Used Clubs

If you have started life buying an used car you will notice that all car magazines only talk about the latest new cars. Worse, there was no Internet to source or find out any useful information and you are at the mercy of used car salesmen. For used cars there is no comparison to be made as they were previously owned by owners who handled their cars differently. You will be lucky if you could find the manual still there. For the same reason why you needed a car, you will do the same when investing in golf clubs. What kind of player are you? Beginner? Just trying out? Very good player? Budget concerns? A replacement? Some golfers play their clubs especially irons for a very long time without changing while mostly they would change their drivers, woods, hybrids, putters, etc. 


Others keep on changing or upgrading like their mobile phones. Some folks have a store room full of golf clubs. There are people I know who would recycle the clubs they play with. Titleist this week, Callaway the next. Cleveland another time then Taylormade or Ping. Then there are some who kept buying because the salesman told him that it was very good and it was true at the beginning but after awhile it seems to feel just like the others. Just like when the new car smell is gone and while it used to be oh so quiet, now you hear some imaginary noises here and there. That is when golfers who kept some old clubs long enough wanted to have them sold off. A few will try to sell off by themselves. They ask around in their circle of friends, maybe paste a note at Cold Storage, advertise in some golf magazines, etc. By and large, the most effective way to do it is still to put it out on a consignment basis at a used club golf shop.

When you put your clubs there, potential buyers can see and feel them. The selling and time spent is being done by the golf shop and all you need to do is to fix a price to let go. Call them back from a week later or subsequently as you will never know how soon it will be sold as they can be sold within a day or a month. Finally, when done, go back there to get you money. This is still better than spending too much money on beer at the coffee shop where in the old days the bottle can fetch at least 10 cents. 

However, you will need to be realistic about the price. Like a car, once bought, the resale price nosedive by half. The reason is very simple because a new golf club once used becomes an used club. Manufacturers are on a continuous run of bringing in newer products and some product shelf life even when new is becoming shorter. A driver bought for $500 quickly becomes $400 then $300 when the product face competition from other brands and sometimes even from the same brand when a newer model is launched. 

This means that your $500 driver has fast become a $200 driver. If you go in expecting to get $300 then it is a false hope as buyers will go for the new ones at slightly more. They will usually peg a price where it is about half of the new club's price at current rate (not at the price you bought). It gets really tough if the brand you use is unheard of. That is how it works - never to your favour. As for me, I do it for experiment and study from time to time and also to discern what manufacturers or golf magazines claim.

Here is where I sometimes do it - at Golf Zone owned by Dino Kwek and Jenny and assisted by Yati at Far East Shopping Center in Orchard. Just opposite their used club shop, they have an outlet that sells accessories like shoes, cart and stand bags and a new range of an exciting golf brand. They have another unit at Bishan Driving Range.

According to Jim Murray of Los Angeles Times, Seve Ballesteros goes after a golf course the way a lion goes after the zebra. Ballesteros has lent his association to this UK-based Irish manufacturer of golf clubs, bags and accessories. MD Golf has a "super strong series" for drivers, woods and hybrids with their signature black club head and face with bright yellow trims and shafts. For example, the MD Superstrong driver has won an award as the Best Value driver by TodayGolfer UK. 

It isn't just the value of the club that is outstanding but apparently it was rated a 4.1 for looks out of 5, 3.6 for Feel, 3.4 for Sound, 3.6 for Forgiveness, 4.o for Dispersion and a massive 4.6 for Distance and a total of 4 stars out of five an equal rating with the Bridgestone J38 and the Mizuno MP-630. Testers found it a joy to hit and has brilliant and unbeatable value. It also won "Gold Value" by American Golf UK who found it easy on the game and easy on the wallet. They asked MD how they could churn out great clubs at these prices and were told that if they told them then they have to kill them. This is MD Golf.

There is also an identical looking fairway wood and hybrid that won similar accolades. Testers were stunned by its consistency and thought they had the feel and forgiveness of clubs that cost a lot more. In one issue of the magazine, they found the Fairway Finder the longest on test. The hybrid came in for mention too winning the best on test in a certain month in 2009.

How To Buy Used Clubs
These are usually good for the budget conscious, those who are just trying out if they like golf, those seeking replacement for an older model which they like or may be you are just checking out a hybrid the first time or may be you are someone who don't get to play much but perfect for new golfers. Why blow a fortune on something you are not sure if you will play well or even stick with it? A few simple tips may help you answer a few questions, simplify the process and know what you should be getting.

Knowledge - Presuming that you are already a golfer. Have some knowledge about the brand and model when it was new, what was this club like and what was it for. In the absence of this, bring along an expert or a friend who knows to help in your selection. This helps to tick all the boxes.

Brands & Models - Look out for brands and models. Lesser known or smaller brands are not bad clubs but the craftsmanship that goes into Ping, Titleist, Callaway, TaylorMade, Cobra, etc. makes a difference. Models are important too because not every brand makes the best clubs in each category all the time. Also different models fall into different categories of Player's club, game improvement or super-game improvement. You have to know what fits your game.

Club Heads - The club face must not have indentations as it will alter ball flight when hit. Check that all edges on the grooves are still well defined and not worn out.

Shafts - Make sure that there are no cracks or dents on all shafts as it will cause weakness. Ensure all shafts are the same type in terms of flex and brand for consistency.
Grips - Check grips for wear and tear. This is no big deal but if they are all worn out or torn, you will need to add another $8-10 per club for a re-grip. AT least make sure that it will not be immediate.

Consistency - Get consistency meaning a correct progression throughout the set. Not a set comprising different brands, models, shafts or shaft length, different size club heads, etc.

Do Your Homework - Check prices before you do anything. Do some homework. Get some one who knows to go with you.

Metal Woods - Be a bit more careful on metal woods. Alloy are more susceptible than metal in terms of aging and play as alloy contains aluminum which is softer therefore, easier to be damaged. Stick to better known brands for their reliability and craftsmanship even though it may cost a bit more.

As for me, one of the main reasons why I buy new equipment periodically is to experiment. When I do experiments, I learn about intimate details about the brands/models and find out for myself whether what the manufacturers claimed were true. I find out about what golf magazines say were biased. I find out what testers described were accurate. It also gives me new understanding on the game including technology development and engineering at its best. With all these I can help people improve and enjoy their game more. It is a dirty job but somebody has got to do it! Who knows one day I might invent a "Freakinstein" golf driver.

Selling and buying used golf clubs is actually easier than trading in your brain or a parachute. Imagine the following caption:

Parachute For Sale: Used only once. Never opened. Has some stains.

Brain For Sale: One Careful Owner, Seldom Used, Mint Condition.

Golf as in life, play as it lies.