The Golf Mart — Local services in San Diego

So bummed by the experience we had here. This place had been highly recommended to us by some family members with golf experience. This place has a huge selection so we were pretty hopeful we would find knowledgeable friendly associate to help us. Unfortunately, we were really let down. My son (15) decided to join his High School golf team having had no prior golf experience or knowledge. My husband and I also have zero golf knowledge or experience so I was hoping to get some direction from the employees at golf mart to help us get started in this sport. The other issue is that my son is a lefty and so his golf team had no clubs he could practice with or borrow and the season has already started. Having a really busy schedule with work, I called ahead and spoke with an employee who answered the phone and let them know our situation. We were on a time crunch as the season had already started and so I asked if we would need to schedule an appointment for a fitting. He said they were booking out a couple weeks, plus having to work around my son's school schedule and my work schedule we would not be able to get a fitting until after the season was over! He said if I can in after 6 and before 630 they should have someone there who could help me since they don't schedule the fittings during those times. Whoever I spoke with on the phone was awesome and so I felt confident driving 35min to mission valley with my son to get some clubs. We walked in the door at 6:25 and a guy named Drew was at the front counter with a couple other guys by the register. I asked where we could got to sized for some clubs for my son and he said sorry you need an appointment for that. I tried to explain to him how we were in a time crunch due to our situation and he was extremely rude and unhelpful. He actually went out of his way to be condescending in front of the other male employees at the front counter. He suggested I go get private lessons for my son before I came back to get clubs. As I tried to let him know that would not be an option for us he basically said, go talk to the guy in the blue hat but he's not going to be able to fit you for anything, but you can talk to him if you want. I feel like he just wanted us to leave so could get ready to close up even though the store was full of quite a few customers. We walked back to the kid in the blue hat as Drew laughed at us from behind the counter. The guy with the blue hat was nicer than Drew but also just kind of handed my son a couple irons and said go swing these and let me know which you like. My son had never swung a golf club and didn't even show him how to use the simulator. So I went back and asked him if he could please show him how to get set and work the simulator. He did show him how to work it but you would think he might also go over the basics of swinging a club... But at least he wasn't mean to us so that was an improvement from Drew. Anyway, I will say it physically pained me to buy a set of clubs from here! I did not want to give them my business but I was out of options. I get the idea this place is good if you are a seasoned golfer and don't need much help or direction. If you're not, they don't really want...

Hands-Down the WORST Customer Experience of any Retail Store. Golf Mart's employees could care less about your needs and they do whatever they can NOT to help you. Golf Mart is part of Worldwide Golf Shops which has a few different store brands like Roger Dunn Golf Shops in Santa Ana, CA which is one of the greatest golf shops I've ever been to. While my experience with Roger Dunn has been superb, my experience and the way the employees have treated me at Golf Mart in San Diego makes me sick to my stomach.

I had a poor experience with a rude salesperson at Golf Mart a couple of months ago and wound up complaining about it to a Worldwide Golf district manager and he sent me a nice letter and $25 gift card apologizing for their poor service and inviting me back to try them out again. He even said go ask for a manager the next time (which I did today). Well today, I gave them another try and needed to get my clubs bent (which is a custom-fit procedure that all golf shops do). I called Roger Dunn before going to make sure I could get these clubs bent and they confirmed I could. So I went to Golf Mart since I live in San Diego and as soon as I brought my clubs back to the club fitting guys and even an assistant manager- they immediately said 'O well we probably can't get these done today." They said this in attempts to make me not want to get it done because they are LAZY. So I pushed, and they said OK well I guess we can do them.

As they begin assessing what needs to be done, the assistant manager tells me about 20 seconds later 'we're sorry, we can't bend these clubs, they will break.' He continued... 'I sure hope you hit it center.' and then chuckled and walked away. Nothing else, no explanation, no further guidance, just walked away and left me in the dust.

I immediately called back to Roger Dunn (the good store in Orange County) and they confirmed the model and style of my clubs and said they are able to be custom bent. I stormed out of Golf Mart with no one trying to 'rescue my business' or offer any form of relief or apology. I just left a voice-mail with the district manager I spoke to 2 months ago and cannot wait to speak to them. I have never been so furious about an experience like this before. The people at Golf Mart are not friendly, lack common sense, have zero sales skills and people skills, and make you feel like dirt. I will NEVER be back to this store again and recommend you do not buy...

1. David, salesperson, excellent, gentleman. Brought in my putter, said I turn over my right hand, he gave me four 'less twist' options including an $80 Tour Action that did as well as my #1 choice, a $300 Ping. Also had my Cleveland 7-iron and told him I hit irons too high, should I have them bent? He was very straight with me (no pun), that I'll lose forgiveness, so I concluded no. I asked for club suggestions and he showed me two used and one new TaylorMade iron sets. In three swings I hit the TaylorMade M2 7-iron 165, up from 150 with my Cleveland, and the used set was $469 ... done! (And I later learned they cost less than online.) Free labor on new grips when you buy a set and they have hundreds of options. What can one say ... in a half-hour and $600 my game is something like 25% better. As David said, the right club sells itself. Impossible to challenge that logic.

UPDATE Unreal how great these clubs are. I can feel the ball 'snap' away and the flight angle is far better. Really lovely. The guy (David) is a rarity ... a salesperson that sells you what you need from the get go.

2. I made an unusual request for the grips on my 'new' clubs, that some clubs have an extra half grip so you can choke down for trouble shots. I sketched what I wanted and they knocked it out of the park making seamless connection of the two grips ... far better than when I did it myself. Archie in the repair shop is...