Slowly but for sure I am arriving to that stage in my golf learning that I will have to select my golf equipment, golf clubs, golf balls and golf bag. It would not be a big issue if I were living in such golf countries like UK or Ireland, but in Hungary, golf is in infancy situation. So you can imagine what are my choices. Before arriving to Golf Expo in Munich two months ago I was only aware of big golf equipment brands like Callaway, TaylorMade, Nike Golf, McGregor, Mizuno etc. But we all know that there are many cheaper golf equipment brands like Piranha Golf, MD Golf etc. As written in school books about such market situation golf courses are skimming the extra profit by importing premium golf equipment brands or at least upper-middle category golf brands like Wilson Staff.
To understand the differences between golf clubs and golf balls, I started to google to find product descriptions and reviews. Although as a online marketing specialist I am totally aware of that these reviews are manipulated by advertisers just like video post on YouTube and other video sharing sites by advertisers. But at least give us clue how to select and buy golf clubs, golf balls and other golf accessories. By the way, Lightspeed Research says that 68% who trust "other online sources of information" such as search, product review and price comparison sites (with only 5% not trusting).
The existing golf equipment comparison sites are focusing only on golf equipments when in developed golf countries it would be beneficial to compare green fees of different golf courses as well. I think such sites can be a lucrative sales channel of sports departments (for example: Decathlon).
I found only two useful and informative golf equipment price comparison sites: CompareGolfPrices and GolfMooch. From social media marketing point of view CompareGolfPrices is promising. CompareGolfPrices is utilizing social media quite well by setting up account on Facebook (13 fans – this is still not enough to maximize the hidden potential of Facebook) and Twitter (77 followers – it is also very few). If they want to maximize (e.g. develop consumer database) Facebook, Twitter or other social networking sites they have to do more to generate bulk number of followers. CompareGolfPrices probably less "pampering" as offer less choices for us. I checked couple of items on CompareGolfPrices, in most cases I found only 1 or maximum 2 offers of e-commerce sites.
If you wish to know other golf equipment comparison sites:
- www.golfalot.com – powered by PriceRunner; with Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts
- www.golfcovered.co.uk – a very old-school golf equipment comparison site with promising SEO
- www.payless4golf.co.uk – powered by eBay
- www.shop.todaysgolfer.co.uk – we can neglect it
- www.golf-clubs-n-balls.com – simply reminds me 90s – very old school site: skip it!!!
- https://sport.kelkoo.co.uk/c-165201-golf.html – not professional
- www.twenga.com/dir-Sports,Golf – not professional
These I would not use at all….