The Golfalot Price Index in the UK increased this month by 2.4% with every category rising from the previous month. The biggest movers this month were Utility Clubs (+7.1%), Irons (+3%), Fairways (+2.3%) and Golf Balls (+2.2%). The other categories had increases ranging from +0.4% to +1.8% respectively.
The Utility Clubs increase was due to the arrival in stores of the new Callaway FT Hybrids and Cobra Baffler. Irons rose due to new models from Callaway, Cobra and MacGregor coming in. The new Callaway FT fairways drove the rise in this category and Balls went up thanks to the new PTS Carry and Roll balls from Titleist and the Tour i and Tour ix balls from Callaway. The average price of a set of clubs, shoes, balls, bag and trolley is now £1,207, the highest level since December 2006.
The USA Golfalot Price Index also increased this month by the slightly larger amount of 2.8% thanks mainly to the increase in Drivers and Fairway Woods. For the second month in a row the average price set a new high of $2,182 since the USA Index began in April 2006.
Fairway Woods had the largest increase of 8.2%, thanks to the introduction of the Callaway FT and FT-i Squareway fairway woods. The new I-Mix drivers from Callaway, the new Cobra Speed LD series and TaylorMade Tour Burner drivers also helped push Drivers up 7.2%. Utility Clubs (+4.1%) and Irons (+3.8%) were the other big movers.
On the fall this month were Golf Balls, which fell from $22.89 to $22.41 per dozen (-2.1%) due mainly to the introduction of some cheaper balls from Srixon and Slazenger. Trolleys had their normal large change by falling 3.1% as the cheaper Bag Boy LT-440 came back into the market.
Overall the month of March saw new highs for the average price of a set of golf equipment in both the UK and the USA increase as new products replaced old for the 2008 season. Given the wider economic issues, it will be interesting to see if these levels can be maintained as the golf season starts to get into full swing following the Masters in April.
For more detailed information view the Golfalot Price Index graphs for the UK & USA online at www.golfalot.com/priceindex