Sport Today

Over the past several months I have placed perhaps 3 orders from Golfsmith.
In each case, I was able to place my order (either on line or by phone) and
received everything I ordered in a  prompt and timely fashion.  To sum up my
experience so far, I'm very happy with Golfsmith, and I think that their
present level of customer service (at least to me) has equalled or exceeded
Dynacraft's, and certainly equalled Diamondtour's too.

To illustrate their level of service, I placed an order online in the
afternoon.  I wanted to get a putter cover for my new wood and brass putter,
and they offer a nice black leather cover.  When I read about it online, the
description read "vinyl, leather-like material", but the catalog read
"genuine leather".  I decided not to get it and closed out the order.  A few
hours later, I called Golfsmith to ask about the putter cover (should have
done that first - doh!).  The rep was very helpful and checked with his
supervisor about what it was made out of.  He assured me it was real
leather, but told me that once an online order is placed, they can't add too
it.  I was about to tell him to forget it, since I didn't want to pay
through the nose for shipping a separate package, when he said that they'd
waive the shipping charges for the putter cover.  Needless to say I was very
pleased and agreed to get it.

Now we'll see when and what arrives in a few days.  I hope and expect that
they'll both get here about the same time.  UPS sometimes messes up and
delivers one package one day and the other the next, but I've had it happen
where they both come on the same day too.

Another example of their customer service had to do with part of yesterday's
order. I have a friend who is interested in new irons (so am I, but I can't
justify new ones  -  yet).  He's a high handicapper, so I suggested the new
Golfsmith TGI 560 or the 400 CM irons. Based on the information in the
catalog and on the website these irons are very similar to each other (both
are sub $11/head), the only (minorly) significant differences being the
hosel offset (relative difference of only 1mm) and the fabrication
technique.  Both heads have a deep cavity with a lower perimeter "hood" that
pulls weight down and behind the clubface.  The "hood" creates a little
pocket when the club is at address.  With the TGI irons, the head is cast in
one piece; the 400 CM has the hood welded on after the body of the head is
cast.  Both heads are all 431 stainless steel.

I called Golfsmith to find out what the significant differences were (from a
player's standpoint).  The customer service guy gave me an honest answer:
there's no real significant difference, and since the Golfsmith R&D dept has
recently lost one of it's guiding members, there's not much info going out
to the cust. service reps. on the design "philosophy" (as I interpreted his
comments).  Since the clubs are too new, there's very little feedback from
clubmakers, so it's really buy blind and find out on your own.  He did tell
me (and it's not really mentioned in the catalog or on the website) that the
400 CM has more material in the heel of the club to help square up the face
and therefore make it more forgiving.  I somehow suspect (although I could
be quite wrong here) that the guy who left designed one of the heads, and
someone else (who stayed) did the other.  How both came to be introduced
simultaneously (and on opposing pages in the catalog) I don't know.  It
seems silly to offer two very similar looking heads that are both geared for
high handicappers.  At least make one *look* different.  I guess it's like
GM having several nearly identical cars marketed under different "brands",
but are nearly the same once you look behind the nameplate.

Anyway, I decided on the 400 CM simply because it had the heel weight
distribution and it offered a 2 iron too (not that I'd want to get it, but
it could make for a dandy rescue or under-the-tree-punch-out club).  I
decided to match it with a True Temper TX-90 superlite steel shaft in a
regular flex.  I'll grip it with my favorite Lamkin crossline grip.

I want to try the club too, and to compare it with my Tommy Armour 845
silver scots.  To test the forgiveness of the head, I selected a 3 iron,
since these are more difficult to hit well than say a 7 or 9 iron.

I'll soon have an idea of how forgiving these irons are and if I can justify
a new set of clubs for myself (and if I want these heads).

Jeff

That's quite a testimony.

I have probably been the most vocal of those dissatisfied w/ Golfsmith's
service over the last year or so, but my more recent interaction with
them has been fine.

Knock on wood, but they seem to be getting things back in order.

On the other hand, now Golfworks seems determined to***things up.  I
ordered a head for a reshaft project (actually, it's a "re-head" project
as the old head had bigtime rattles I couldn't solve; cut the head open
and there's a HUGE piece of junk in there).  

Anyway, I ordered a new head about 3/20.  The sales rep told me it was
out of stock until April 1.  I said OK as the club didn't need to be
finished until April 15.

I called them on the 8th inquiring.  Now, it's out of stock until
sometime *after* the 15th, maybe as late as the 22nd.  No indication
where the April 1 figure came from, either.  

On another order a couple weeks ago, I got delivery far later than
promised because they didn't ship it the way they said they'd do it.

On a third order from just this week, I needed a Dynamic Gold S-300
taper-tip shaft to reshaft an MP-14 2-iron.  Ordered it, it was in
stock, everything's hunky-dory until it shows up yesterday:  It's an
*R-300* shaft, not an S-300 shaft.

So now I get to play the game of calling them, getting a new shaft sent
out, I'll probably have to***around w/ returning the old shaft (at
my own cost in time and maybe even money), and all because they couldn't
get the order right.

Supposedly Golfworks has gone through a major expansion this year, as if
they've decided Golfsmith is vulnerable.  Well, they were, but Golfworks
isn't going to accomplish that if they can't keep things in stock and
can't get the orders and shipping right.

I'll tell you one thing--it's irking me.  

Mike

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Mike Dalecki  RSG-Wisconsin 2002 Info http://SportToday.org/
I do not patronize spammers.  Help keep RSG clean!  
Web Site:  http://SportToday.org/
RSG Roll Call:  http://SportToday.org/~kirby34/rsg/daleckim.htm
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I like having a Golfsmith close by.  But shopping at their store means I
have to drop by when I want the new catalog.  Oddly enough, I did get a
sales brochure in the mail yesterday, offering 15% off a single item in the
store.   The brochure has a few products marked on sale, including "half-day
cubmaking classes" at a $30 early sign-up price instead of their normal $40.

Someone thinking about starting clubmaking might want to consider their next
visit to a city with one of their stores, and sign up for a class.

I guess I should have posted about this sooner. :)  Today at lunch, what
shows up but a UPS box with the backordered driver head in it.  I just
don't understand this.  Monday I call and they are hoping it is in by
the 15th.  It arrives at my house on April 12th.  I suppose I should be
happy (and I am, at one level), but there's no reason I couldn't get
better information on all this.

They're sending me a new shaft along with a pickup tag to send the old
one back.  Not bad, but I'd hoped to have the club done by tomorrow.

Mike

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike Dalecki  RSG-Wisconsin 2002 Info http://SportToday.org/
I do not patronize spammers.  Help keep RSG clean!  
Web Site:  http://SportToday.org/
RSG Roll Call:  http://SportToday.org/
--------------------------------------------------------------------

$30 is the normal price up here in the Chicago area for preregistering for the
one morning course. At least that was the case last year. Its a pretty good deal
for those interested in an introduction to club building.

Harlan

When I attended a Golfsmith playing lesson a couple of years ago....we got a
tour of the facility in Austin TX. I was impressed that the same pros doing
the lessons also manned the phones when not giving a lesson.   Anyhow, I
thought that was a good thing!!!! Since my game still has a lot of
holes...maybe....?????

It happened that my lesson was in February 2000. Golfsmith had completely
changed over its computers a few weeks before the "millennium" to AVOID the
potential "millennium " problems.  We all know about the mess that they were
in for a year or so after that change-over. Prior to the "new " computer
system, they had a very good reputation for delivery etc.  I'm guess that
that the bugs are long since out of the new system, and that their service
is now equal to ( or maybe a little better than) their competition.

I haven't ordered anything in a long while, since I am blessed by having a
Golfsmith store here twenty minutes away.
--
RichG

I haven't ordered from them very often, but when I have, they've been pretty
good. Timely arrivals, and no mistaken items.

I know what you mean. Since Christmas time I've placed probably ten or twelve
orders from Golfworks. Every single one has arrived promptly and perfectly,
except for the last two. There were errors in one of them, and the other is
still overdue a couple of days..

I really do like how they include the "Packed by---Lisa" or whoever sheet,
though. It makes it seem more personal. And they always seem to remember to
include shaft labels and other details.

Dynacraft has been pretty good so far, also.

I've received good service from them as well. And although they don't mention
it, the prices from the clubmaker's magazine are good at the store as well, if
you bring in the magazine. I do wish their site would replace the clubmaker's
forum with a newserver, though.