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December 2010: Golfalot.com Price Index Ends Year Up 8%

The Golfalot.com Price Index in December maintained the impressive gains of November and continued to grow as we enter the busy festive shopping season. With new products making their debut in a number of categories across the Golf Club Sector the index held firm against the inevitable price cutting from retailers looking to gain the competitive edge in the Christmas market.

CategoryAv. PriceChange
Drivers£139.04-
Fairways£111.35-0.8%
Utility Clubs£75.86+0.2%
Irons£405.15+2.9%
Wedges£57.66+0.9%
Putters£85.39+2.1%
Balls£17.94-2.7%
Bags£87.24-0.1%
Shoes£72.45-
Trolleys£252.03-0.1%
Total£1304.11 
Change+0.94% 

The Golf Clubs Sector grew by a steady +0.9% with the largest gains in the Irons and Putters categories which rose +2.9% and +2.1% respectively on the back of some new entrants into the Index. Golf Irons saw the new ranges from Mizuno including the JPX800, JPX800 Pro and the MP-53’s all which had a positive effect and saw Irons perform well despite some discounting of other models, notably the Nike Victory Red TW Blade as retailers await the new Nike VR Pro range. The Putters category also saw a debut for the TaylorMade Rossa Corza Ghost and the strong performance of this category is likely to continue with new models from Callaway, Wilson and Rife all due to hit the shops early in 2011.

Golf Drivers (-0.1%) and Fairway Woods (-0.8%) both fell slightly in December with some price competition being experienced across both categories as retailers jostle for position. The Drivers category saw the entrance of the new Nike SQ Machspeed Black range to offset price drops from Callaway (Diablo Edge) and Cleveland (Launcher DST) who have both launched new models that will arrive in the shops in the next few months. Wedges maintained their strong yearly performance, up +7% across 2010 with an increase in December of +0.9%.

The Golf Accessories Sector fell slightly in December with a drop of -0.2% but given the aggressive nature of competition in this Sector leading up for Christmas the size of the fall indicates the underlying strength. Unsurprisingly the biggest faller was Golf Balls (-2.8%) as retailers compete across all makes and models for this ever popular golfing stocking filler. The general strength of the sector can be seen by all the remaining categories all holding firm following the gains in November. Golf Bags (-0.1%) and Golf Trolleys (-0.1%) both fell slightly with Golf Shoes bucking the trend with a small increase of +0.1%.

As the year draws to a close the Golfalot.com Price Index indicates that the golf industry is in rude health despite the continued general economic uncertainty. With an +8% rise across the index in 2010, up +14% in the last 2 years from its all time low, and with the promise of new equipment in 2010 from all the major manufacturers the golf industry can enter the New Year with significant optimism.

NOVEMBER 2010: GOLFALOT.COM PRICE INDEX BOUNCES BACK

CategoryAv. PriceChange
Drivers£139.07-1.1%
Fairways£112.21+7.5%
Utility Clubs£75.69+2.6%
Irons£393.87+4.5%
Wedges£57.12+2.3%
Putters£83.61+6.7%
Balls£18.44+0.4%
Bags£87.29+1.1%
Shoes£72.43-3.6%
Trolleys£252.24+2.5%
Total£1291.97 
Change+2.89% 
The Golfalot.com Price Index bounced back in November with impressive growth of +2.9% as the first of the big autumn product releases reached the stores. Impressive gains across the majority of categories ensured the Index was quick to respond to the fall in October and establish itself strongly ahead of the busy period in the lead up to Christmas

The Golf Clubs Sector grew by +3.7 % with the largest gains in the Fairway Woods (+7.5%) and Putters (+6.7%). This spectacular growth is partially a response to the discounting experienced in both categories in the previous months, as well as the introduction of some new models for 2011 from Callaway and Srixon. The Putters category saw new offerings from both Ping and Yes Golf entering the Index. Fuelled by this growth both categories are at their highest level in 2010 with Fairway Woods having increased by over +11% this year.

The Golf Irons category saw the highest levels of new products reaching retailers, with five manufacturers seeing models enter the market, all combining to drive strong growth of +4.5%. The new irons from Callaway, Cleveland, Ping, TaylorMade and Wilson Staff have ensured a boost to this competitive category and with more releases in the near future we can look forward to this continuing into 2011.

Continuing the impressive showing in the golf club sector both the Utility Clubs and Wedge sectors reported solid growth of +2.6% and +2.3% respectively. The growth in the Wedge Sector was primarily driven by new clubs from both Nike Golf and Adams Golf and a similar picture can be seen in the Utility sector with new entrants from Adams and Srixon.

The only category in the Golf Clubs Sector to buck the trend of impressive growth was the Drivers sector which experienced a small fall of -1.1%. This was due to a number of models across all manufacturers experiencing discounted pricing in anticipation of a number of new Driver releases in the coming months.

The November growth of 1.1% in the Accessories Sector was driven by encouraging performances across 3 of the 4 categories. Steady gains in Golf Balls (+0.4%), Golf Bags (+1.1%) and an impressive +2.5% increase in the Golf Trolley section brought stability back to Accessories following two consecutive months where this sector had dropped. The only category to fall was Golf Shoes which dropped by -3.7% as a number of models across all brands experienced discounting ahead of the launch of much anticipated new lines in the coming months.

The performance of the Golfalot.com Price Index in November illustrated the impressive resilience the golf retail market has shown in 2010. Bouncing back from a disappointing October to a record a year high position is indicative of the underlying strength and with more new releases due to hit the shelves in the next month the picture looks to be positive as we move into the important build up to the Christmas period.

October 2010: Small Falls As Index Awaits New Arrivals

CategoryAv. PriceChange
Drivers£140.62-1.3%
Fairways£104.38-2.4%
Utility Clubs£73.78-0.5%
Irons£376.86-1.2%
Wedges£55.83-1.3%
Putters£78.36-1.5%
Balls£18.37+1.4%
Bags£86.31-
Shoes£75.12-1.1%
Trolleys£246.06-1.6%
Total£1255.69 
Change-1.26% 
The Golfalot.com Price Index recorded a fall of -1.3% in October as retailers waited patiently for the arrival of the big autumn product releases from a number of leading manufacturers.

In a month of falls in almost every category the Index posted its largest drop of the year – and the biggest fall since August 2009 – which is a measure of how well it has withstood the external pressure of a turbulent economy over the last 18 months.

With both the Golf Clubs Sector and the Accessories Sector posting overall drops the only gain was made in the Golf Ball Category with a rise of 1.4% thanks largely to the lifting of some of last month’s reductions across the Callaway, Nike and Wilson ranges. With an average price of £18.37 the Golf Balls Category has show sustained growth throughout 2010 and the average price is now 10.8% higher than in October 2010.

The Golf Bags Category remained static to continue its recent strong performance. April 2010 was the first time in the six year history of the Golfalot.com Price Index that Golf Bags had reached an average price of over £86 and the category has remained above that figure for the last six months.

Elsewhere in the Accessories Sector October was marked by small falls across the remaining categories. The Golf Trolleys Category posted the biggest loss with a fall of 1.6% caused by a consumer friendly drop in prices across a number of Powakaddy models. The Golf Shoes Category fell for the fourth consecutive month with a drop of 1.1%.

Overall the Accessories Sector fell for the second consecutive month with a drop of -1.1% although the sustained strength of the Index throughout 2010 is illustrated by the 10.4% overall growth in the sector since January.

For the first time in 2010 the Golf Clubs Sector posted falls across every category for an overall drop of -1.4%.

After a strong performance in September the biggest fall came in the Fairway Woods Category with a drop of -2.4%. Eagle-eyed bargain hunters might be attracted by the prospect of big drops across a couple of Wilson and Callaway models as the category slipped to its lowest average price since April.

The Putters Category fell by -1.5% with reductions on Ping and Yes Golf models while both the Wedges Category and the Drivers Category fell by -1.3%. The Irons Category fell by -1.2% where consumers were treated to reductions on iron sets from Benross, Nike and Ping.

The Golf Clubs Sector’s strongest performance was provided by the Utility Clubs Category which posted a fall of just -0.5% to continue a strong 2010 that has seen the category post an overall rise of 8.5% since the February Price Index.

After a strong 2010 the Golfalot.com Price Index has slowed down over the past couple of months and the widespread falls in October are indicative of that trend. This means that consumers looking for an end of season bargain should be well placed to find some decent discounts.

Looking forward we can expect the Price Index to rally as rally as next season’s equipment begins to hit the shop floors. Ping, Nike, Mizuno, Titeleist, FootJoy and Callaway are just some of the major brands beginning to roll out their brand new products and when these begin to trickle into the Index we can confidently predict that October’s falls will soon be recovered.

SEPTEMBER 2010: SMALL FALLS AS INDEX CONSOLIDATES

CategoryAv. PriceChange
Drivers£142.41-0.7%
Fairways£106.95+1.1%
Utility Clubs£74.13-2.9%
Irons£381.61-0.1%
Wedges£56.57+2.5%
Putters£79.55+2.6%
Balls£18.11-2.2%
Bags£86.32-0.1%
Shoes£75.97-2.1%
Trolleys£250.15-0.9%
Total£1271.77 
Change-0.27% 
Following last month’s drop of -1.2%, stability was the watchword for the Golfalot.com Price Index with September’s figures revealing a drop of just -0.3% as the index continued it’s strong performance in 2010.

The Golf Clubs Sector recorded overall growth of 0.1%. Putters and Wedges led the way with both categories enjoying growth of 2.6%.

The Putters Category benefitted from the lifting of some earlier reductions in the Guerin, Heavy Putter and Cleveland ranges.

It was a similar story in the Wedges Category where the removal of some reductions, including in the Ping and MD Golf ranges, offset some small reductions on Cleveland models.

Both categories are now well on the way to recovering from the losses recorded in August.

The Fairway Woods Category enjoyed a second consecutive month of growth with a rise of 1.7%. Consumers again lost out as some tempting reductions on Nike and Callaway models were removed although there were price drops in the Cobra range to please bargain hunters.

An impressive 2010 means that the Fairways Category can now boast of its highest average price since August 2008.

After making up some ground last month, the Utility Clubs Category recorded the most disappointing results in the Clubs Sector with a drop of -2.9%. This brought good news for consumers in the shape of some attractive deals on Adams and Nike utility clubs.

The Drivers Category has now seen two consecutive months of falls after a very strong start to 2010 with a drop on -0.7% in September.

There was a larger fall in the Accessories Sector where average price drops across the categories contributed to an overall decline of -1.1%.

The largest fall came in the Golf Balls Category with a drop of -2.2%. Price drops on Nike, TaylorMade, Titleist and Callaway golf balls were the catalyst for the fall although the category continues to enjoy its highest prices and most consistent performance since 2006.

The Golf Shoes Category posted a drop of -2.1% although the average price of a pair of golf shoes remains more than £20 higher than in September 2009.

The Golf Trolleys Category fell by -0.9% as reductions on some Clicgear and Hill Billy models offset the arrival of the new PowaKaddy Touch in the index.

The Golf Bags Category rounded off a disappointing month in the Accessories Sector with a fall of -0.1%.

After a strong and consistent few months the Golfalot.com Price Index has now recorded falls in each of the last two months.

The brighter news for September is that the fall is much less dramatic and a number of categories displayed strong performances and growth.

Indeed the small fall in September is yet more evidence of the consistency and stability the Index has displayed throughout the year.

As the golfing world begins to shift its focus to the Ryder Cup in Wales and as new equipment from big name manufacturers including Ping and Mizuno begin to reach the shops we can expect to see the Golfalot.com Price Index continue to enjoy a splendid 2010 over the coming months.

AUGUST 2010: SMALL FALLS BUT INDEX REMAINS STRONG

CategoryAv. PriceChange
Drivers£143.45-2.9%
Fairways£105.82+1.1%
Utility Clubs£76.38+3.9%
Irons£381.92-4.1%
Wedges£55.17-3.0%
Putters£77.57-3.7%
Balls£18.52-0.6%
Bags£86.40-1.1%
Shoes£77.58-0.8%
Trolleys£252.44+3.6%
Total£1275.25 
Change-1.10% 
After enjoying a strong summer so far the Golfalot.com Price Index witnessed a small dip in August with an overall decrease of -1.2%.

After a period of sustained growth August marks the first overall drop since February and the largest fall in what has been a strong 2010.

The Golf Clubs Sector suffered an overall drop of -2.6% as retailers reduced prices in preparation for the influx of new stock that the autumn will bring.

A fall of -4.8% gave the Putters Category the largest decrease of all the categories although consumers will certainly welcome the reductions on Callaway Odyssey and Ping putters that fuelled the drop.

The Irons Category fell by -4.1% as retailers offered a reductions on a number of brands including irons sets from Adams, Callaway, Cobra, MacGregor and Nike to give bargain hunting consumers a wide choice.

The Wedges Category recorded a loss of -3.1% with the summer sales extending to Ping, Srixon and TaylorMade models.

A loss of -2.9% in the Drivers Category was a disappointing follow up to July’s big gains with reductions on Cobra and Nike drivers proving the catalyst for August’s fall.

It wasn’t all bad news in the Golf Clubs Sector as the lifting of reductions on some Cleveland and TaylorMade models provided growth of 3.9% for Utility Clubs and gave the category its highest ever average price since the Golfalot.com Price Index began in October 2004.

A rise of 1.1% allowed the Fairway Woods Category to recover from July’s fall and reach its highest average price of 2010.

The Accessories Sector enjoyed overall growth of 1.6% thanks to a strong performance from the Golf Trolleys Sector where the reversal of reductions across the PowaKaddy range provided the driving force behind a rise of 3.9%.

Elsewhere in the Accessories Sector the Golf Bags Category provided the biggest falls with a drop of -1.1% across a wide range of manufacturers including Cobra, Hill Billy and Ogio.

The Golf Shoes Category fell by -0.8% to continue its mixed 2010 with two consecutive months of falls following three months of growth.

The Golf Balls Category fell by -0.5% although the average price remains higher than at any time since 2006.

August marks the largest fall for the Golfalot.com Price Index in what has been a very strong 2010. That 2009 witnessed a similar August drop suggests we can remain optimistic that this simply marks the start of retailers clearing the decks for the influx of new products that lies ahead in the autumn and winter.

With Ryder Cup fever set to extend interest in the golfing season we can look forward to the rest of the year with some confidence.

July 2010: Four Months Of Growth As Index Shines Again

CategoryAv. PriceChange
Drivers£147.80+3.2%
Fairways£104.68-0.5%
Utility Clubs£73.53-1.7%
Irons£398.06-0.1%
Wedges£56.90-1.7%
Putters£80.57-0.2%
Balls£18.63+0.5%
Bags£87.40-1.4%
Shoes£78.21-0.9%
Trolleys£243.71+3.5%
Total£1289.49 
Change+0.59% 
The Golfalot.com Price Index will enter the summer holiday in robust good health after an overall increase of 0.6% secured a fourth consecutive month, the most sustained period of growth since the Index first began in October 2004.

In a month of some fluctuations across equipment categories it was the Golf Accessories Sector that pointed the way with overall growth of 1.5%.

The Golf Trolley Category was the big winner as 2010 models from Sun Mountain and ClicGear made their Price Index debuts and contributed to an increase of 3.5%. The Golf Trolley Category has now reached it’s highest average price since August 2005.

The Golf Balls Category also enjoyed growth and posted a small rise of 0.5% as top end models held their prices and some reductions across the Bridgestone range were lifted.

Elsewhere in the Accessories Sector reductions in the price of Nike’s Air Zoom TW 2010 and FootJoy’s MyJoy Icon contributed to a drop of -0.9% in the Golf Shoes Category.

The biggest drop was witnessed in the Golf Bag Category with a fall of -1.4% as retailers reduced prices across a range of products including bags from Nike, PowaKaddy, Ogio and Hill Billy.

In the Golf Clubs Sector there was modest growth of 0.2% to offset a slight fall in June.

The Drivers Category proved the best performer as the Callaway FT-iZ and FT-iZ Tour made their first appearance in the Index and helped offset some reductions elsewhere to deliver the category’s highest average price since June 2008.

Elsewhere the Wedges Category posted a drop of -1.7% as retailers offered lower prices on the Adams Puglielli, a fall matched by the Utility Clubs Category where consumers benefitted from reductions on TaylorMade and Cobra models.

The Fairways Wood Category fell by -0.5%, the Putters Category by -0.2% and the Golf Irons Category by less than -0.1% as the rest of the Golf Clubs Sector enjoyed a month of consolidation following some very strong perfomances of late.

Having endured both the turbulence of the wider economy and a poor spell of weather the Golfalot.com Price Index has proved its resilience throughout 2010 with a period of sustained growth leading the Index to its highest average price since since the summer of 2005.

With the main summer holiday period just around the corner and high hopes for more warm weather the July Index certainly offers much for the golf industry to smile about as it enters one of its busiest periods.

JUNE 2010: INDEX STAYS STRONG FOR SUMMER OF SPORT

CategoryAv. PriceChange
Drivers£143.27-0.5%
Fairways£105.20-
Utility Clubs£74.79+3.4%
Irons£398.30-1.1%
Wedges£57.90+1.5%
Putters£80.73-2.0%
Balls£18.53+3.1%
Bags£88.66+0.8%
Shoes£78.96+3.3%
Trolleys£235.56+3.0%
Total£1281.90 
Change+0.58% 
The Golfalot.com Price Index enjoyed a third consecutive month of growth with an overall increase of 0.1% the Index, leaving the total cost of a set of golf equipment higher than at any point since October 2005.

The Shoes Category led the way in the Accessories Sector with monthly growth of 3.3% as prices rose across some new Ecco models and some older, cheaper models from FootJoy and Adidas dropped out of the Index. The Golf Balls Category wasn’t far behind with a rise of 3.1% as the new Callaway Tour i(z) and HX Bite 2010 entered the Index for the first time.

The Trolley Category also performed well with growth of 3% allowing it to record its highest price since July 2006. The PowaKaddy Freeway II models made their impact felt as they debuted in the Index and reductions on models like the Clicgear 2.0 Pull were lifted. 

With growth of only 0.8% the Golf Bags Category trailed the rest of the sector but was still able to post its highest ever price as new models from PowaKaddy, Hill Billy and Cobra made their way on to the Index. Overall the Accessories Sector enjoyed growth of 2.6% and its highest total price since June 2005.

The Golf Clubs Sectors couldn’t match the pace set by the Accessories Sector but a generally solid month saw it consolidate after five consecutive months of growth.

The Utility Clubs Category was the strongest performer with growth of 3.4% as models by TaylorMade and Mizuno re-joined the Index. The Wedges Category was the only other in the sector to record a rise with a jump of 1.5% delivering the highest average wedge price since November 2008 of £57.90.

The Fairway Woods Category remained static but elsewhere in the sector there were small decreases. Price reductions on certain models in the Ping i-Series, Nike and Yes Golf ranges saw Putters fall by 2% although the category remains up on the beginning of the year. 

The Irons Category fell by 1.1% as the impact of reductions on brands like Benross, MacGregor and Cleveland was heightened as higher end models such as the Callaway X-Tour dropped out of the Index.

The Drivers Category also recorded a slight dip for the first time in 2010 although consumers will no doubt be heartened by the wide ranging reductions across a number of brands including Yonex, Nike, Cobra S, Benross and Ping. 

After a number of successful months in 2010 it was perhaps inevitable that the Golfalot.com Price Index would slow down eventually although it heartening to note that the last month had brought consolidation rather than widespread drops across the categories.

With the World Cup this year, golf will be competing in a crowded summer of sport it is perhaps unsurprising that some retailers are working hard to attract consumers by offering reductions on certain categories. As interest is renewed by The Open in July and the build up to the Ryder Cup in October we can be hopeful that the coming months will see the Index continue its solid performances of 2010. 

May 2010: More Growth As Index Hits Stride

CategoryAv. PriceChange
Drivers£144.00+3.7%
Fairways£105.20+1.3%
Utility Clubs£72.30+2.0%
Irons£402.60+2.6%
Wedges£57.02+0.2%
Putters£82.35+2.7%
Balls£17.97+1.8%
Bags£87.99+2.3%
Shoes£76.42+7.1%
Trolleys£228.63-0.3%
Total£1274.48 
Change+2.16% 
The Golfalot.com Price Index proved that its recent robust good health is now firmly established as it posted an overall increase of 2.2% which means that the cost of a complete set of golf equipment is now higher than at any point since October 2005.

The Golf Shoes Category led the way as the arrival of Callaway’s Tour Authentic FT Classic Chev and Chev Saddle models helped power growth of 7.1%. The average cost of golf shoes is now higher than at any point since the Index began in October 2004.

Elsewhere in the Accessories Sector, the Golf Bags Category rose by 2.3% with a number of models from a range of manufacturers including Adams, Ogio and Titleist filtering through to the Index for the first time.

The pattern of growth was sustained in the Golf Ball Category, a jump of 1.8% helped by the addition of Titleist’s new NXT and DT SoLo models.

The Golf Trolley Category, hindered by small reductions across the Sun Mountain range, dropped by -0.3% to record the only fall of any category in May. However, that wasn’t enough to stop the Accessories Sector recording an overall rise of 1.6% to reach its highest average price since June 2005.

The Golf Clubs Sector enjoyed growth across every category for the first time in 2010 as it recorded an overall rise of 2.1%.

The Drivers Category lead from the front with a rise of 3.7%, thanks largely to the introduction of Cobra’s latest S2 and ZL models.

The Putters Category posted a rise of 2.7% as it continues its steady recovery after a big fall in January. The Index debut of Callaway’s Odyssey Backstryke Series provided the impetus and was more than enough to offset some reductions across Ping’s i-Series and iN-Series.

Growth of 2.6% gave the Irons Category its highest average price since March 2005 thanks to retailers listing Adams’ new Idea A7 range and the Idea Pro Black for the first time.

Adams also helped the Utility Clubs Category record growth of 2% as the Insight Tech A4 hybrid was listed for the first time, giving the category a fourth consecutive month of growth.

The Fairway Woods Category also displayed welcome consistency with a fifth straight month of growth in 2010 and a rise of 1.3%. The Wedges Category completed an excellent month for the Golf Clubs Sector with a small gain of 0.3%.

Despite continuing uncertainty over the economy the Golfalot.com Price Index has shown itself to be remarkably solid so far in 2010 and May’s results certainly confirm that trend with the Index rising 0.6% so far this year.

With the European Tour in the UK in the coming weeks and with iconic Opens at Pebble Beach and St Andrews on the horizon, the golf market seems set fair to enjoy an extended period of good health over the coming months.

APRIL 2010: SHOES SPRINT AHEAD AS INDEX GROWS

CategoryAv. PriceChange
Drivers£138.91+0.8%
Fairways£103.84-
Utility Clubs£70.86+2.5%
Irons£392.40+0.9%
Wedges£56.88+2.4%
Putters£80.21+1.5%
Balls£17.66+2.9%
Bags£86.05+0.5%
Shoes£71.37+5.9%
Trolleys£229.37+0.9%
Total£1247.55 
Change+1.29% 
It was a case of putting your best foot forward in April’s Golfalot.com Price Index as the Shoe Category drove an overall increase of 1.2% and helped the Index record its highest average price for a complete equipment set since May 2006.

It was the arrival of a number of new models that powered growth of 5.8% in the Shoes Category and helped the Acessories Sector rise by 1.8%. The top end of the shoe market saw new FootJoy models including the 2010 AQL and Contour series make their debuts while Hi-Tec also pitched in with the arrival of two new CDT models, the Custom Comfort Wpi and the Pure Speed Wpi.

In a month of growth across the Accessories Sector the Golf Balls Category posted a jump of 2.8% to record the highest average price since July 2009. The reversal of recent reductions across both the Srixon and Pinnacle ranges allowed the Category to more than recover from last month’s small drop.

Elsewhere in the Sector, stability and consolidation were the themes as the Golf Bags Category rose by 0.5% and the Trolleys Category by 1%. This marks a third successive month of growth for the Golf Bags Category after it suffered a big drop in the January sales period and the average price of a golf bag has reached its highest level since the Golfalot.com Price Index began back in October 2004.

There was less movement in the Golf Clubs Sector where growth of 1% included the only fall of the month as the Fairway Woods Category dropped by 1%. That slight drop does bring good news for consumers however as it was sparked by reductions to the Cleveland Launcher and Callaway Diablo Edge and Diablo Edge Tour.

For the other Golf Club categories this month was all about building on the recent trend of solid performances. Utility Clubs led the way with growth of 2.5% to continue on the road to recovery after a fall of 4.5% in February. The Wedge Category posted a rise of 2.4% to reach its highest average price since February 2009 and a fourth successive month of growth in 2010.

Putters grew by 1.5% and continue to climb back from the large falls that affected the category in January and February. The Irons Category saw a rise of 1% as a number of reduced prices on sets including the Ping i15 and Titleist AP2 fell out of the Index. The Drivers Category posted a modest rise of 0.8% and remains one of the most consistent categories of 2010.

With Easter now over, and with the last of the foul weather hopefully going with it, golfers can now look forward to the season getting properly underway. The Golfalot.com Price Index has shown remarkable resilience so far in 2010 and has coped admirably with the challenges of continuing financial uncertainty and the winter weather.

With April bringing yet another month of overall growth there is good reason for optimism as the Golfalot.com Price Index stretches into the golfing summer of 2010.

MARCH 2010: RECENT GAINS SUSTAINED AS STABILITY HITS INDEX

CategoryAv. PriceChange
Drivers£137.81-0.8%
Fairways£103.89+0.8%
Utility Clubs£69.12+1.6%
Irons£388.86-0.5%
Wedges£55.57+1.2%
Putters£79.00+1.1%
Balls£17.16-0.6%
Bags£85.60-0.1%
Shoes£67.42-0.6%
Trolleys£227.27-0.1%
Total£1231.70 
Change-0.06% 
The Golfalot.com Price Index displayed its strength in March with a steady performance maintaining the growth witnessed in February. With the Index falling by less than -0.1% in March and with more new equipment due the new golfing season looks set to get off to a great start.

The Golf Clubs sector remained unchanged with small falls of -0.8% and -0.6% in the Drivers and Irons category offset by similarly small gains in the Fairway Woods, Utility Clubs, Putter and Wedge categories. The drops in both Drivers and Irons can be attributed to a series of small falls in models across both sectors as retailer position themselves in these highly competitive market places as the new season approaches. With models such as the new Cobra S2, Callaway FT-iZ and Mizuno MP 630 expected to enter the index next month the Drivers category in particular looks to be set for a strong season.

The Fairway Woods (+0.8%) and Utility Club (+1.7%) categories both posted positive growth as prices of models that were discounted in previous months returned to a higher level. This countered small falls in some of the newer models as retailers battled for market share for popular entrants such as the Callaway Diablo Edge, Diablo Edge Tour and Cobra S2 Fairway Woods.

In the short game categories, Wedges and Putters continued the theme of steady performance displayed across the Golf Clubs sector by rising 1.1% and 1.2% respectively. The Putters category was boosted as the discounting that had been evident across a number of models for the Christmas and New Year sale markets finished and prices returned to normal levels. With the expected introduction to the Golfalot Price Index of new models from Callaway, Cleveland and TaylorMade, we can expect the Putters category to continue this positive growth over the coming months.

The great performance from the Accessories sector that fuelled the growth in February was consolidated in March with a small fall of -0.2%. The star of the February index was the Golf Shoes category with a spectacular jump of 8.9% and this category generally held this level in March, with some discounting of older ranges resulting in a fall of only -0.6%. A similar drop was experienced by the Golf Ball sector as prices fell slightly across the whole range as retailers prepared for the arrival of the new ranges from Srixon, Bridgestone, Titleist and Callaway. The remaining categories in the Accessories sector, Golf Trolleys and Golf Bags, showed little change in the index with falls of just -0.2% and -0.1% reflecting a very steady month in the prices across all models in the index.

With The Masters now less than a month away and golfers across the country looking to kick start their season, the solid performance of the Golfalot.com Price Index in March reflects an encouraging platform for the industry to capitalise on an the exciting calendar of events and an improvement in the weather up over the coming months.

FEBRUARY 2010: Average Equipment Prices Hit Two Year High

CategoryAv. PriceChange
Drivers£138.94+1.9%
Fairways£103.09+3.7%
Utility Clubs£68.00-4.5%
Irons£391.01+3.7%
Wedges£54.93+1.8%
Putters£78.13-2.4%
Balls£17.26+0.2%
Bags£85.67+2.5%
Shoes£67.82+8.9%
Trolleys£227.60+2.1%
Total£1232.45 
Change+2.38% 
The Golfalot.com Price Index shook off its recent lethargy to enjoy overall growth of 2.4% in February. With the weather improving the rise marked the Index’s best performance for a year and the highest total average price for a set of equipment since December 2006.  

The Accessories Sector provided the most eye-catching results with a combined rise of 3.2%. Encouragingly this gave the sector its biggest boost since it posted similar results back in February 2008.  

The Golf Shoes category was the engine of growth as a series of FootJoy and Adidas debutants at the top end of the market helped achieved a jump of 8.9% and the category’s most impressive figures since the Index began.  

Golf Bags also enjoyed solid growth of 2.5% as the new Callaway Diablo Edge Organiser and Ping Latitude models entered the Index alongside higher end products from both Yonex and Cleveland. The Golf Trolleys Category rose by 2.1% to achieve a second consecutive month of growth of over 2% with the re-entry of models such as the Pro-Trolley XL255 Remote compensating for reductions on cheaper models like the Ben Sayers Trolley.  

Although the Golf Balls category stayed relatively static, a small increase of 0.3% was enough to give the Accessories Sector growth in every category. With new balls from Srixon, Bridgestone, Titleist and Callaway all about to hit the shops, the Golf Ball Category could be about to replicate the success seen elsewhere in the sector.  

The Clubs Sector posted more modest results but overall growth of 2% provided the best overall performance since February 2009. Fairway Woods and Irons proved the twin catalysts for growth as both posted increases of 3.7%.  

The Fairway Woods category was boosted by the arrival of both the Callaway Diablo Edge and the Diablo Edge Tour. Callaway’s latest range was also on hand to drive growth in the Irons Category where the arrival of Nike SQ Machspeed provided another welcome distraction for those golfers not overly constrained by budget.  

Reductions in both the Ping and Nike ranges slightly offset the impact of new arrivals in the Drivers category, where Callaway’s Diablo Edge range again made its presence felt to give a rise of 1.9%. Wedges, helped by the arrival of MD Golf’s latest Seve Ballesteros endorsed range, saw growth of 1.8%. 

In a month of positives it was left to Putters and Utility Clubs to deliver the only bad news. Wide ranging reductions across the manufacturers saw Utility Clubs fall by -4.5% leaving the impression that discounted hybrids are being used to entice customers back to the shops after the winter layoff. Putters fell by -2.4% but with the season’s big name new arrivals not yet released we expect this blip to be rectified over the coming months.  

The solid, if unspectacular, performance of the Golfalot.com Price Index over winter months led to optimism that these months of consolidation would prove a strong launch pad when the weather improved and February’s strong performance is proof of this.  

With 2010 promising the Open’s return to the Home of Golf, the Ryder Cup’s arrival in Wales and the tantalising prospect of Tiger Wood’s return, February rise in the Golfalot.com Price Index has given the industry the perfect start as it seeks to capitalise on a wonderful year of golf.

JANUARY 2010: STEADY INDEX OFFERS SPRINGBOARD FOR 2010

CategoryAv. PriceChange
Drivers£136.36+3.0%
Fairways£99.38+0.7%
Utility Clubs£71.19-
Irons£376.95-1.9%
Wedges£53.95-1.7%
Putters£80.03-8.5%
Balls£17.22+1.7%
Bags£83.56+2.8%
Shoes£62.26+5.6%
Trolleys£222.87+2.3%
Total£1203.77 
Change-0.01% 
The Golfalot.com Price Index enjoyed another month of stability in January with virtually no change as the affects of the traditional winter sales in somes categories were offset by the arrival of new product lines elsewhere.

The Golf Clubs sector felt the chill with a fall of -1.3%, but this masked some wide variations between categories.

The biggest drop, of -8.5%, was posted in the Putters category where large discounts were seen across a range of high end products including some Callaway Odyssey models, TaylorMade's Monza Spider range and certain Titleist Scotty Cameron putters.

Irons fell by just under 2% with consumers no doubt excited to see discounts across the Ping range. Wedges fell by 1.7% to join the in the slight downturn in the Clubs sector.

With a rise of 3%, the Drivers sector offered a welcome glimpse of optimism. The jump was fuelled by the entrance into the index of new models from manufacturers including Adams, Callaway, MD Golf and Srixon.

The Fairway Woods sector also picked up some ground with a small rise of 0.7% as models from both MD Golf and Yonex debuted for the first time. Utility Clubs held steady on their December position with the lifting of some December reductions offset by small drops elsewhere.

If the Golf Clubs sector offered mixed results the picture could not have been more different in the Accessories sector where every category posted a welcome increase on December's figures.

Golf Shoes led the way with a strong rise of 5.6%. Again the benefits of new products reaching the shops was evident as the new FootJoy MyJoy Icon and Nike's Air Zoom TW 2010 entered the Index and acted as the catalyst for the increase.

The Golf Bags sector also felt the benefit of new products reaching the shops in time for the New Year as new models from both Ping and Nike saw it post a increase of 2.8%.

In a month of growth across the Accessories sector the Trolleys category rose by 2.3% and the Golf Balls category saw a 1.7% growth to give the sector as a whole 2.9%.

The continued stability of the Golfalot.com Price Index is heartening news against the backdrop of wintry weather keeping golfers away from their favourite pursuit.

Although individual categories enjoyed mixed fortunes there are many reasons to be cheerful as 2010 stretches out ahead of us.

It seems clear that some retailers dropped prices in the Accessories sector before Christmas to attract customers seeking smaller gifts for loved ones. With the festivities complete retailers have now shifted their attention to golfers themselves with reductions across the more expensive Clubs sector during the post-Christmas sales period.

As those sales run their course and manufacturers release their 2010 products for sale we can expect the Clubs sector to follow the example of Accessories and post some welcome increases as the prospect of spring golf replaces the thoughts of snow and ice.

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