Golf stores or Internet

poteen

Im going to be spending a few quid in the next couple of weeks (Iv e been saving) and I just want to get value for my money.

Basically Im in the market for

1. A Mini Staff Bag - I want a decent bag for airport travel and sits well on cart or buggy. Will I need to buy a protective cover for it or will the bag in itself be ok. Undecided which type but dont want to spend crazy money.

2. 52 degree and 60 degree titleist Vokeys


I have heard good things about Golf Style in Galway and its near me but never been. But would I get better value online or a store?

Thanks in Advance.

ForeRight

Im always pro golf store. You can handle the clubs or equipment beforehand and if you ever have an issue they are always very obliging when you go back in.

Also they price match on most stuff that's on sale in other golf stores.

Granted it's probably marginally dearer than buying online but I still prefer it.

Russman

I'd definitely get a protective cover anyway. Have you ever seen the way luggage is f--ked around by the baggage handlers ?:)

Value online can be very good depending on what you're buying. But don't forget to factor in shipping and, if buying in from USA, taxes & duty.

I've used thegolfshoponline.co.uk in the past and they've been fine. Not sure how much of a saving would be had on two Vokeys, maybe £20 or something, no idea.

slave1

Online is generally cheaper in my experience, I've made multiple purchases from golf247.co.uk and they always are having 10/12/15% off on the main page of their website, never an issue to date.

EDIT stuck in a vokey wedge to their cart and came in at £70.54 after their current 15%, P+P will be free above £100 usually

GreeBo

slave1 wrote: »

Online is generally cheaper in my experience, I've made multiple purchases from golf247.co.uk and they always are having 10/12/15% off on the main page of their website, never an issue to date.

EDIT stuck in a vokey wedge to their cart and came in at £70.54 after their current 15%, P+P will be free above £100 usually

you can get a vokey in store for 100-110 and you have it in your hand...not sure the savings are worth it.
I bought a GPS online because I saved about 200, but 3 vokeys from my pro because I played with them that same day....depends on what you consider worth it

For Paws

http://www.golfbidder.co.uk/models/4418/Titleist_Wedge_Vokey_SM4_Tour_Chrome.html

Not new, .... but then again why pay for new ?

J6P

For Paws wrote: »

http://www.golfbidder.co.uk/models/4418/Titleist_Wedge_Vokey_SM4_Tour_Chrome.html

Not new, .... but then again why pay for new ?

Top result is a well used vokey for roughly 75 Euro

Halpenny/McGuirks have a sale on every 2nd week where you can pick a new one up for E90

newport2

GreeBo wrote: »

you can get a vokey in store for 100-110 and you have it in your hand...not sure the savings are worth it.

I bought a GPS online because I saved about 200, but 3 vokeys from my pro because I played with them that same day....depends on what you consider worth it

+1



IMO, it's all about a balance between what you save and the risk.



If I was going to save €20 or less on a new club, I would buy it in the shop. Eliminates any risk of things going wrong, not getting exactly what you want, etc. Anything more, I'd consider online. If you shop around you can get some good deals, but a lot of luck involved as to what sales are on when you're looking.

Phone around the shops looking for the best price they'll give you for 2 Volkey's together, they may knock a bit more off.

Goldenjohn

poteen wrote: »

Im going to be spending a few quid in the next couple of weeks (Iv e been saving) and I just want to get value for my money.

Basically Im in the market for

1. A Mini Staff Bag - I want a decent bag for airport travel and sits well on cart or buggy. Will I need to buy a protective cover for it or will the bag in itself be ok. Undecided which type but dont want to spend crazy money.

2. 52 degree and 60 degree titleist Vokeys


I have heard good things about Golf Style in Galway and its near me but never been. But would I get better value online or a store?

Thanks in Advance.

The lads in golf style are very good, had an experience recently where my mizuno driver head cracked after 13 months, had no receipt and they just handed me a new one no questions...an excellent experience..if it was purchased online i doubt i'd have recieved anything.
They are usually competitively priced against the internet, sometimes a little more expensive, to me its worth paying a couple of quid extra for the security of knowing there is an after sales service if its required.

agusta

For Paws wrote: »

http://www.golfbidder.co.uk/models/4418/Titleist_Wedge_Vokey_SM4_Tour_Chrome.html

Not new, .... but then again why pay for new ?

for new grooves.i change my vokey wedges every year because the grooves wear.better spin control on the ball hitting the green with a new club

ernieprice

I go for golf store. I was recently purchasing a new bag, checked Halpennygolf in Airside, walked across road to McGuirks to check it there. Saw the bag I wanted for €169. Said to my missus in earshot of salesman that we would go over to Halpenny's as they had a 20% discount. The salesman asked why I would not give him a chance. I showed him the bag, he brought it to the till and checked the online stores for price. He reduced it to € 125 and I said OK but was hoping for €120. I got it for €120 and was a happy camper. It shows you can negotiate in a shop but not on line. Best of all you actually see first hand what you are buying.

charlieIRL

Another vote for golf style. Cant say enough good things about them without ye thinking I work there!!

For Paws

charlieIRL wrote: »

Another vote for golf style. Cant say enough good things about them without ye thinking I work there!!

+1

For Paws

agusta wrote: »

for new grooves.i change my vokey wedges every year because the grooves wear.better spin control on the ball hitting the green with a new club

Do you always play a brand new ball at each hole ?

For Paws

Goldenjohn wrote: »

The lads in golf style are very good, had an experience recently where my mizuno driver head cracked after 13 months, had no receipt and they just handed me a new one no questions...an excellent experience..if it was purchased online i doubt i'd have recieved anything.
They are usually competitively priced against the internet, sometimes a little more expensive, to me its worth paying a couple of quid extra for the security of knowing there is an after sales service if its required.

Excellent example of after sales service, at Golfstyle.
But to compare like with like, you'd have to ask
'what other store(s) would do the same ?'

I've used the same Internet supplier several times over the years.
On only one occasion have I ever returned a club, and that was because the shaft (that I thought might suit me) didn't suit me.
I got the club back, with required shaft fitted, straightaway, no charge.
Maybe another Internet supplier mightn't do that, but the one I used did.

agusta

For Paws wrote: »

Do you always play a brand new ball at each hole ?

no, id play a pro v1 until its marked it becomes a practice ball.or until i lose it

For Paws

agusta wrote: »

no, id play a pro v1 until its so marked it becomes a practice ball.or until i lose it

Does that not, playing with a ball that's been struck maybe a couple of hundred times (guessing here ; I don't know how often you lose them) negate the advantage conferred by playing new wedges ?.

Also, why change the wedges ?
Why not just have the faces re-milled ?

neckedit

For Paws wrote: »

Does that not, playing with a ball that's been struck maybe a couple of hundred times (guessing here ; I don't know how often you lose them) negate the advantage conferred by playing new wedges ?.

Also, why change the wedges ?
Why not just have the faces re-milled ?

Who remills wedges and at what cost?

For Paws

Golfalchemy.co.uk for 6-8 euro per head + postage

slave1

Or get a good quality groove sharpener and do most of it yourself, it takes a while as you have to take your time but I do notice the difference in the round immediately after cleaning out the grooves, do it once a month.

agusta

For Paws wrote: »

Does that not, playing with a ball that's been struck maybe a couple of hundred times (guessing here ; I don't know how often you lose them) negate the advantage conferred by playing new wedges ?.

Also, why change the wedges ?
Why not just have the faces re-milled ?

if you remill the faces they will rust unless you get them replated too.yes a prov1 hit a lot of times does effect the ball abit,ie you would lose a little bit of distance per club.it then becomes a practice ball.if playing in a competition that was important a new ball is used

Gin77

ernieprice wrote: »

I go for golf store. I was recently purchasing a new bag, checked Halpennygolf in Airside, walked across road to McGuirks to check it there. Saw the bag I wanted for €169. Said to my missus in earshot of salesman that we would go over to Halpenny's as they had a 20% discount. The salesman asked why I would not give him a chance. I showed him the bag, he brought it to the till and checked the online stores for price. He reduced it to € 125 and I said OK but was hoping for €120. I got it for €120 and was a happy camper. It shows you can negotiate in a shop but not on line. Best of all you actually see first hand what you are buying.

+1
When I want to buy something I always look for the cheapest online and then ask the shop to do a price match. Its no skin off my nose if I get it online or in the shop, and they will check the quoted price online and say ok glad to get the business.
I recently bought a scotty fastback 33",
I checked mcguircks online they were the cheapest at €289.
I went to my local golf shop and it was marked as €225. Needless to say I took his hand and all off.

Almaviva

slave1 wrote: »

Or get a good quality groove sharpener and do most of it yourself, it takes a while as you have to take your time but I do notice the difference in the round immediately after cleaning out the grooves, do it once a month.

How do you ensure the grooves still have a conforming profile ?

For Paws

agusta wrote: »

if you remill the faces they will rust unless you get them replated too.yes a prov1 hit a lot of times does effect the ball abit,ie you would lose a little bit of distance per club.it then becomes a practice ball.if playing in a competition that was important a new ball is used

Re coating the face after re milling them is included in the price.
(Although some folk buy wedges that are designed to rust).

I've read that Pros in competition regularly use a different ball on each hole.
Indeed a single figure hcper I know always discards any ball he scores better than par on any hole with. He reckons there's only one Birdie or Eagle in each ball, but many bogies.

slave1

Almaviva wrote: »

How do you ensure the grooves still have a conforming profile ?

Only using the tool to clean out and get the grooves back to original shape, smooth and slow action by hand is unlikely to cut through irons, it's mostly to eliminate the tendency for the grooves to be "caved in" from repeated hits.

Twix44

halpenny golf, based in swords. The best i've seen anyway

dan_ep82

Twix44 wrote: »

halpenny golf, based in swords. The best i've seen anyway

Theres one in the Drogheda retail park aswell.

Twix44

yeah i think there used to be one in grafton street as well but it may have moved. I got a new 60 deg vokey in there for 65e last year

agusta

For Paws wrote: »

Re coating the face after re milling them is included in the price.
(Although some folk buy wedges that are designed to rust).

I've read that Pros in competition regularly use a different ball on each hole.
Indeed a single figure hcper I know always discards any ball he scores better than par on any hole with. He reckons there's only one Birdie or Eagle in each ball, but many bogies.

what does the single figure handicaper do with the ball he discards,would he give them to you..,ya the pros on tour regularly change their ball,they dont pay for them.how ever the pros on smaller tour events that dont have sponsors would change their ball when its marked

Gin77

slave1 wrote: »

Only using the tool to clean out and get the grooves back to original shape, smooth and slow action by hand is unlikely to cut through irons, it's mostly to eliminate the tendency for the grooves to be "caved in" from repeated hits.

I'm sure there are plenty of people with nonconforming grooves etc. ie people who havent changed their wedges in a while. Do you think it matters at our level? I've never seen random checking for this, how would they even measure it.

For Paws

agusta wrote: »

what does the single figure handicaper do with the ball he discards,would he give them to you..,ya the pros on tour regularly change their ball,they dont pay for them.how ever the pros on smaller tour events that dont have sponsors would change their ball when its marked

Ha ha. No way I'd be getting them. He just drops them back into his bag.
(Probably uses them in his next round). Reckon it's just temporary superstition.

real dakar

www.golfstoreeurope.com/
Great prices and get added to the mailing list for 10% discount codes based in NI postage free above 50 euro.

SnowDrifts

real dakar wrote: »

www.golfstoreeurope.com/
Great prices and get added to the mailing list for 10% discount codes based in NI postage free above 50 euro.

Hmm... interesting first post. You may want to check this thread out..

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055669157&page=2

shane0007

SnowDrifts wrote: »

Hmm... interesting first post. You may want to check this thread out..

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055669157&page=2

Wow, just read that now & I had ordered the Odyssey #8 putter from them a month ago. Heard nothing for 2 weeks. Contacted them only to find out they were out of stock. Got my money back a week later though, thankfully. Ordered from another UK site which also was out of stock but got a free upgrade, followed by a UPS tracking number.

Funny thing is they still have the putter as in stock on their website but the other company took it down right away.

SnowDrifts

shane0007 wrote: »

Wow, just read that now & I had ordered the Odyssey #8 putter from them a month ago. Heard nothing for 2 weeks. Contacted them only to find out they were out of stock. Got my money back a week later though, thankfully. Ordered from another UK site which also was out of stock but got a free upgrade, followed by a UPS tracking number.

Funny thing is they still have the putter as in stock on their website but the other company took it down right away.

Yeah, it was the same with my order... and it was still marked as being in stock on their website even after I emailed them advising them to change it.

It's a shame the company is not run well because their prices seem very competitive.

shane0007

SnowDrifts wrote: »

It's a shame the company is not run well because their prices seem very competitive.

Perhaps they are only competitive with the items they do not have in stock. They kept trying to get me to chose something else from their site.

SnowDrifts

slave1 wrote: »

Online is generally cheaper in my experience, I've made multiple purchases from golf247.co.uk and they always are having 10/12/15% off on the main page of their website, never an issue to date.

EDIT stuck in a vokey wedge to their cart and came in at £70.54 after their current 15%, P+P will be free above £100 usually

Just to let people know, this company has ceased trading. Their website seems to be still taking orders and has no information regarding the liquidation.

*Edit* - Although still no notice about it ceasing trading they have stopped accepting orders.

slave1

SnowDrifts wrote: »

Just to let people know, this company has ceased trading. Their website seems to be still taking orders and has no information regarding the liquidation.

*Edit* - Although still no notice about it ceasing trading they have stopped accepting orders.

Balls, they had excellent pricing...:(

SnowDrifts

slave1 wrote: »

Balls, they had excellent pricing...:(

They did indeed.... and their liquidator now has my money

Paypal dispute will hopefully sort it.

On Topic... having been stung twice recently shopping online... think I will revert to the bricks and mortar for a while.

mags1962

golfbuyitonline.co.uk was the one I last used, plenty of discount codes but great prices. I also ordered on a Saturday night and took delivery the next Thursday with update e-mails about the order status and tracking number, excellent service and prices and I will be using them again.

Benny Cake

mags1962 wrote: »

golfbuyitonline.co.uk was the one I last used, plenty of discount codes but great prices. I also ordered on a Saturday night and took delivery the next Thursday with update e-mails about the order status and tracking number, excellent service and prices and I will be using them again.

+1 for golfbuyitonline.co.uk excellent value to be had, purchased a custom driver from them a few months back and have used them a few times since...