2015 club shopping, seasonal upgrades, and general comments

[dkolo]

Here on Long Island the PGATSS is 3 times the size of Golf Galaxy and GS. I find used clubs selection to be better and cost less. The 3 Golfsmith locations here are way over priced and give poor trade in values. I also enjoy the multiple hitting bays and manufacturer specific fitting bays.

I need to make a pilgrimage to Westbury to experience that store. The small Golfsmith near me is nice, but they don't even have demo versions of Callaway's Deep series or Taylormade's Mini Driver to try.

[jmanbooyaa]

I highly recommend a visit. Imagine a Lowes or home depot filled with golf stuff.

[dwade247]

How do the PGATSS's compare to places like Golfsmith and GolfGalaxy and others? I see there are a few of them south of me down in Illinois, might have to visit one next time I'm down that way.

PGATSS blows golfsmith and golf galaxy out of the water in my opinion. I live in Downer's Grove, IL and they are all within a 1/4 mile from each other. PGATSS always has the lowest prices and if they don't they will match the other stores. You can even use other golf store gift cards there. The selection is much greater. The used clubs prices are unbeatable at the PGATSS. They also have the best fitters and club repair around. I find the Downers Grove store to have better used clubs deals than the Schaumburg store.

[jmanbooyaa]

Oh ya they do match any golf store prices and will take a gift card from another golf store. Just recently I purchard the iline lime green grips that PGATSS has for $7.99. I showed them Golf Galaxy's website showing them for $4.99. Not even a second guess they price adjusted them.

[treebound]

Well, sometimes I turn left when I planned to turn right. Picked up a laser rangefinder today, Bushnell V3 with the hard case Patriot Package. I'd been thinking about one all of last season and today figured one would benefit me more than different irons. I still might swap out clubs some this season once people start actively trading stuff in, but the rangefinder will help me sort out yardages easier than pacing off shots and relying upon driving range flags. Okay, now to sit down with a cup of coffee and watch some golf on tv while checking yardages to neighborhood houses and cars and trees and such.

[treebound]

I'm still kicking around the idea of swapping out my driver and I'm noticing something interesting. My current driver is a Taylormade R11S which I've been thinking of swapping for a Stage 2 Rocketbalz driver, basically going a year or so newer and matching my 3wood (I really like my 3wood). As to the R11S, mainly I don't hit it well (mostly me), and it is LOUD (I think they built an amplifier into the club somehow). And what I'm noticing is that the R11S is seeming to hold a little better market value than the Stage2 drivers are, not a huge difference but it is there. Also, things being what they are with used club values, tradein is basically not worth much for the R11S. But the deals are good on the Stage2 and others when they do show up in the local stores so it is basically just find one and test hit it and buy it when I find one. Anyway, just yacking and posting a meandering thought stream. Gotta do something in the Winter off season to keep the mind occupied.

[jmanbooyaa]

The only good part about the offseason is thinking and trying out different clubs.

[Jakester23]

I'm still kicking around the idea of swapping out my driver and I'm noticing something interesting. My current driver is a Taylormade R11S which I've been thinking of swapping for a Stage 2 Rocketbalz driver, basically going a year or so newer and matching my 3wood (I really like my 3wood). As to the R11S, mainly I don't hit it well (mostly me), and it is LOUD (I think they built an amplifier into the club somehow). And what I'm noticing is that the R11S is seeming to hold a little better market value than the Stage2 drivers are, not a huge difference but it is there. Also, things being what they are with used club values, tradein is basically not worth much for the R11S. But the deals are good on the Stage2 and others when they do show up in the local stores so it is basically just find one and test hit it and buy it when I find one. Anyway, just yacking and posting a meandering thought stream. Gotta do something in the Winter off season to keep the mind occupied.

Have you tried the Jet speed or the Sldr? They have good prices on both now that the R 15 is out.

[cooke119]

Where on Long Island is the PGATSS? I end up dealing at Dick's or Golfsmith. Thinking of trading in my old Piing G15s for the new G30s and I'm looking for a good deal on the trade in. I know Ping sets their price so no deals there.

[jmanbooyaa]

PGATSS is in Westbury on Corporate drive

[treebound]

Have you tried the Jet speed or the Sldr? They have good prices on both now that the R 15 is out.

Haven't tried those yet. I mostly just haunt the used rack so they don't have to tape up new clubs when I hit the demo bays. I'll keep my eyes open next time I head to the store at lunch.

[treebound]

Sold a used bicycle I had hanging in the garage for a few years and just picked up a Cobra Amp Cell-S 10.5* driver today.  Was comparing it against a few used clubs and the Cobra was working well for me in the test bay.  Hopefully it will still do okay once the local courses thaw out.  Pulling the loud TM R11S out of my bag when I get home and putting in the Cobra.  I'll probably hang onto the R11S for a bit "just in case".

[treebound]

A used set of TM RocketBalz irons has caught my eye (5-9, 3H, 4H) but the price is a bit out of reach, then there is a set of Tour Preferred irons that have also caught my interest at a different shop. I think I need to take my Ci9 and the '09 Burner sets of irons to the driving range and hit several buckets of balls.  Then once my swing has settled down a bit I should probably take the 5 or 6 iron from both sets to the store with my for side-x-side comparisons with the clubs I'm considering.  I did test hit the RBalz set a few times at lunch today, 5 iron was going anywhere from 150-189 yards per the monitor so my swing is currently all over the place. The 4H was only going 140-150 yards so I know I wasn't doing my part well.  But it was fun to see that 189 yard 5 iron shot appear on the screen.

The golf expo is in town this weekend but family stuff is taking priority so I won't make it to the expo. But that's okay, saves $10-$30 in my wallet for the club budget. Anyway, just a drive-by posting to collect my thoughts a bit.

[CaptHook]

T[quote name="treebound" url="/t/79456/2015-club-shopping-seasonal-upgrades-and-general-comments#post_1098393"]I woke up this morning thinking about rangefinders. Just goes to show that there is always something.[/quote] This is an older post, but have to say that my rangefinder was hands down, the BEST golf investment I've made