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Who remembers Golfsmith?

My Golfsmith is now a Golf Galaxy. A few of the workers stayed on even after Dick’s took over.
 
I ordered the catalog wishing to order someday. But during that time as a teen in Canada. Ordering was much tougher then now.
 
Used to go over to the Golfsmith in Sarasota, that one is a GG now. Went over Friday to the PGASS and didn't even go across the street to GG. They had the Stealth HD head that I wanted to see, embargoed so couldn't hit but did see the head. My iron miss is high toe so there would probably be a lot of pop ups with them.
 
formula8 said:
I grew up in Schaumburg so I know that location well. I do miss Golfsmith and always think of it when I'm at the PGATSS right there.
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Bought my house in Streamwood in 2000, after having taken up golf in 1998. Bought a box set there, after playing garage sale specials for a couple of years. Grips, balls, tape, shafts, ferrules, put together a couple of hybrids. Then buying another set of irons, around 2014, which was the last time I was in there. Dicks in the Streets of Woodfield is my place for golf balls, but PGASS is my place for grips, tape, and have had them bend a club, as they have the machines, up front by CS, when you walk in. Golf Galaxy, which was right across Golf Rd. from GS, closed after Dick's bought them. Just not the same. Redid my bag in 2020, bought a driver from Dick's(Lombard), wedges from PGASS on Golf, and hybrid irons, as well as a putter online. Times change...
 
I remember them well and bought/built a lot of clubs from them especially in the days before eBay. I still have a Snake Eyes strong 3 wood with the classic UST purple and gold shaft that was in my bag for 5+ years. I should throw a new grip on it and put it in play for a round or two this summer. :)
 
drb1956 said:
That place looks huge! Must have been a lot of whse. space, with all those dock doors. Nice that they had the driving range. Thanks for the pictures...
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Yeah it was big but a lot of it was corporate office space for their headquarters.
 
I loved Golfsmith. I was sad when they went Bye bye
 
One of the best pre-owned sections the last few years in the HQ store, and even the couple others I had been to. The semi-annual tent sales, the driving range with huge artificial turf putting green and short game area...nothing like it anymore. Even in Austin we have a PGATSS and a golf galaxy and they're both just shells of what golfsmith used to be.

I have the Wishon-made Tour Cavity Forged irons and played them the last part of HS and all through college, one of the first forged CBs readily available in LH that didn't cost an arm and a leg.
 
Sure I remember them. Lots of those stores still exist as Golf Galaxy stores since the acquisition by Dick’s. I miss their end of season tent sales. Those were always a lot of fun.
 
The MacGregor stuff coming back out made me think of Golfsmith. Like with Eastbay, I loved when their catalogs came in the mail.
 
Ah, those were the days. I was a Golfsmith certified club builder/repair. Bought enough stuff from them that I was a Gold member. Was sorry to see them fold.
 
I loved the Golfsmith store, I'd "try clubs" in the sim during the winter just to get some swings in. I'd go during slower hours when there was very little foot traffic in the store. I also picked up an entire set of Diablo Edge irons for $30 there. Still kick myself for selling them.
 
russtopher said:
I loved the Golfsmith store, I'd "try clubs" in the sim during the winter just to get some swings in. I'd go during slower hours when there was very little foot traffic in the store. I also picked up an entire set of Diablo Edge irons for $30 there. Still kick myself for selling them.
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I still have my Diablo Octane driver, with the matching 3 wood. Ping G410 has replaced the driver, but still playing the 3 wood. Had X-20's in the bag until about 3 years ago. I used to try to do the same when I would go to to hit the demo clubs. I remember when they did a complete remodel of the GS store I used to frequent. Was never the same...
 
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I would go to the back of the store where they had hitting bays, with a trackman like computer, and you could work on club contact, or just try out new demo clubs. Lots of times no one from the store was back there, and the computer was running, so I just check myself after every swing, and make corrections. I was new to the game...
 
There was a Goldsmith on 53rd and Lexington in NYC, the employees were all cranky and hated it when I would just stop in to hit a few. They were very commission driven, if you didn't look like you had money they would ignore you. lol.
 
It really sucks what we are left with after our local spot closed up
 
Hacker67 said:
There was a Goldsmith on 53rd and Lexington in NYC, the employees were all cranky and hated it when I would just stop in to hit a few. They were very commission driven, if you didn't look like you had money they would ignore you. lol.
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So, if they left you alone, that's a good thing. If they didn't like their job, they should've quit! A shame that people that deal with people in their job, can't be nicer. At least be cordial toward customers. How do they know how much money I have? I might've come in, dressed in jeans, and could buy a $1,500 set of clubs! Can't judge a book by it's cover...
 
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Wholeinone said:
Ah, those were the days. I was a Golfsmith certified club builder/repair. Bought enough stuff from them that I was a Gold member. Was sorry to see them fold.
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Did you go to their school in Texas? I wonder what they did with all of the "Golfsmith" inventory? I would have liked to pick thru some of that stuff, especially if they were just going to trash it. They had some great components. I have a set of GS P2 irons, with GS redcap "tour velvet" grips. I should pull them out for a range session sometime. Those P2's were always talked about in blogs about clubmaking, from the guys that went to the GS school of clubmaking...
 
drb1956 said:
So, if they left you alone, that's a good thing. If they didn't like their job, they should've quit! A shame that people that deal with people in their job, can't be nicer. At least be cordial toward customers. How do they know how much money I have? I might've come in, dressed in jeans, and could but a $1,500 set of clubs! Can't judge a book by it's cover...
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That area of NYC was all office buildings with lots of office workers and executives and they would go in there with their $1000 suits and the employees would trip over each other to help them. I was a Union Pipefitter working in NYC so I would go in with jeans and a t-shirt on and be totally ignored, lol little did they know I was making more money than those suits.
 
Thanks for all the replies to this point. It's nice to know how much Golfsmith meant to a lot of folks. I know I enjoyed going there, if only just to look, but mostly for balls, or something I needed for my bag. Always looked at the used club section when I first started playing, hoping to upgrade to a better set, or maybe find a certain club to stick in my bag. Finally, bought a no-name box set, with woods and irons, for like $110. Played with that set for a number of years, till I upgraded with the GS P2 component heads, and replaced all my iron heads that spring, waiting for the season to begin. Usually played with the set wedges, and found a used set(52*,56*,60*) of Cleveland 900's, which were forged, around 2010, and played them until 2020, when they got replaced by CBX2's(50*,54*,58*). I bought a lot of grips there, as I was doing them for myself, family, and friends. The GS grips never disappointed. They were made just as good as OEM. My P2 set has GS grips on them. So, lets keep this thread going! Has to be more folks out there that shopped at Golfsmith...
 
To me Golfsmith was way more than the stores. I started getting the catalog in the 90’s. Like Golfworks under the founder, Ralph Maltby, they had a variety of club heads that were truly unique. Graphite face Ping copies, the Counter Point irons, graphite drivers with heavy heel weights and maraging steel face woods way before any OEM. Check out Jeff Sheets website for some of the last GD originals.
As an aside, when the Paul brothers bought Snake Eyes hijackers stole two trailer loads of heads at an AZ truck stop.
 
Snake Eyes is still a thing. Was a great house brand for Golfsmith. Knew a few guys that played their ball, and some had their wedges. Been to their web site. Clubs, and 2 basic 2-piece balls, with a choice of colors. They also have some bags, reasonably priced. I still have my old Snake Eyes bag. Got a lot of years out of that bag. They have some hats, shirts, shoes, towels, and even a range finder. Can't imagine too many folks still playing this brand, but some are loyal to a brand. Wondering who makes their clubs, and balls?
 
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drb1956 said:
Snake Eyes is still a thing. Was a great house brand for Golfsmith. Knew a few guys that played their ball, and some had their wedges. Been to their web site. Clubs, and 2 basic 2-piece balls, with a choice of colors. They also have some bags, reasonably priced. I still have my old Snake Eyes bag. Got a lot of years out of that bag. They have some hats, shirts, shoes, towels, and even a range finder. Can't imagine too many folks still playing this brand, but some are loyal to a brand. Wondering who makes their clubs, and balls?
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Probably the same Chinese companies that make most all the other golf clubs.
 
I own the Python Driver and 3W -- senior shaft. Moved on from both yrs. ago. Performed OK. E Bay is where transactions take place for Snake Eyes golf clubs.

Good Golfing
 
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