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Who Influences Golf Purchases The Most?

Lions81

Lions81

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So its now 2020, and a lot of things have changed in the golf industry over the last 10 or so years. My question is, who do you think influences golf purchases the most?

Would it be tour usage? Would it be the OEM's through advertising, social media etc? Would it be Youtube reviewers who seem to be gaining a lot of popularity? How about golf sites/forums like THP or the others through their official reviews and forum reviews? Or maybe the publications like Golf Digest or Golf.com?

Follow-up question is, do you think your answer changes over the next 5 or 10 years?
 
Honestly, nothing influences my golf purchases

Advertising, reviews and forum talk will get me interested in trying something, but the only thing that influences me to buy it is getting it in my hand and trying it out for myself and seeing if it is better than what I currently have and is it worth my money for the improvements I see

And I don't see my answer changing in any way regardless of time
 
I think a lot of people don’t realize that marketing ingrains itself in your brain and effects their decision making more than they want to believe. There is a reason everyone has a brand or two they scoff at. Marketing works, and there is a reason it’s such a huge part of a companies sales.

tour usage I feel like is more about the brand itself rather than a specific club. Cally, TM, Titleist, all have big tour presence, therefor people believe the brands themselves are quality. I think from there, its marketing that gets you excited about certain lines of that company, and then either looks or performance that you go for.

will this ever change? No, probably not, at least not soon. Tour presence matters more than people want to give it credit for, but again I think that’s just brand recognition. It’s a formula right now that is working unless there is a massive shift in how people get information and watch golf.
 
My wife influences me the most, because she tells me when I can and can't buy.
 
I can't say that any of these influence golf purchases themselves. They definitely let me know what my options are. If I see something and like the looks, and if other people say it performs well I will give it a try and if the trial/test is successful then I may look at purchasing.

It's been sometime since I've made "influenced" golf purchases.
 
I am really not influenced by any of that to literally make a purchase. I will use some or all of those resources to educate myself and be better able to make an informed buying decision.
 
i think what influences ME the most are reviews and opinions of my peers. I do pay attention to tour usage. But, its so irrlevant because they get paid to play that equipment. I dont even bother reading the golf publications for their opinion any more becasue Ive heard its a "pay to play" type of review. In regards to the social media guys? Theyre fun to watch but again i question if theyre getting paid or not.

In the next 5-10 year i think my opinion will basically stay the same.
 
When new clubs come out the first thing I do is look at which ones I am interested in and then I go to three or more golf forums that do extensive reviews of new clubs. I almost never buy new, but this gives me something to contemplate when I am ready to buy a couple of years later.
 
I don't think anyone influences my purchases. I know what I like and if something gets my attention I will dig into it further and get more details. Putters I have less restraint and usually buy them because they look good and not because they will make me a better putter.
 
Bank Of America. If the budget isnt where I want it. No golf stuff.
 
Here is how I would rank those you listed....


1. OEM's through advertising, social media <- the real goat pushing tech, coolness factor
2. Tour usage <- Tiger using a specific wedge? I wanna be like him
3. Golf sites/forums like THP <- Mix of #1 above and #4 below, detailed driven
4. Youtube reviewers <- Easy to watch/see in action





100. Publications like Golf Digest or Golf.com <- anyone read these?
 
My golf purchases? MrsOG.

/thread
 
The wife has the most influence, and right now that is pointing to you spend anything and you are sleeping on the couch.:confused2:
 
I try a lot of clubs before purchasing. I don't think influence comes from one specific place though. I read lots of reviews and try to demo whichever interests me the most.
 
Lions81 said:
So its now 2020, and a lot of things have changed in the golf industry over the last 10 or so years. My question is, who do you think influences golf purchases the most?

Would it be tour usage? Would it be the OEM's through advertising, social media etc? Would it be Youtube reviewers who seem to be gaining a lot of popularity? How about golf sites/forums like THP or the others through their official reviews and forum reviews? Or maybe the publications like Golf Digest or Golf.com?

Follow-up question is, do you think your answer changes over the next 5 or 10 years?
Click to expand...

As far as being influenced, I find myself currently relying on the reviews and feedback here on THP. Although I am not "purchasing" new clubs this year, I will be getting some new Cobra equipment as a proud member of Team Hackers for this year's Morgan Cup. Even in my ponder regarding what to choose from Cobra, I am relying on what I read here on THP. And based upon what I read here, I will process that information and I will then go out and hit those clubs.

If I'm still involved with THP in 5-10 years, I don't think my answer changes.
 
For me it's you *ssholes fine gents. I was perfectly happy playing old Nike irons until I came to this place.

I don't get equipment envy watching golf on tv. They don't talk about it much during broadcasts, and I mostly tune out advertisements.

90% of the time I check out a youtube video review it's because my curiosity about something was peaked here.
Same if I read an article somewhere. Chances are I looked it up and found it based on something I read here.
Same with social media. I read or see something here, and maybe trace it back to an OEM or reviewers insta or something, and they gain a follow. Never the other way around.
 
OldandStiff said:
For me it's you *ssholes fine gents. I was perfectly happy playing old Nike irons until I came to this place.
Click to expand...

This is a pretty common theme. I thought I was content with my golf clubs before joining THP haha.
 
For me, it's word of mouth around here mostly. I trust the open and honest feedback by the people who review things, and if I have any questions it is pretty easy to get an answer.

I think for the general public though, the tour is a big influence. That's why brands pay certain guys as much as they do to use their clubs. If there was no influence there, then we wouldn't see the dollars being spent on guys that we do.
 
I take the OP as asking more with regards to the average golfer rather than what influences me or any other THPer who are in the minority when it comes to the amount of information we seek out.

For the average golfer my guess would be brand usage on tour (doesn't have to be specific clubs just the fact that they have a large presence amongst pros), and, as hard as it is for me to say it, I think the Golf Digest/Golf.com lists probably have more power than we think (even though it's easy to find out with a little bit of digging that it's pay to play for those rankings).
 
For me it is about what I need and not marketing hype. I been around too long to fall for the hype and schemes out there today. If I find out that new gear will benefit me and keep my satisfaction level of enjoying the game with a modicum of improvement intact, it is worth a look.
 
All conversation is good, but was more looking for who people think influences the most people the most, not who influences you personally.
 
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