Where to buy golf clubs online
When buying golf equipment online, many people think of eBay (especially for used clubs) and the “top” online golf stores. However, there are many more options available for purchasing golf clubs online.
AUCTION SITES
Yes, eBay exists, and it really is unrivaled in online auctions. eBay is unrivaled when it comes to variety and volume. However, you might get stung on eBay if you’re not careful (see tips section below). Here are some other auction sites you might want to try:
o Online Auction (US) – I found around 200 golf items available for auction here. Mainly golf balls, gloves, and other bits and pieces … not much in the shape of clubs. It may be worth checking out
o Golfbidder (UK / Europe) – mainly sells second hand golf clubs, sourced from professionals at golf clubs across the UK (a small% comes directly from the public). While most clubs are sold as “instant purchases”, some are up for auction. Usually more than 30 items are auctioned at a time and you may be able to get a good deal
o Grays Online (Australia) – Sellers on this site are primarily manufacturers, distributors or retailers attempting to move excess or slow moving stock … not consumer to consumer auctions. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, as this reduces some of the risk, but it also reduces the scope. While there were only around 40 golf items up for auction last time I looked, there were some good deals. Worth a look
Generally, you would avoid buying new golf equipment through online auctions. While you can take some precautions, it is difficult to know if you are getting the genuine item or just a knockoff. The big, well-known eBay sellers are probably an exception.
MAIN ONLINE STORES
There are quite a few well established online golf stores that carry a wide range of equipment and have invested heavily in their brand. Some are better than others, but you shouldn’t get any surprises and you should expect quality service, fast delivery, a refund policy, and lots of information for buyers (for example, buying guides). Some of the best include:
or Golfsmith
o The golf store
or Callaway Golf
o Golf Rockbottom
o Golf Outlets USA
o Golf discount
o Golf de Austad
or Golf Galaxy
or Snainton Golf
o Golf online
ONLINE GOLF FORUMS
Some great online golf communities have formed in recent years and you can now choose from literally dozens of online golf forums to join. Some of the larger ones have an area to buy, sell and trade golf equipment.
Because golf forums are small (ish) communities of people with a shared interest, it is a fairly safe and supportive environment to buy and sell equipment. If you’re not sure if a golf club seller is genuine, just ask other forum members.
There is a lot of combined knowledge in these forums, so the bad apples are quickly discovered.
I think these are the best and they have a very active buy / sell / trade area:
o Golf WRX – approx. 79,000 members (primarily US)
o Golf Magic – approx. 77,000 members (mainly UK / Europe)
or iseekgolf – approx. 75,000 members (mainly Australia)
USED GOLF EQUIPMENT STORES
Used equipment stores are a great alternative to eBay, classifieds, and other online auction sites. Larger used online stores will often have: (1) a used club inspection and certification process, (2) no-questions-asked return policy, (3) 12-month warranty; and (4) warranty for damage in shipment.
While many of the large online golf stores sell used and new golf equipment, there are some online stores that only sell used golf equipment:
USED ONLY
o Callaway Used: Also sell other brands, eg Nike, Titleist, Ping, TaylorMade. Offers 12-month warranty, money-back guarantee, and 90-day buyback
o TaylorMade Used – 14-day money-back guarantee and 12-month warranty
o Golfbidder (UK) – 7 day no quibble return policy, 12 month warranty and some good buyer’s guides to help you choose the right clubs
USED AND NEW
o Golfsmith – 30 day return policy. No Warranty – They are subject to the manufacturer’s warranty (which has probably expired!)
o Edwin Watts Golf: 30 day return policy. No Warranty: They are subject to the manufacturer’s warranty.
o Direct Golf (UK): used clubs obtained from exchanges at Direct Golf stores. 14 day money back guarantee. No warranty
AMAZON
The Amazon market is big … very big. And there is a good variety of new and used golf equipment here.
The Amazon marketplace is a bit like eBay in that sellers (large and small) sign up with Amazon to sell their new or used golf equipment. The difference is that the items are not auctioned, they are sold at the advertised price. It’s also a little less risky with Amazon’s purchase guarantee – your money will be refunded if you don’t receive the item you paid for, or if it’s not what you expected.
Amazon also offers a free subscription to Golf Digest or Golf World if you spend more than $ 25 (US only).
Take a look at Amazon Golf.
EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURING SITES
There is really only one leading club manufacturer that sells online, and that is Callaway. The others like Titleist, Ping, Nike, etc. obviously have websites to market their gear, but they generally sell clubs through retail stores.
Some manufacturers (listed below), while not selling equipment online, do provide information and tools that would be helpful to online shoppers:
o Titleist: Titleist provides a really comprehensive description of their products (including Vokey wedges and Scotty Cameron putters), as well as a catalog of their previous models. There is also information on how to spot fake Titleist equipment.
o Ping – The Ping site has an online club adaptation tool that would be helpful if you plan to buy Ping equipment online elsewhere. Ping also has information on how to spot fake equipment.
o Odyssey – Here you can find a pretty good online tool for finding the right putter. You can buy Odyssey putters on the Callaway website
o Callaway: you can purchase equipment directly from Callaway in their online store
ONLINE CLASSIFIEDS
Online classifieds sites are another option, primarily for used golf clubs. The local classifieds newspaper has moved online, so there is a good chance that you will find a classifieds website for your local area. While you may not find the widest variety of golf clubs, if the seller is nearby, you can drive to see the clubs.
Craigslist hosts classifieds that serve everyone, so you should also take a look here. It is the 8th most popular website in the US, with around 50 million unique visitors per month!