The Golfalot.com Price Index in January signalled good news for golfers hunting bargains as prices fell in both the Golf Clubs and Golf Accessories sectors as retailers cut prices in the traditional January sales however with a fall of just - 0.05% the Index remained steady overall.

The Golf Clubs sector fell by -0.05% with the average cost of a set of clubs falling by -0.55% as all but one category experienced downward pressure with prices falling across a number of manufacturers and brands as seasonal sales combined with the anticipation of new products in the first quarter of 2012.

The Golf Drivers category fell by -1.6% with the average price dropping to its lowest level since April 2011 as sale offers in this very popular category tempted golfers with bargains available in a number of top brands. This picture was mirrored in both the Fairway Woods (-1.3%) and Utility Clubs (-1.8%) categories as older models experienced significant discounting to tempt golfers looking for a long game boost with new hardware at the start of the year.

Golf Irons (-0.2%) and Putters (-0.57%) also fell and the overall drop would have been larger had it not been for the Golf Wedges category bucking the trend with an impressive gain of +2.7% as the average price rose to a record high, breaking the £60 barrier for the first time.

The Wedge category was boosted with the entry to the Index of the Cobra Trusty Rusty line of short game clubs and this trend is something that we expect to be reflected across all Golf Club categories in the first months of 2012 with new high profile hardware releases already announced from manufacturers such as TaylorMade, Cleveland, Ping and Callaway.

The Golf Accessories sector saw falls across all four categories with the average price falling by -0.4% as small price discounts were applied widely across manufacturers and brands in the post Christmas sales. A fall in the average prices of Golf Balls (-0.3%), Golf Bags (-0.3%), Golf Shoes (-0.1%) and Golf Trolleys (-0.5%) resulted in the average cost of Golf Accessories hitting its lowest point since June 2010, evidence that these categories are key battlegrounds for retailers as golfers look to get ready for the new golf season.

However as with the Golf Clubs sector we do not anticipate this trend to continue as manufacturers have already announced a number of exciting new products, notably in the Golf Balls and Golf Shoes categories, which should ensure a boost to the Index throughout the coming year.

The January Sales have given golfers great opportunities to bag bargains ahead of the 2012 season however this is not a trend we anticipate continuing and we are heading to the PGA Merchandise show in Orlando with great optimism as the anticipation of the new product launches in early 2012 augurs well for future growth.