1) Check The Head Of Each Club.

This is going to be the place where the most obvious signs of mis-treatment will show up. You are lookig for dents, scratches, gouges etc.

Here’s my theory – if there are some obvious marks, then there are also going to be some less obvious damage to such things as the lie, the loft, the shaft etc.

For me, any obvious signs shut the deal down straight away no matter how good the price – there is always going to be another great deal just around the corner.

2) Check Each Shaft

For the steel shafts you are looking for any bends or kinks, which would signal the golfer was prone to slamming their club down in fits of rage. For graphite shafts you are looking for scratches, nicks or chips. Any imperfections along a graphite shaft weaken the structural integrity and will increase the liklihood of the shaft snapping – not what you want to have happen to you.

Also make sure that for any clubs that are part of a set e.g irons, fairway woods, the shafts are the same. Different shafts will lead to inconsistencies amongst your clubs.

3) Check The Grips.

Obviously these can be easily changed if they are in bad condition…but that is going to cost you money so needs to be factored into the price you pay.

4) Make Sure Every Club Is Accounted For

I know, I know it sounds obvious but check it anyway. You wouldn’t be the first person to get home and find a club missing from a used set you’re just bought.

5) If You’re Buying Online…

Make sure you see photo’s of every piece of equipment that is part of the sale. So that means every iron if you’re buying a set. You also want to make sure you know exactly what you’re getting. If the clubs are in a photo with a bag and trolley, clarify that these are part of the deal if it’s not made clear.

By following this simple checklist every time you will make sure you get exactly what you paid for. In an upcoming post I’m going to talk about golf stores online who focus the majority of their business on selling cheap used golf clubs.

Caddies

This one I know from my experiences of having been a resort caddy in a few different places. Caddies find absolute truckloads of golf balls when they are working, depending on the course and how much trouble golfers can get themselves into.

Here’s the thing – if a course has caddies, then the golfers playing there won’t be playing cheap golf balls. And they usually don’t worry too much about spending their full 5 minutes looking for them either. On an average I’d say I use to find about 20-30 golf balls a week – and my eyes arent’ great. Other caddies find many more.

The other thing is that caddies are often good golfers who only play one or two models of golf ball. Which leaves a lot of leftovers they need to get rid of. And caddies can always use some extra money – it’s something to do with the drinking and gambling I think.

So if you live in an area with a golf resort that employs caddies, try and find a caddie who will supply you with cheap golf balls. Get this sorted and you will have a limitless supply of cheap, quality golf balls – if they run out, they’ll get some from the trunk of a buddy’s car (legally I mean).

Coupons

Most of the online golf retailers will have coupons available at various times throughout the year. these can save you anywhere from 5-25% off the price so they are definitely worth keeping your eye out for.

Team Up With Buddies

Get a group of golfers together and try and make a deal with your local golf retailer to give you a discount. Margins tend to be fairly low on golf balls, so this option won’t always work but it is worth asking the question

Gadgets

Visiball

The manufacturers of these glasses claim that they block out certain colors of light which helps the white of the golf ball stand out more to the human eye. I have heard both positive and negative reports about these. It would seem that they work for some people and don’t for others – maybe it’s kind of like those Magic Eye 3D picture things. I have never once been able to get one of those to work.

With these glasses you’ll probably never know until you try. But if they do work for you, then it basically means you don’t have to worry about golf balls anymore. Your biggest problem would be finding yours amongst all the others balls you come across.

Ballfinder Scout

I’ll start off by saying this product  is endorsed by Nick Faldo which is interesting because you can’t imagine him or any other pro having spent a whole lot of time looking for golf balls.

Manufacturers claim this digital device will help you locate hard to find golf balls saving you both time and money. They say it works with any standard white golf ball, and that it can located golf balls at less than 35 feet with only three dimples on the golf ball visible.

Some fairly impressive claims and if true it would definitely save you money. I guess it all comes down to how much you trust Nick Faldo…

by danperry.com

Now personally I would never consider golf unnecessary – I think in difficult times we all need to maintain some form of leisure activity that can help manage our stress levels.

But there is no doubt that the number of golfers have dropped and will continue to drop as people attempt to keep a little change in their pocket.

Now for golfers that are smart this can actually present you with some opportunities to play golf a little more cheaply this year. And I’m going to run you through a couple of ways I think you can do this.

Cheap Golf Memberships

I think 2010 is going to be the year for negotiations. Members are the lifeblood of many golf courses, and for the club to stay ahead of the game there is going to be some room to move on things such as joining fees and membership dues.

The first thing I will say is be willing to ask for a discount. How successful you are will depend in part on three things

1) Knowing what you’d like before you start asking questions
2) Asking the right person
3) How you approach this person

Decide What You Think A Membership Is Worth

The first thing you need to do is try and figure out what you’d be happy paying. Maybe you’d like 20% taken off the price, or you’d like the joining fee to be waived. Be reasonable in your expectations, but at the same time don’t sell yourself short. Use your common sense to come up with a figure that you think both sides will be happy with.

There are also other membership options you could consider, which I will talk about in another post.`

The next thing you need to do is make sure you speak to the right person, the one who has the authority to make a decision about these matters.

Once you know who to approach, take some time to think about the best way to broach the subject. If you’ve got a previous relationship with this person then that shouldn’t be a problem.

If you don’t, try and find out something about them that may help you quickly build a good rapport with them. Rapport is one of those things that make people more willing to make concessions on these sort of things

Whatever you do, don’t approach the whole situation in a demanding manner. This will rub people up the wrong way from the start and make it tough for you to get what you are after.

If you can come away with both sides being happy with the arrangement then that is all you could ask for.

So if you are thinking of joining a golf club, take with you those famous words…’Everything is negotiable’.

Well you can – but like with everything else on eBay you need to do your research. It is easier to get an idea of the quality of a set of golf clubs up for auction on eBay, than it is to verify whether a golf ball vendor knows anything about the quality of the golf balls they are selling. Maybe they’re just a pimply computer geek who lives on a golf course and is trying to pay for their addiction to online gaming.

Who knows?

Always Check Seller’s Reputation

Run through your normal eBay checklist – feedback rating etc. If in doubt move on to the next auction

Often times a guy will be selling balls in bulk e.g ‘100 assorted golf balls’. I’m a big fan of the mixed bag of lollies but when it comes to golf balls I’m a little more particular. If you’re the same, you’d probably just rule that auction out.

I don’t necessarily think you should.

If the price seems quite good send the guy an email and ask for specifics. Maybe you can work out some deal where he just sells you the balls you want. This is a great way to get yourself a regular supplier. When they are searching for golf balls, they put away your specific brand and auction off the rest – over the long run they’ll give you better deals both on quality and price.

You’re better off trying to look for a long term golf ball solution, rather than buying from a new guy every month.

Buy From The Powersellers

There are many retailers who make a living purely from selling on eBay, and if you’re at all worried about quality, these are the guys to buy from. These Powersellers as they are known, have thousands of successful transactions under their belt and have maintained an almost perfect feedback record along the way. I have included a list of some of these sellers for you – you could limit your searches to just these vendors if you wanted to.

Remember to make sure you take into account shipping charges before committing to a purchase.

So far in this series I’ve covered most of the major methods for buying cheap golf balls. In the next post I’m going to talk about some other simple ways you can get some cheap (and even free) golf balls.

eBay Golf Ball Powersellers

This list is not meant to be exhaustive, but at least it will get you started.

Knet Golf

Lost Golf Balls

The Golf Nut

Used Golf Ball Deals

Golf Ball Monster

Craig

Well there aren’t!

There Are Some Great, Lesser Known Manufacturers Out There

I wanted to briefly give mention to some of the smaller golf equipment manufacturers who make some very good quality equipment of their own. These guys don’t have the budget of the big boys, so they don’t spend hundreds of millions of dollars every year on advertising and sponsorship.

They also tend to pass on a cheaper price to golfers as a result.

Many people are a little hesitant about buying from some of these smaller brands…after all if they were as good wouldn’t everyone be using them?

Well yes and no. People are a little like bit sheep (not you of course…you’re obviously different if you’re here reading this). They see what the pro’s are using and decide if it’s good enough for the pro, it’s good enough for them. And the quality across the entire range of golf equipment is probably a little more consistent with the big brands – after all they have much bigger R&D budgets so this is only natural.

But for my mind this just means there are hidden gems out there waiting to be discovered. A certain driver from a manufacturer that is brilliant. An unknown putter that puts all the others to shame.

So how do you go about finding these smaller these little known gems?

Well it’s not easy, but I do have a simple strategy that you can use which will put you on the right path. It does require that you spend a little time on research, but at the end of it, you can be rewarded with a great deal on a set of clubs that you may never have considered before.

It basically involves using the many golf forums out there as your research tool. These are without a doubt the greatest source of unbiased golf info you will come across and they should always be used as part of your search for cheap golf equipment.

We are going to try and use these forums to find some golf equipment from one of the smaller brands that is generating some buzz. I have included a list of lesser known golf manufacturers at the bottom of this post – these are going to form the basis of your research. You will do searches for equipment made by these manufacturers, looking for any that are generating more interest than normal.

Here’s The Plan.

1. Visit some of the manufacturer websites listed below and make a note of any of the golf clubs you see that sound interesting, or that you would consider trying out.
2. Take your list of these clubs and do a search for that model at the golf forums.
3. Scan through some of the threads and try and look for positive and/or negative reviews from people about those particular clubs.

You’re looking for threads where there are a number of people who are talking enthusiastically about that product. If there are any that seem to be receiving an unusually high amount of praise, it is very possible that you have found a piece of golf equipment from one of these smaller manufacturers that is worth further exploration.

What you then need to do is try and get this piece of equipment into your hands and take it for a test drive. You’ll never know if the equipment is any good for you until you hit some balls.

Here’s another great tip

Due to the lower recognition of these second tier brands, their resale value drops more than big brand name stuff. So there is every chance that you will find an even cheaper deal for these brands at eBay.

If All This Sounds Like Too Much Work…

That’s ok…as long as you take away one thing from this article I’ll consider my job done for the day. Use golf forums as part of your research strategy.

Even if you’re not the sort of guy who loves to post messages and get involved, you can still use them as a great library full of useful golfing info. I’m not big into forum involvement myself (I’m going to try and get more involved), but I’ve spent plenty of time scanning threads when I needed information. Pretty much any question you have will be answered somewhere in a forum.

And if it’s not…ask.

Members of active golf forums are great at helping people out. It’s almost surprising sometimes how much effort people will go to in answering a questions from another member.

At some stage in the future I’ll do a good post on forums, which are the best etc, but for now just go and join one or two and take a look around, get the feel of the place. You’ll learn plenty no matter what your level of experience.

In the next article I’m going to move on to component golf equipment and start off by looking at how you would go about buying some cheap component golf clubs.

Websites Of Some Of The Lesser Known Golf Club Manufacturers

Adams Golf

Bridgestone Golf

Cobra Golf

MacGregor Golf

Nickent Golf

Snake Eyes @ Golfsmith

Srixon Golf

Tour Edge

Craig

]]> http://whowantscheapgolf.com/230/cheap-new-golf-equipment/feed/ 0 http://whowantscheapgolf.com/354/global-golf-review/ http://whowantscheapgolf.com/354/global-golf-review/#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:42:11 +0000 http://www.whowantscheapgolf.com/?p=354 Global Golf are one of the major players in the world of online golf equipment, and they should definitely be checked as part of your hunt for some discount golf clubs.

Strengths

Simple Lay-Out

The home page of this website doesn’t stretch on and on like some others, keeping things simple and easy to find.

Sell Both New & Used Equipment

One of the great things about Global Golf is that they don’t just limit themselves to new or used equipment. They offer both, which means they can also offer you the option of trading in your current golf clubs when you are looking to buy some new ones.

Now I wouldn’t always recommend that you take them up on this – you can often get more selling your old set yourself than what they’ll give you as a trade in value. But when it comes to convenience you can’t beat sending them in, and getting a discount on your new set. Takes all the hassle out of things like trying to sell on eBay.

Good Closeout & Unused Returns Section

In some of my other articles I’ve covered how you can get great deals on new golf equipment through closeout sales and Global Golf has an excellent section dedicated to clearance stock known as their Bargain Barrel.

The other great section they have is called their ‘Open Box’, which is basically golf equipment that has been returned for whatever reason without ever being used. They sell these golf clubs at a discount so you’re getting cheap new golf equipment which is great.

Weaknesses

I’ll be honest I couldn’t really find any. I came across just one unhappy review from a woman who had purchased some shoes and had trouble getting the refund on a return sorted out. That was it.

General Info

Sales Tax – applies to gear shipped to North & South Carilina

Shipping – vary depending on your purchase. have a free shipping offer for orders over $100. Just make sure to use coupon code FREESHIP199 when you purchase. They advertise it on the front page, but you have to make sure you enter the code at checkout to get the discount.

Dedicated Sections – have sections for juniors, women, seniors and left handers.

Deals – every order over $25 is eligible for a free 12 month subsription to Golf Magazine ($24.95 value). If you don’t want the magazine you can get a rebate of $24.95 on your order. Check this link for more details and instructions on how to get a rebate.

Conclusion

Definitely one of the best options when it comes to buying discount golf equipment online

NB If you’ve had any experiences with Global Golf – good or bad – please feel free to let the other readers know about them by commenting below. It might help them decide whether or not to use that retailer.

I’ll start off by saying that you are rarely going to find much of a difference between retailers on the price of brand name golf balls. A dozen Pro V1’s are going to cost you about the same amount at TGW, Rock Bottom, Global Golf and all the other major retailers. The manufacturer’s set a Suggested Retail Price (SRP) and the retailer’s tend to stick to it like mud to your son’s sport clothes.

So Where Can You Find Good Deals?

Well the best option is to buy golf balls that are logo over-runs. These are balls that have been been branded with some company’s/sports team’s logo so they can be given away as a promotional tool. What ends up happening is there are more made than required, and the left overs are offered for sale at a discount.

These balls have absolutely nothing wrong with them…unless you’re a Tar Heels fan and the balls come branded with a big Blue Devil. In terms of performance these balls are no different to the ones without the logo. They are just cheaper.

Logo over-runs can be a bit hit and miss – the ball you want won’t always be available. So when they do come up for sale it is a good idea to buy a few extras and put them away. Golf balls aren’t like fish…they don’t go off. You do need to keep them out of extreme temperatures (hot and cold), but as long as they aren’t left in the garage during a crisp Michigan winter than they will hold their condition just fine.

So Where Can I Find Logo Over-Runs

There are a number of online retailers who have dedicated sections for logo over-runs, which are listed below. Maybe bookmark these sites and check back with them regularly. When your brand comes up for sale…BOOM! – you can pounce on that deal.

In the next post I’ll take a look at buying cheap used golf balls. I’ll cover a range of topics including how golf balls are graded, how golf balls are affected by being submerged and I’ll give you the websites of some of the more reputable retailers of used golf balls

Websites With Dedicated Sections For Logo Over-Run Golf Balls

www.GolfBalls.com

www.TheGolfBallPlace.com

www.GolfLink.com

www.GPPGolf.com

www.GolfSmith

Craig

When a piece of equipment, or set of clubs first comes onto the market there is going to be very little opportunity for you to get a discount. The price will be about the same across all major retailers and as a general rule the prices online will be slightly cheaper than at physical outlets. So if you need to buy it then and there an online retailer is going to be your best bet.

You may be able to find yourself a coupon that you can use to get yourself something taken off the price. Most of the on line retailers will have coupons available at various times throughout the year. You can do a search for coupons in google. There are also rebate sites that can help you get an extra percentage taken off the price, depending on the retailer

Now if you’re keen to buy new golf equipment, but you’re willing to be a little more patient then you are going to have much better options when it comes to getting a cheap deal.

Buying New Equipment From Closeout Sales

The best place for you to find a cheap deal is going to be the closeout/clearance section of some of the online golf retailers. A closeout is a line of equipment that is being replaced by a newer model. In order to create room for the new line, manufacturer’s offer retailers financial incentives (usually rebates or discounts) to encourage them to lower the price and sell their remaining golf gear as soon as possible.

Which means that you are going to able to get a great discount on some brand name golf equipment.

Take Advantage Of New Product Launches

One strategy that you can use is to keep your ears to the ground with regards to new products being launched by your favourite manufacturers. Chances are that any new equipment is going to be replacing a current model, so then all you need to do is monitor the price for that model and buy when the price is right.

You probably need to watch a few different retailers – both online and off. The more stock a store has to move the greater the chances they will lower their price significantly, and each retailer is going to have differing amounts of stock left so it pays to monitor a few different sources.

I have included a lsit on online retailers who have dedicated sections on their websites devoted to closeout stock – monitor these on a regular basis. The advertised deals in this section of their website will be constantly changing.

Websites With Dedicated Closeout Sections

Global Golf

Best Value Golf Liquidators

Global Golf Bargain Barrel

Golf Discount Closeouts

Golf Galaxy Bargain Bunker

TGW Final Clearance

TGW Ultimate Closeout

Craig

There are two parts of your game that you need to think about before you go spending money on your next sleeve of golf balls

Swing Speed

The first thing you need to do is think about your golf swing for a second. Do you have a slow, medium or fast swing? If you’re not sure you can have your swing speed measured using some of the fancy equipment available at many large retail outlets these days. Or you could just ask your pro – they will probably be able to look at your swing and give you a rough estimate of your swing speed.

Your swing speed will affect the compression of the ball you should be playing. All you really need to know is that the slower your swing speed, the lower the compression of the ball you should be playing. This will help you maximize your distance.

Ball Flight & Short Game

Basically we are talking about your ball control here. Golf ball’s have different spin characteristics and these can be used to get more out of your game, as well as to minimize the effects of your weaknesses.

Let’s say for example you have a wicked slice that you are really struggling to control. This is obviously going to result in sprayed shots, lost balls, and if you are compensating for it by starting the ball left, then you are sacrificing distance as well.

What you can do is look for a ball that is going to minimize the size of your slice, and maximize your distance. You want a low spin ball, probably of a two piece construction and the compression will then depend on your swing speed.

If you’re at the other end of the skill scale, then you are going to be looking more for performance balls that can maximize your touch around the greens. High spin balls with softer covers will do the job and a little trial and error will be required to test a few golf balls that fit this description and find the one that suits you best.

And that’s basically all you really need to know.

We could go into a lot more depth, but in the end as long as you know that there are steps you can take to get more out of your game by choosing the right ball then you are on the right track. For more detailed information you can then go in and discuss things with your professional who should be up to date on golf ball technology and can point you in the right direction.

Golf Ball Selector

There is also a resource which you might be interested in that can help you scientifically select the right ball for your game. You’ve heard of having clubs fitted right? Well this is a service that will fit you for a golf ball. They will assess all the factors mentioned above and provide you with a short-list of golf balls that best match your requirements. You can then test these out and choose for yourself.

I’ll be honest, this service isn’t for everybody. But I will say this…there are currently over 100 golf balls on the market. If you’re the sort of golfer who has only really tried 1 or 2 of these balls, but you’d like to consider some of the others that are out there, than this is exactly what you need. You’ll be surprised at the results that it turns up for you.

Next up…

OK…from here we are going to move into the good stuff. Hunting down cheap deals on golf balls. I’ll start off by looking at getting you some deals on new golf balls and from there we’ll move into the used golf ball market. I’ve also got some insider strategies I’ll let you in on which I can almost guarantee will get you cheaper golf balls than you’re getting right now.

Take It Easy

So Which Is The Best Option?

Well…they all are. At any point in time any one of these retailers could be offering a great deal on golf balls. And when they do you need to be ready to pounce on that deal. I mentioned in a previous post the need to be organized. This is because of the huge number of options we now have. This doesn’t mean you have to spend hours and hours in the hope of saving yourself a couple of bucks. But by being on top of things you can save yourself good money over the course of a season.

Check All Your Sources On A Regular Basis

What you want to do is get into the habit of regularly checking some of the different sources. If you walk past a golf shop regularly, drop in once a week. Have a chat to staff – becoming friendly is a great way of getting cheap golf deals. They let you know about upcoming specials, and often have deals available for regular’s that other golfers don’t get access to.

You also want to have a few golf ball retailers online that you check on a regular basis. You may want to sign up for their emails if they have that option – let them come to you with the deals rather than you chasing after them.

Take Advantage Of Good Deals When They Roll Around

Then when there is a particularly good deal available on your particular brand of ball, buy up. Put a few away – golf balls hold their condition quite well as long as they aren’t kept in extremely cold or hot temperatures. The garage over winter is definitely not the place to keep them.

SUMMARY OF THE DIFFERENT RETAIL OPTIONS AVAILABLE

• Pro Shop (both new and used balls)

• Golf Superstores (often good for bulk deals)

• Online golf retailers – some have excellent deals running on golf balls

• Online retailers specializing in new golf balls.

• Online retailers specializing in used/reconditioned/lake balls.

• EBay – often overlooked for golf balls. Will cover in more detail in a future post.

These different options for buying cheap golf balls  will all be covered in more detail in future posts – with tips and strategies you can use to save money no matter where you shop.

Craig