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Why do big box stores hire non-golfers?


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Store is on Long Island (NY).  I speak to a few guys and some know their stuff while others seem to be barely capable of running the cash register.

I wouldn't have started the thread if he was just voicing his opinion on cast versus forged, but he was showing the customer that cast meant cavity back and all blades were forged.  His suggested "forged" wedge was a Vokey SM5 which is cast not forged.  If he grabbed a Mizuno or Mack Daddy I would have even given him a pass.

What was more insulting is after the customer told him his price point, he handed him a Snake Eyes cavity back cast wedge, which to me was calling the customer an idiot in a subtle way.

If you don't mind ........ Which store on Long Island ?  I shop at the Lake Grove store and had nothing but excellent service from the guys there . I highly recommend anyone that lives or shops in that area to give them a try .

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I had a good experience with Dicks when I first started golfing. Granted, the wife had gone in an asked the guy a million questions before I bought my first set and they even threw in a few dozen free balls when I bought my irons/woods and driver there.

I kind of feel bad that I do not shop there anymore, but we get all clubs a lot cheaper at my club (10% over cost) and I would prefer to support my club.

However the next time someone actually attempts to help me at Edwin Watts or Golfsmith will be the first time.

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I guess the same reason that Home Depot or Lowes hires people who are clueless about whatever department they are working in. I swear, go in and ask the guy if they have any left handed wrench sets and he'll actually go ask somebody !! I personally have had pretty good luck with Edwin Watts or the PGA superstore in Atlanta.
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I guess the same reason that Home Depot or Lowes hires people who are clueless about whatever department they are working in. I swear, go in and ask the guy if they have any left handed wrench sets and he'll actually go ask somebody !!

I personally have had pretty good luck with Edwin Watts or the PGA superstore in Atlanta.

If you don't think I am doing this when my wife and I go to Home Depot in a few weeks and pick up some mulch and flowers, you are outside of your mind. :beer:

The short answer is definitely cost. It costs much less to hire associates who are trained at a bare minimum and primarily on store operations than it does to hire people with certifications. It would be much cheaper for a new golf chain to employ 4 of me, than it would be to employ 1 Erik (iacas) when it comes to golf background and knowledge of equipment/fitting/etc.

They're willing to pay $X per hour and there's X amount of willing takers. That's the bottom line.

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If you don't mind ........ Which store on Long Island ?  I shop at the Lake Grove store and had nothing but excellent service from the guys there . I highly recommend anyone that lives or shops in that area to give them a try .

You waited two years for this to be your first post? How many other sleeper accounts does Golfsmith have on here?

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If you don't mind ........ Which store on Long Island ?  I shop at the Lake Grove store and had nothing but excellent service from the guys there . I highly recommend anyone that lives or shops in that area to give them a try .

I wasn't going to say, but since you threw it out there, it was the Lake Grove store.

You waited two years for this to be your first post? How many other sleeper accounts does Golfsmith have on here?

Would seem reasonable to think he has some association with them but glad he's posting.

Joe Paradiso

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You waited two years for this to be your first post? How many other sleeper accounts does Golfsmith have on here?

I waited two years because I was busy defending my country overseas .  Ive been kinda busy if you know what I mean . What have you been doing for the last two years ?  Anyway it was just a question .  Ive had a couple of great  visits at that one particular Golfsmith . And I'm sure there are other Golfsmith stores where I might have a different experiance but the one where I shop no issues .

I wasn't going to say, but since you threw it out there, it was the Lake Grove store.

Would seem reasonable to think he has some association with them but glad he's posting.

No ..... I have absolutly no association with them .......  But they have taken very good care of me and if you ever wanted to meet up there you would see I am in no way associated with them other then being a customer .

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I waited two years because I was busy defending my country overseas .  Ive been kinda busy if you know what I mean . What have you been doing for the last two years ?  Anyway it was just a question .  Ive had a couple of great  visits at that one particular Golfsmith . And I'm sure there are other Golfsmith stores where I might have a different experiance but the one where I shop no issues .

Thanks for your service to our country.  And maybe this should be a little lesson to those who post before they think.  Thanks again.

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No ..... I have absolutly no association with them .......  But they have taken very good care of me and if you ever wanted to meet up there you would see I am in no way associated with them other then being a customer .

I, like Harmonious appreciate your service to our country and have no reason to question your intentions given your response.  I hope you accept my apology.

We could still meet up one day there and do some browsing. :beer:

Joe Paradiso

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I've only shopped extensively at my local Roger Dunn, but all the guys I've interacted with there have all definitely been golfers and have at least solid knowledge.  Of course, I'm not a huge equipment hound and don't know a ton about, say, various aspects of fitting a shaft, but I've never heard anything at all on the level of the story the OP told.  That's just crazy.

Matt

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The Lake Grove GS was always good to me also. The one in East Northport is ok I can't recommend the one by the Roosevelt field mall. Not a big fan the associates never seem to want to help and seem out out when asked a question.

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I haven't had any experience even close to this at a Golfsmith. I do notice they'd rather sell you the most expensive latest and greatest, but that's to be expected. They don't purchase those things with the intent to sell them at cost two years later, they are a business after all.

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Thanks for your service to our country.  And maybe this should be a little lesson to those who post before they think.  Thanks again.

Having served my own country, albeit some time ago, I still have the utmost respect for anyone in the forces worldwide. However, i do find it somewhat strange that the first post to come out of anyone's mouth is a rather gushing review of a chain store. Call me old fashioned, but why not introduce yourself first with a post? And then maybe put your opinion into some sort of context? Like how and why you think their service is excellent and how it compares to others. Just a thought. Call me cynical, but I've seen enough golf forums to know that 3rd party involvement is out there. No offence to you or the OP.

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I, like Harmonious appreciate your service to our country and have no reason to question your intentions given your response.  I hope you accept my apology.

We could still meet up one day there and do some browsing.

That would be great to meet up at lake grove one day ...... Just P.M. me .   What courses do you play ?  I play Holbrook , Mill Pond , and Great Rock . Driving Range is Heartland .

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  • 2 weeks later...
Kind of eating my words in this thread lately. I had emailed customer service at Titleist a few months ago, asking how I would go about buying a headcover for a 910h I bought used a few months ago. They told me that I wouldn't be able to buy one directly from Titleist (no surprise, their website spells that out pretty clearly), but that if I went to any of the three Golfsmiths near me, they should be able to order a 913h headcover for me. Sounds great. The customer service rep made it clear that I might have to press the people at Golfsmith, that they might not know what I was talking about, but that they definitely all have the ability to order a headcover for me. So. I try each of the Golfsmiths, and it's the same story from each one. First I check the bin they have that's filled with old headcovers, and (somewhat predictably) none of them have Titleist ones. I talk to the cashier, who tells me that they can't just sell one of the ones behind the counter, which I understood. I then asked if they would be able to order one for me. Two of them flat-out said "no," one told me go to the back of the store, near driving range stall 3. I'm thinking, "oh great, they've got a Titleist rep here by the fitting cart, I'll be able to order one straight from him." Nope. He's talking about the isle where they sell aftermarket head covers and the $30 socks-with-Callaway-logos they'd gladly like to sell you. I walk back to the front, tell him thanks but no thanks, and walk out. A few days later I realize that I should have asked to speak to the manager. So I go back, to all three Golfsmiths, and ask the managers. STILL, they have no idea what the **** I'm talking about, and I again leave empty-handed. So the point of this post is state my frustration over Golfsmith's sales staff, and also to ask y'all if anyone would like to sell me a Titleist 910h or 913h head cover. :-D

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Driver: Titleist TSi3 | 15º 3-Wood: Ping G410 | 17º 2-Hybrid: Ping G410 | 19º 3-Iron: TaylorMade GAPR Lo |4-PW Irons: Nike VR Pro Combo | 54º SW, 60º LW: Titleist Vokey SM8 | Putter: Odyssey Toulon Las Vegas H7

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So the point of this post is state my frustration over Golfsmith's sales staff, and also to ask y'all if anyone would like to sell me a Titleist 910h or 913h head cover.

@jamo

oops, i have the driver cover, not the hybrid

.

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Chris, although my friends call me Mr.L

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@jamo [SIZE=13px]oops, i have the driver cover, not the hybrid[/SIZE] [SIZE=13px].[/SIZE]

No big deal, I appreciate the thought.

In my bag:

Driver: Titleist TSi3 | 15º 3-Wood: Ping G410 | 17º 2-Hybrid: Ping G410 | 19º 3-Iron: TaylorMade GAPR Lo |4-PW Irons: Nike VR Pro Combo | 54º SW, 60º LW: Titleist Vokey SM8 | Putter: Odyssey Toulon Las Vegas H7

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Note: This thread is 3615 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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