When a customer walks in with an old set and asks what it's worth toward something new, a golf shop has three choices: say no, take the clubs and try to resell them, or pass them to a buyer who handles the used side for you. For most pro shops, golf stores and fitters, the third option is the one that keeps the sale moving without turning the back room into a used club warehouse. GolfRoots works with shops year round on one-off trade-ins through our Pro Portal.
We've written before about why shops offer trade-ins at all. This post is about the inventory side: what happens to the clubs, and what to do with used stock that's already sitting on your wall.
What does holding used clubs actually cost a shop?
A trade-in you resell yourself looks like free margin. In practice it comes with costs that don't show up on the ticket:
- Cash tied up. Whatever you gave the customer is sitting on a rack until the club sells.
- Floor and storage space. Used racks take room you could use for new product.
- Pricing work. Every used club needs a price, and that price needs checking.
- Falling values. Used values tend to drop when a newer version of the same model comes out, so the longer a club sits, the less it's usually worth.
- Limited buyers. A shop sells to whoever walks in. A lefty stiff-flex iron set might wait a long time for the right person.
How can a shop say yes to trade-ins without keeping the clubs?
- Look up the club's trade-in value in the Pro Portal while the customer is still at the counter.
- Share that value with the customer and apply it however your shop handles trade-ins toward new gear.
- Work with our team to send the clubs to GolfRoots.
The clubs leave your shop instead of going on a rack, and the customer gets an answer on the spot. Dallas-Fort Worth shops can also drop clubs off at our Farmers Branch shop, Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm.
What should I do with used clubs that are already sitting on the wall?
Most shops have a few used clubs that have been around too long: an older driver, a partial iron set, a putter that's been on the rack since last season. A few honest questions help sort them:
- Has it been there more than a season? If so, it's probably not going to find its buyer in your shop.
- Has a newer version come out since you took it in? That usually means its value is heading down, not up.
- Is the space worth more with new product on it? For most shops the answer is yes.
If you'd rather clear those clubs out, look them up in the Pro Portal or contact our team to talk about them. GolfRoots buys unsold new stock, closeouts, demo clubs and used clubs from golf shops and pays in cash, so the same goes for new clubs that never sold. If your course also has a storage room of old range, rental or demo clubs, we buy those in bulk too, so mention it when you call. Our guide on how golf courses can liquidate unsold stock, range, rental and demo clubs covers that side.
Which clubs tend to hold value best?
In general, recent drivers, iron sets and putters from major brands are what used buyers want most, and complete iron sets usually do better than loose irons. Clubs with damaged shafts, cracked heads or heavy face wear are worth less. If you want to check what a customer has before you quote it, our guide on how to identify a club's model, year and value is a quick reference for staff.
Who is this a good fit for?
- Pro shops at public and daily-fee courses that want a trade-in answer without running a used department.
- Golf stores that already take some trade-ins and want less stock sitting on the floor.
- Club fitters whose clients are replacing clubs that still have value.
- Teaching pros whose students ask what to do with their old set.
- Indoor golf and simulator venues, covered in more detail in this post for simulator venues.
Common questions
Does it cost anything to join?
No. It costs nothing to join the Pro Portal, the affiliate program or any other GolfRoots partner program.
Do you buy unsold new stock and closeouts?
Yes. We buy unsold new stock, closeouts, demo clubs and used clubs from golf shops, and we pay in cash.
Do you come on site to run trade-in events at public courses or stores?
No. On-site Trade-In Events are for private clubs. Public courses, ranges, indoor venues, golf stores, pro shops, fitters and teaching pros work with us on one-off trade-ins year round through the Pro Portal.
Can a private club host an event instead?
Yes. Private clubs can request a GolfRoots Trade-In Event, where our team is on site for about four hours and the credit goes to the club's golf shop.
Is there a way to earn when customers buy used clubs?
Yes. Our affiliate program pays partners when the customers they send buy clubs from GolfRoots. That's useful when a customer needs something you don't stock, like a beginner set or a discontinued model.
How do I get set up?
Start with the Pro Portal, or call 214-302-7440 or email [email protected]. Every program we offer golf businesses is on our partner programs page.
