Goodbye Al. (Al's Sydney Golf Centre closing, GCO opening in same building 18/1/12)

[KristianJ]

One for the Sydney guys...I just saw an ad in the Telegraph for a closing down sale at Al's Sydney Golf Centre at Enfield due to the Al's retiring. Up to 80% off their gear.

Not sure if I'll get the chance to head over (mainly because I shouldn't...:lol:), but might be worth a look for anyone a bit closer to the place than I am.

[Captain Nemo]

Thanks for the heads up!

[Eldrick]

cheers,
not far from work might take a run tomorrow

[moree golfer]

Can you guys let us know if there is anything juicy there ie. TM 200 series fairway woods?

[davepuppies]

there prices were always inflated......... 80% off might now be all it is cracked up to be......... might have just been the used gear i am thinking of?

[Dotty]

Al's prices generally seem a little high, but I've found a couple of good 2nd hand clubs over the years.

The golf shop at the Olympic Park driving range is closing soon also.

[Hawkers2008]

These guys were real trendsetters who when they first opned roughly 25 years ago really improved the lot of golf consumers. Its a shame to see them go out of business.

[Eldrick]

finally made the run out today
some good bargain to be had from what i could gather,but im a novice in the world of Ho'ing
picked a nice Wilson Staff hat for $11 and a cheapo sand wedge for $20
saw some nice Wilson PI5 irons 2nd hand for $150 with DG lite S300 shafts?

was told it should be a few months or so before that totally close down.they still have plently of stock in store and warehouse

[Eldrick]

Can you guys let us know if there is anything juicy there ie. TM 200 series fairway woods?

didn't really look at the new stuff sorry

[davepuppies]

I too was there today, and didnt see anything REALLY cheap...

Guy said it could be 3-6 months before they are gone.

Had a selection of used drivers that were interesting at $29 each

Taylormade 300 ti in 7.5 with x100 shaft almost tempted me enough to buy it and add 3 inches to the shaft for a toy for the driving range......

[Eldrick]

I too was there today, and didnt see anything REALLY cheap...



did u see a tall fweak around 12pm?

[Dotty]

FYI. The Olympic Park golf shop closes on 15th March.

Sorry for the threadjack, but it's practically the same postcode.

[ParMaster]

Why are they closing Dotty?? I assume nothing will happen about the driving range then?

[KristianJ]

Guy said it could be 3-6 months before they are gone.


Must...resist...:lol:

EDIT: Good to know that I'll have a little bit of time to make my way to at least have a window shop though, plus take the clubs to Olympic Park and have a hit.

[Dotty]

Why are they closing Dotty?? I assume nothing will happen about the driving range then?
His golf tour business is going well, and he would like to concentrate on that. (Esp. taking into account the hours involved opening the shop for long hours 7 days a week, and the money that he has tied up in all the stock.)

I gather that he also has a connection to the pro-shop at Long Reef GC.

Must...resist...:lol:

EDIT: Good to know that I'll have a little bit of time to make my way to at least have a window shop though, plus take the clubs to Olympic Park and have a hit.
I find Hudson Park is a better range (corner of Centennary Drive and Arthur St., just south of the Flemington Markets).

Balls are generally better, less patrons, great staff, and a good range of new and decent 2nd hand stuff. (I get most of my 2nd hand gear there.)

[KristianJ]

Driving range road trip it is then! :D

[Eldrick]

I find Hudson Park is a better range (corner of Centennary Drive and Arthur St., just south of the Flemington Markets).

Balls are generally better, less patrons, great staff, and a good range of new and decent 2nd hand stuff. (I get most of my 2nd hand gear there.)

looks like the driving range is under new management
most of the stock was cleared out and they are doing some Reno's

also does anyone know what the pro Brad Armstrong is like for lessons?

[KristianJ]

I ended up getting to Hudson Park the weekend before the management changed...got myself a Titleist hat half price, but didn't have the coin for much else. Range itself I found OK, but I couldn't really rip my driver down the guts, so to speak - I can't remember how far it is to the back, but most of my better driver hits got there without bouncing.

Olympic Park was definitely a lot more crowded when I went there last weekend. If I was living in the area, I'd probably go to Hudson Park more often.

[Eldrick]

it is a good little range and only about 10mins from work
i popped in to see if they still had a MX560 that i demo'd awhile back

[dhills2]

My first job was picking up range balls at Hudson using a bucket nailed to a broom handle whilst wearing a dodget helmet... couple of hours work for $20, pie, coke & some range balls to hit (I thought this was the best ever at the time & certinaly worth a few bruises!)

Btw, sorry for the threadjack & thanks for the heads up on Al's.

[Dotty]

Geoff Scott leased the shop and operations at Hudson Park from the local council for 17 years. (The stock has been moved to their other two shops at Canterbury and Auburn golf courses, rather than a closing down sale.) They always had a good variety of new gear and very tempting traded-in gear.

It looks like Drummonds took over the operations at Hudson Park on April 1st.

A friend got some lessons of Brad, and said he did the job. (Admittedly, she had 5 lessons in 5 days, from never picked up a club to playing in a corporate day! Bloody CUB.)

Mike Zilko is still at Hudson Park and I'm considering getting lessons from him, as he sounds 'biomechanically' good to me. (I tried a few things he was telling past students, when they came back for a practice hit.) He also caddies for a local USPGA/Nationwide player, when he is back in Sydney.


btw. I just went to the SOP range for the first time in a few years. Happy to report they no longer use Sydney's oldest range balls.

[ParMaster]

Shit is that where Zilko went!? He regularly caddies for Gavin Coles. :)

Dotty, he is a good coach. I had a friend who had some lessons from him when he was the pro at Oatlands, and he recommends him highly.

[KristianJ]

Bumping this...according to Pup, the shop closes for good at the end of this weekend. I'm going there on Saturday.

[Eldrick]

thanks,
i'll pop down tomorrow

[ParMaster]

How was it guys? Lots of sales? Much stock left?

What shit did you both buy?

I'm heading down tomorrow myself.. :D

[KristianJ]

I haven't been there yet, Pup :) I'll be there in amongst picking up the Cobra from Matt and a couple of other odd jobs...probably around midday, so if it turns out that you'll be there around that time, I can have the Fli Hi with me and you grab it there instead of me leaving it on your front porch.

I have a vague list of things I'll be looking out for...

[Eldrick]

Still heaps of stuff,
It's all on the ground floor now with only a bunch bags on the 2nd floor

Doesn't look like they have dropped the prices since my last visit
Only thing that I considered getting was a couple of stand bags or the Cleveland wedges

[markTHEblake]

Mike Zilko is still at Hudson Park and I'm considering getting lessons from him, as he sounds 'biomechanically' good to me He is a seriously funny 'character', i played two rounds with him in a tournament, and also Darren Chesney who had just won the NSW open, so i was in esteemed company, for my part of the world anyway. All three of us had parred the first 7 holes straight so i was getting the swagger up a bit by keeping up with them, but that this stage i hadnt spoken a conversational word to either. on the 7th we all had 3 little pitch shots into a par 5, they both lob onto the green over a bank, and instead i play a pitch and run, away from the pin, come off the the other bank and get inside all of them. Then this respectable golf professional looks at me and says "local knowledge hey, you effing little cee!

That was totally unexpected! From there we sledged the crap out of each other the remainder of the event.

[ParMaster]

I haven't been there yet, Pup :) I'll be there in amongst picking up the Cobra from Matt and a couple of other odd jobs...probably around midday, so if it turns out that you'll be there around that time, I can have the Fli Hi with me and you grab it there instead of me leaving it on your front porch.

I have a vague list of things I'll be looking out for...

Drop it by my porch at 10:30 matey or whenever, and your money will be there waiting next to the door mat.

Gotta leave the house at about 10 o clock so we'll be gone by then unfortunately.

[sms316]

Then this respectable golf professional looks at me and says "local knowledge hey, you effing little cee!


Are you certain that you had never met them before?

[KristianJ]

Hmmm...not too sure that they'll be shutting up quite yet. One Al said they were still waiting for the lease to be signed over, and they didn't really have anything at rockbottom prices to indicate that the doors would be closed for good tomorrow. That said, I found one of the Sandmann sand holders, plus bought a dozen Soft Feels - $39 all up.

[markTHEblake]

Are you certain that you had never met them before?

you reckon someone needs more than an hour to figure me out?

[KristianJ]

This must be the longest closing down sale in the history of retail! Dropped by there today and they're still trading. Not much in terms of price reductions from back in June, but still plenty of stock.

[ParMaster]

Haha thats crazy..

[davepuppies]

i reckon its just a marketing ploy. They had a wind vest there made by sports lesiure, $30 each. I offered to buy 2 for $50 and he said why would he discount. I replied you are closing, he replied not for a long time.

I think its bullshit

[GolfBallWhackerGuy]

I remember Stacks Sports Warehouse in Lidcombe. That store had a "closing down" sale for about 10 years. =)

[Yossarian]

Rugs a Million anyone.

[Golfnut]

:lol:

[KristianJ]

Well, looks like the longest golf closing down sale in history is ending...the Sydney Golf Clearance Outlet is opening in the same shop - VIP night on 18 January (http://www.golfclearanceoutlet.com.au/files/Exclusive%20Sydney%20Invite_DL.jpg) (my birthday, of all days! :mrgreen: )

[Humphrey]

I got the same email....unbelievable-could they really be closing !!?? It's only been about 18 months.

[Dotty]

I was over there today, and it was there last day. (But that may be the case everyday for the next week.)

Nothing much available, or comparable to OzGolf prices. Mizuno wedges had DG-Wedge shafts, rather than the current DG-Spinner.

I got a Mizuno MP Titanium 5 wood (Fubuki 74g) for cost. (Unfortunately, they had stock for a few years, it could have been cost when the dollar was 60-70c US.)