Dick's Sporting Goods Fires In-Store Golf Pros

[CartShedCop]

The only way I knew that there were PGA Pros in the Dick's Sporting Goods that I USED to frequent was when I was getting some information together before I "filed" a complaint against a "Pro" at my local store. A few years back I was in the market for some new(er) gear. I had busted my butt on my part-time lawn care business and business had been good. The Golf Galaxy that I now pour money into was not yet up and running, so Dick's was my spot. Well, I walk in and wish to demo/hit some drivers and irons. After FINALLY getting the attention of a real sad-sack looking guy, I asked if I could hit a few drivers that I had picked off the rack. He responded, "Well I'll have to tape them up... are you sure you want to hit all of them?" I had three. Ummm.... yes, please. I would like of you do your JOB and assist me and in exchange I'll hand over a few hundreds of dollars. (That what I was thinking, at least.) So he taped them up like it was the most difficult task he's ever undertaken, unlocked the door for me to bang some balls into a net, and left me to my devices. "Hey, can you look at them with me.. see what you think might be best?" His response, "It's your swing and your feel... how can I tell you what's best?" I don't know.. maybe that fancy little computer and launch monitor you got in the corner? (That was what I was thinking, at least.) Final straw came when I asked how did this or that driver compare to what I was using at the time. "Well, what are you using now?" In 2009 I was using an R7 Draw. "Damn... anything we got is better than THAT... but I'm not a TM guy... but even if I was, I sure as hell wouldn't hit THAT thing." My response - "Really, ***hole... YOU should've told me that when YOU recommended it and sold it to me a few years back." All of a sudden, that hang-dog look of his came alive and he started backtracking. I heard some of it over the clanging of the three drivers I was holding hitting the hard floor. Like a fool, I subjected myself to another horrible experience with that dude before I finally penned a letter to the head office and swore off the entire store - fishing, clothing, etc... ALL OF IT! I even threw away the $50 "We're sorry" gift certificate that they sent me. Last I heard the same guy was still there... moping around and acting like customers are the devil. I try to not paint everything or everybody with the same broad brush, but the stores near my home (we have around 4-5) are known for horrible customer service from the Golf Shop. Look, I know you'd LOVE to be teaching and playing at some country club or grass-track, but until that day comes, it's not my my fault you are having to stock some brush tees on Black Friday at 3 in the morning. I have seven or eight REALLY close golf buddies and probably 15 to 20 more acquaintances that I play rounds with off and on. They ALL at one time or another completely stopped buying ANY golf item or product from Dick's due the lack of customer service and attitude specifically from the ones with PGA on their name tags. We now have a BassPro Shop, a Gander Mountain, and soon to have a Cabela's. Combine those with a HUGE Golfsmith and two nearby Golf Galaxy locations... Dick's has bigger problems than losing PGA Pros. They better start pushing mouth and shin guards and shine up the basketball goals. It IS horrible that so many of these men and women are out of job and I hope that they can find new and greener pastures. I am sure that all 500 are not like the 3 or 4 I've dealt with or heard accounts of. I just hope that "my favorite ***hole:" doesn't resurface at the golf shops/store that I DO still pump money into.

[ditchparrot19]

I guess you can play with the definition of "pro". I mean, the people on the floor are getting paid. They just won't be PGA anymore.

Yep, I'd bet right now that's the response I'm going to get. They still employ "pros" who really know their stuff!

[CartShedCop]

I usually buy my gear at Dicks. There are 3 locations all within 15 - 25 miles from our house. One of them has a "PGA pro" in the golf section. He is really arrogant and not friendly. The sales guys there are nicer and I usually deal with them.

Something tells me, given your location, that we are talking about the same jack-wagon. I know that he cost Dick's hundreds if not thousands of my golf dollars since I crossed the company off of my list due to his "I'm too good for this store and YOU " attitude.

[Chris223]

Seems kinda similar to Circuit City years back when they laid off all their higher paid more experienced sales staff... well we all saw how well that worked out for them.

I work retail - and it is BRUTAL.  I may not work in a retail for such as Dick's... but I do know that the dedicated employees in retail (such as many of these pro's) do indeed BUST their asses all day at work - only to be absolutely CRAPPED on by the higher ups in the company.  They do their best to work hard and provide for their families, get screamed at for not making sales - while Joe Customer comes in on big sale day and STILL has the nerve to ask "is this really the best price I can get?".  This is very unfortunate.

For me - I've bought most of my equipment from Dick's as it's pretty much the only option for golf equipment here.  Being in NY and not a year round sport, and not living in a very big populated area of NY - stand alone golf shops have never survived more than a year or so in business.  So Dick's has always been 1 of very few options - and the pro at my local Dick's was always very helpful and professional when I went in there.  I know he deals with idiots all day long, anyone who works in retail knows the general public you deal with is FULL of idiots... and I mean Grade A, Stamp of Approval Choice Idiots.  This is certainly going to make me think twice about going to Dick's to shop for clubs now.

[Gatsby1923]

It sucks to see any one losing a job but where I live we had a great well stocked family owned golf shop across the street. The only thing I'd ever buy from Dick's was golf balls if I found out at 8PM I was running low and had a 7am tee time the next morning. I did find the Dick's pro friendly when I did talk to him and I honestly feel bad he is losing his job.

[Dave2512]

Was thinking about this last night. I think where DSG got it wrong was they seemed to limit what type of customer would shop there. They weren't every going to get anything but the casual golfers to buy equipment. My guess is the golfer playing more than a couple of weekends a month probably shops somewhere where not only are there more options but more options for customization. I've never seen a fitting cart at DSG. If you want an iron set or driver with anything but the stock shaft you wouldn't even be able to demo it. You don't really need a PGA pro to sell you something off the rack. Most that went there likely already knew what they were going to buy.

[Parker0065]

It sucks to see any one losing a job but where I live we had a great well stocked family owned golf shop across the street. The only thing I'd ever buy from Dick's was golf balls if I found out at 8PM I was running low and had a 7am tee time the next morning. I did find the Dick's pro friendly when I did talk to him and I honestly feel bad he is losing his job.

I agree it's never good to hear of people losing jobs. When the 2008 bubble burst I had a few neighbors lose their jobs and eventually a couple of them had to sell their homes, very sad to see people go through that.

I'm the same as you as far as Dick's. I would buy balls in there when I was in a pinch and that's about it. We have a privately owned golf store that is unmatched in service, knowledge and fitting. The prices there are pretty much the same as the Big Box stores but the experience is like night and day. They have an outdoor range and a short game practice area with bunkers. When testing products there you use trackman and actual ball flight versus simulators. They have a number of PGA pro's on staff that give lessons, group clinics, and junior summer camps. It's a complete full service golf center and for me places like Dick's and Golf Galaxy can't even come close to competing with them.

My son is a Titleist Fanboy and his entire bag of Titleist woods, irons, wedges, and SC putter have come from the privately owned store and I will continue to support them to help keep them in business. Not trying to knock places like Dick's and Golf Galaxy in my area but I look at them as a place for the unsuspecting higher handicaps to get their latest fix of TM or Callaway releases.

I was in the local Golf Galaxy last winter and a guy comes in on his lunch hour and wants to buy a new Driver. He demo'd two Drivers taking about 4-5 swings with each slicing and pull hooking the ball all over the simulator and of course he picked the Driver he pull hooked a few times and it went the farthest! He drops down $400 and walks out all in about 15 minutes. I just thought it was amusing to watch the whole thing play out because the salesman never said anything to the guy about his swing, shaft choices, or setting up the Driver. He just let the guy swing away and pick the one he pull hooked the farthest. When my son was fitted for his Titleist Driver at the privately owned store we were there for a couple hours and the guy helped set it up based on my sons swing. A totally different experience from what you generally get in the Big Box stores!

I hope for the best for the PGA Pro's that lost their jobs! I do know one pro who worked at a Dick's only because he also gave lessons at our local Golf Dome in the winter a couple days a week and we would have some chats when business was slow. He is very knowledgeable and dedicated to his work and I hope he lands on his feet!

[ditchparrot19]

Yep, I'd bet right now that's the response I'm going to get. They still employ "pros" who really know their stuff!

Sure enough. Their crackerjack "golf technicians" will be handling things now.

I'll give them credit for resounding within 24 hours, as they said they would, but that's about as far as it goes.

I didn't know the fitness trainers got hacked, too. I didn't know they had fitness trainers.

Response below:

Dear John,

Thank you for contacting Customer Support at www.dickssportinggoods.com.

We appreciate the time you have taken to share your comments with us. I have forwarded your email to corporate for further review. DICK'S Sporting Goods eliminated the PGA and LPGA Golf Pros as well as Certified Fitness Trainers in the DICK'S Sporting Goods stores for strategic business reasons. We apologize for any disappointment this has caused. We will continue to offer Golf Services in our DICK'S Sporting Goods stores with our Golf Technicians continuing to provide those services. I trust you will find this information helpful.

This email is to confirm that as of 07/26/14 you have been successfully removed from our mailing list.  We're sorry to see you go!  Please note that it may take up to 14 business days before you stop receiving e-mails that have already been scheduled.  Should you receive any e-mails after 08/15/14, please reply directly to this e-mail for assistance.

Please let us know if there is anything else we can do to assist.

Sincerely,

Laurie J.
Customer Service Representative
DicksSportingGoods.com
1.877.846.9997
customersupport@dickssportinggoods.com

[WUTiger]

I'm the same as you as far as Dick's. I would buy balls in there when I was in a pinch and that's about it. We have a privately owned golf store that is unmatched in service, knowledge and fitting. The prices there are pretty much the same as the Big Box stores but the experience is like night and day....

My son is a Titleist Fanboy and his entire bag of Titleist woods, irons, wedges, and SC putter have come from the privately owned store and I will continue to support them to help keep them in business. Not trying to knock places like Dick's and Golf Galaxy in my area but I look at them as a place for the unsuspecting higher handicaps to get their latest fix of TM or Callaway releases.

I was in the local Golf Galaxy last winter and a guy comes in on his lunch hour and wants to buy a new Driver. He demo'd two Drivers taking about 4-5 swings with each slicing and pull hooking the ball all over the simulator and of course he picked the Driver he pull hooked a few times and it went the farthest! He drops down $400 and walks out all in about 15 minutes. ...

Golf Galaxy and Golfsmith are golf specialty stores, not big box stores. Big box stores carry a wide variety of assorted merchandise, such as WalMart. Further complications: Big box is a term originating from leftist politics, not marketing.

See details: http://www.investinganswers.com/financial-dictionary/economics/big-box-store-2348

Further, GG and Golfsmith have PGA pros on staff, and persons trained in clubfitting and repairs (see the certificates on the wall in the repair area).

The local GG regularly fits high school team players for clubs.

As for the winter guy and the driver, a good retailer knows when to "stay out of the way." People who buy drivers or iron sets in 15 minutes are heroes for those of us with limited funds, because those people will trade in that stuff in after two months.

[motsco]

I thought dicks owned GG? if that is the case maybe they don't want their sporting goods store competing with their golf franchise?

[sam004]

GG is owned by DSG.

[ay33660]

Golf Galaxy and Golfsmith are golf specialty stores, not big box stores. Big box stores carry a wide variety of assorted merchandise, such as WalMart. Further complications: Big box is a term originating from leftist politics, not marketing.

See details: http://www.investinganswers.com/financial-dictionary/economics/big-box-store-2348

Further, GG and Golfsmith have PGA pros on staff, and persons trained in clubfitting and repairs (see the certificates on the wall in the repair area).

The local GG regularly fits high school team players for clubs.

As for the winter guy and the driver, a good retailer knows when to "stay out of the way." People who buy drivers or iron sets in 15 minutes are heroes for those of us with limited funds, because those people will trade in that stuff in after two months.

Perhaps the word "chain store" may be better to describe GG and Golfsmith.

I wish more people would support their locally owned stores.

I can honestly say I have never set foot in stores like Walmart and I hope that I never will.

It absolutely makes me sick to see the impact just one Walmart does to local stores.

I am not a leftist by any stretch of the imagination in fact I am as right wing as they come. That doesn't mean I support businesses like Walmart.

Interesting to see that Target has been a billion dollar failure in Canada.

[WUTiger]

... Interesting to see that Target has been a billion dollar failure in Canada.

WalMart had a similar flop in Germany, because WM failed to take into account German cultural preferences in its merchandise mix, and customer service.

[Gunther]

Perhaps the word "chain store" may be better to describe GG and Golfsmith. I wish more people would support their locally owned stores. I can honestly say I have never set foot in stores like Walmart and I hope that I never will. It absolutely makes me sick to see the impact just one Walmart does to local stores. I am not a leftist by any stretch of the imagination in fact I am as right wing as they come. That doesn't mean I support businesses like Walmart. Interesting to see that Target has been a billion dollar failure in Canada.

I have mixed feelings about them. Home Depot was the first one I remember that affected me. I didn't go to one for years, opting instead to support my local hw store. Over time I found the hw store had less and less of a selection, fewer employees, etc, then they shut down. I was pissed at Home Depot but I've gotten over it. I enjoy the savings of those big box stores so have a hard time dissing them, but I do miss the mom and pops. Restaurants too...too many franchises these days. Oh well..

[MS256]

I enjoy the savings of those big box stores so have a hard time dissing them, but I do miss the mom and pops. Restaurants too...too many franchises these days. Oh well..

I miss the locally owned store where I used to buy all of my lumber and supplies. It shut down soon after a Lowes came to town. The employees at Lowes barely have enough basic knowledge to even have a conversation about home supplies and construction. There is one old fashioned auto parts store left in town and I always go there instead of about 3 chain outfits. If I'm working on my 1952 tractor and the guy behind the counter doesn't know which part might work I can always bet that one of the old men playing checkers in the corner will know.

[ay33660]

I have mixed feelings about them. Home Depot was the first one I remember that affected me. I didn't go to one for years, opting instead to support my local hw store. Over time I found the hw store had less and less of a selection, fewer employees, etc, then they shut down. I was pissed at Home Depot but I've gotten over it.

I enjoy the savings of those big box stores so have a hard time dissing them, but I do miss the mom and pops. Restaurants too...too many franchises these days. Oh well..

Herein lies the rub.

Everyone wants the savings but don't think about the impact big box stores have on their local stores.

Local stores just cannot compete with the purchasing clout of big box stores.

Most people don't realize that distributors and manufactures can be hurt by big box stores.

A friend of mine owned a nice small (200 employees) manufacturing company. He was thrilled when Costco agreed to stock his product across North America. The first shipment was delivered on time and on price. A year later Costco wanted more. He leased more space, hired more employees and purchased more equipment. Then after 1.5 years Costco started to grind him on his price. Well now he was caught. His margins were squeezed and he was basically making no money on his Costco sales but had to commit to the volume because of his new overhead. This eventually sank his company.

[subsonic]

^^^ This is the truth^^^ That is the reason that much of our manufacturing has been shipped out of the country. Labor is the biggest expense and you can get cheaper labor out of the country. Walmart did the same thing to Pillowtex.

[Lihu]

^^^ This is the truth^^^

That is the reason that much of our manufacturing has been shipped out of the country. Labor is the biggest expense and you can get cheaper labor out of the country.

Walmart did the same thing to Pillowtex.

It's really sad to see this (and it is a common opinion), because it's not that the labor that is the most expensive part. It's the bureaucracy (i.e., too much overhead in management and labor unions).

The cost of labor is not the individual that makes between $10-$25 per hour, but the overhead that makes this cost $20 to $50 per hour. This is one reason why many small businesses were able to survive by building things in this country while larger corporations couldn't.

Some companies are moving things back into this country, because it makes sense to make smaller volume products here at only about 30% more cost than overseas. In some cases, it's even reversed.