DRIVE FOR SHOW... PUTT FOR DOUGH

Yesterday, I sold a new putter for $29.00. Obviously it wasn't a Ping, Scotty Cameron or Taylor Made, but a golfer had left his in a friend's bag and needed one. The inexpensive putter, he said, was better than his own. Good for him, hopefully he makes lots of putts with it. Clubs' prices are out of this world, and you don't know the "rest of the story" either. Starting with drivers, which, if you buy a top of the line with a Fuyikura top line shaft, will range from $595 - $899! And that is the normal, stock, retail club that you buy at the pro-shop. But, if you are a touring professional, and represent the company, you will pay nothing. However, to get exactly what you need from a manufacturer that you do not represent, you probably have to pay up to $4,000-5,000 for a driver... don't panic. Putters are much more expensive. The "normal", mass produced Scotty Cameron putters, retail for up to $350.00, however, in remembering that "Drive is for Show and Putt is for Dough", the price of a custom made putter is up in the $20,000 - $30,000!! Yes, no misprint, that is four zeroes! And I complain for having to pay $130 wholesale for a top of the line PING or Scotty Cameron? This has gone out of hand! There are less that 10 well known custom putter makers in the country, but Scotty Cameron (Titleist), in California, has must of the business, which includes making putters for none other that Tiger Woods (who uses a the original "pistol" PING putter grip with the letters "PING" blacked out)... but even Scotty Cameron will never fetch what a famous putter named "Calamity Jane" can bring now days. Calamity Jane would go in an auction for over $1,000,000.00 easily... see, "Calamity Jane II" won 10 major championships in the 1930's, culminating with the "Grand Slam" in 1930. Calamity Jane I, won 3 others... and all of them for a man named Bobby Jones.