Where do you think I stand???

[Smiffy]

OK I know most of you are "non" golfers, and despise golf, but just a bit of general advice if you will (and apologies for the long post)....

I recently purchased a brand new set of golf clubs from an internet company I came across via ebay.
The price of these was very low so before I purchased I phoned the company to make sure that these clubs were genuine and not Chinese "looky likeys" to which the guy I dealt with confirmed "yes, they were genuine Wilson clubs, and were a very good model"
So based on what he told me I went ahead and purchased.
The clubs arrived a day or so later, I checked them over and they were great. But the set I ordered came without a sand wedge (which I was aware of at the time).
I phoned the guy up and asked if he could get me a matching (note the word matching) sand wedge, to which he replied "yes, but it will take 7-10 days to get". I was happy with this so ordered the additional club. Based on the fact that a sand iron was on it's way I went out and played with the clubs last week.
Yesterday the sand iron arrived, I took it out of it's box and checked it over. Brand new, looked the business, but........something wasn't right. The shaft, whilst being exactly the same make as the shafts in the main set, was totally different. Different thickness, different flex, nothing like the shafts fitted to the other clubs.
I was a bit perplexed about this so telephoned Wilson UK (the club manufacturer) to find out if this was normal.
When I told them they confirmed that the shaft fitted to my new sand iron was UK specification, but the shafts fitted to my other irons were in fact built for the U.S. market and weren't available in the UK. I thanked them for their help and immediately phoned the company I had purchased them from.
The guy I had dealt with informed me that I should have been aware that these clubs weren't UK spec because of the shafts fitted to them. I wasn't made aware of that at the time, I just saw that they were graphite shafted and assumed that they were OK.
I asked him what would happen should I break a shaft in my irons at sometime in the future as these shafts weren't available over here.
"Oh don't worry, we'll sort it out for you" came the reply. How could they if they can't get this type of shaft over here? And what if the company folded? Nobody else could fix them!!
I also questioned his ethics on telling me that he could order me a "matching" (remember that word?) sand iron when he knew that the shaft would be different.
He has told me to send the clubs back to him and they would have a look at them to see if they can take them back and swap them but if they are marked he may not be able to do anything. Of course they have a few marks on them, I used them last week and they are bound to have a few little "scuffs" on the soles. But the only reason I used them was because he told me that he would be sending me a "matching" sand iron...if he had told me at the time the shaft would be different I would have sent the clubs back straightaway!
Sorry if the post has gone on a little, but I'm just looking for opinions here...do you think I have been "shafted?" And where do you think I stand (legally, not in relation to the golf ball)
Rob

 

[Steep]

Well I guess it hangs around your definition of 'matching' to me matching is not necessarily identical.

As to the main set being American, did you check wether Wilson would be able to fix them if you had a problem with one? just because that shaft is not sold in the uk doesn't mean Wilson couldn't fix it if it broke/developed a fault.

To be honest rather than send back the whole set I'd ask the guy to get me an American sand wedge to match the full set.

 

[Smiffy]

Well I guess it hangs around your definition of 'matching' to me matching is not necessarily identical.

To me, matching means it would have exactly the same specifications as the rest of the clubs....which includes the shaft.
Wilson confirmed that this shaft is not available in the UK and that they couldn't get a shaft for it.
The guy at the shop can't get me an American specification sand wedge. They purchased these sets as a "job lot"....

I just feel that I have been mislead

 

[theMusicMan]

Well Rob, to be honest, I think you have got yourself a great deal on a set of Wilson (Superb clubs) golf clubs, and have also managed to get a superb Sand Wedge to boot! You said you were happy with the price, which is great. You used the clubs and I am guessing they were to your satisfaction as you would have mentioned they were not good if that were the case.

On top of this, you have a company who have offered to fix the clubs if they break - also good news. So what if they have to go to the US for 'parts', this happens all over the place in todays market eh!. And you ask what do you do if the company goes bust...? well... any company you purchased clubs from could go bust. Playing golf comes with it associated risk i.e. you can at any time, break your clubs. They are not guaranteed against breakage I wouldn't imagine as this is part of the risk of playing the game.

I'd say go out and hit more balls and play more golf... you have got yourself an excellent deal there on a super set of clubs. I also like Steeps suggestion of trying to get a US Sand Wedge - which would complete the set.

 

[photon]

He has told me to send the clubs back to him and they would have a look at them to see if they can take them back and swap them but if they are marked he may not be able to do anything.

Email some photos to him. It's hinging on whether he may be able to do something even if they are marked, and he should be able to give a decision before you go to the expense of returning them.

If it's acknowledged that golf clubs of this type are likely to need repair, then selling an irreparable type may get them classed as unfit for purpose. On the other hand, as you took the time to find a good price a small claims hearing might decide that you had the means to decide on the fitness for purpose once you'd received the goods. Does the seller have a website where the specific type of the clubs is stated? Are the specs given in his eBay offers?

 

[ChrisMClark]

The way I'd see this is say I'd bought a toaster off eBay. It arrives with an English plug on it and nowhere in the docs or in the eBay listing does it say that it's the US model. I plug it in and it goes boom (US is 110v obv.). Surely that would deserve a refund? So why not your clubs, used or not. At the end of the day the guy's let you down twice. Once by not being honest in his listing then once by sending you an item that clearly doesn't match.

 

[Smiffy]

And you ask what do you do if the company goes bust...? well... any company you purchased clubs from could go bust. Playing golf comes with it associated risk i.e. you can at any time, break your clubs. They are not guaranteed against breakage I wouldn't imagine as this is part of the risk of playing the game.

You are forgetting one important thing MM.
If these were fitted with UK shafts, ANY shop or pro dealing with Wilson clubs over here could repair them for me irrespective of whether the original seller had gone bust.
On the basis that these are not UK specced shafts, I would be in a position where I would have to wait weeks (maybe even longer) to get a new shaft imported (that's if the pro/shop wanted to be bothered to import one at all on a one off basis) ...I know that shafts are not guaranteed against breakage but feel that to be put in this position without being informed was a little bit "sneaky"...

 

[who?]

I think you should get out and play golf instead of worrying about it.

If you are going to use ebay to buy any specialist items at very low prices then you should be aware that you have a good chance of getting grey imports. When you know that feel and handling of clubs varies in so many ways why buy mail order? Or at the very least buy the exact model online that you've tried in a shop.

I'm not a golfer but do you really break many of these things? Have Wilson told you that you cant get these shafts in the uk? can uk shafts be fitted instead?

How much did you save buying these instead of from a UK shop?

 

[who?]

The way I'd see this is say I'd bought a toaster off eBay. It arrives with an English plug on it and nowhere in the docs or in the eBay listing does it say that it's the US model. I plug it in and it goes boom (US is 110v obv.).

Thats hardly a fair comparison is it? Or can I explode golfers by switching their clubs?

 

[Smiffy]

1) Or at the very least buy the exact model online that you've tried in a shop.
2) Have Wilson told you that you cant get these shafts in the uk?
3) Can uk shafts be fitted instead?

4) How much did you save buying these instead of from a UK shop?

1) I thought I was buying the exact model that I had tried in the shop. Nothing on the website, or anything that the guy told me led me to believe otherwise...

2) Yes

3) No, they are thinner

4) About £125.00

 

[Veracocha]

Well, to answer the original question "where do I stand" I would have thought in the bunker as it's a sand wedge

Sorry, couldn't resist it. I missed the last paragraph. Hope it gets sorted.

 

[Smiffy]

Well it looks like the matter has been resolved successfully.
The shop have agreed to take the clubs back and do a straight swap for a brand new set of Callaways.
The Callaways have a standard shaft fitted wherever their intended market, so I feel a lot happier that the aftersales side of things will be easier to sort out if something does go pear shaped in a year or twos time.
Thanks for your suggestions and advice
Rob

 

[photon]

Fantastico!

 

[DinoS]

good news

 

[ChrisMClark]

Thats hardly a fair comparison is it? Or can I explode golfers by switching their clubs?

What I means is that a wrong/undeailed item description is a wrong/undetailed item description, simple as that. It shouldn't matter what the consequences are, you should still expect what's listed, or what you're led to believe.

You can however explode golfers with their clubs...but getting hold of the explosives you need to attach to said clubs can be tricky

Smiffy, that's good news

 

[tiler65]

Here is my advice (single figure handicap)

Why have you bought golf clubs without trying them?

Did you know that this is how golf club manufacturers make money.

People buy clubs without trying them and find that they are totally unsuitable for the player.

The shaft is THE most important thing on a golf club.

Everybody has a different swing, they different heights, legs are different lengths, hands are different sizes and most of all a golf swing is more unique than the human fingerprint.

Go to ANY P.G.A professionals shop and they will fit you out with a set suitable for your swing and in YOUR budget. You will not be ripped off.

As for the clubs having a USA shaft, how do you know which is right for you. Anyway any PGA pro will reshaft a club for you to what you want.

Like theMusic Man said, you got a great deal.


on a slightly different note I would advise anybody wanting to buy clubs to not believe the hype about straighter/longer/more-less spin/hook/slice.

IT'S THE PERSON WHO MAKES IT DO ALL THESE THINGS not the club/ball.

Do Nikon/Canon say that your piccys will be better if you buy another camera?

All they say is what the camera can do if operated correctly.

sorry for that, had a poo week and my golf is suffering at the moment too.

 

[Smiffy]

Why have you bought golf clubs without trying them?

The shaft is THE most important thing on a golf club. .

I did try them....or a set of what I thought I was ordering!!
I know that the shaft is the most important thing on the club...that's why I wasn't happy having a set of clubs where I couldn't replace the shaft (or could with a load of hassle) if I broke one!

My last set of clubs were "John Letters Trilogy"....I had tried them, my mate had a set and I had used his for a couple of rounds. I liked them, I purchased them "online"......they were fine, exactly the same as his.

By the way, I play off 11. Been down to 10 but haven't played regularly for ages.
I'm not exactly a "hacker" myself

And I can confirm everything you say about "it is the player, not the equipment"...
I bought 3 "non slice" balls when I first started playing and they were true to their word. I hooked every single one into the trees

 

[mrgubby]

Thats hardly a fair comparison is it? Or can I explode golfers by switching their clubs?

With this set he'd have to play on US spec grass but with UK sand in the bunkers