Do You Purchase Equipment Locally or Online?

[Maddmaxx63]

I just bought clubs at 2nd swing in MN.  I had a fitting that was free with purchase and boy am I happy I did.  1st off I have read and researched online read the blogs and asked any and everyone questions.  I was pretty sure I knew what I wanted and was teetering between going to 2nd swing or dunham's sports store here in town.  well I got on the track man and at 2nd swing and come to find out that the clubs i thought I wanted were among the worst I hit.  I ended up with a Cobra F6 for a driver and they had me try the F7 and Idid not hit that as well.  Irons I tried the titelist AP1 with graphite shafts and that was not as good ad the Taylormade Burners.  Hybrid and Fairway Wood were a titleist Ap1 hybrid and a Taylormade M1 Fairway wood.  all in al it was an amazing experience and I will buy clubs this way from now on.  I was a two hour drive and 2 hour fitting and 2 back but I think that it was what I needed.  Kinda like a good dress shirt.  very few can grab it off the rack and it looks good . Most have to have it tweaked just a bit.  I say find a place to get fitted we make a day of Golfing well make a day of getting those clubs.  You be Happy you did and so will your scorecard.

[RickPro]

Always local for everything, price isn’t significant for me, but the information and help I get from the local shop gets my business. 

[Dufferpauly]

On 2/25/2018 at 7:33 PM, JonMA1 said:

I try to purchase as much as possible from the one golf store in the region. I don't mind slightly higher prices - and they are sometimes very competitive. They usually make up for it with information. But if their service starts to suck, there's no sense doing business with them.

I plan on buying new grips this year. The shop doesn't carry Pure grips but the owner told me he could order them, sell them for the same price as the internet, and still make a profit. Why wouldn't I get them from him?

I don't like to go there unless I'm going to spend money, even it's just a few bucks. I don't want to become that guy who just goes to a shop, asks a bunch of questions and leaves without making a purchase.

I am proudly that guy...the current state of customer service stinks...the on line golf wherehouses are far, far cheaper and better

[saevel25]

I buy clubs in person after I get fitted for them.

[Groucho Valentine]

I do a mix of both. I don't buy clubs very often, though. Ive been using half my load out for over 5 years. Only my irons and wedges have been replaced. I replace my wedges every 18 months or so and i tend to buy them new from local proshops. But i got my current set of irons second hand online from a guy who was a friend of a friend. 

Equipment (balls,gloves,tees etc) i usually buy at this local driving range. The owner is a PGA professional who is on staff with Titleist. He buys at wholesale prices with his staff discount and will take off a couple bucks off what you will see at a big retailer If he knows you and use the range often. 

Edited February 27, 2018 by Groucho Valentine

[chilepepper]

Depends. If I’m getting fitted I buy there. Everything else is a mix of price, need-timeliness, impulse. 

[JxQx]

It's a mix of both for me. I have spent a decent amount of money at the Golf Galaxy near by, their fitting isn't the greatest and don't have a really good shaft selection (especially in woods) which makes me a bit hesitant in purchasing equipment from them. I do occasionally buy grips and balls from them if I need them quick.

[shanksalot]

I buy all over the place. I bought my  new irons from Callaway, my driver I bought on EBay as it was a used  PING G25, My hybrids I bought new, one at a local golf shop and the other two on line. My golf bag I bought at a local Golf store and my shoes from our pro shop. 

[JonMA1]

10 hours ago, Dufferpauly said:

I am proudly that guy...the current state of customer service stinks...the on line golf wherehouses are far, far cheaper and better

Yeah, if the customer service stinks, there's no sense doing business with a company - brick and mortar or online. There are just too many options to put up with that crap. But not all small business owners are like that. Some are ok and the hire employees who are cool.

What I've never been able to do was to try out clubs at shop and then order them online from someone else. I've had people suggest it, but it's just wrong IMO.

When I went looking for new irons a few years back, I was looking at the Mizuno 825's because they were an older model and marked down. I asked the local shop first. He didn't have any but he sold me a set of 850's for $100 less than any of the online stores were selling them for. His price included a free fitting.

The irony in all of this is that his service ended up sucking. That guy has since sold the business. The new owner is very helpful and not at all pushy.

[hilmar2k]

Most of my clubs come from my fitter. I have purchased wedges and putters online, though, with generally excellent results (my current 54 and 58 degree wedges and my putter were all purchased online). My golf balls (Snell) are all bought online, and I generally buy my shoes online, because I buy last year's models at half price (all FJ, so I know the size). Virtually all of my accessories are through Amazon.

[MuniGrit]

Check local stores for what I want and buy online if it's cheaper. I mostly hit used and clearance racks.

[dave s]

All club purchases locally.  Need to hit, feel, launch monitor all clubs.

Everything else, I buy online.  Clothing, shoes, hats, balls, tees, supplies of all kind, bags, umbrellas.

If you go to a Golf Galaxy (or name your store here) and buy a new Nike golf shirt or a pair of adidas 3-stripe pants or shorts, you're pretty much going to pay full retail.  Online I can buy both a shirt and a pair of pants or shorts for slightly more than the cost of a shirt at a retail golf store.  Plus, I can do it from this chair, not pay for shipping and get it in a couple of days.

Online shopping for everything except clubs is a no-brainer in terms of cost, selection, ease of use.  I rarely if ever have a return because I shop smart, know my sizes and what I want before clicking the 'buy' button.

dave

[cooke119]

I use to buy at Golfsmith but hey closed. Went to Golf Galaxy but they were bought by Dicks. The Dicks by me doesn't carry that good a selection of clubs, e.g., Cleveland clubs. So I do try to by at a store, I want to support the golf outlets but sometime I find what I want on-line like used Ping G25 irons, (which I really like). Balls I buy at Dicks, tees I by on-line in bulk. So bottom line I try my best to support the brick and mortar outlets. The PGA Superstore is to far away to shop there.

[jsgolfer]

I buy the clubs and bags at my proshop.  Golf balls I typically buy online, as I either buy Snells or Bridgestone's, as our course doesn't carry anything other than Callaway and Titleist.

[tehuti]

I like custom clubs from non-name brand companies so I buy those online. Everything else I get from local shops.

[RFKFREAK]

Mostly I buy the equipment locally.  The only thing I can think of that I bought online was electronic devices like my rangefinder and my golf mat and net.

[tehuti]

Most recently I bought my clubs online except putter.

 

[tomvk77]

I buy them at the local golfshop. I always get fitted for new equipment. 

As far as grips, balls gloves and that stuff goes i buy online.