PXG in Golftown ?

[oiler45]

Did anyone else see advertising by PXG that they were going to start selling their products in GolfTown, commencing this April ?  Is PXG moving away from their DTC strategy? I realize limited PXG equipment can be purchased at certain pro shops and some training facilities, but moving to a major retailer like GolfTown seems to be a major departure from their previous business model.

[launcher]

Seems to be true, as there is an announcement on the GT website. Beginning in April, PXG clubs will be available at all GT locations, with fittings at select locations. Only negative I can think of, is there's got to be an additional mark up as GT will have to profit from this venture. 

[rgk5]

15 minutes ago, launcher said:

Seems to be true, as there is an announcement on the GT website. Beginning in April, PXG clubs will be available at all GT locations, with fittings at select locations. Only negative I can think of, is there's got to be an additional mark up as GT will have to profit from this venture. 

Not for sure as it totally depends upon what Golf Town's cost will be. 

[SEP1006]

Wow, if this is true it's very surprising. Supposedly Parsons hasn't been in the best of health over the last year. His wife Renee and a couple others at the top have been running the company and the day to day operations.

 

I would bet ( if true ) that this decision came from them. Can't see Parsons himself making that decision.

[Highlander 24]

I’m guessing it was probably cheaper than opening up their own stores like they have in the US. It’s hard to find proper PXG fitters here in Canada so just have the Golftown fitters do it. 

[snagy2000]

3 hours ago, Highlander 24 said:

I’m guessing it was probably cheaper than opening up their own stores like they have in the US. It’s hard to find proper PXG fitters here in Canada so just have the Golftown fitters do it. 

In one of Bob's interviews during Black Ops release, he mentioned in the past they had talked to a few big box stores regarding distribution but they wanted input into product design and timelines. He mentioned that was a deal breaker. Golftown is probably not asking for this and he views it as a good way to grow the Canadian market. They did open a new retail location in London late '23.

[SEP1006]

So Golftown is just in Canada? I had never heard of them but that doesn't mean a whole lot.

 

The post's above about the Canadian Market would make sense then.

[hammergolf]

Could actually be a good business move. Instead of opening retail stores in Canada they sign an exclusive distributor deal with Golftown and immediately have a retail presence. I’m sure lots of Canadians will be happy.

Edited February 3, 2024 by hammergolf

[Brooks_Cupcake]

Meh. Hate Golftown, and won’t ever buy PXG. Bowing out of here

[AvgSlicer]

Great move to get more people to try the product. But for people to get properly fit, not so sure Golftown is the best bet.

[AmateurAmateur]

Fitting cart stuff only for the start of things. Don't think PXG wants to abandon the DTC route but they have no fitting locations in Canada. Getting in where they can. Wonder what will happen in 2025 when PGA superstore expands to Canada.

[cgasucks]

2 hours ago, SEP1006 said:

So Golftown is just in Canada? I had never heard of them but that doesn't mean a whole lot.

 

The post's above about the Canadian Market would make sense then.

 

Pretty much.

[oiler45]

I actually didn't know GolfTown was only in Canada. I figured that after they purchased Golfsmith, they had US retail stores as well. GolfTown is really the only big box golf retailer in Canada now. Nevada Bob's in SportChek is pretty much a joke.

[MattM97]

They could have it where you get fit for PXG at the PXG fitting prices ($35 CAD) and then purchase the clubs. 

 

PXG has no stores in Canada, they wouldn't really do well here except for in Toronto and Vancouver. Could argue Calgary and Montreal as well. But Golf Town is established all throughout Canada and PXG has to build nothing. 

 

I think it could be a smart move just depends how they sell. 

[grm24]

1 hour ago, oiler45 said:

I actually didn't know GolfTown was only in Canada. I figured that after they purchased Golfsmith, they had US retail stores as well. 

GolfTown bought Golfsmith in 2012. In 2016 Dicks Sporting Goods purchased the Golfsmith US operations out of bankruptcy court and liquidated most of it and renamed a few stores as Golf Galaxy. Golfsmith filed for b/k in both Canada and the USA in 2016. IIRC Golftown was to sell its stores resulting from the b/k filing to its creditors.

[SEP1006]

10 hours ago, grm24 said:

GolfTown bought Golfsmith in 2012. In 2016 Dicks Sporting Goods purchased the Golfsmith US operations out of bankruptcy court and liquidated most of it and renamed a few stores as Golf Galaxy. Golfsmith filed for b/k in both Canada and the USA in 2016. IIRC Golftown was to sell its stores resulting from the b/k filing to its creditors.

 

 

Yeh I hated it when Golfsmith was shut down. There is a Golf Galaxy close to me but don't really care to go there. 

 

 

 

[K48]

My local club fitter in Canada fits PXG. 

[rgk5]

14 hours ago, Brooks_Cupcake said:

Meh. Hate Golftown, and won’t ever buy PXG. Bowing out of here

I'll wager you have been to Golf Town, hit clubs, vampired information, and then scurried off to buy somewhere else.😁

[Brooks_Cupcake]

4 minutes ago, rgk5 said:

I'll wager you have been to Golf Town, hit clubs, vampired information, and then scurried off to buy somewhere else.😁

I have unlimited access to Trackman, why would I ever step into a Golftown?

[rgk5]

37 minutes ago, Brooks_Cupcake said:

I have unlimited access to Trackman, why would I ever step into a Golftown?

If so, why do you hate the company if you never go there.  Seems, puzzling.

[Brooks_Cupcake]

1 minute ago, rgk5 said:

If so, why do you hate the company if you never go there.  Seems, puzzling.

 

Go take your clubs there and let some 20 year-old work on them….i sure won’t 😉

Go get fit on Foresight where they love fitting 16 launch 1800 spin …I sure won’t 

 

You do you, I will stick to my swim lane

 

[MtlJeff]

I wonder if they'd have more success just setting up accounts at private clubs. But i don't know. That might take more resources to visit the clubs and do demo days

 

But it would seem to maybe fit their model a bit better

[MtlJeff]

46 minutes ago, Brooks_Cupcake said:

 

Go take your clubs there and let some 20 year-old work on them….i sure won’t 😉

Go get fit on Foresight where they love fitting 16 launch 1800 spin …I sure won’t 

 

You do you, I will stick to my swim lane

 

 

Golftown had some pretty good sites back in the day. But the changes over the years have really changed what they are. The Golftown i used to go to 12-15 years ago had one of the best club builders i've ever known and one of the fitters i used to go to was one of the top ams in the province. 

 

But it's unfortunate, a lot has changed since then. 

[oiler45]

I think GolfTown is perfectly fine for the average weekend hacker to buy his or her golf clubs. They have a very good selection of apparel, grips, shoes and most accessories. Us Canucks would be worse off without them, we don't have near the selection of retail golf equipment our American friends have.

 

How anyone could "hate" them seems bizarre, if you don't like shopping or getting fit there - don't go there.

[jngladu]

Never had a great experience club fitting wise but I do enjoy trying on shoes than buying online. 

[PARETO]

I appreciate Golf Town actually. Are they TXG levels of fitters? No. Is it fun to sneak in between client meetings to roll some putts and waggle some irons? Very much yes. Winters are long here in Calgary so GT’s help keep the fire lit and checking out what’s new. 
And if a box of balls, a glove and new shoes just happen to follow me in the middle of January, so be it. 

[Lemonde]

Every Golftown in the Greater Toronto Area ( and probably all of Ontario) is under “lockdown”.  And what I mean by that is that you can’t even walk into a store and pick up a decent club without it being secured in the holder thus requiring a sales associate to assist which takes time and effort.  The amount of clubs being stolen post pandemic is a massive issue (don’t get me started on cars, but if you want to see a Lexus SUV, Toyota Highlander, Dodge Ram, Honda CRV or Ford F150 in my neighborhood, don’t bother coming, they have all been stolen). I know that Golftown is trying to protect themselves, but it has become impossible to shop there for this reason and I will be surprised if it lasts another five years.  

[third-times-a-charm]

15 minutes ago, Lemonde said:

Every Golftown in the Greater Toronto Area ( and probably all of Ontario) is under “lockdown”.  And what I mean by that is that you can’t even walk into a store and pick up a decent club without it being secured in the holder thus requiring a sales associate to assist which takes time and effort.  The amount of clubs being stolen post pandemic is a massive issue (don’t get me started on cars, but if you want to see a Lexus SUV, Toyota Highlander, Dodge Ram, Honda CRV or Ford F150 in my neighborhood, don’t bother coming, they have all been stolen). I know that Golftown is trying to protect themselves, but it has become impossible to shop there for this reason and I will be surprised if it lasts another five years.  

Canada has crime? I was told that was not a thing and is limited to the USA only.

[st1800e]

25 minutes ago, Lemonde said:

Every Golftown in the Greater Toronto Area ( and probably all of Ontario) is under “lockdown”.  And what I mean by that is that you can’t even walk into a store and pick up a decent club without it being secured in the holder thus requiring a sales associate to assist which takes time and effort.

Same in Alberta, wall displays of iron sets zip tied to the rack, any club in a stand, head up, locked into the stand.   Annoying… Prevents theft, and probably sales too…would do better on both fronts with more staff, which are almost non existent, and if you find one they don’t know much.   

Putters not locked down though, even the Scotty’s and L.A.B’s.  ??
 

 

[Highlander 24]

11 hours ago, MtlJeff said:

 

Golftown had some pretty good sites back in the day. But the changes over the years have really changed what they are. The Golftown i used to go to 12-15 years ago had one of the best club builders i've ever known and one of the fitters i used to go to was one of the top ams in the province. 

 

But it's unfortunate, a lot has changed since then. 

So true