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Can A Cheaper Priced Putter Be Popular?

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JB

JB

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I was speaking to someone this morning about the cost of putters. This is not a take on brands or quality, just about cost. I was relaying this back and forth to sales and it got me thinking about the entire topic in general. Most of the very popular putters would be considered part of the premium market.

Can a putter still be popular to the core golfer if it falls into the $150 segment when it comes out? Is it missing tech? What are your thoughts?
 
I think it can, if it is under the correct brand.
 
I don't see why not. There are PLENTY of people who are always looking for a good deal...as long as quality is there. Although the current price point is a little higher weren't Odyssey putters around that price for a long time?
 
Not too long ago I had 3 putters all in the more expensive category and one that was about $100. Guess which one is in my bag and which ones I sold to others. I definitely think you can make a quality product that will work for a lot of people for $150 or less.
 
I think it can be popular, but in general I think people do look too much at the price tag when deciding how good a putter is.
 
It can, but as @ddec said, brand name matters, right or wrong, it matters.

I still say the Cleveland putters the past tow iterations have been THE best bang for the buck in putters in maybe a decade, but, the name doesn't drive putter sales, it just doesn't.
 
It really depends on the golfer. If it is a golfer that is mainly concerned with showmanship in their bag, then no. If it is a golfer mainly concerned with performance, then yes.
 
Now that would be an interesting fitting concept all across the board. Have 5 different putters, drivers, irons, etc with no OEM label and markings, from less expensive to most expensive, and see where everything would fall as far as numbers and overall feel and comfort with clubs.
 
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jdtox said:
I don't see why not. There are PLENTY of people who are always looking for a good deal...as long as quality is there and although the price point is a little higher hasn't Odyssey made a living around that price?
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For a number of years yes, but not since they have gone with a very tech heavy segment. Whether you like them or not is up to the person, but they pack a lot of tech into their frames.
I see Wilson, Cleveland, etc hit these price points and TaylorMade was close and none of them really moved the needle all that much. So was genuinely curious.
 
It has to be marketed correctly and tour pros need to use them and have success with them and then speak about how awesome that $150 putter is!
 
Jman said:
It can, but as @ddec said, brand name matters, right or wrong, it matters.

I still say the Cleveland putters the past tow iterations have been THE best bang for the buck in putters in maybe a decade, but, the name doesn't drive putter sales, it just doesn't.
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odyssey used to sell a ton of putters in that price range. But they were a putter brand name. Cleveland has some incredible feeling putters at a cheap price, but they get overlooked. Now maybe with the times 199 is the new 150, but I still think it can be done.
 
No, unfortunately many equate low price with inferior product and the MASSES (not the small % of golfers on golf forums) do not know or care about the tech and all the blah blah that went into it.

Its just the world we live in.
 
JB said:
For a number of years yes, but not since they have gone with a very tech heavy segment. Whether you like them or not is up to the person, but they pack a lot of tech into their frames.
I see Wilson, Cleveland, etc hit these price points and TaylorMade was close and none of them really moved the needle all that much. So was genuinely curious.
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For whatever reason behind it, whether it's tour use validation or just marketing, Odyssey will likely always be one of the top putter brands. In my opinion its Scotty Cameron, then Odyssey, then TaylorMade...then everyone else. I don't know many guys outside of THPers and a few serious golfers that will pony up $500 for a putter so Odyssey makes many peoples bags at the $200 price point. If someone were to make a big push at $150 I personally think the potential is there. Clevelands Huntington Beach collection is a fantastic product, I don't know how well they have done but for the value/price I don't think there is a better deal out there.
 
It is probably my cheapness but the putters on my list like the Huntington Beach series and Wilson's The Bean are priced at or below a hundy. With the old Budget Golf discount even less. I have had Scotties, currently own a Betti and just sold a Seemore. I am going to try a less expensive putter.
 
jdtox said:
For whatever reason behind it, whether it's tour use validation or just marketing, Odyssey will likely always be one of the top putter brands. In my opinion its Scotty Cameron, then Odyssey, then TaylorMade...then everyone else. I don't know many guys outside of THPers and a few serious golfers that will pony up $500 for a putter so Odyssey makes many peoples bags at the $200 price point. If someone were to make a big push at $150 I personally think the potential is there. Clevelands Huntington Beach collection is a fantastic product, I don't know how well they have done but for the value/price I don't think there is a better deal out there.
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Its interesting for sure. Because Odyssey is not really at that $200 price point, well I guess they are with O-Works, but EXO, Stroke Lab and Toulon are all higher. bBut TaylorMade is with their TP Collection and they didnt set the world on fire. Certainly big brand, strong presence and even used on tour.
 
ddec said:
odyssey used to sell a ton of putters in that price range. But they were a putter brand name. Cleveland has some incredible feeling putters at a cheap price, but they get overlooked. Now maybe with the times 199 is the new 150, but I still think it can be done.
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Bingo.

Name matters. Right or wrong, name matters.
 
Jman said:
Bingo.

Name matters. Right or wrong, name matters.
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Couldnt you make the case that price matters just as much as name? TaylorMade sold more of their expensive line than their cheaper line. Odyssey as well. Ping as well. All share the same name.
 
Odyssey was hugely popular at that pricepoint not so long ago so I say yes, with the proper marketing and product. sadly it has to be in that order
 
JB said:
Its interesting for sure. Because Odyssey is not really at that $200 price point, well I guess they are with O-Works, but EXO, Stroke Lab and Toulon are all higher. bBut TaylorMade is with their TP Collection and they didnt set the world on fire. Certainly big brand, strong presence and even used on tour.
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Yeah I was speaking O-works, that or past models like white hot RX/Versa is still what I see in a lot of bags. I have yet to see EXO in anyones bag around here and Toulon is obviously higher end. I can't speak as to why the TP collection hasn't done better
 
JB said:
Couldnt you make the case that price matters just as much as name? TaylorMade sold more of their expensive line than their cheaper line. Odyssey as well. Ping as well. All share the same name.
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We could make any case we want with brands "known for" putters.

Those companies also push the "tech" and "tour play" of those higher end lines, add in established "putter brand" sentiments and the higher end putters move as much if not more in most cases.

My point is if you aren't known as a putter brand, and bring one at a lower price point, it will be seen as inferior by most for better or worse, and the people will spend 50+ more to get that "known brand". Doesn't make it right, but, its reality.
 
Jman said:
We could make any case we want with brands "known for" putters.

Those companies also push the "tech" and "tour play" of those higher end lines, add in established "putter brand" sentiments and the higher end putters move as much if not more in most cases.

My point is if you aren't known as a putter brand, and bring one at a lower price point, it will be seen as inferior by most for better or worse, and the people will spend 50+ more to get that "known brand". Doesn't make it right, but, its reality.
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I guess I am not following (its Monday). It was said it could happen for brands known for putters, but those brands are still outselling their lower priced lines with higher priced models. Ping and TaylorMade both immediately come to mind. So if "tech blah blah blah" doesn't matter to the core golfer, I would think its tour use and price, right? Im guessing just like anybody else because obviously its up to the individual how they choose.

So with that said, what brand could do it? Could Odyssey sell a ton of putters at the $150 mark if they still offered putters that were more expensive? Could TaylorMade? Ping?
 
JB said:
I was speaking to someone this morning about the cost of putters. This is not a take on brands or quality, just about cost. I was relaying this back and forth to sales and it got me thinking about the entire topic in general. Most of the very popular putters would be considered part of the premium market.

Can a putter still be popular to the core golfer if it falls into the $150 segment when it comes out? Is it missing tech? What are your thoughts?
Click to expand...

Absolutely, and it all boils down to performance. Does the ball go into the hole more often?

But as you and I have discussed in the past, there's so much more to this conversation than what I offer above. There is name recognition, brand preferences, and let's face it: some golfers like flashy things when it comes to designer putters.

There's a market for everything, especially when performance is secondary.
 
golfunfiltered said:
Absolutely, and it all boils down to performance. Does the ball go into the hole more often?
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Do you really think it does when people are choosing their putter?
 
Jman said:
I still say the Cleveland putters the past tow iterations have been THE best bang for the buck in putters
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No doubt about it. This was my first thought when I seen this thread
 
I think at that pricepoint they could definitely be successful. Well personally, I love the Clevelend lineup that fell at that pricing (Huntington beach and Classics line before that).

To actually sell though? The manufacturer needs to put some effort into marketing them: affordable putter that performs like the expensive ones, get some people using them on tour.

I personally think when people think putter, they automatically think expensive = better.
 
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