Comments on: Is Golf Club Component Pricing Getting Out of Hand?

By: Steve D.

Steve D. — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 11:02:08 +0000

Is component quality getting better?
I don’t think so. Recenty I purchased a set of iron heads with weightings that were “in tolerance”, but off the scale relative to the other heads in the set. With components now being made off shore, the quality of even forged heads is being deserted as the “tolerances” are wider than they should be. At 3 gms tolerance, iron heads are unfit in the midst of today’s technology where production equipment can produce far better exact weighting. Distributors should at least try to provide sets that are reasonably distributed in terms of head weight in order to allow clubmakers a reasonable chance of building a set to spec without having the overhead of purchasing another set in order to find well matched component sets. This raises the cost and lowers their margins while he distributors margins remain the same. This results in “less” custom clubmaking, and thus lower sales for both distributor and clubmakers alike.

By: Bob S.

Bob S. — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 01:42:25 +0000

My efforts in the clubmaking and fitting are a very personal. I don’t have a storefront and I basically get my work through verbal references. This is a hobby business for me because I really enjoy the whole fitting and building experience. I have been doing this for a number of years. However, I have to agree that the rising prices of components have risen to a problem level. While I use Hireko and some others but, I find myself looking for bargains online and in places like a Golf Galaxy trade in department for OEM I can upgrade or rebuild to personal specs. The other issue is getting enough information on the clubheads to be able to make good comparisons with the OEM manufactured heads materials and performance. I have several customers. mostly tall, low handicap players that will bring me a set of irons they have purchased at some outlet or golf show for me to customize to the fitting that I have on file for them. This solves my parts problem and usually ends getting me more work based on referrals. I would still like to see improvement in the components and pricing area that would let me improve on the OEM parts and be competitive.

By: Ted M.

Ted M. — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 05:24:01 +0000

The prices are getting out of hand, but the fact is club fitting was and is a personal business. You are selling a service. If a golfer wants to go with a cheaper set, give them your card and info and make money adjusting that cheapo set for them. or when they realize 6 months later that they made a mistake.

Develop your selling skills.

The internet is going to make it hard to compete on price so you need to make people more aware of the benefit of your services. This may mean carting your stuff to a local range and getting permission to demo your clubs. Frankly I’ve never had trouble making a sale once someone has hit their big name driver bought off the rack anda club I have even just fitted to the basic measurements of someone similarly sized.

People need to feel the difference before you can capitalize on it.

By: Bert

Bert — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 01:59:10 +0000

I have to agree with many of the responses above. Unfortunately we cannot make these HUGE margins (at least I can’t) on clubs. One reason is the competition – there seems to be more and more “clubmakers” out there all the time. Another thorn in our sides to a certain extent is eBay. I must admit, I’ve bought/sold certain things on eBay myself. However, it really irks me when I see someone selling a complete built set of irons on eBay (some of them are even some of the exact same iron heads I sell myself) for $129.00….. complete – of course I’m SURE they will have the best shafts that $2.00/each can buy, and I’m SURE they are swingweighted, spined, FLO’d, frequency matched, etc. – oh yeah, and the best grip you can get (for under a buck) will top it all off!! When I quote someone on a custom fitted, well-built, detailed, and complete (in my eyes) set of clubs, they are getting not only quality components (ALL components), they are built with pride and care, and they will be the best damn club I can make – PERIOD. Mine are substantially more than $129.00 for the complete set. The odd time someone will come back with “I saw the exact same ones on eBay for $129.00″ – when you explain all of the differences, some people take the information to heart and will get me to build them a set, while others think I’m handing them a load of bull trying to rip them off. One last thing about eBay – I was going to build myself a nice, new, swanky driver – I priced out all the components I wanted, it just so happened that a nice brand new (still in the plastic) TaylorMade R-5 was just closing on eBay – I picked it up for $52.00, threw one of my favorite shafts in (which I already had), and I have myself one hell of a whammer stick to smack the ball with. It’s a bit of a dogfight out there. All in all, I think component prices are getting a bit out of hand – especially with eBay out there, where you can snap up some big name brand stuff for cheap. Unfortunately I don’t think there is a magic answer to this dilema. Thanks for listening.

Bert

By: Jim Burden

Jim Burden — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 23:23:19 +0000

If you are selling widgets, and widgets only, you likely have to be the best price to succeed. Clubfitting is a personal business. You are selling your skills as a problem solver. People are more sophisticated in price shopping via the internet. However, the internet is not going to meet them at the driving range, conduct a clubhead speed check, conduct critical measurements, assess launch and other issues important to custom fitting and allowing the people the opportunity of more completely enjoying the game. Like many other businesses, you have to sell yourself. Concentrate on the skill of marketing yourself and your clientèle will grow.

By: Bill Fitzpatrick

Bill Fitzpatrick — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 22:52:10 +0000

I also agree with both Mr. Wines & Mr. Kearns about prices. With people going on Hireko’s website, they see what we pay for components. If they order the club built they still pay less than what I need to charge to pay my bills! My store has been selling Hireko products for the last 15 years. I’d like to see Hireko help out the retailer more by putting our names on their website so potential customers know where they can buy their product. As Mr. Wines said, we are working for Hireko

By: Dennis Kearns

Dennis Kearns — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 13:55:57 +0000

I concur. The price of components is verging on the ridiculous. As a part time club maker/repairer I cant justify the prices I need to charge to make a profit. I am being priced right out of the business as I suspect many of my compatriots are. Who is going to step up and rectify this?

By: Gene Wines

Gene Wines — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 03:43:32 +0000

Golf Club components pricing getting out of hand. You bet. What I find around the Venders is they want to make all the profit. As a buyer of lots of components. I find the price of a good driver head is getting too high.

They forget we are working really for them. We must have their products to keep the doors open. We must have a margin tokeep the doors open. Vendors need to give a clubmaker a price that is secret and price other’s, what they please.Too many customer use the Internet to compete with me. Regardless of my professional experience, fitting and clubmaking expertise.

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 19:40:09 +0000

At 6′4″ tall, there is no way I could have gotten a used OEM set of the quality and had them custom fit for what I paid for my component set from Hireko. (I waited until the heads I wanted went on sale, just like I would have done with the “name brand,” and saved even more.) Hireko has allowed me to put together a custom fit, high quality set of clubs, irons, woods, and putter, all for less than the price of a name brand Ti driver. Just the fact that they fit me and they feel comfortable to swing makes a great difference in my game.
My brother, a former golf pro, chuckled a little when I first showed him my set, but after he hit a few of the clubs, he came away impressed. I doubt he’ll trade his clubs in, but he has a new respect for what you guys do. For me, it’s is the differnce between having a “cool” set of clubs that sort of fit, but sit in the closet because I blew all my budget, and having a great set of clubs that fit me and enough left over to pay some greens fees.

By: Tom Powell

Tom Powell — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 15:32:57 +0000

I have made clubs from Hireko and Golf Smith. Used Golfsmith a lot. Their 2008 hot driver is 200.00 for the components to build the club. I said to hell with them and bought a used TaylorMade R7 460 for 150 and could have got it cheaper is I looked harder!