Had quite a visit with my buddies at GG last night. Excellent discussion... no answers. So, thought I'd troll for input from some of you.
Where is the industry going? Lots and lots of new releases. Mizzy, Ping, Titty, TM, Adams... the new sticks are being released and hitting the shelves. Due to the economy, the current stuff isn't selling. What will happen with the new releases?
The new Cally FT-iQ will surely be a $500 driver. The new Ping Rapture will retail close to $500. There's bound to be a TM Burner Limited TP that will see the $500 mark for at least 6 or 7 days!! The new Cobra L5V will go for well over $400.
TM's are being reduced daily. $299 Burners are now $199. $399 SuperQuads are $229. Adams drivers were released at $299, but didn't even get to the rack before being reduced to $169. Titty D1's and D2's are being marked down a hundred to a hundred and a half. ECCO golf shoes GG rec'd last Friday were discounted $70 bucks/pair yesterday. And, at these mark-down prices... stuff is still not selling!!
GG's club repair business is booming. More regrips and reshafts than they have seen since opening this store. Pre-owned sales stay level. The bottom has fallen out of the sales of new merchandise. Staff numbers are being cut because people just aren't walking through the doors.
Is it the economy? That has to be a major player. Is it the industry? Is there just nothing "new" and everything looks like a repackagiing of last year's models? Is it the sport? With TW's long layoff and moving a large percentage of tourney coverage to TGC, have people lost interest?
What, in your opinion, are the largest contributory factors to the current state of the golf equipment industry? What, in your opinion, will it take to see a revitalization of the industry? Will the industry ever be back to the hype of the '90's? Or, should we be giving up our own sticks and replacing them with checkers or ping pong paddles??
Where is the industry going? Lots and lots of new releases. Mizzy, Ping, Titty, TM, Adams... the new sticks are being released and hitting the shelves. Due to the economy, the current stuff isn't selling. What will happen with the new releases?
The new Cally FT-iQ will surely be a $500 driver. The new Ping Rapture will retail close to $500. There's bound to be a TM Burner Limited TP that will see the $500 mark for at least 6 or 7 days!! The new Cobra L5V will go for well over $400.
TM's are being reduced daily. $299 Burners are now $199. $399 SuperQuads are $229. Adams drivers were released at $299, but didn't even get to the rack before being reduced to $169. Titty D1's and D2's are being marked down a hundred to a hundred and a half. ECCO golf shoes GG rec'd last Friday were discounted $70 bucks/pair yesterday. And, at these mark-down prices... stuff is still not selling!!
GG's club repair business is booming. More regrips and reshafts than they have seen since opening this store. Pre-owned sales stay level. The bottom has fallen out of the sales of new merchandise. Staff numbers are being cut because people just aren't walking through the doors.
Is it the economy? That has to be a major player. Is it the industry? Is there just nothing "new" and everything looks like a repackagiing of last year's models? Is it the sport? With TW's long layoff and moving a large percentage of tourney coverage to TGC, have people lost interest?
What, in your opinion, are the largest contributory factors to the current state of the golf equipment industry? What, in your opinion, will it take to see a revitalization of the industry? Will the industry ever be back to the hype of the '90's? Or, should we be giving up our own sticks and replacing them with checkers or ping pong paddles??