First, get started at Rakuten. Rakuten is a "cash back" affiliate program that allows you to earn a percentage of the sale back through a rebate check that is mailed out quarterly. As a bonus, if you use this link, you will get a $10 bonus when you make your first $25 in purchases. Rakuten works at sites like Rock Bottom Golf, GolfEtail, Callaway, TaylorMade and many others, so check out the full list when you sign up.
Next up, after you've signed up for Rakuten, you can head over to GolfEtail for an additional $10 savings on any purchase of $75 or more when you sign up for their newsletter. With GolfEtail's already low prices, it can be tough to get to $75 in a single order, but it's still pretty easy if you find the right items. What I always look for during GolfEtail's sales are consumables (balls, tees, gloves, etc...) and long term accessories like bags, clothes and shoes. The trick to handling GolfEtail is that you need to get a bit lucky with sizes to get a killer deal, but watch for them, they come up often.
If you're working on the consistency of your swing, there's not much better than the Swing Caddie SC200 Personal Launch Monitor. While I'm currently using the Flightscope Mevo monitor (it integrated with my phone to track data long term) the SC200 was my first experience with a PLM system. During my time with the SC200, I was very impressed with the accuracy and consistency of the unit. The SC200 measures carry distance, swing speed, ball speed and then computes the smash factor based on the taken measurements. Overall, it's great for building a tighter dispersion pattern on your wedges and seeing the club head speeds of your longer clubs.
One that I recently discovered was that many retailers sell "mint condition" used balls. One such offering from GolfEtail is the ball I play, the Titleist AVX. These balls sell for $40-50 a dozen but can be had for almost a fraction of that cost in "mint" condition. The 3 dozen pack of AVX balls at GolfEtail are currently marked at just under $60, or about $20 a dozen. Not bad for a ball that may have been hit a few times and left somewhere. There are plenty of other great options on GolfEtail as well, so check them out here.
Another product that I never seem to have enough of is good hats to wear to the course. Hats are good for keeping the sun off our heads during the summer months and keeping the heat from escaping during the colder months. With selections from just about everyone and lower prices, you may be able to save a bit of cash and still look amazing on the course, or maybe find a few gifts for some of your friends without breaking the bank.
Now with all of that said, what should you avoid from places like this? Well, that depends on how serious you are about your golf game. Retailers like GolfEtail usually provide a very small amount of first run clubs. Instead, they tend to focus on slightly older models. For example, Their driver selection at the moment includes the Cobra King LTD Pro, King F8 and King F9 drivers. The prices are $199.99, $179.99 and $379.99 respectively. The F8 at $179.99 is quite a deal, but keep in mind that this particular club is only available in Senior Flex shafts. This means you can find a great deal, but for the most part, fitting options are non-existent, so don't buy something based off a great price that won't fit you down the road.
Next up, do not, ever, under any circumstances, purchase shoes that you have never tried on from any online source. While most shoes have a 14-30 day comfort guarantee, the chances of getting them out on the course enough to know if they are going to destroy your ankles during that time is almost zero. With that said if you have a favorite shoe style and size that happens to pop up, grab them if the price is right. Like the New Balance deal above, there are some fantastic prices available if the shoe fits.
The last item to avoid is the classic "bagged sets" of clubs. While these may seem like a great way to start playing the game, the quality of many of these boxed retail sets is low at best. Companies that were once big names in the industry have been absorbed by others and now those names may not mean what you think anymore. Great ones to skip out on would be Orlimar, Nitro, Precise, Aspire and Intech. most of these sets are made from the cheapest components possible and will fall apart in no time at all. For just a few dollars more, you can opt for a complete set from Callaway (Strata), Wilson (Profile) or Tour Edge. The higher quality gear will make a difference starting out and last you longer than the cheaper options.
So that wraps up a quick look at GolfEtail's deal and some "what should you buy and what not to buy" options from discount golf retailers. If you have any that I missed, feel free to leave them in the comments below.
- By clicking on the links in this post I may receive a referral commission if you make a purchase.
The New Balance Minimum Spikeless shoe is one such deal. If you've been fitted for NB in the past, these $100+ shoes can be had for just $54.99 and they ship for free. These shoes feature a 2 year waterproof guarantee and a moisture wicking insole to keep your feet dry during the warmer summer months as well. As of this post, there are sizes ranging from 7 to 14 available in a variety of colors.
One that I recently discovered was that many retailers sell "mint condition" used balls. One such offering from GolfEtail is the ball I play, the Titleist AVX. These balls sell for $40-50 a dozen but can be had for almost a fraction of that cost in "mint" condition. The 3 dozen pack of AVX balls at GolfEtail are currently marked at just under $60, or about $20 a dozen. Not bad for a ball that may have been hit a few times and left somewhere. There are plenty of other great options on GolfEtail as well, so check them out here.
Another product that I never seem to have enough of is good hats to wear to the course. Hats are good for keeping the sun off our heads during the summer months and keeping the heat from escaping during the colder months. With selections from just about everyone and lower prices, you may be able to save a bit of cash and still look amazing on the course, or maybe find a few gifts for some of your friends without breaking the bank.
Now with all of that said, what should you avoid from places like this? Well, that depends on how serious you are about your golf game. Retailers like GolfEtail usually provide a very small amount of first run clubs. Instead, they tend to focus on slightly older models. For example, Their driver selection at the moment includes the Cobra King LTD Pro, King F8 and King F9 drivers. The prices are $199.99, $179.99 and $379.99 respectively. The F8 at $179.99 is quite a deal, but keep in mind that this particular club is only available in Senior Flex shafts. This means you can find a great deal, but for the most part, fitting options are non-existent, so don't buy something based off a great price that won't fit you down the road.
Next up, do not, ever, under any circumstances, purchase shoes that you have never tried on from any online source. While most shoes have a 14-30 day comfort guarantee, the chances of getting them out on the course enough to know if they are going to destroy your ankles during that time is almost zero. With that said if you have a favorite shoe style and size that happens to pop up, grab them if the price is right. Like the New Balance deal above, there are some fantastic prices available if the shoe fits.
The last item to avoid is the classic "bagged sets" of clubs. While these may seem like a great way to start playing the game, the quality of many of these boxed retail sets is low at best. Companies that were once big names in the industry have been absorbed by others and now those names may not mean what you think anymore. Great ones to skip out on would be Orlimar, Nitro, Precise, Aspire and Intech. most of these sets are made from the cheapest components possible and will fall apart in no time at all. For just a few dollars more, you can opt for a complete set from Callaway (Strata), Wilson (Profile) or Tour Edge. The higher quality gear will make a difference starting out and last you longer than the cheaper options.
So that wraps up a quick look at GolfEtail's deal and some "what should you buy and what not to buy" options from discount golf retailers. If you have any that I missed, feel free to leave them in the comments below.
- By clicking on the links in this post I may receive a referral commission if you make a purchase.
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