How NOT to run a Pro Shop!

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

It might seem a little steep to charge - however tees, balls and gloves probably comprise a fair whack of his base income - sale of bags, clubs, lessons, clothes etc are the upside - and where he can do his 'deals' for you. When I bought my two Vokey oil can finish SM4 wedges recently from our pro, he sold me them for £80 each - quite a nice discount on his ticket price (and today £95 each on Direct Golf UK). The shop will usually give me a pencil if I'm stuck :-)

I'm going to buy a new bag from him - Ping Hoofer. His price is £109 - so he beats the current price on Amazon by £1 (Amazon shows RRP as £135). I can hardly ask him for a further discount - and I won't. If I bought something else at the same time he might do a wee deal on the combined price - but that is up to him.

What you do get from you pro will be free advice and guidance - both on buying kit and on golf and the rules - and he gets to know you and if you have lessons he gets to know your game. So I'm happy to pay for my tees. But I take you point.

[bigslice]

i had my haircut last month, went this morning and told her it had grown back!!!! she wanted to charge me again. i walked out in disgust.

[6inchcup]

Perhaps the guy on the checkout had only just joined and had not been taught how to use it properly?

he shouldn't be allowed in the shop if he had not learnt his trade at a smaller less imposing establishment I HATE NEWBYS!!!!!!!!!

[Jensen]

I buy all my gear from my local Pro. However first I'll shop around and negotiate on price. Don't see the issue here either with the tees the transaction was on a different day, but would have been surprised if he'd have charged £601 for the clubs plus £1 for the tees.
The reason why I buy locally is for peace of mind, if I have any issues I just hand it back and they will sort it. They'll be responsible for post and packaging and sorting it out with the manufacturer. Something you haven't got when buying online.

[Mark_G]

I use my club shop for almost everything and have had some cracking deals from them, I got some free tees a few weeks ago after buying 12 ad333's for £15, whilst I appreciate they must make money, a little every week is better than one big profit then never seeing the customer again.

[HomerJSimpson]

I get all my FJ's from the pro and he will chuck in a sleeve of balls, a couple of fruit bars or something similar (not big but a toekn gesture) most times. I don't ask and if I don't get I don't resent him because of it and it wouldn't stop me doing business with him

[Iaing]

i had my haircut last month, went this morning and told her it had grown back!!!! she wanted to charge me again. i walked out in disgust.

If your hair had grown back it would have been a miracle!!

[pbrown7582]

It always has amazed me that people walk in the pro shop and expected freebies or discount, there's no chance at tesco or the local newsagent the price is marked on the tin. If you ask and they can/will move a bit fair enough but to expect freebies /discount IMO is unrealistic.

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

It always has amazed me that people walk in the pro shop and expected freebies or discount, there's no chance at tesco or the local newsagent the price is marked on the tin. If you ask and they can/will move a bit fair enough but to expect freebies /discount IMO is unrealistic.

I agree - as a member of a member's club I value our Pro as a crucial asset to the club (aka the members). Get a good Pro you want to try and keep him. Trying to get deals out of a club Pro when we all know that their life isn't actually a bed of roses is not very clever if you ask me. If it get's too tough he'll go.

Maybe it's different if you are not a member of the club of the Pro shop you go to - I guess then market forces take hold - so be it. I have bought clubs on-line in the past - but now actually wish I'd given that trade to my Pro - as I nowadays do.

[elevenredmen]

I feel sorry for the club pro these days dealing with tight members expecting freebies just because they purchased a set of irons. Those people will probably be the same members who complain when their club no longer has a pro.