Dave Alvarado
New member
That's not my point.
How many give you a DISCOUNT if you "upgrade" to a cheaper-than-stock shaft?
TaylorMade M1 Driver Review Thread
How many give you a DISCOUNT if you "upgrade" to a cheaper-than-stock shaft?
- Thread starter
- Admin
- #602
These brought back some memories. I remember gaming the Bubble Burner in high school. Was one of the first drivers I ever owned.
That old M1 looks like a real treat to hit!
Look up the cost of the Titanium version, which is what I was referring to. MSRP - $449. Did a story on it a few years back on THP (and have one) and got the prices straight from TaylorMade's wall of innovation. Liquid Metal was another one that we did a story on from 20 years ago or so with the same high price tag.
- Thread starter
- Admin
- #603
I wonder if I walk into buy a car and tell them I want cheaper tires, will they discount the car? 
I'd also imagine that, for the set of "no upcharge" shafts, they're buying a large enough inventory of shafts for the line such that the price difference is not that high on the side of the OEM. Very different than retail costs, would be my guess.
Dave Alvarado
New member
- Thread starter
- Admin
- #608
Really? You do realize not all cars come with cloth seats as an option right? So no, it was not a stupid analogy...But thank you for that response.
- Staff
- #609
I want to hit it. I really do, thats the first time I can say that as an absolute about a TM driver in a long while. That said, the marketing is still the big miss for me right now.
- Thread starter
- Admin
- #610
This one?
Nope...But thanks for this...Becoming the norm.
Martsy
New member
I think references to club prices 20 years ago is a bit of a straw man argument. Golf was in a much different place 20 years ago than it is today, and there's no way in commodity market like clubs that manufacturing costs have gone up. R&D maybe, but production I highly doubt it, especially with pretty much everything being off shored and processes no doubt having been improved.
I think a better example is to compare to prices just a short few years ago. SLDR and Big Bertha both launched at $399, now the GBB is $449 and I'm assuming the M1 will be that or more. Every article you read is about golf declining and demand going down...so what is the justification of a 12.5% price increase? I can only think of two myself. One, the new "no charge" shaft options. The second being that golf is a bizarre game where a lot of it's affluent players somehow think they've got better equipment if they paid more for it. Maybe it actually spurs demand?
As far as the car comparisons...let's go full bore then. The base 2012 BMW 528i launched at an MSRP of $50,945. 2016 same exact price. I'm pretty sure there's a little bit of design work involved with luxury cars. More so, as you go down the spectrum, economy cars are cheaper today for the same model 3 years ago. So there's something else there unexplained. Maybe the secret the car companies haven't figured out yet is if they price them with every option offered, then can offer you unlimited no cost options? Want a sun roof? Want a rear camera? They're yours at no additional price! But oh year, that 5 series MSRP is now 70K.
I think a better example is to compare to prices just a short few years ago. SLDR and Big Bertha both launched at $399, now the GBB is $449 and I'm assuming the M1 will be that or more. Every article you read is about golf declining and demand going down...so what is the justification of a 12.5% price increase? I can only think of two myself. One, the new "no charge" shaft options. The second being that golf is a bizarre game where a lot of it's affluent players somehow think they've got better equipment if they paid more for it. Maybe it actually spurs demand?
As far as the car comparisons...let's go full bore then. The base 2012 BMW 528i launched at an MSRP of $50,945. 2016 same exact price. I'm pretty sure there's a little bit of design work involved with luxury cars. More so, as you go down the spectrum, economy cars are cheaper today for the same model 3 years ago. So there's something else there unexplained. Maybe the secret the car companies haven't figured out yet is if they price them with every option offered, then can offer you unlimited no cost options? Want a sun roof? Want a rear camera? They're yours at no additional price! But oh year, that 5 series MSRP is now 70K.
- Thread starter
- Admin
- #612
Sure does. Everything does have a base price. Just as these do too. Then if you want to upgrade, they will oblige that too.
I understand complaining of price on THP or elsewhere for all consumer goods. I get it completely. Prices are high and wages are low. What I dont understand is some of the logic. Some of the same people complaining about prices, complain about release cycles which only lower prices, yet say in those very posts, they dont care about lower prices, because it is killing the golf store....Some of this stuff is freaking laughable.
Now I am not directing it at the quote above, just showing how some of the responses when looking at the entire picture are viewed. The price has not even been confirmed as of yet, and people are already complaining about it.
me too! i remember callaway's i-mix, and from my perspective with no insider info it at least appeared to be a flop. then again, i don't think the price point on it was all that lower than other drivers in the market, which was the issue, but i may be misremembering.
i actually reached out to cobra last month to ask about a no-shaft option for their king cobra ltd, since i have a few shafts already tipped with the my fly 8 adapter that i would want to try first. their response: "We are not allowed to sell just the heads, that is against our company policy. The new King Line will be in stores the middle of November." really seems like they're missing out on a (admittedly small) segment of the market. but if we buy the drivers anyway, i guess they're still winning!
- Moderator
- #614
I think the funny thing about pricepoint conversations (and it's even more entertaining that a TM release thread seems to turn to what's wrong with the golf industry by default anymore) is that those who bicker about the price probably aren't all that fired up to pay full price for a club anyways. We are using an interesting analogy of cars here.... I WISH cars were priced similar to golf clubs, where I could just wait a year and get one for more than 50% off retail. That would be awesome!
At the end of the day, they'll price it out to be whatever they want it to be, and those who are eager to get their hands on the new tech will absolutely pay it. For the rest, we should feel fortunate that it it is so impossibly easy to be a frugal golfer and still play tech that isn't more than a year old.
Chump Fries
Captain Awesome
I really think it'll come down to the commercials for them. Please no "you've never seen anything like this" because it really is an R1 with another slider. I do love the multiple stock shaft options (low, mid, high). I think that could do really well for them.
I think if they didn't go with "our tour pros got 3.7 more yards and they happy feelies when hitting the M1" and go with a "Who's this driver made for? You!" approach where they basically say this driver is made for you (just get the right shaft and configuration) and I think they'll have a good chance at a sales winner.
I'm curious to see their next 3 woods. I've liked TM fairways in the past a lot.
I think if they didn't go with "our tour pros got 3.7 more yards and they happy feelies when hitting the M1" and go with a "Who's this driver made for? You!" approach where they basically say this driver is made for you (just get the right shaft and configuration) and I think they'll have a good chance at a sales winner.
I'm curious to see their next 3 woods. I've liked TM fairways in the past a lot.
DevRickus
The Dirty Jerz
Bingo. The 2 things arent mutually exclusive. I think they are doing a poor job at marketing but I want to hit it badly.
All of these no up charge shafts are great but they won't matter. Walk into any golf retailer and they will stock maybe 2 options. I can't remember the last time I grabbed a club off the rack.
This thread is all over the place. I don't really see how the non confirmed price is an issue. All new drivers are $400+ up here, hell the GBB is $550.
Don't want to pay upwards of $450 for a driver? Here's a crazy idea,
DONT.
I think Taylormade would be well served to offer a solid customer loyalty bonus, but that's easy for me to say because it's not my money.
Don't want to pay upwards of $450 for a driver? Here's a crazy idea,
DONT.
I think Taylormade would be well served to offer a solid customer loyalty bonus, but that's easy for me to say because it's not my money.
- Thread starter
- Admin
- #619
From what I was told yesterday, I believe you will see 3-4 in most retailers, which is a nice change. I think it will help with some, who dont like to special order.
jhoefer99
#MerinoMarauder
3-4 in stores would be cool for me. Much better than the way it's been for years. "You want regular or stiff?"
sparksjr
Active member
agree with all of this, as to the bolded part: mission accomplished taylormade.
- Moderator
- #622
I'd love to see a greater push for demo days and such. Sure, OTR is a big seller because some golfers just aren't that interested in doing the research -- But it would be great to see more golfers get empowered by an understanding of what can truly work for their game between shaft and head.
Right now, their demo days are brutal. I went to one seeking out the Aeroburner and got scoffed at when I asked for the X in a low loft head. Hit it into orbit two or three times with the white tie (horribly Canadan pairing but my only option from the grumpy female more focused on her smartphone) and quickly moved on. That's not a good thing IMO.
I would say redundant and annoying but entertaining is a fine word for it if thats how you feel. I understand people get upset with TM because of they have handled their business the last (lets say 3 years). But, the things people complain about are the exact same things other companies do, the EXACT same thing, the only difference is the last few releases have been mediocre at best and they have lost a lot of goodwill and credibility. Thats just my opinion though. I am a fan of the brand and play their clubs, but I havent bought any of their recent lines becasue frankly they didnt work for me, I am hoping that changes and I will continue to go into new clubs with an open mind and find the best club for my game (unless its tour egde)
lightningbolt44
Well-known member
I want to hit this guy and truth be told there is no one club fits all so if this fits the higher swing guys that need low spin (which I think it will fit more than that) then that is great I just hope they have an option for the slower swing speed needing higher spin as well. Somewhere along the way people got this impression that one driver can fit all it cant even the best driver in the world cant we are all different.
As far as price well unfortunately people want something for nothing as usual. Whatever the price may be if you find it to high no one is forcing you to buy.
As far as price well unfortunately people want something for nothing as usual. Whatever the price may be if you find it to high no one is forcing you to buy.
- Moderator
- #625
I would say redundant and annoying but entertaining is a fine word for it if thats how you feel. I understand people get upset with TM because of they have handled their business the last (lets say 3 years). But, the things people complain about are the exact same things other companies do, the EXACT same thing, the only difference is the last few releases have been mediocre at best and they have lost a lot of goodwill and credibility. Thats just my opinion though. I am a fan of the brand and play their clubs, but I havent bought any of their recent lines becasue frankly they didnt work for me, I am hoping that changes and I will continue to go into new clubs with an open mind and find the best club for my game (unless its tour egde)
Good marketing creates favoritism... and bad marketing creates a negative bias. I'm not surprised by the reaction at all.
I still think it's all hilarious because five years ago, TM was at the forefront of "can do no wrong" marketing and technology. It's absolutely shocking how far they've fallen in the minds of the average golfer, but until they right the ship it's going to be like this and I really don't blame anyone having a jaded opinion. It's like the 'too many releases' argument. Totally different rules for different OEMs. Always has been.
What will be great, is if this lineup can speak for itself rather than the marketing or bias. I absolutely love it when tech persuades opinion over flash and claims of longer-ier. That's why I am so excited to hit it.