Golf is an expensive game and equipment prices only seem to be on the rise. In the midst of this, you do not need to worry because there are various sources to find pre-owned golf equipment, including us. So what are these sources and how should you chose?
What are the various sources to buy pre owned golf equipment in India?
- Local Caddies: There is the network of caddies in each club, who are well versed and have knowledge of who is selling their old clubs. These are a really good resource, these guys can sometimes have really super deals with them and sometimes not so good. Usually there is a lot of bargaining scope as well here. The only issue that one can think of here is that if you are a novice then for you to decipher between age of clubs and their originality can be a challenge. We will discuss about how to check clubs in another blog.
- Friends: I would think that there is nothing like this way, if you have friends who are in to golf, they can help ou find great equipment whether you’re a beginner or a decent golfer. The odd friend usually will have a club or two spare that can help you.
- Local pro shops: Most pro shops after selling equipment also tend to have golf equipment which is given to them via members to sell. These can be a good hub as well to hunt at times.
- OLX and Quikr: Probably the go to option for most golfers is to go on OLX and search for pre owned equipment, this system bears two challenges as we see it, one is similar to the earlier one and the second being the challenge of shipping, because the chances of you finding what you actually want in the same city as you bears a very grim chance. Moreover, sometimes the equipment can be in the same town but the distance and time doesn’t allow the transaction to happen.
- Golf Garage: I have to sneak in this mention, because GG as a company tries to take out these existing errors in the unorganized sector to find good equipment and makes sure of originality as well as quality of the equipment sold. The problems with shipping as well as high prices are taken care of in a fashion where in we try and get you cheapest golf equipment from our end.
How to chose what’s right for you?
This question bears its answers in various points:
Budget: A very important aspect in buying equipment whether you’re an avid golfer or just about starting your journey in this beautiful game. You must have a pre defined budget for the clubs you need to buy. The main reason to choose pre-owned is usually the budget so one must have that clarity before we decide to procure.
Category of shafts: This is a topic that can use one post in itself, but I can try and make this as short as possible. When buying a set or even a single club, you must be aware of the kind of shaft you should be using. Usually your coach or a golfing friend can help you make estimation on that. Sometimes we might get lured in to a good deal and later find that the piece of equipment is not helping us play, that’s most likely because of the shaft specs that club has. Your set should bear similar shafts according to the flex and weight parameters through the set or else a certain club could feel different in your ammunition. As a golfer the same good deal can turn out to become a bad one for you. Make sure you are purchasing according to your needs and not market trends.
Age of clubs: This is a major problem in this sector, sometimes the sets we get can be very old models, in this case you must look at a variety of factors, one go back to budget and your level of play, are you a beginner or a regular golfer. In case your budget is small and you are not sure whether you will continue playing the sport later on, I would recommend these deals if they are great. As a beginner if you get a decent condition golf set which can help you learn around 5-15k I would think that can be a bang for your buck. Thereafter whenever you see yourself improving could be a better time to invest in a set which then also can be decided on the basis of your ability and the shaft specs you might need after learning to swing a little and play on the course a couple of times. Haven’t you heard time and again, I started playing with my granddads old set and now I will be graduating to a batter one?
When your budget permits, I would recommend you don’t go in for a club which is too old, this way you could be more careful with your money and get something which can last you a much longer time say 3-5 years.
Brands: This remains another much spoken about topic, there are various brands, some famous and some not. There are a lot of brands, some of them have a good quality control and some of them produce clubs like a packet of chips. So as a customer you must be well aware of the brands so as to know what quality you are getting in return for your money. Buying very cheap brands mainly made for beginners such as package sets, could be a pretty bad idea owing to its quality control and construction. The shafts and club head metal quality could all be quite poor, causing more harm to your body than its only benefit of being light on your pocket.
Changes in technology?
This is a question that comes quite often. The advent of new models in a span of just a few months seems to make us believe that technology is changing in golf clubs constantly. Actually in the past decade equipment companies have evolved in tech of clubs very little. There has been massive change since the first Taylormade burner metal wood to the new Taylormade M6, but has technology changed a lot since the Taylormade R11 to the TM M6, erm, maybe not. The reasons for this are pretty simple, the odd driver comes out with new gimmicks and proclaims that it will go 5 yards longer, can you even tell the difference of 5 yards in your drives? Lets say even if it does, data still shows that the average golfer still remains an 18 handicapper. So if technology had come that far, why didn’t the golfers scores show it. There is definitely some great clubs out there but doesn’t necessarily mean that it will help you in becoming a better player. A great example of this is Henrik Stenson who still plays with Callaway Legacy irons from 2013 and has until 2019 played an old model of the Callaway 3 wood. That’s because that’s what he believes helps him perform and he sticks to it. Jeev Milka Singh has played for countless years with a Ping Zing lob wedge which is a model dated back to 1991. Quite a never ending debate. But your equipment is only as good as how you can best use it.
Condition of Grips?
One must make sure that the grip on the club or clubs should be usable and still has traction on it. Grips are an expensive proposition. An original grip costs anywhere between Rs490/- up to Rs1500/- per grip in India. So when you are investing, one must ensure the grips are good or else you must add up that extra cost you will incur very soon on the clubs.
Also Read: Easy guide to start golfing
Hope this guide helps you in choosing the correct equipment and from any source you deem fit. If you have questions you felt I have left out, do feel free to email them to golfgarageindia@gmail.com and I shall try and answer them as soon as possible.