By Ed Travis
A recent study by Buffalo Groupe of purchase decisions by avid golfers found that frequent players care more about the performance their gear delivers rather than loyalty to any brand.
This was not a surprising outcome, since avid golfers by definition tend to be more concerned with their scoring and therefore their shopping habits reflect the quest of finding clubs and gear to lower their handicaps.
In the study of Buffalo’s opt-in group of players were the classic frequent better player profile with 69% having less than a 19 handicap and 80% playing at least 26 times per year.
Fifty percent (50%) of respondents cited self-testing, including custom fitting as the most trusted source of information, before making a purchase. Golf magazine and website reviews came in at 8% just behind recommendations from friends at 11% and local professional’s recommendations at 10%. Take from that what you wish but more significant is the purchasing influence of social media and PGA Tour professional’s endorsement at 2% each.
These avid golfers also said that while a product’s brand name was a consideration when buying golf balls, tees and gloves 24% of the time and the importance of brand preference fell to 16%, when buying clubs.
Buffalo Groupe President Emily Clark in the press release announcing the study said, “Today’s golfer is a savvy, performance-driven shopper, and 8 in 10 are willing to change what’s in their bag if it means becoming a better player. Brand loyalty alone no longer wins. Golfers want proof that a product will improve their game. For brands and retailers, that means investment in hands-on and in-store experiences, like demo days and custom fittings, matters just as much as the product itself.”
What does this all mean?
First the study, while very interesting and thought-provoking, is very small, just 500 golfers, and though it is statistically valid there are so many subgroups (juniors, beginners, et al.) that could possibly skew the conclusions.
Second, since avid golfers were the entire sample surveyed, their responses are probably different than the entire 29 million on-course golfing population.
For my own mother-in-law survey, standard pricing, discounting and sales promotions were factors not covered in the study but presumably they have an impact on buying decisions on all but the highest price point equipment.
A mother-in-law survey is when you have neither the money, nor time to do proper in-depth statistically valid survey and instead simply ask your mother-in-law, since she knows everything anyway.
It is also important to remember golf retailers and equipment manufacturers know the facts revealed by Buffalo’s survey which are already part of their strategy and marketing and incorporated it into their planning as part of their understanding of market potential.
Buffalo Groupe should be congratulated for spending the money and taking the time to do this and it would be even more informative if they repeat it in future years and expand the sample to more types of players.
