Awkward Experience at GolfSmith

[mliedtke02]

Golfsmith is no different from golf galaxy. 98% are all idiots including instructors. I had two friends within the past week with two totally different swings do a lie test at galaxy. Both were told thy needed a 1 inch extension even tho one is 5 inches taller than the other and both were told they needed their project x shaft .5 higher or lower and that they needed new grips. They go in their for a simple test and he failed at it all the while he had no trouble trying to sell a whole new club worth of adjustments just to make money.

Those places are garbage nobody knows crap. It's all about making money rather than doing what's best for the customer.

[Pudgelewis]

[quote name='tmfool ' timestamp='1330997063' post='4444205']
[quote name='Pepperturbo' timestamp='1330995796' post='4444057']
[quote name='tmfool ' timestamp='1330995291' post='4443983']
did you offer to rent the space?

or just hit their clubs for free?

i'm sure you understand 50% of all golf equipment purchases are made via online websites.
this translates to large number of people taking advantage of retail resources -- with no intention of purchasing anything.

this may not describe your situation -- but this is an every day/all day ocurrence @ almost all retail locations that allow demo clubs to be used in conjunction w/ simulators etc.
[/quote]

Everything you said is true... However, its LGS managements choice and marketing model to make clubs available for customers to hit. If they are paranoid about intent and fearful of the Internets influence, then they shouldn't allow people to hit clubs, or get out of the LGS business. The supposed behavior of staff and the manager will NOT bring back good customers. Regardless of the internet, discussing golf stuff between two friends should not come with assumption, penalty or expectation.
[/quote]


to the best of my knowledge you were not present during the OP's visit - or a witness to actual events


however, you defend his behavior (absent of fact) and quick to characterize the behavior of retailer negatively.

are we missing something here?
[/quote]

What part of his statement would he have needed to have been present to comment on? If that's the case, are you present "every day/all day" at "almost all retail locations" in order to make the statement you did that he was commenting on?

What both of you said is true. And I know that without even having a store within 50 miles to witness it at every day.

[maugust789]

[b]IMHO - if the GS employee and store manager had been attentive to 2 potential customers in the first place this might have turned out quite differently.
The logo you were wearing should have had nothing to do with this!
[/b]
[b]If they had been doing their job in the first place your buddy might have walked out with a new driver.

[/b]I've had different experiences with different golf store employees. When I find a helpful employee I seek them out on my return visits and make sure I purchase from them.
Wether or not they make commissions is not relative because you are forging a relationship. Just like on the golf course, it's more fun to play with guys you like.
That's a win-win in my book.

[SHIVAN]

If the GS employee was a closer, he would have allowed the friendly pointers by the PGM student to his potential customer. Those tips equal better numbers on the LM. Better numbers on a LM = envy. Envy = sales.

If I were a GS manager, I'd have Michael Breed, or some other A-class in there every day giving pointers to guys trying out clubs, especially drivers and putters.

[Jamboy72]

Had a similar situation at another big box store...employee was getting all high and mighty and meanwhile providing absolutely incorrect information...I called him on it and was actually being quite nice about it, trying to allow him to come to his own conclusion that he was wrong, but instead he got uber defensive and arrogant...I just don't go back there, ever....

[shootermcgavin2]

that sucks to hear that. both stores near me are totally laid back and chill about such things and i've never been bothered once hitting balls. in fact i was there about a month ago and there were 2 guys there and 1 was clearly helping the other get fitted.

[mxtitleistgolfer]

[quote name='mliedtke02' timestamp='1331025783' post='4446405']
Golfsmith is no different from golf galaxy. 98% are all idiots including instructors. I had two friends within the past week with two totally different swings do a lie test at galaxy. Both were told thy needed a 1 inch extension even tho one is 5 inches taller than the other and both were told they needed their project x shaft .5 higher or lower and that they needed new grips. They go in their for a simple test and he failed at it all the while he had no trouble trying to sell a whole new club worth of adjustments just to make money.

Those places are garbage nobody knows crap. It's all about making money rather than doing what's best for the customer.
[/quote]

I'm sorry but this is a bit overboard. I get it that apparently everyone on GolfWRX is 20 times smarter than any retail golf shop employee on principle alone, but seriously? From your description its obvious that you don't do fittings yourself, so how are you so sure that this guy fitted them incorrectly? The majority of golfers out there ARE playing clubs that don't fit them properly whether it be flex, lie angle, or length. Also, I have customers come in all the time that think their grips have plenty of life in them still, yet they are so smooth and shiny you can practically see a reflection in them.

The point is, just because your buddies went into the store thinking all they needed was a lie adjustment, doesn't mean that's all they [b]really[/b] needed.

[SnapFade2]

yea that sucks man that they would hassle you for something that stupid. at least you didnt have the idiot that tried to convince me that i need a stiff shaft over a X. i tried to tell him i just was fitted by Cool Clubs and new that an X flex would be perfect he wouldn't stop trying to push a 3 wood in stiff. so most of these guys i came to find out are SALES men. just lead them on and act like you are listing and do your own business. at least thats what i did by the way i ordered a X flex and he still tried pushing the stiff when i was paying.

[Skaffa77]

[quote name='J.W.' timestamp='1331005071' post='4445283']
[quote name='larrybud' timestamp='1331001991' post='4444837']
A few years ago I was at a range with a buddy and had my video camera and laptop with me, and was approached and told that I "couldn't give lessons there" since they had their own pros. I certainly am not qualified to give a lesson, nor was I giving a lesson.

But being the generous soul I am, I offered to pay them 30% of my fee, which was zero. I wasn't bothered after that.
[/quote]

That's not even close to the same thing that happened with the OP.
[/quote]

You are right, but I think larrybud was trying to illustrate a similar situation where golf staff made an assumption on the intent of the consumer without getting their facts straight first. Sadly, I don't think the OP could offer the same solution (30% of his fee, being zero)...

[mantan]

[quote name='mxtitleistgolfer' timestamp='1331046459' post='4447235']
[quote name='mliedtke02' timestamp='1331025783' post='4446405']
Golfsmith is no different from golf galaxy. 98% are all idiots including instructors. I had two friends within the past week with two totally different swings do a lie test at galaxy. Both were told thy needed a 1 inch extension even tho one is 5 inches taller than the other and both were told they needed their project x shaft .5 higher or lower and that they needed new grips. They go in their for a simple test and he failed at it all the while he had no trouble trying to sell a whole new club worth of adjustments just to make money.

Those places are garbage nobody knows crap. It's all about making money rather than doing what's best for the customer.
[/quote]

I'm sorry but this is a bit overboard. I get it that apparently everyone on GolfWRX is 20 times smarter than any retail golf shop employee on principle alone, but seriously? From your description its obvious that you don't do fittings yourself, so how are you so sure that this guy fitted them incorrectly? The majority of golfers out there ARE playing clubs that don't fit them properly whether it be flex, lie angle, or length. Also, I have customers come in all the time that think their grips have plenty of life in them still, yet they are so smooth and shiny you can practically see a reflection in them.

The point is, just because your buddies went into the store thinking all they needed was a lie adjustment, doesn't mean that's all they [b]really[/b] needed.
[/quote]

A lot of people don't get it. The retail golf industry is brutal. Everybody wants a big box around to see/hit stuff. But they don't want to pay a penny more than what they can get online. Most of those places pay peanuts and to their employees it's just a paycheck. Yet people around here expect a deep level of knowledge. It's like an audiophile or videophile going into Best Buy and getting bent because the $7/hr sales guy doesn't know as much a hobby they eat, live and breathe. More often than not, they do know more than the most of their regular customers. The fact they don't know more than an internet golf junkie doesn't make employee an idiot anymore than it makes the 'expert' a genius.

I think a lot of these situations go bad because the approach the customers take. Nobody likes being made to feel incompetent/stupid in their job. In one of the posts above somebody acted surprised that an employee got defensive when he got called out about something on their job. I bet every single person on this board would get a little salty if one of their clients/customers made them feel incompetent in their line of work. It's human nature.

[umassgolfer]

OP- Did you grab new clubs off the rack and go demo them without a store employee? Or did you go into the demo cart and configure a set-up yourself? Did you give the staff there a chance to offer the service that you ended up providing for your buddy?

No doubt the store employees could have handled it with more finesse, but if either case above happened back when I was working at the Golf Galaxy store in VA, it would have been my head if I didn't go investigate.

There are two factors at play - protecting the merchandise and overall liability of the store (and chain). If you grabbed a driver off the rack and didn't "adequately" protect the hitting surface the club is no longer new. Sure, some stores still sell those clubs as new (leading to plenty of well justified gripes here) because otherwise they'd have no new clubs to sell.

Similarly, is you went into a fitting cart and put together a combo, and something happened to go wrong causing one of you to get injured, there is the possibility of a lawsuit. Not saying you would pursue it, but there are those who would.

It would be ridiculous to suggest that an employee does not need to be present when someone is hitting clubs in the store. The store surely appreciates your business and hopes you continue to support them, they just don't appreciate how this particular situation was handled.

[Bad9]

[quote name='mliedtke02' timestamp='1331025783' post='4446405']
Golfsmith is no different from golf galaxy. 98% are all idiots including instructors. I had two friends within the past week with two totally different swings do a lie test at galaxy. Both were told thy needed a 1 inch extension even tho one is 5 inches taller than the other and both were told they needed their project x shaft .5 higher or lower and that they needed new grips. They go in their for a simple test and he failed at it all the while he had no trouble trying to sell a whole new club worth of adjustments just to make money.

Those places are garbage nobody knows crap. It's all about making money rather than doing what's best for the customer.
[/quote]

Height has little to do with properly fit length and lie. A short guy with short arms likley won't need the same specs as a short guy with long arms even though they may be the same height. Wrist to floor is the most common static measurement used but a dynamic fitting is preferable.

[Boogs2]

[quote name='TigerStrong' timestamp='1330994311' post='4443861']
Just don't go back...no big deal
[/quote]


Yup...no need to give them your business anymore. Plain and simple. If the club builder I trust didnt work at golf galaxy, I would never go there cause of one of the managers...he always follows me around thinking I stole something. That guy is a d*uche. Anyway, the OP was not in the wrong and honestly, a lot (not all) of the big box store workers dont know much about equipment, but thats why they get hired, so management can mold them into the selling superstars they really are (*end sarcasm).

[JDSPGA]

[quote name='umassgolfer' timestamp='1331047610' post='4447383']
OP- Did you grab new clubs off the rack and go demo them without a store employee? Or did you go into the demo cart and configure a set-up yourself? Did you give the staff there a chance to offer the service that you ended up providing for your buddy?

No doubt the store employees could have handled it with more finesse, but if either case above happened back when I was working at the Golf Galaxy store in VA, it would have been my head if I didn't go investigate.

There are two factors at play - protecting the merchandise and overall liability of the store (and chain). If you grabbed a driver off the rack and didn't "adequately" protect the hitting surface the club is no longer new. Sure, some stores still sell those clubs as new (leading to plenty of well justified gripes here) because otherwise they'd have no new clubs to sell.

Similarly, is you went into a fitting cart and put together a combo, and something happened to go wrong causing one of you to get injured, there is the possibility of a lawsuit. Not saying you would pursue it, but there are those who would.

It would be ridiculous to suggest that an employee does not need to be present when someone is hitting clubs in the store. The store surely appreciates your business and hopes you continue to support them, they just don't appreciate how this particular situation was handled.
[/quote]

Absolutely not. Golfsmith has a bunch of drivers on racks by the hitting bays labeled "Free demos" that are all beat up and meant to be grabbed and hit. I'd never hit a new driver without getting it taped up. I didn't touch any fitting carts. Obviously doing something like that would be WAY out of line, but I did nothing more than any other customer would be doing, simply hitting the free demo clubs. I just happened to know what to look for on a launch monitor.

[mliedtke02]

It is funny to see people here that both agree how bad the customer service was and those that try to defend a big box store. Those that do seem to either work at one, or have worked at one.

When it comes down to it, this thread and most comments relating to it have to do with poor customer service, regardless of a fitting or hitting clubs.

Whether your paid 10 cents or 100,000 at the store, piss poor attitude and piss poor customer service doesnt do justice. Your still at the store working for your specified time and it gives you no right to treat others like ignorants, nor be an ahole. Being in a retail store you ought to know two things. First your going to have kids trying out stuffthey wont buy at the time, and 2, your going to not be able to compete with internet prices a lot. most of the ppl that work at those stores probably shop on the net themselves to know so.

Getting rude and treating any person who walks thru your door rudely for no reason isnt acceptable.

[umassgolfer]

[quote name='lildudejds' timestamp='1331048889' post='4447539']
[quote name='umassgolfer' timestamp='1331047610' post='4447383']
OP- Did you grab new clubs off the rack and go demo them without a store employee? Or did you go into the demo cart and configure a set-up yourself? Did you give the staff there a chance to offer the service that you ended up providing for your buddy?

No doubt the store employees could have handled it with more finesse, but if either case above happened back when I was working at the Golf Galaxy store in VA, it would have been my head if I didn't go investigate.

There are two factors at play - protecting the merchandise and overall liability of the store (and chain). If you grabbed a driver off the rack and didn't "adequately" protect the hitting surface the club is no longer new. Sure, some stores still sell those clubs as new (leading to plenty of well justified gripes here) because otherwise they'd have no new clubs to sell.

Similarly, is you went into a fitting cart and put together a combo, and something happened to go wrong causing one of you to get injured, there is the possibility of a lawsuit. Not saying you would pursue it, but there are those who would.

It would be ridiculous to suggest that an employee does not need to be present when someone is hitting clubs in the store. The store surely appreciates your business and hopes you continue to support them, they just don't appreciate how this particular situation was handled.
[/quote]

Absolutely not. Golfsmith has a bunch of drivers on racks by the hitting bays labeled "Free demos" that are all beat up and meant to be grabbed and hit. I'd never hit a new driver without getting it taped up. I didn't touch any fitting carts. Obviously doing something like that would be WAY out of line, but I did nothing more than any other customer would be doing, simply hitting the free demo clubs. I just happened to know what to look for on a launch monitor.
[/quote]

Ok then my mistake for assuming - sometimes you just catch people on a bad day?

[Farrow]

The OP's situation was clearly a case of bad communication, and it sounds like he understands where the store manager was coming from. Wearing a jacket with the PGA logo probably wasn't the smartest thing to do, but obviously a coincidence. On the flip side, I'm sure these guys have to deal with all kinds of crazy people throughout the day and probably overreacted a bit.

[youngwaldo]

Shrug if off. They must been having a bad day and I know that is not a legit excuse, just let it roll off your back.

Wk

[jabrch]

I see both sides of this... The guy probably communicated to you poorly. There was likely a better way to do that. At the same time, I understand why they are defending their policy...we all know how many people come in to GS, use their space, only to walk away and buy a club elsewhere. I can easily see why a GS employee would think you were facilitating that - and stepping on their turf.

[dennis4190]

Gotta agree with the store on this one....first, we only hear your side of the story, and second, you were in their store, hitting their balls, with their clubs, on their equipment. And you ask why do you have to use their people? Well because those are their rules. If you were really interested in getting a driver, why were you hitting the junk crap that everyone uses. If you saw someone helping their friend fit clubs with a PGA jacket on, what would you think?

[Thrillhouse]

do you guys think there is an aerospace forum out there where people say "everybody who works at NASA is an idiot" all the time?

[Pepperturbo]

[quote name='tmfool ' timestamp='1330997063' post='4444205']
[quote name='Pepperturbo' timestamp='1330995796' post='4444057']
[quote name='tmfool ' timestamp='1330995291' post='4443983']
did you offer to rent the space?

or just hit their clubs for free?

i'm sure you understand 50% of all golf equipment purchases are made via online websites.
this translates to large number of people taking advantage of retail resources -- with no intention of purchasing anything.

this may not describe your situation -- but this is an every day/all day ocurrence @ almost all retail locations that allow demo clubs to be used in conjunction w/ simulators etc.
[/quote]

Everything you said is true... However, its LGS managements choice and marketing model to make clubs available for customers to hit. If they are paranoid about intent and fearful of the Internets influence, then they shouldn't allow people to hit clubs, or get out of the LGS business. The supposed behavior of staff and the manager will NOT bring back good customers. Regardless of the internet, discussing golf stuff between two friends should not come with assumption, penalty or expectation.
[/quote]


to the best of my knowledge you were not present during the OP's visit - or a witness to actual events


however, you defend his behavior (absent of fact) and quick to characterize the behavior of retailer negatively.

[b]are we missing something here?[/b]
[/quote]

Nope... and you're right, I wasn't there. But, this isn't rocket science. All that's called for is corporate business experience, critical reasoning, and some visits to Golfsmith stores where one encounters doofuses; which I have. Presuming the OP interpreted his experience somewhat accurately, its fair to draw the conclusions I did. Could it be, [b]you [/b](not we) are missing something here, or maybe there's a hidden agenda...

[Pudgelewis]

[quote name='dennis4190' timestamp='1331054748' post='4448303']
Gotta agree with the store on this one....first, we only hear your side of the story, and second, you were in their store, hitting their balls, with their clubs, on their equipment. And you ask why do you have to use their people? Well because those are their rules. [b]If you were really interested in getting a driver, why were you hitting the junk crap that everyone uses.[/b] If you saw someone helping their friend fit clubs with a PGA jacket on, what would you think?
[/quote]

I've been in plenty of stores, including GS, where that's NOT their rules. Could be for this store, I suppose.

I have no idea what the sentence in bold means?? What WAS he supposed to use? The new drivers on the rack? I'm sure that's not against their rules without some help (sarcasm)! Typically, the "junk crap that everyone uses" is the newest stuff out and is there to demo. Is it not?

If I were to see someone in his position, doing what he was doing, and wearing a PGA jacket, I wouldn't just assume he was bringing his customers to the local golf store to give lessons. Maybe the employee should have checked it out a bit before jumping to conclusions.

[dennis4190]

[quote name='Pudgelewis' timestamp='1331065352' post='4449569']
[quote name='dennis4190' timestamp='1331054748' post='4448303']
Gotta agree with the store on this one....first, we only hear your side of the story, and second, you were in their store, hitting their balls, with their clubs, on their equipment. And you ask why do you have to use their people? Well because those are their rules. [b]If you were really interested in getting a driver, why were you hitting the junk crap that everyone uses.[/b] If you saw someone helping their friend fit clubs with a PGA jacket on, what would you think?
[/quote]

I've been in plenty of stores, including GS, where that's NOT their rules. Could be for this store, I suppose.

I have no idea what the sentence in bold means?? What WAS he supposed to use? The new drivers on the rack? I'm sure that's not against their rules without some help (sarcasm)! Typically, the "junk crap that everyone uses" is the newest stuff out and is there to demo. Is it not?

If I were to see someone in his position, doing what he was doing, and wearing a PGA jacket, I wouldn't just assume he was bringing his customers to the local golf store to give lessons. Maybe the employee should have checked it out a bit before jumping to conclusions.
[/quote]
It means when I get fitted, I hit new clubs taped up,not the junk clubs....

[Pudgelewis]

[quote name='dennis4190' timestamp='1331069983' post='4450047']
[quote name='Pudgelewis' timestamp='1331065352' post='4449569']
[quote name='dennis4190' timestamp='1331054748' post='4448303']
Gotta agree with the store on this one....first, we only hear your side of the story, and second, you were in their store, hitting their balls, with their clubs, on their equipment. And you ask why do you have to use their people? Well because those are their rules. [b]If you were really interested in getting a driver, why were you hitting the junk crap that everyone uses.[/b] If you saw someone helping their friend fit clubs with a PGA jacket on, what would you think?
[/quote]

I've been in plenty of stores, including GS, where that's NOT their rules. Could be for this store, I suppose.

I have no idea what the sentence in bold means?? What WAS he supposed to use? The new drivers on the rack? I'm sure that's not against their rules without some help (sarcasm)! Typically, the "junk crap that everyone uses" is the newest stuff out and is there to demo. Is it not?

If I were to see someone in his position, doing what he was doing, and wearing a PGA jacket, I wouldn't just assume he was bringing his customers to the local golf store to give lessons. Maybe the employee should have checked it out a bit before jumping to conclusions.
[/quote]
It means when I get fitted, I hit new clubs taped up,not the junk clubs....
[/quote]

Ok. Just because that's what you do doesn't mean all the demo clubs are "junk". What exactly makes them junk? And it's gonna be a bit of trouble to have an employee tape up a bunch of drivers when you're trying to find a good fit. I would think you'd only need to hit a new one when you knew pretty much what you were wanting. If you're going to hit 10 different drivers, you're probably not gonna tape up 10 new ones. Since you're all about being for the store, I'm sure they'd appreciate people just hitting the demo clubs that are there to hit instead of "needing" to hit new ones.

[JDSPGA]

[quote name='dennis4190' timestamp='1331069983' post='4450047']
[quote name='Pudgelewis' timestamp='1331065352' post='4449569']
[quote name='dennis4190' timestamp='1331054748' post='4448303']
Gotta agree with the store on this one....first, we only hear your side of the story, and second, you were in their store, hitting their balls, with their clubs, on their equipment. And you ask why do you have to use their people? Well because those are their rules. [b]If you were really interested in getting a driver, why were you hitting the junk crap that everyone uses.[/b] If you saw someone helping their friend fit clubs with a PGA jacket on, what would you think?
[/quote]

I've been in plenty of stores, including GS, where that's NOT their rules. Could be for this store, I suppose.

I have no idea what the sentence in bold means?? What WAS he supposed to use? The new drivers on the rack? I'm sure that's not against their rules without some help (sarcasm)! Typically, the "junk crap that everyone uses" is the newest stuff out and is there to demo. Is it not?

If I were to see someone in his position, doing what he was doing, and wearing a PGA jacket, I wouldn't just assume he was bringing his customers to the local golf store to give lessons. Maybe the employee should have checked it out a bit before jumping to conclusions.
[/quote]
It means when I get fitted, I hit new clubs taped up,not the junk clubs....
[/quote]

Personally I HATE hitting clubs that are taped up. I can't tell how it sounds, and it feels completely different than it does when it is not taped. I won't buy a club that I can't hit without tape.

[wigolffan]

Wow the OP seems reasonable, and somehow this turns into a pissing match. Gods honest truth is there are crappy people in every line of work. These guys on the floor are sales men, most of whom (in my experience are golfers) they may not be as insane as most of us here and spend all their time eating sleeping and breathing golf. So yea maybe people here know more than most SALES guys on the floor. I am sure some gear heads know more about cars than car salesman, but to just call them all idiots and morons is not really fair. Its a crap job not a career for most of these guys and they are working hard and once in a while they make a mistake and don"t treat someone with the respect they deserve. Maybe the guy who was just there was someone from this board who kept telling the sales guy what an idiot he was and he finaly snaped? And the poor OP just happened to be the guy to catch the brunt? Not saying that is right, just that its human.

[Notthelongball]

[quote name='mliedtke02' timestamp='1331049744' post='4447631']
It is funny to see people here that both agree how bad the customer service was and those that try to defend a big box store. Those that do seem to either work at one, or have worked at one.

Getting rude and treating any person who walks thru your door rudely for no reason isnt acceptable.
[/quote]

Agreed that it does come down to how customers are treated, however anyone who has worked retail can tell you difficult it can be to deliver good service when customers are consistently rude. Sales people are there to help, and yes sell, but are not there to get called idiots all day.

I do think the store handled it poorly, but based on some of the responses, maybe it has something to how we treat the people at the store too?

[SlapShotGolfer]

Sounds like their in store service is just as crappy as their online service. I wrote GS off quite a while ago, sounds like they're doing a great job at running off more customers!

[Benzo]

i would have told them to FU*K off