Wedges were all cheap sub $40

Putter was $79 on sale

3 Wood was $40

Hybrid was $40

[bassplayer7770]

I tend to buy new, but I build the clubs myself, so it doesn't cost a lot.  Still, I build my clubs based on a fitting, so I don't go through clubs quite like I used to, but it's still fun to try out different clubs occasionally.

The putter in my bag was actually bought used, but the other putters I own were built with new components.

[Yukari]

I have been using hand-me-downs from my dad all this time.

Until last year.  I bought a new driver last year, then a new set of irons this year, and a new putter just a few days ago.  I've won 3-wood in a tournament a few years back.  So basically, everything in my bag is--NOW--purchased new.

[etomford]

I just got back into golf this year after a break of a couple of years and I wanted to replace my beginners complete set that I had. I found my irons on craigslist. I did however by a new Burner 2.0 driver ($202 out the door) and a Burner 2.0 3w ($130), I bought my putter new and my wedge new too thought I do wait for things to go on sale...But I have no problem buying slightly used either....

[bogey joe]

To buy new or used?  That is a question I will soon have to answer for myself, for I am on the verge of change which I do not embrace.  The irons I play with I bought new, but that was back in 1998......... I know it is crazy.  But even crazier than that, other than my driver, my irons are the newest clubs in my bag.  A look inside my goes like this, top-flite Ti irons (by far the 2nd most solid club I have ever hit) MacGregor Mactec driver (my 3rd one, busted the head on first 2), ping B-60 putter I got in 1989 or 90, Phil Mickleson PM lob wedge (great club, has almost no bounce and the sharpest leading edge of any wedge I've ever seen).  And then there is the greatest single club I have ever hit, my callaway Bobby Jones, deep face 4-wood.  I doubt there will ever be a club head made that hits the ball more pure than the deep face bobby jones I have.  I recently experimented with some 3-woods to see if I could gain just a bit more distance but ever could. I tried beit Taylor made, callaway, macgregor or others, at their best they were all at least 10 yards behind my 4-wood, so unless I lose that club, I doubt I ever buy a new replacement for that one.  I am in need of upgrading (or downgrading if you ask me) my irons because the face of them has become to slick and I can no longer get the spin I need at times.  Will I buy new?  If I find a set that feels right in my hands, yes.  If I find a used set that feels right then I will by used.  However if I find a new set that feels right in my hands I will not wait and try to find a used set of that same club for cheaper because I do not believe any 2 sets of identical clubs are the same.  If you are buying off the rack, you will never get identical reactions out of two different sets.

[tomvk77]

I buy new all the time.

Maybe because i have some special wishes for my clubs.

[x129]

I buy new for the same reason I have people cut my lawn and clean my house. Because it is signifcantly cheaper. 2+ hours spend looking for a deal on ebay or online is 400+ dollars that could be in my bank account. Clubs also are not much of an expense if you only buy them every 3+ years (and no the technology really doesn't change much faster than that. Exceptions are for wedges that wear out) compared to other golfing expenses.  YMMV depending on your situation.