Decathlon Golf Products
Haven’t heard of Decathlon Golf? Neither had we until recently, but it happens that it is the largest sporting goods retailer by revenue in the world, with stores in 45 countries. It has just opened its first U.S. retail location in San Francisco, but you can get online to get in on Decathlon’s eye-popping bargains for balls, clubs, apparel and a unique putting practice system that mimics actual greens at home, even on the hardest floor. Why the low prices, including $5.99 for a dozen distance golf balls? Because the company owns all of the brands it sells in stores and controls distribution, so it can provide wholesale pricing. They now ship nationwide, too.
Golf Tips has checked out several product samples from Decathlon and came away impressed. These are indeed solid choices for budget-conscious shoppers.
The Decathlon Golf Putting Set ($16.90) was designed by a group of French guys who wanted to come as close as possible to simulating a real-world putting green on regular home flooring surfaces. The three included golf balls are soft on the outside to provide the “feel” of rolling them on actual greens, with the friction factor built right into the ball while the core resembles that of an actual ball. The target is a multi-sided circle of hinged flaps that will only accept balls hit with the proper speed; you’ll even get those pleasing side-door drops. Well-designed and a lot of fun.
How about $189 for an entire set of starter sticks? The seven clubs in the Decathlon 500 Level Golf Clubs were selected so that on average there are 16 to 22 yards between strokes. With a big offset between hosel and face to fight the slice and a relatively light weight, each club is easy to play with. The set includes driver, 22-degree yybrid, 6 iron, 8 iron, pitching wedge, sand wedge and putter. There’s also a 7-club 900 Level set for $269 that might appeal to a bit better (but still beginning) players. The 5-iron we sampled still has a solid offset, feels great and gets the ball airborne with ease.
At $45.90, the Decathlon Cold Weather Golf Down Jacket is perfect for those holiday rounds — not too bulky, form-fitting without being constrictive, and pleasing to look at on and off the course. Its high neck is lined with a soft and warm material for protection against the cold, and two exterior zippered pockets accompany one interior chest pocket with a rip-tab. Best of all, the sleeves are warm yet thin and stretchy, allowing full swing motion.
Looking for a great three-piece ball for less than $35? Check out the Decathlon Tour 900 Golf Balls 12-Pack. Each ball is built with a urethane cover and Surlyn mantle layer. The ball’s soft feel makes it perfect for avid golfers who like to work the ball on full swings and control its spin around the green.
Finally, there’s that $5.99 dozen choice the Decathlon Distance 100 Balls 12-Pack . This ball features a 2-piece construction and a lower spin transfer rate — perfect for the fledgling player who just needs distance above all.
