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Demo Days - Do They Influence your Purchases?

SuperStroke
fupresti

fupresti

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By Demo Days, I am referring specifically when company reps from the OEMs come to your local course and do fittings and allow players to hit clubs and try various combinations they have available. Of course we have access to hit these same clubs at retailers, but I am curious if you are more prone to buy when seeing outdoor ballflight as well as talk to the source directly.
 
I AM more inclined to make a decision when I can hit and swap from different OEM's on the range, more so than in a hitting bay.
 
I am intimidated by demo days and don't like going to them. The few that I've been to, there has been a handful of other guys waiting too so I always feel rushed and cannot get the time I want with the club and the rep even though it's more than likely going to end in a purchase.
 
I do believe demo days help influence purchases. Even though you might only have club manufacturer that you can demo at a time, I feel these guys are more experienced from a fitting standpoint. They have no problem changing shafts, etc. to make sure you get the most out of their driver.

I prefer that over trying to go to a big box store and working with their staff especially since the demo day is usually outside.
 
I usually wait until my local 3 day demo weekend each spring to try out the new gear before I make any purchase decisions.
 
Being left handed demo days offer me the ability to try out clubs otherwise I would not be able to. Most stores in my area have limited left handed sections and the fitting carts aren't much help either. From that standpoint demo days do influence what I buy. The Mizuno irons I play were a direct result of being able to hit them at demo days
 
I love demo days and usually hit up a couple. I like to test and do somewhat of a fitting at them and use them as well as feedback on Thp to narrow down my choices. Then I'll either go see my fitter to make the final decision or hit up another demo day and have the do it
 
Demo days are great! I get to try clubs that weren't even on my radar and ended up purchasing them! For me, there is no substitute for seeing the ball fly in the air!
 
They don't influence me. I've always known what I wanted when I purchase. I don't buy from demo day sessions.
 
I bought my wedges at a demo day last year. Made my decision after trying the four I had identified. I felt less rushed there than in a normal "sale" environment. Based on that experience, my next purchase may also come after a demo day.
 
I for sure am! Hitting bays are nice and all, but being able to see the shot and have the launch monitor data is more of a sell to me.
 
No, because I don't buy new but hopefully if it's that good a piece of equipment I'll keep it in mind for a future purchase when the price comes down.
 
I would say demo days definitely have an influence on my purchases. Like the Milk Man stated, it tends to be an opportunity for me to have a chance with clubs some of the local golf shops might not have available in left handed demos. It was a tremendous influence when I purchased my 712 AP1 set as I got to spend about 45 minutes with a Titleist rep going through different iron options, shaft options, even getting fitted on the spot for the AP1s. I do think I got lucky as I got there early and by the time I left, their area had a line backed up ready to ask questions, demo clubs.
 
I think I'm more prone to buy if it was tested outdoor, there's something about seeing it do what I will be doing with it on the course that makes me feel more comfortable about a purchase decision.
 
I've never been to one that wasn't being packed up as I was getting there.
 
I only enjoy demo days to see/hit the product. They never influence my purchase.

I demo clubs on the course. The last one influenced me to purchase the TM M1.
 
I love demo days. I hit what their rep says best suits my swing, then directly compare it with what I'm gaming now. I make them work for their sale, lol. Most reps don't like me.
 
I don't buy directly at demo days but I do love them and use them.
Taylormade making their clubs available for a free launch monitor demo is a huge reason I ended buying M2 driver and M1 fw.
Previous to that Titleist has always been easy to find and demo so I bought their stuff quite often.

I really wish Callaway and Cobra would start to do stuff like this locally. I'm pretty sure Callaway offers demos and fitting sessions at Morgan Creek but they aren't drop-in and they aren't free.
 
I have never hit a driver at a demo day that didn't go a freaking mile! Shaved? I'll hit irons all day. A demo day is what led to me getting the z545 setup. I eventually changed the shafts out, but I never would have bought them off the rack. Hell, I'm freaking out over a $130 wedge purchase right now. I kind of want to feel and hit what I buy....although I did buy the PM grind based on THP, so I might as well buy the RTX too, huh?
 
fupresti said:
By Demo Days, I am referring specifically when company reps from the OEMs come to your local course and do fittings and allow players to hit clubs and try various combinations they have available. Of course we have access to hit these same clubs at retailers, but I am curious if you are more prone to buy when seeing outdoor ballflight as well as talk to the source directly.
Click to expand...
I would be but I haven't done a demo day before

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THP events are the closest thing I have to demo days. All the demo days that come my area seem to be in the middle of the day during the week, but I being able to hit something outside and see the ball flight is something that is important to me.
 
They more open my eyes to other pieces of equipment that I may not have wanted to try. I know in the past I've walked out of a demo day with something high on my list that wasn't really on the list to begin with.
 
I enjoy them as Spring rolls in. I never use it as a buying tool but rather as a way to see what the vendors have for the golf years ahead.
 
I purchased the TEE XCG6 driver after hitting it at a multi-OEM demo day. All the other booths were packed, so I stopped in at the TEE booth to kill time. The worker there spent a lot of time with me & the driver was a great fit fore my swing at the time.
 
Cobra had a demo day at my course a couple weeks ago and I ordered a F7+ driver. Was I influenced? Probably. But then again, I got to hit a bunch of different clubs and could definitely see the different in ball flight between them so I think/hope that paying a premium (full retail) after having been dialed in to a specific club based on my swing will be worth it. It better be :)


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