Buying guide

How we grade condition

New, Like New, and Used. What each tier means, and what to expect when you buy.

Every retailer grades condition differently. Some use numerical scales, others use named grades like 'as new' or 'ex demo'. A few just say 'used' and call it done. For price comparison to be useful, we fold all of that into a handful of buckets you can filter on.

We use three: New, Like New, and Used. Each says something specific about wear, warranty, and price. Here's what they mean.

Brand new

New

Brand new from an authorised UK retailer. Sealed packaging and a full manufacturer warranty.

What to expect

Genuinely unused. No sole scuffs, no face wear, no bag rub.
Original packaging and a full manufacturer warranty. Branded headcover too, where the model has one.
Custom-fit options where the retailer offers them.
14 to 30 days to return under UK distance-selling rules.

Like New

Looks new at arm's length. Could be pristine pre-owned, factory-refurbished, or a marketplace listing claiming new.

What to expect

No visible wear unless you go looking for it. Close inspection might turn up minor packaging marks.
Might be missing the original retail box or headcover.
Refurbished clubs often carry a 1-year warranty from whoever did the refurb. That isn't the same as a manufacturer warranty.
If a marketplace listing says 'brand new', it still lands here. There's no authorised retailer standing behind it, but often the price is right. Read the description and check the photos carefully.

Used

Pre-owned clubs with visible signs of play. Usually the cheapest option, with 40 to 70% off the new price being pretty common.

What to expect

Visible wear. Sole marks, light scuffs, sometimes bag rub on the shaft. None of it changes how the club plays unless the listing flags actual damage.
No manufacturer warranty. The seller is a third party even when the listing is on a UK retailer's site.
Return policies vary. Always read the listing or the retailers terms and conditions before you buy.
Two clubs in this tier can be in noticeably different condition. We do try and filter out the worst condition listings, but it's not always easy, trust the photos, description and always make sure you're happy with the specific club you're buying.

Things worth knowing

Warranty. Only New listings come with a full manufacturer warranty. Refurbished clubs in Like New often carry a 1-year refurbisher warranty, which isn't quite the same. Used clubs usually have none.
Marketplace listings.Marketplace listings sit alongside retailer listings in our results. They're sold by individuals or small businesses rather than authorised dealers. We filter out the obvious mismatches and accessories before they reach you, but the listing description and seller feedback are your final check.
Two clubs in the same tier can still differ.A 9.5 and an 8.5 are both Like New in our system, and we don't pretend the grading is more precise than that. If it matters, the retailer's product page usually shows their original score.
Returns.Most UK retailers honour 14 to 30 day returns under distance-selling rules. Marketplace returns are up to the seller, so it's worth a glance at the listing before you buy.

FAQ

Why does Like New cover both refurbished clubs and marketplace 'brand new' listings?

Both should look new from a few feet away. A marketplace seller saying 'Brand New' isn't the same as a high street retailer saying it. The green 'Brand new' pill is reserved for listings where the manufacturerwarranty chain is intact.

Are used clubs from a retailer safer than used clubs from a marketplace?

Usually yes. UK retailers grade against their own published standards and have a proper returns process. Marketplace listings depend on whoever's selling. We surface both, because retailer markup on used stock often makes marketplace clubs the actual cheapest option. The listing description and seller feedback are still your final check.

Why don't you show every grade that retailers publish?

Granular grades sound precise, but the boundaries are subjective and the same number means different things across retailers. Three buckets is enough to filter usefully without pretending the data is more precise than it really is.

That's the system. Time to find a club.

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