Thrift Store Jackpot

[Maine Golfer]

On 5/4/2025 at 2:10 PM, Maine Golfer said:

Back to the era's i'm looking for this week.

 

Seems to be 35.5 , awful grip, needs paint! But a cool score. If this is something you need, im not attached to it DM me. 

 

its the #8 and im convinced its a chipper, it has way 2 much loft on it

 

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

On 3/27/2025 at 3:18 AM, ezgoer said:

Donate??? We accumulate here, lol. 

 

Just saw this. 

 

This needs to be pinned at the top of the thread🤣

[Bob Cat]

1 hour ago, Maine Golfer said:

its the #8 and im convinced its a chipper, it has way 2 much loft on it

 

 

I don't know for sure but I wonder if this has been bent?

[bcstones]

19 hours ago, EvanH said:

I spot 3x Spalding Executive irons in the background.
Arguably the universal language in thrift shop golf around the world.

I've a complete set with woods, "77t o '84 Executive (irons cast SS),  in storage...I don't care about looks - they play well & need a new home

[Arafel]

10 hours ago, Bob Cat said:

 

I don't know for sure but I wonder if this has been bent?

It's a chipper. I picked up the same one a long time ago.

[weavej1]

From afar it didn’t look hopeful…..$30 bag at 1/2 off.  $15.00. 

[kamaaina1]

Oh my!   Ping 1-A.  

[Maine Golfer]

Woah 

[bcstones]

I'm guessing, based on the zipcode, this is one of the remakes (bought similar, paid $80 & later sold it for what I bought it for)

still an excellent buy - congrats!

[ezgoer]

9 hours ago, weavej1 said:

From afar it didn’t look hopeful…..$30 bag at 1/2 off.  $15.00. 

Cool 1-A! Kinda hard to find one for much less than $75-100 unless you get lucky. Don’t think it’s an early one with that shaft label and the big 1-A stamp. I have one with the small black with red Heal-Toe Balance shaft label that was used in 1968-78 PING putters. the 1-A stamping is much smaller on mine than yours so it could be earlier in that 68-78 range?? Mine would still be at least 10 years into their run so pretty sure is worth about the same as yours if in similar condition. They should be identical other than the stamping. Can still buy em new today. Redwood California ones are the Holy Grails of the PING world. Love playing mine, usually brings a smile to everyone’s face. Hope you play yours. 

Edited May 15 by ezgoer

[Bob Cat]

I have an oversized, orange PowerBilt golf bag used for club display at golf shops back in the day. It has a shload of old, odd and sentimental clubs in it. Every once in a while, I'll meet my son there and we'll hit my dads old PB Citations, an old Cleveland VAS wedge (Corey Pavin 1995 US Open win), original Big Bertha driver, etc, just for fun.

[Maine Golfer]

On 5/25/2024 at 10:27 AM, Maine Golfer said:

I grabbed the 5 last night, hit it this morning really well. Needs a grip, but it fly's really well! Best wood ive hit. What years are we talking here? I went back and grabbed the other's post round today. Did Jack himself play these? Edit: 1988! Heck yeah, year of my birth. Lots of my old stuff is '88! 

 

  

I have the 2 and 4 counter weighted 50 grams and loving it. 

[Joe85]

Lol

 

 

[bcstones]

2 hours ago, Joe85 said:

Lol

hmmm....so it's a couple of buck high - $30 for a Cleaveland tour action 56* wedge? 
So if you were selling this wedge - what price would you put on it?

(I'm not asking what you'd pay for it)

[Joe85]

1 hour ago, bcstones said:

hmmm....so it's a couple of buck high - $30 for a Cleaveland tour action 56* wedge? 
So if you were selling this wedge - what price would you put on it?

(I'm not asking what you'd pay for it)

I've got a half dozen of them right now (51,53,53,56,56,57)

 

PIA would not even give me $3 in trade for one of them 😂 

[bcstones]

1 hour ago, Joe85 said:

I've got a half dozen of them right now (51,53,53,56,56,57)

 

PIA would not even give me $3 in trade for one of them 😂 

Not what I asked, what worth do you place on it?
don't know who "PIA" is...sounds like one of those superstores who'll pay $3 & then sell at $20+. just checked 2nd Swing - $40 for below average & $60 for average. Checked other sites (not the bay-thingie) and their prices for the 588 are in the $50-$60 range. The "bay-thigie" has differing prices ranging from $20 (add the $33 shipping for a total of $53), there is one offering at $25 & free shipping.

Before you look down your nose at GW, do a wee bit of searching first

[radiman]

7 minutes ago, bcstones said:

Not what I asked, what worth do you place on it?
don't know who "PIA" is...sounds like one of those superstores who'll pay $3 & then sell at $20+. just checked 2nd Swing - $40 for below average & $60 for average. Checked other sites (not the bay-thingie) and their prices for the 588 are in the $50-$60 range. The "bay-thigie" has differing prices ranging from $20 (add the $33 shipping for a total of $53), there is one offering at $25 & free shipping.

Before you look down your nose at GW, do a wee bit of searching first

Those stores also have $$$ into the product where goodwill was given the item for free.  Play it Again Sports maybe.  But again, they have financial interest into that product before they put it on the floor.  Wonder what that King Snake driver in the background was going for though. 

 

Asking $30 for a dinged up beat up wedge at a thrift store is laughable.  It's a thrift store man.  Since when was the expectation that you'd just pay the same as you would anywhere else? 

[Joe85]

22 minutes ago, bcstones said:

Not what I asked, what worth do you place on it?
don't know who "PIA" is...sounds like one of those superstores who'll pay $3 & then sell at $20+. just checked 2nd Swing - $40 for below average & $60 for average. Checked other sites (not the bay-thingie) and their prices for the 588 are in the $50-$60 range. The "bay-thigie" has differing prices ranging from $20 (add the $33 shipping for a total of $53), there is one offering at $25 & free shipping.

Before you look down your nose at GW, do a wee bit of searching first

Play It Again. 

 

Not sure if they're just a local thing in my state or not. 

 

I wouldn't pay ten for that wedge. And some of the ones that I have I got from GW, iirc I maybe paid $2.99, maybe 3.99 a piece when I got them. This was back in the day when they were still moderately desirable but that's being kind. 

[bcstones]

13 minutes ago, radiman said:

Those stores also have $$$ into the product where goodwill was given the item for free....Asking $30 for a dinged up beat up wedge at a thrift store is laughable.  It's a thrift store man

 

4 minutes ago, Joe85 said:

Play It Again. 

Not sure if they're just a local thing in my state or not. 

I wouldn't pay ten for that wedge. And some of the ones that I have I got from GW, iirc I maybe paid $2.99, maybe 3.99 a piece when I got them. This was back in the day when they were still moderately desirable but that's being kind. 

Yeah, GW gets it free - then again, if Play It Again gets it at $3 & sells it at $25 - flaming near the same thing....btw @radiman how do you know it "a dinged up beat up wedge"? There were only 2 pictures showing an angle view of the back & face - can't tell from the pictures shown what kind of shape it's in other than used & perhaps need a good clean.

there has been discussions on the rise at GW regarding their prices....they may be a charity, but they still have costs to keep running - water, electriciity, sewer, garbage, etc & all those costs have risen significantly over the years & state/local taxes also must be charged & those keep going up, even w/exemptions. Plus the buyers who gloat over the "buys" - I got a Ping A1 for $20 & it's worth hundreds, yeah that gets back to them...those days of 'buys/steals' are gone - get over it!

 

yeah, it's a thrift store - a place to find reasonable prices that are lower than new....

 

[radiman]

3 hours ago, bcstones said:

 

Yeah, GW gets it free - then again, if Play It Again gets it at $3 & sells it at $25 - flaming near the same thing....btw @radiman how do you know it "a dinged up beat up wedge"? There were only 2 pictures showing an angle view of the back & face - can't tell from the pictures shown what kind of shape it's in other than used & perhaps need a good clean.

there has been discussions on the rise at GW regarding their prices....they may be a charity, but they still have costs to keep running - water, electriciity, sewer, garbage, etc & all those costs have risen significantly over the years & state/local taxes also must be charged & those keep going up, even w/exemptions. Plus the buyers who gloat over the "buys" - I got a Ping A1 for $20 & it's worth hundreds, yeah that gets back to them...those days of 'buys/steals' are gone - get over it!

 

yeah, it's a thrift store - a place to find reasonable prices that are lower than new....

 

Dude really?? The chrome is worn off on the face and the sole. That’s a ton of rust for a chrome finish. 
 

And yeah, I think the price is ridiculous. Set higher than the other beat up golf clubs because it had a brand name. It’s a laughable price considering its condition, age, and where it’s being sold at. They’re free to ask whatever they want for it. And I’m free to laugh at their asking price. It’s not like them being off a few dollars is the joke. It’s that every beat up rusty club in that bin is priced likely in the $1-$5 range. But this rusty beat up club caught their eye and won’t slip through the system without them getting what it’s worth. They know what they have. 

 

The concept that thrift stores like goodwill existing not only to generate money for charitable donations but as a means for under privileged people and families to provide for themselves is a conversation for a different thread and has nothing to do with golf deals. We could get into their CEO’s salary, their pricing increases, withholding merchandise for higher priced online auctions, and my favorite topic of them paying disabled people less than minimum wage. 
 

But we can just stick to laughing about them thinking that rusty old wedge is worth $35 here. 

[bcstones]

2 hours ago, radiman said:

 

The concept that thrift stores like goodwill existing not only to generate money for charitable donations but as a means for under privileged people and families to provide for themselves is a conversation for a different thread and has nothing to do with golf deals. 

But we can just stick to laughing about them thinking that rusty old wedge is worth $35 here. 

I'll agree to disagree....your blow-up of the original pic will exagerate any imperfections (& I never said they were in mint condition) & you weren't even the OP...so you really have no way to know. You seem to be blowing off steam about thrift stores.

When you post a couple of pictures about clubs from thrift stores to complain about prices on this golf sub-forum, then it is got something to do with golf deals...try a little civility 
 

[Shallowface]

16 hours ago, bcstones said:

hmmm....so it's a couple of buck high - $30 for a Cleaveland tour action 56* wedge? 
So if you were selling this wedge - what price would you put on it?

(I'm not asking what you'd pay for it)

I would never purchase a club in this condition in the first place, with the possible exception of salvaging a shaft if it wasn't trash.  

 

If I had one and it had been in better shape when I first acquired it, it wouldn't have gotten to this state in my care.

 

And if I did happen to have one that was this bad, I would be too ashamed to offer it for sale or to donate it to a charity.

[Shallowface]

8 hours ago, radiman said:

Dude really?? The chrome is worn off on the face and the sole. That’s a ton of rust for a chrome finish. 
 

And yeah, I think the price is ridiculous. Set higher than the other beat up golf clubs because it had a brand name. It’s a laughable price considering its condition, age, and where it’s being sold at. They’re free to ask whatever they want for it. And I’m free to laugh at their asking price. It’s not like them being off a few dollars is the joke. It’s that every beat up rusty club in that bin is priced likely in the $1-$5 range. But this rusty beat up club caught their eye and won’t slip through the system without them getting what it’s worth. They know what they have. 

 

The concept that thrift stores like goodwill existing not only to generate money for charitable donations but as a means for under privileged people and families to provide for themselves is a conversation for a different thread and has nothing to do with golf deals. We could get into their CEO’s salary, their pricing increases, withholding merchandise for higher priced online auctions, and my favorite topic of them paying disabled people less than minimum wage. 
 

But we can just stick to laughing about them thinking that rusty old wedge is worth $35 here. 

When travelling through Florida some years back I stopped at a Salvation Army store to have a look.  The sign on the barrel said "all clubs $3 unless otherwise marked."  Nothing was marked.

 

There were a few older component irons that I wanted for a project, so I took them to the register.  They happened to have bottom of the line graphite shafts.

 

They had trained their employees to recognize when something had a shaft other than steel, and the lady said "oh you just found the most expensive clubs in the barrel and those are $20 each."

 

They're probably still there.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 20 by Shallowface

[bcstones]

2 hours ago, Shallowface said:

I would never purchase a club in this condition in the first place, with the possible exception of salvaging a shaft if it wasn't trash.  

 

If I had one and it had been in better shape when I first acquired it, it wouldn't have gotten to this state in my care.

 

And if I did happen to have one that was this bad, I would be too ashamed to offer it for sale or to donate it to a charity.

I kinda sorta agree with you, However, I can't tell from the original pics just what kind of condition they're in, cuz the OP focused on the price tage, not the clubhead. Because of that lack, I can't tell from the shadows if the face is dirt or rust. That it's been played is obvious.

 

It was the focus on the price & the rather caustic attempt at "humor(?)" - that kind of stuff is rampant on other WRX sub-forums, but not here - here it's more about information sharing, and yes, opinions...in civil discourse, we can disagree w/more respect...
I'm a curmudgeony old coot who is tired of the disrespect & lack of just plain civility...

[radiman]

8 hours ago, bcstones said:

I'll agree to disagree....your blow-up of the original pic will exagerate any imperfections (& I never said they were in mint condition) & you weren't even the OP...so you really have no way to know. You seem to be blowing off steam about thrift stores.

When you post a couple of pictures about clubs from thrift stores to complain about prices on this golf sub-forum, then it is got something to do with golf deals...try a little civility 
 

Civility?  Seriously?  You are the guy that scolded someone because of the "LOL" that they posted right??? Over their opinion.  Please spare me the presumption that you enjoy some sort of moral high ground due to your age.  Just because you don't like being disagreed with doesn't make everyone else disrespectful or uncivil. 

 

I am not the OP, this is correct.  I did not see the wedge in hand.  Also correct.  And neither did you.  He did and in his opinion, it was junk enough to give him the opinion that the price was off.  I am only commenting because you were being confrontational with him.  Posing a hypothetical question and then doubling down on it and being condescending.  I mean, since I am not allowed an opinion on it having not seen it in hand, doesn't that also disqualify yourself?  

 

16 hours ago, bcstones said:

Before you look down your nose at GW, do a wee bit of searching first

Maybe before going after others for their opinion and lack of civility you do a wee bit of self reflection first. 

[bcstones]

1 hour ago, radiman said:

Civility?  Seriously?  You are the guy that scolded someone because of the "LOL" that they posted right??? Over their opinion.  Please spare me the presumption that you enjoy some sort of moral high ground due to your age.  Just because you don't like being disagreed with doesn't make everyone else disrespectful or uncivil. 

 

I am not the OP, this is correct.  I did not see the wedge in hand.  Also correct.  And neither did you.  He did and in his opinion, it was junk enough to give him the opinion that the price was off.  I am only commenting because you were being confrontational with him.  Posing a hypothetical question and then doubling down on it and being condescending.  I mean, since I am not allowed an opinion on it having not seen it in hand, doesn't that also disqualify yourself?  

 

Maybe before going after others for their opinion and lack of civility you do a wee bit of self reflection first. 

somehow I knew that would be your knee-jerk reaction....'nough said. I'm tired of the lack of civilit...make all the assumptions you wish.

[HoganApexBlades]

Here's my Cleveland Tour Action Reg. 588 wedge. There is no rust nor any nicks in the leading edge. I would rate the club as a solid 8/10. If anyone is interested in it, DM me an offer.

 

[Joe85]

On 5/19/2025 at 5:50 PM, bcstones said:

 

- get over it!

 

 

I've no idea why you seem to be taking this so personally. 

 

And to be clear this isn't just a problem at Goodwill. I saw a used electric "lantern" that you can get brand new at Harbor Freight for $2.99, priced for $5.99 at another local thrift store. 

 

I donate to Salvation because I want to help poor ppl out, and I donate decent golf clubs to Salvation in the hopes that maybe someone can get into the game on the cheap, not so the store managers can lease a new car every three yrs. 

 

I'll just leave it there. 

[Joe85]

....

Edited May 22 by Joe85

[ezgoer]

This GW price subject keeps rearing its head.

 

Guessing it’s the same in all our regions but up here in Mn there’s so many other options. Both faith based and for profit thrift stores. Odd thing to me is those for profit locations usually not only have the best prices but also the best stuff.

 

Uo here I can think of at least 4 GW’s that are in brand new brick and mortar stand alone/not in a strip mall or leased locations.

 

At the faith or for profit stores $2.99-4.99 per club is pretty common. You rarely see a bundle or full set price. GW’s are $5.99-7.99 per. Think there’s always discounted days at all thrift stores. While the prices themselves aren’t that offensive it’s usually stuff nobody wants. Literally cheap modern ish barely single use retail garbage stuff. This isn’t even a pro line/ retail line bias, it’s usually just really undesirable stuff in general. I have low expectations at GW’s or Salvation Army’s for golf clubs so I rarely go to them. 
 

 

Edited May 22 by ezgoer