Does This End-of-Year Golf Gear Dilemma Plague You?

For gear-focused golfers looking for an edge, the end of the year can feel like a difficult time to try to start the buying process. Unless we're talking golf balls, gloves, or shoes—which are great items to stock up on as the season comes to a close—buying clubs in the off season can feel like a confusing process, as current season products are discounted, but new clubs are still only on the horizon.

With this in mind, let’s get into the pros and cons of both routes, so no matter how you choose to buy your next clubs, you get exactly what you want.

The Case For (and Against) Buying Now

The Pros

Buying current product offers a lot of benefits including, first and foremost, paying less, as well as reducing fear of backorders. Although the supply chain crunch of 2021 caused by the Covid golf surge is long gone, there can still be longer lead times for popular products at the beginning of the season, and buying now ensures that you’ll be ready for the course on that very first nice day.

Speaking of being ready for day one, getting fit for clubs at the end of the season is also a great opportunity to put your best foot forward. You’ve been playing all year and there is a good chance your golf swing has settled into a nice rhythm. How many times have you said “I feel like I’m playing my best now as the season is about to end?” If thats how you feel about your swing, now is the best time to put it to use and get in front of a fitter to see results.

So if you’re looking to save a bit of money without buying used, the end of the season is still prime time to lock in your clubs.

The Cons

There’s really one big con associated with pulling the trigger right now. Although most products are still available for custom order, some companies end the year by assembling any remaining components and selling stock off to larger retailers. This is great news if you’re looking to get fit for something within the stock offerings, but you might be left without options if you need something more specific.

The Case For (and Against) Waiting

The Pros

Getting fit as soon as new product is available can be a fun way to kick off the season. You have the chance to see everything that is available from all of the manufacturers and if you are in the market for a brand agnostic fitting, you can compare everything head to head to see what comes out on top.

Buying the newest of new also means you get to utilize any new technologies that might be available to get your clubs even more dialed in for you—features like Cobra newest FutureFit33 adapter offers more customization than Cobra has ever offered in their woods, and the same can be said for many of the newest products being released.

The Cons

The only real negative with getting the newest of the new and seeking out new technologies is price. Whereas older products tend to offer a reduced total cost, the only way new clubs generally get discounted is through trade-in events at some larger retailers.

But here’s the cold hard truth: Whether you choose to look for current product or wait for the newest clubs from all the OEM’s you can’t go wrong either way, the key is to get fit.

Remember, the things that were true at the beginning of the season, when a club was the longest and straightest ever made, still rings true—it’s just that some golfers might find an extra benefit from a new feature not available before. So whether you're looking for an upgrade or seeking out the most elite level of performance, know that with new gear, if you get fit, you’re going to see results.