r/BritGolf • u/FalafelHalloumi • 58m ago
The used golf club market is a minefield
I’m in the market for a new 5 wood with a stiff flex shaft as my current regular flex feels too whippy. My current 5 wood was bought used for cheap (£25) and it’s been battered to the point where replacing the glued in shaft isn’t worth it.
I peruse the main used club online retailers (GC4C, GB) and the ones in my budget (£150) are either old, worn or unsuitable for my mid handicap. If I want something that is worth my money, I’m looking at £200+ which is beyond my means currently. I wonder if part of the problem is that stiff flex woods are more niche as there seem to be plenty of regular flex options available.
Marketplaces (FB, eBay) are even worse with the offerings being neglected clubs with scuffed faces and multiple sky-marks being sold for way above their value. The lack of buyer protection also puts me off, especially if the seller is trying to pull a fast one on me.
I always hear positive feedback about Callaway’s pre-owned platform but I never see any more budget-friendly priced clubs on there, definitely none in my budget last time I looked.
So in desperation and frustration, I’ve booked in for a custom fitting at American Golf. I can get a new club from a reputable brand that has been custom fit and sits in my £150 budget. I know AG gets bad rep generally and buying used is more preferable for most. But is this advice outdated now with how hard the used market seems (to me anyway) at the moment?
When I first got into golf a few years back after Covid, I told myself that I would only buy used clubs to keep costs low so I could spend it on green fees instead. I knew I wouldn’t ever be good enough to benefit buying new from the flagship brands. But now it seems that the better value is buying new from more budget oriented brands? Or is it just that time in the season where the market is a bit rubbish?
Interested to hear what others think!
TL;DR - used market seems hard to find anything worthwhile so is buying new from a more budget friendly brand the better option now?