How to Buy Used Golf Clubs

Go to a local pro shop or sporting goods store and look at the latest new clubs. Decide what features that are the most important to you. Forget their retail prices, because you are on a journey to buy used clubs.

Talk with the salesperson at the sporting goods store or the pro at your golf course about leftovers from the previous year or used clubs they may have on hand. Do the same at the local driving range. Often, they are willing to sell new clubs at a discount to make room for new inventory. Or they may have taken used sets in trade when a golfer buys a new set. This strategy can save you up to several hundred dollars on newly acquired equipment.

Check for stores in your area that specialize in used sports equipment. These stores are noted for their low prices, particularly if you have an older set that you can offer in trade. (See Resources.)

Look in the classified section of your daily newspaper for either golf clubs people want to sell or for garage sales, where you can expect to find incredible bargains. At garage sales, they often may not have complete sets for sale, but you might find a bargain for a wedge or a driver that would cost much more if they were new.

Go online. There are hundreds of websites that sell used golf clubs, often 75 to 80 percent below their original cost. Also, there are auction websites that offer thousands of sets for sale at bargain prices. (See Resources.) However, before you buy a set of clubs from an online retailer or auction website, be sure that you are buying name-brand merchandise rather than clones. Also, understand that, in most cases, you will not be able to return the clubs after purchasing them, so be sure they are exactly what you want.